Reduced cybersecurity training adopted by Pentagon

The U.S. Defense Department, recently renamed as the Department of War, has rolled back cybersecurity training as it focuses on its "core mission" of winning wars, The Register reports.

In a memo by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon's chief information officer has been ordered to not only loosen the mandated frequency of Controlled Unclassified Information Training and automate information management systems but also remove the Privacy Act training from the Common Military Training list.

"These critical efforts to eliminate, reduce, and consolidate focus topics advances my emphasis on warfighting. The Department will prioritize these actions and execute with urgency to strengthen the lethality of our Nation's fighting Force," said Hegseth.

Such a move by the Pentagon was regarded by Hitrust Vice President of Cyber Risk Tom Kellermann as "extremely shortsighted" amid escalating nation-state cyber threats against the U.S. "Training is essential when defending the US in an ever changing cyberthreat environment. This directive undermines our national security," Kellermann added.