Top US Cybersecurity Agency chief set to depart before Trump takes over

Date:
Mon, 18 Nov 2024 17:04:00 +0000

Description:
CISA director Jen Easterly will vacate her post before President-elect Trump
takes office.

FULL STORY

The Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA),
Jen Easterly, is set to vacate her post before President Trump  returns to
office on January 20 2025, throwing the future of the agency into doubt. 

CISA is responsible for critical infrastructure protection and improving the
US governments protections against cybercriminals and state actors, who are
increasingly targeting American agencies in order to exfiltrate data and
disrupt services. 

Easterly held a number of security positions before taking the post as
Director of CISA, such as senior director for counterterrorism on the 
National Security Council and Global Head of Cybersecurity for Morgan 
Stanley. Her departure leaves the fate of the agency uncertain.

Slash and burn

Given the number of eyebrow-raising proposed cabinet appointees by the
President-elect, it's difficult to predict who might fill the position in
2025 and beyond. 

CISA was created during Trumps first term, but his consistent commitment to
deregulation could limit the agencys ability to enforce compliance with
cybersecurity standards. 

Following the narrow senate election win for the Republican party, senator
Rand Paul is set to take over as chair of the Senate Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs committee, which will oversee CISA. Paul, a staunch
libertarian and critic of CISA, previously accused the agency of infringing 
on free speech as part of its effort to counter digital disinformation. 

Trump is likely to boost military spending in his second term, but most other
agencies face seriously slashed budgets in the coming years. Although under
the defense umbrella, cybersecurity will likely be amongst those to lose out
on funding. 

Governments across the globe are facing a dramatic surge in cyberattacks ,
with Government organizations seeing a 236% increase in malware attacks, so
cybersecurity will be a key consideration for the foreseeable future. 

Via NextGov

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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/top-us-cybersecurity-agency-chief-set-t
o-depart-before-trump-takes-over

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