CISA worker says 100-strong red team fired after DOGE cancelled contract

HELLFIRE · 2025-03-12T23:04:31+00:00

Usual preface, sharing strictly and solely from a security interest POV to the exclusion of everything else : https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/12/cisa_staff_layoffs/ From a security POV, what’s that old saying about penny-wise and pound-foolish? … “On Friday, February 28, 2025, at 1600 hours, the government contract I supported with CISA (Dept of Homeland Security) was terminated due to DOGE," senior penetration tester Christopher Chenoweth wrote on LinkedIn. … DOGE’s “wall of receipts” listing contracts it has cancelled hasn’t been updated since March 5, but lists 86 deals axed at CISA’s parent, the Department of Homeland Security. The Register reviewed the list and can’t find one obviously related to penetration testing. Someone with Chenoweth’s experience – he’s a former Marine who’s worked in infosec for 20 years - shouldn’t struggle to find a new gig. Chenoweth wrote he’s now keen on “DOGE-resistant opportunities.” … Meanwhile, the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC) – which is part of the government-funded Center for Internet Security organization and advised American election officials, and voting machine makers, about democracy-menacing cyber-threats – has seemingly shut down. “Due to the termination of funding by the Department of Homeland Security, the Center for Internet Security no longer supports the EI-ISAC,” its now-wiped website reads. … Regards

Rook

Astyanax Agencies created by Congress (through lawmaking) can only be eliminated by Congress.
Congress also has the power to decide budgets (“power of the purse”). The Executive branch can’t just defund agencies to eliminate them. Not legally.

Anyway, with the amount of cyber attacks being discovered (every single day, it seems like) I’m sure these cyber guys won’t be out of work too long.

Astyanax

Rook Agencies created by Congress (through lawmaking) can only be eliminated by Congress.

This is why they are drafting rescission bills as we speak.

Rook

Astyanax Right, so it’s illegal now.
That seems to be the current trend. Do something wrong, then try to fix it later, after the damage is done.
Fire a bunch of people, realize they screwed up, then try to fix it later.
Such buffoonery.

egeezer

mmmdonuts That hasn’t been a thing for a very long time. The best and brightest are not federal employees.

If that’s the case, (and I personally see evidence to the contrary in federal cybercrime teams) attracting the best and brightest will not be easier with the reputation of the employer regarding the present management actions and public statements about employees.

HELLFIRE

HELLFIRE From a security POV, what’s that old saying about penny-wise and pound-foolish?

Request MODS close this thread as the topic appears to be irretrievably lost. I thank everyone for their varied but civil inputs to date.

Regards

px_eliezer_

HELLFIRE Request MODS close this thread as the topic appears to be irretrievably lost. I thank everyone for their varied but civil inputs to date.

I agree but (and this is the truth, however ironic it may sound), I did not see your comment in time!

/done posting in this topic

ElQuintron

HELLFIRE Request MODS close this thread as the topic appears to be irretrievably lost. I thank everyone for their varied but civil inputs to date.

Regards

Closing this as per your request, for faster pickup you can flag your OP, or send any of us a message via Private Conversation.

px_eliezer_

Astyanax Interesting how those intriguing nuggets of info slipped the old gray lady’s mind

Where are you getting this “wrinkle” information? I didn’t see that in the Boston Globe story unless you and I are reading different updates. Regardless seems like much more than a “wrinkle”.

Intriguing how you think that all this is perfectly fine.

Intriguing how you think that all this will not discourage valuable doctors and scientists from coming to the USA when they consider their future options.

Oh well, it will benefit Canada and the U.K. and other countries.

But on the upside—maybe the next Elon Musk will not be able to come here.

Astyanax

px_eliezer_

px_eliezer_ Where are you getting this “wrinkle” information? I didn’t see that in the Boston Globe story

You clicked the wrong link.

px_eliezer_ Regardless seems like much more than a “wrinkle”.

Apparently.

px_eliezer_ Intriguing how you think that all this is perfectly fine.

Intriguing how you think that all this will not discourage valuable doctors and scientists

Intriguing how you just accept the NYT story at face value without the least amount of skepticism and without considering there just might be more to it than what they’re “reporting”.

px_eliezer_

mmmdonuts That hasn’t been a thing for a very long time. The best and brightest are not federal employees. Maybe, just maybe NASA and the NRC has some brilliant old timers left. Most of the federal government is mediocre managerial class handling the administrative BS for projects worked by contractors.

You know this how?

The federal employees whom I know work their asses off, and are very competent.

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