© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 7.16.0
Gutting the nation's cyber defense agency while attacks explode is reckless. CISA lost nearly 1,000 employees, about a third of its workforce, in the first half of 2025, and the fiscal 2027 budget proposal would cut 900 more, all while ransomware showed up in 48% of confirmed breaches and health care systems bled millions per incident. Staffing the defense is the mission.
More staff won't fix this. Most of America's critical infrastructure is privately run, so federal cybersecurity can't stop at the agency's front door — contractors and outside vendors are part of the real risk now. Better monitoring and tighter access controls matter more than bigger headcounts. The gaps between agencies and the companies they hire are where the real damage happens.