Vulnerability Assessment: The Impact of the Government Shutdown on Cybersecurity

TL;DR As we enter the third week of the government shutdown, concerns have arisen about the impact that this could have on national cybersecurity measures. Learn about the potential cybersecurity risks associated with government shutdown and how they could impact your organization.

The Government Shutdown’s Impact on Cybersecurity

The government shutdown is entering its third week. The impacts have been felt across industries, but for cyber security, the shutdown has created unique security vulnerabilities. The Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Administration (CISA) has furloughed around two-thirds of its workforce, leaving a skeleton crew to handle essential operations. CISA is the lead governmental agency responsible for safeguarding the United States against cyber attacks and threats to infrastructure. Not only that, but they are a crucial part of information-sharing initiatives that help industries and organizations stay secure.

The government shutdown occurred immediately after the expiration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015. This act enacted protections for organizations to share information about cybersecurity threats and designated the Department of Homeland Security as the main hub where information was gathered and processed. There were attempts to extend the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act past its original expiration date of September 30th, 2025, but none were successful before the government shutdown.

The combination of CISA running on minimal staff with the expiration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 means that there are unique information gaps and vulnerabilities that threat actors can exploit.

What this Means for Your Organization

These vulnerabilities could translate into security concerns for your organization. While CISA is still maintaining essential functions, the government shutdown means that resources are incredibly limited. CISA does not currently have the capacity or legal means, due to the expiration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, to facilitate information sharing on the scale that it did before the shutdown.

This means that your organization may lack opportunities to benefit from information that CISA usually shares. Furthermore, the information stored by CISA is currently vulnerable to mismanagement and attacks from threat actors. While national cybersecurity is in jeopardy, it is crucial that your organization maintain its individual cybersecurity measures.

National cybersecurity is in uncharted waters. Even after the resolution of the government shutdown, the full gravity of the situation will take a while to understand. In this unprecedented threat landscape, securing your organization has never been more important.

How Isogent Can Help

At Isogent, our team of IT security experts is here to help you. We thrive in uncharted territory and are ready to use our skills and knowledge to secure your organization today. Contact us to find out more about our Synchronized Cybersecurity Solutions that are tailor made for your business.