CISA expands workforce and issues international outage communication guidance

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is preparing to hire approximately 250 new employees to fill critical vacancies within its core operational divisions. Acting CISA Director Nick Andersen stated that the agency is prioritizing roles in cybersecurity, infrastructure security, and emergency communications to address emerging threats. This recruitment effort follows a period of downsizing and a broader goal set by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to expand the workforce by roughly 600 people.

In a separate initiative, CISA, the FBI, and international partners from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom have released new guidance regarding communications during IT and operational technology outages. The guidance emphasizes transparency, clarity, and accountability to maintain public trust during service disruptions caused by cyberattacks, human error, or natural disasters. It recommends that service providers establish cross-functional incident teams and predefined communication plans to manage stakeholder expectations during crises.