CISA braces for deep staffing cuts
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The logos of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are seen on computer terminals in a training room of the Cyber Crimes Center of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is looking to push out as much as a third of the agency's total headcount, in addition to contract personnel from a major threat hunting team, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Why it matters: The cuts are likely to impact "every single part of the agency," one of those sources told Axios — dealing a huge blow to the country's cybersecurity posture following earlier rounds of layoffs and contract cuts.
Zoom in: CISA is expected to start reducing its workforce through a second "Fork in the Road" email, two sources told Axios.
- That email could go out as soon as this weekend, but the specifics of the cuts keep changing, the sources said.
- Depending on how many people take the offer, the agency could then send out "reduction in force" notices at a later, unspecified date, the sources added.
- CBS reports that the agency plans to cut as many as 1,300 employees.
Another industry source told Axios that the cuts include 75 contract personnel who work on CISA's threat hunting operations — which searches for signs of vulnerabilities or breaches on civilian federal networks.
- Those personnel worked on threat hunt contracts with Nightwing, a cyber company that spun out of Raytheon last year, and technology services vendor Peraton.
- Most federal agencies don't have the budget or manpower to set up their own threat hunt teams, and CISA's work typically helped identify hacking campaigns targeting the whole of government.
- CISA declined to comment.
Catch up quick: This is the latest hit to the nation's cyber defense agency during the second Trump administration.
- The agency has cut funding to several election security efforts, spurring concerns among state and local election officials who relied on the agency for threat intelligence about adversaries targeting their elections.
- CISA said last month that it was terminating contracts "where the agency has been able to find efficiencies and eliminate duplication of effort," including in its red team operations.
- And last month, CISA fired — and then had to reinstate — more than 130 probationary employees.
The intrigue: The rumored cuts are already raising alarm bells on Capitol Hill.
- Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee's cyber subcommittee, has already requested a briefing on CISA's workforce changes, spokesperson Cassie Baloue told Axios in a statement.
- Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a statement to Axios that he is aware of the rumored plans and called the moves "idiotic" and "irrational."
- "Trump is intent to do to our security the same as what he's doing to the economy — tank it," Thompson said.
- Even before rumors of the latest agency cuts started swirling, Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), chair of the House Homeland Security Committee's cyber subcommittee, said during an event in D.C. this week that he was "not thrilled" with some of the agency's previous firings.
What to watch: Congress has not yet scheduled a nomination hearing for Sean Plankey, Trump's pick to run the agency.
Go deeper: Federal cyber teams overwhelmed amid workforce disruptions
