Latest news with #SeanPlankey
Forbes
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Sean Plankey, Trump's CISA Pick, Takes Center Stage In Cyber Showdown
Sean Plankey will testify on June 5 as President Trump's nominee to lead the Cybersecurity and ... More Infrastructure Security Agency. His confirmation hearing comes amid heightened cyber threats and political scrutiny of the agency's future. A United States Senate committee will convene Thursday to determine the future of America's top cyber defense agency. Former Coast Guard officer Sean Plankey, President Trump's nominee to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, will testify before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. If confirmed, he won't just inherit a title, he'll inherit an agency in turmoil. From aggressive Chinese cyberattacks to sweeping internal layoffs and a political crossfire threatening its very existence, CISA is at a crossroads. The stakes are high. The threats are real. And the clock is ticking. Plankey is no political unknown. With two decades of military service and senior cyber roles at the Department of Energy and National Security Council, he's built a career at the intersection of infrastructure, intelligence and cybersecurity. He's respected in both public and private sectors, particularly for his expertise in operational technology in systems such as pipelines, power grids and ports. His resume checks all the right boxes. But stepping into the director's chair at CISA means more than credentials. It means navigating one of the most politically charged and strategically vital agencies in the U.S. government. CISA was born in 2018 out of necessity as a rising tide of cyberattacks on America's most vital systems demanded a central agency to defend federal networks and critical infrastructure. Its first director, Chris Krebs, gained national recognition for leading efforts to secure the 2020 election. But after publicly pushing back on claims of election fraud, he was dismissed by President Trump. Under President Biden, Jen Easterly was asked to take a broader approach. She expanded the agency's mission to include ransomware defense, supply chain resilience and public-private coordination. CISA's headcount grew to over 3,400 employees and its budget rose to $3.1 billion, making it a ripe target for political scrutiny and budget cuts. But it was Easterly's push to counter disinformation on social media, especially around elections, that drew the most controversy. Critics saw it as mission creep, arguing that the agency was drifting from its core infrastructure protection role into politically sensitive territory. Easterly defended the initiatives by pointing out that election infrastructure had been officially designated as critical infrastructure following past foreign interference attempts. Following President Trump's return to office in 2025, Easterly stepped down. The timing was notable just as the administration moved to cut CISA's funding and dismantle advisory panels. The administration also laid off hundreds of CISA employees and terminated contracts supporting red team operations and election security. According to reports in The Wall Street Journal and The Register, these moves have raised concerns about the agency's ability to meet its mission at a time when cyber threats from nation-state adversaries are escalating. Now, CISA stands leaderless and politically vulnerable right as America's enemies are stepping up their game. The numbers are telling. The Trump 2025 budget proposal cuts CISA funding by nearly $500 million. Employees have been laid off. Veteran leadership has exited in droves. Cybersecurity professionals both inside and outside the agency are sounding alarms. Meanwhile, China-linked adversaries operating under names like 'Salt Typhoon' and 'Volt Typhoon' have penetrated American telecom networks, exploiting long-ignored vulnerabilities. These are not theoretical threats. They're live intrusions into the infrastructure that powers everything from hospitals to air traffic control. And if that weren't enough, the agency's mandate is under political attack. Senator Rand Paul has floated plans to defund or dissolve CISA altogether, arguing that it has infringed on civil liberties. Department Of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem echoed similar criticisms, accusing the agency of silencing conservative voices under the guise of cybersecurity. Despite the turbulence surrounding CISA, Sean Plankey's nomination has drawn an unusually wide and bipartisan base of support. Michael McLaughlin, co-author of Battlefield Cyber, praised Plankey's 'deep commitment to strengthening our national security' and noted his 'firsthand experience' securing critical infrastructure. Tatyana Bolton, along with the Operational Technology Cybersecurity Coalition, endorsed the nomination as well, citing Plankey's cross-sector experience and his ability to bridge public-private divides. A formal letter of support co-signed by the Association of U.S. Cyber Forces, Cyber Threat Alliance, McCrary Institute and others, urged the Senate to confirm him without delay. Mark Montgomery of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission called him 'a great hire' with the 'interagency savvy' required to navigate today's complex threat landscape. Even his predecessor, Easterly, lent her voice: 'Sean will bring great cyber expertise, private sector creds, a warrior spirit and steady leadership to Team CISA.' The loudest opposition comes from Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, who has placed a hold on the nomination, though his objection is not personal. Wyden is demanding the public release of an unclassified 2022 report that allegedly outlines years of cybersecurity negligence by major U.S. telecom companies. He accuses CISA of suppressing the report to avoid exposing systemic vulnerabilities. Wyden argues the document is essential to understanding how Chinese threat actors gained a foothold in U.S. infrastructure and insists that Plankey's confirmation should be delayed until the full facts are made public. While his move may not target Plankey directly, it could stall the confirmation process. Despite the hold, Plankey's chances remain strong. With Republican backing and industry support, a pathway to confirmation exists. But it may require compromise either through redactions or supplemental briefings to appease Wyden's demands. The June 5 hearing will be a pivotal moment. If Plankey performs well, momentum may shift toward a swift vote. If confirmed, Plankey must move quickly and decisively. His top priorities should include: Plankey didn't create the challenges facing CISA but if confirmed, he'll be tasked with stabilizing an agency under immense pressure. He brings the right combination of credentials, bipartisan support and mission clarity. But success will require more than technical know-how. It will take political finesse, steady leadership and a return to disciplined, quiet execution. In cybersecurity, the best leaders aren't the loudest. They're the ones who keep the lights on and the threats out without making headlines. June 5 will tell us whether Plankey gets that chance. America's cyber defense may hang in the balance. If and when he is confirmed, let's work together as an industry to make cybersecurity boring again.
Forbes
22-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Wiretap: Trump's Cybersecurity Agency Avoided A Near Disaster
The Wiretap is your weekly digest of cybersecurity, internet privacy and surveillance news. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here. getty An essential, constantly-updated database of cybersecurity vulnerabilities almost went offline last week. Run by Mitre, the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database has become vital to all manner of digital defenders, from those on enterprise IT teams to those keeping tabs on national security threats. It's proven particularly helpful in understanding the severity of a software or hardware flaw, determining whether it's actively being exploited by hackers, and assessing whether a fix is urgently needed. Mitre had warned users that funding for the CVE project, which came via the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), was going to run out on Wednesday April 16. In a last minute reprieve, though, CISA confirmed it would continue to provide financial backing for it. Inside CISA, staff told Forbes it was a whirligig week where, within 24 hours, the agency had gone from causing a disaster to averting one. 'It would have been devastating for defenders,' said one CISA employee. 'What a mess,' said another. Beyond saying that 'the CVE Program is invaluable to the cyber community and a priority of CISA,' the agency is yet to offer any kind of explanation for the brinksmanship. CISA is currently without a permanent director, with Sean Plankey, Trump's nominee, yet to be approved by Congress. The sooner the agency has some stability, the less likely such snafus come close to causing catastrophic damage to American cybersecurity. Got a tip on surveillance or cybercrime? Get me on Signal at +1 929-512-7964. Getty Images Palantir, the $20 billion surveillance company, is upping its work with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) via contracts asking it to build a 'complete target analysis of known populations,' reports 404 Media. A subsequent leak of internal Palantir communications revealed that it's going to be helping locate people in the country illegally, while planning for a backlash externally and internally. Staff have been given guidance on the ethics of working on such large-scale work with an agency like ICE, showing how Palantir is worried about the optics of the contracts. Read the whole story here. Cops across America are starting to utilize AI agents to help spy on social media, according to a Wired and 404 Media report. Among the agents advertised to cops by providers were a fake college protester and a potential child sex trafficking victim. Pedestrian crosswalks were hacked in Seattle last week to have a fake Jeff Bezos start spouting tongue-in-cheek pro-billionaire spiel. 'Please, please don't tax the rich. Otherwise, all the other billionaires will move to Florida too,' it said, referencing the Amazon founder's residency change that saved him an estimated $1 billion. A draft bill currently in the Florida legislature would, if it passed, require social media companies to build backdoors that would allow law enforcement to decrypt messages. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has all but confirmed new reports suggesting he shared sensitive information about U.S. attack plans in Yemen in a second Signal group chat. Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list was launched last week. One lister was a Ukrainian cybersecurity startup, LetsData. Launched in 2022, it's an AI-driven company that claims it can spot and tackle disinformation campaigns. Michael McMahon, a retired NYPD sergeant turned private detective, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for his part in harassing and stalking a Chinese expatriate named Xu Jin, who is wanted by his homeland's government. It's alleged McMahon helped his client even though he knew it appeared to be part of a Chinese government plot to get Jin to return to China.
Washington Post
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Cybersecurity executive tapped to lead agency that protects voting systems
President Donald Trump has nominated a cybersecurity executive to lead the agency that works to protect the nation's critical infrastructure, one that has faced Republican criticism in recent years over its involvement in elections. Sean Plankey, who retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2023, was nominated Tuesday to lead the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, known as CISA. He worked in the first Trump administration as a director for cyber policy at the National Security Council and then as a principal deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy.
