The agency’s acting chief tried to oust CISA’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), Robert Costello, but the attempt was blocked by other members of America's civilian cyber defense agency, Politico reports.
-
CISA acting director Madhu Gottumukkala failed to oust CIO Robert Costello after agency insiders blocked the reassignment.
-
The blocked removal follows a polygraph test that prompted suspensions of six agency staff members.
-
Costello is considered top technical talent at CISA, where nearly 1,000 employees have recently departed.
The acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Madhu Gottumukkala, tried to impose a “management-directed reassignment” last week. The move would have given Costello a week to choose to work at another part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which controls CISA.
The CISA leadership’s move was confirmed to Politico by three sources familiar with the matter. The action is likely related to CISA staffers organizing a polygraph test for Gottumukkala, a Donald Trump appointee, which he failed.
But what Gottumukkala and the DHS found troublesome was not that Gottumukkala failed the test, but rather that the examination was unsanctioned. The move was followed by at least six staffers getting suspended with pay.
Meanwhile, Politico reports that other senior officials were not briefed on Costello’s reassignment, prompting numerous agency officials to question Gottumukkala’s decision. The attention was fierce enough for DHS to first pause and then stop the reassignment.
Sources told journalists Gottumukkala’s action against Costello sharply impacted CISA’s employees, as Costello is seen as the agency's top technical talent. Nearly 1,000 staffers have already left CISA over the Trump administration’s imposed workforce cuts.
Last year, CISA faced no shortage of policy decisions that were questioned by ex-CISA officials as well as cybersecurity experts. For one, CISA opened the year by eliminating teams that combat foreign disinformation.
The move was carried out in tandem with Pam Bondi, the new Attorney General, dissolving an FBI task force that was formed in response to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections. The task force worked to sniff out efforts by Russia, China, or Iran to manipulate US voters.
A couple of months later, the US confirmed it had suspended operations and plans for cyber operations against Russia. Reportedly, officials from the CISA were “verbally” told to stop working on anything Russia-related.
Former CISA chief Jen Easterly slammed the Trump administration for purging top cyber officials and putting the nation's digital defenses at risk. Easterly wrote that the dismissals affect the entire cybersecurity ecosystem worldwide.
“These developments matter to our many partners across the globe who look to our nation for leadership in cybersecurity and contribute to our cyber defense efforts,“ she said.
Unlock exclusive Cybernews content on YouTube.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are markedmarked