The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued a binding operational directive requiring federal civilian agencies to enhance the security of their Microsoft cloud systems. This comes in response to several recent cyber incidents exposing vulnerabilities caused by misconfigurations and weak security controls. The directive builds on CISA’s Secure Cloud Business Applications (SCuBA) project, launched in 2022 to provide secure configuration baselines for cloud environments and protect sensitive federal data.
Agencies are now required to create an inventory of all cloud systems by February 21, 2025, deploy SCuBA assessment tools by April 25, 2025, and fully implement the directive’s measures by June 20, 2025. The initiative aims to mitigate risks by addressing systemic security gaps in federal cloud environments. While CISA did not disclose specific incidents leading to the directive, cyberattacks in 2023 and 2024 targeting federal systems through Microsoft cloud products, attributed to Russian and Chinese hackers, underscore the urgency.
CISA officials highlighted the increasing frequency of cyber threats targeting cloud environments. Deputy Executive Assistant Director Matt Hartman noted that improper configurations in cloud systems have led to significant risks and actual compromises. While the directive is not tied to a specific incident, Hartman emphasized that its measures are designed to address tactics used by both sophisticated nation-state actors and cybercriminals. The move reflects lessons learned from prior incidents like the SolarWinds breach and pilot programs with 13 agencies that adopted SCuBA.
CISA Director Jen Easterly described the directive as a critical step toward reducing cyber risks across the federal civilian enterprise. She urged organizations outside the federal government to adopt similar measures, citing the growing threat of malicious actors targeting cloud environments. Currently, SCuBA baselines are available for Microsoft Office 365, with a Google Workspace version expected by mid-2025. The directive signals a heightened commitment to safeguarding federal data against evolving cyber threats.
