DHS: Russian cyber threats to remain in CISA’s purview

Monitoring and tackling Russian cybersecurity threats was confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security to be continuously conducted by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, with the DHS refuting separate reports from The Guardian and The Washington Post indicating that the agency deprioritized Russian threats and had its experts redirected to other nation-state adversaries, respectively, CyberScoop reports.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said that the Trump administration did not author the memo obtained by The Guardian that focused on Chinese threats and U.S. critical infrastructure defenses. "CISA remains committed to addressing all cyber threats to U.S. critical infrastructure, including from Russia. There has been no change in our posture or priority on this front," McLaughlin added. Such a development comes amid the reported stand-down order for all cyber offensive operations aimed at Russia, a move criticized by cybersecurity experts and Democrat lawmakers. "To capitulate now, as we appear to bail on our allies in Ukraine, is an inexplicable dereliction of duty that puts American critical infrastructure at risk," said House Committee on Homeland Security's Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.