November 18, 2024 at 03:56PM
Jen Easterly, director of CISA, will resign on Inauguration Day as part of a transition to a Trump administration. During her tenure, she addressed significant cybersecurity incidents, including the Colonial Pipeline attack, and implemented new initiatives. Future plans for CISA remain uncertain amid calls from Republicans for mission restrictions.
### Meeting Takeaways
1. **Leadership Change at CISA**: Jen Easterly, the current director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), will resign on Inauguration Day as part of the transition to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.
2. **Resignation of Appointees**: Other political appointees under President Biden are also expected to resign from CISA as the agency prepares for a potential policy shift under a new administration.
3. **Easterly’s Tenure**: Easterly was appointed during Biden’s administration to fill a vacancy left by the prior director, Chris Krebs, who was dismissed by Trump. Under her leadership, CISA faced significant cybersecurity challenges, including the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack.
4. **Cybersecurity Initiatives**: During her time, Easterly launched important initiatives such as Secure by Design and developed CISA’s resiliency playbook to enhance critical infrastructure security.
5. **Future of CISA**: After Easterly’s departure, the agency’s future direction is uncertain, especially with political discussions emerging about limiting CISA’s mission or even considering its elimination. Additionally, former President Trump has named South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as a nominee for the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees CISA.
6. **Next Steps for Easterly**: As of now, Easterly’s future plans post-CISA remain unspecified.