CyberScoop reports that the Trump administration's attempted firing of all probationary federal employees, including those in cybersecurity, was regarded by former intelligence officials to be detrimental to U.S. cyber and national security during a hearing before the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
Mounting Chinese state-sponsored cyber intrusions against U.S. critical infrastructure necessitates elevated expertise at the National Security Agency (NSA) and other agencies, said former NSA Director of Cybersecurity Rob Joyce.
"Eliminating probationary employees will destroy a pipeline of top talent responsible for hunting and eradicating [Chinese] threats," Joyce added.
Laura Gallante, former director of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, also said that the attempted removal of cyber staff could greatly diminish federal efforts to counter cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Such a move was also slammed by Democrat legislators in a separate congressional hearing.
"Let's be clear — the Trump administration gutting U.S. cyber defenses makes it harder to protect Americans against Chinese cyber attacks and makes us less safe," said Bennie Thompson (D-Miss), of the House Committee on Homeland Security, who noted imminent workforce cuts at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
