‘People Are Scared’: Inside CISA as It Reels From Trump’s Purge
1 min read
Summary
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the US government’s main agency defending against cyber attacks, is in disarray following a series of mass layoffs, a refusal from management to tackle threats to US democracy, and a return-to-office mandate that has attracted the ire of employees.
CISA’s mission to support critical infrastructure operators defend themselves against cyber attackers has been hit by staff cuts, with between 300 and 400 employees losing their jobs.
Several prominent CISA staffers have also left the agency, including those working on open-source software and AI security projects.
Many employees working on CISA’s joint cyber defense hub are contractors, and contracts for this work run out in less than a year.
A CISA election security program, designed to counter misinformation and provide free services to state and local officials, has been paused following Trump-inspired conspiracy theories.
Employees are forbidden to discuss the situation for fear of reprisals from an administration that they believe is trying to micromanage the agency.
CISA’s acting director, who is filling in until President Trump picks a replacement, is trying to curry favor with the president, employees claim, at their expense.
