The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently announced the termination of $10 million in annual funding to the Center for Internet Security (CIS), which managed key cybersecurity resources like the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) and the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC). This decision is part of a broader set of budget cuts and employee layoffs within the agency, aiming to focus on mission-critical areas and eliminate redundancies. CISA explained that certain activities under the cooperative agreement with CIS were no longer aligned with the department’s priorities and could be handled directly by CISA.
The funding cuts affect vital resources that have been crucial for state and local governments, especially in coordinating cybersecurity efforts against a rising tide of threats. MS-ISAC and EI-ISAC have been instrumental in providing real-time threat-sharing, incident response, and technical guidance to states, local governments, and election bodies. The defunding of EI-ISAC, in particular, raises concerns about the vulnerability of election systems, as many local election offices rely on this resource for their cybersecurity support. With this termination, states may struggle to replicate the level of support previously provided, risking exposure to nation-state cyberattacks.
This decision also highlights broader tensions regarding the cybersecurity support provided by the federal government to critical infrastructure sectors. While other Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) are privately funded through membership dues, MS-ISAC and EI-ISAC have become essential for the public sector due to the escalating cyber threats against government entities. Industry experts worry that without the federal funding, smaller or underserved communities may struggle to afford the cybersecurity services now being lost. The termination of these services could force local governments to rely on costly private-sector alternatives or leave key infrastructure vulnerable to attacks.
The cuts at CISA are occurring amid a broader trend of cybersecurity staff reductions within the federal government, leading to concerns about the erosion of national security defenses. Recently, over a hundred CISA employees, including experts working on cybersecurity simulations, were fired as part of broader budget cuts. These staff reductions, combined with funding cuts for critical cybersecurity resources, have raised alarm among experts who fear that U.S. election security and broader infrastructure protections are being weakened at a time when cyber threats are increasing.
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