Secretary Mullin must help finish the job: Urge the Senate to confirm Plankey

With global cyber threats escalating and budget cuts looming, CISA needs a Senate-confirmed director. It’s time to confirm Sean Plankey.

On March 23, the Senate confirmed Senator Markwayne Mullin as the next homeland security secretary, marking an important step in strengthening leadership during a critical moment for our nation’s security.

But only half of the job is done.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the federal government’s main civilian cyber defense agency, still lacks a Senate-confirmed director. As global cyber threats escalate,  this prolonged leadership gap poses a growing national security risk.

As Executive Director of the National Technology Security Coalition (NTSC), I represent Chief Information Security Officers who are responsible for protecting the systems that sustain America’s economy and critical infrastructure. In every sector, energy, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and transportation, there is a common concern: the threat landscape is growing more aggressive, and our defenses must stay ahead.

Our enemies are not waiting.

Since the start of the conflict with Iran, cybersecurity experts have reported increased malicious cyber activity targeting U.S. and allied systems. Iran-linked actors have shown their ability to disrupt operations and exploit vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, China continues its long-term effort to infiltrate American networks and position itself for possible disruption of critical infrastructure. Russia and its affiliated groups remain persistent, probing Western systems for weaknesses and exerting constant pressure.

This is the reality of modern conflict. Cyber operations have emerged as a primary domain of competition. In some cases, they can rival the effects of traditional military action, disrupting economies, communications, and public safety through code alone. 

Leadership is important in this environment.

CISA plays a key role in coordinating federal cyber defense, sharing threat intelligence with the private sector, and supporting state and local governments. It serves as the link between government and industry in protecting the nation’s digital infrastructure. Without a Senate-confirmed director, the agency’s ability to set priorities, coordinate efforts, and respond quickly is limited.

That challenge is growing more urgent. The President’s fiscal year 2027 budget plan proposes significant cuts to CISA’s funding. At a time when the agency faces increasing operational pressure, fewer resources make strong, steady leadership even more crucial.

This is the moment when Secretary Mullin’s leadership is critical.

As a former member of the Senate, Secretary Mullin understands the institution, its dynamics, and how to build consensus. He is uniquely positioned to connect with past colleagues and help advance Sean Plankey’s nomination as Director of CISA.

Plankey is highly qualified and widely respected in the cybersecurity community. His experience in the U.S. Coast Guard, at the Department of Energy securing the nation’s energy infrastructure, and in the private sector provides him with a clear understanding of both the threat landscape and the importance of public-private collaboration. At a time when coordination between government and industry is vital, these qualities are essential.

The Senate has already signaled that it takes cyberthreats seriously. It recently confirmed Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd to lead U.S. Cyber Command and serve as director of the National Security Agency, ensuring strong leadership of America’s military cyber defense team.

Now it needs to do the same on the civilian side.

Confirming Plankey matters because the country’s main civilian cyber defense agency needs established leadership to combat adversaries who are already inside our networks, probing our systems, and preparing for the next phase of conflict.

The leadership gap at CISA has gone on long enough.

Secretary Mullin must engage. The Senate needs to act. And Sean Plankey should be confirmed without further delay.

America’s cyber defenses depend on it.

Chris Sullivan is the executive director of the National Technology Security Coalition, a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that serves as an advocacy voice for chief information security officers across the nation.

Government

• FBI officials say AI is bolstering adversaries, emphasizing need to focus on cyber basics, patching

• Feds accuse China of ‘systematic’ distillation of U.S. AI models

• CIA’s Michael Ellis says cyber intelligence is changing how the agency operates

• The G7 tells industry to hurry up and prep for post-quantum encryption

Technology

• European parliament members call for slowdown of Serbia’s EU entry over spyware use

• FCC proposes public scorecard to rate telecoms on anti-robocall efforts

• Pegasus, NoviSpy variant spyware found on devices of Serbian activists

• Wyden seeks upgraded NSA security guidance on commercial VPN use

Threats

• Microsoft discloses two actively exploited zero-days among 974 vulnerabilities

• Russian national extradited to US for alleged involvement in bank-account takeover scheme

• Attackers exploit zero-days in consistently besieged SonicWall product

• Jail time for Maine child in 764 marks turning point in federal law enforcement

Policy

• Whistleblower says USPS deploying new, ‘untested’ IT systems governing mail-in ballots

• ‘Watershed 250’ test program in Texas looks to private sector for water cybersecurity help

• Former sexual abuse victims say Grok used their images, videos to train deepfake capabilities

• Cyber threats nudge Trump to sign executive order on foreign equipment in U.S. energy infrastructure