CISA Leadership Shakeup: CIO Departure and New Acting Cyber Chief नियुक्त
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is undergoing a leadership transition marked by the departure of its chief information officer, Robert Costello, who announced he is leaving after nearly five years in the role. Reporting indicates Costello’s exit follows internal turbulence, including conflicting accounts about whether then-acting director Madhu Gottumukkala attempted to push him out and subsequent transfer orders that raised the prospect of reassignment elsewhere in DHS; Costello had public support from some lawmakers and had been a visible advocate for modernization and improved tooling at the agency.
Separately, CISA named Chris Butera as acting executive assistant director for the agency’s cybersecurity division amid broader leadership shakeups: Gottumukkala was moved to another DHS role, and Nick Andersen assumed leadership of the agency. The changes come as CISA continues to face workforce attrition tied to broader federal staffing reductions, with additional departures expected within the cyber division, raising concerns about sustained capacity to execute CISA’s mission to address major cyber threats, vulnerability response, and critical infrastructure resilience.
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