President Trump signed into law the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Act of 2018 on Friday. The legislation reorganizes DHS’ National Protection and Programs Directorate into a new agency with the mission of protecting the security of the country’s cyber and physical infrastructure.
“This vital legislation will establish a new agency within the Department of Homeland Security to lead the federal government’s civilian response to these cyber threats against our nation,” the president said at the signing ceremony at the White House. “We’ve had many, many threats against our nation. Cyber is going to be the newest form. And the threats have taken place, and we’ve been doing pretty good in knocking them out, but now we’ll be — this will make us, I think, much more effective.”
“The men and women of the new Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will be on the front lines of our cyber defense,” Trump added. “They will partner with the private sector, and all levels of government to defend America’s power grids, banks, telecommunications and other critical parts of our economy. The cyber battle space evolves, and it is evolving, and, unfortunately, faster than a lot f people want to talk about it. But battle space it is.”
In attendance for the signing was DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.
I joined @realDonaldTrump this morning for the @CISAgov signing ceremony. #Cybersecurity is national security and by standing up #CISA we’re properly positioned to defend America’s infrastructure from threats digital & physical.
— Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen (@SecNielsen) November 16, 2018
“The CISA Act elevates the cybersecurity mission within DHS and streamlines our operations to better secure the nation’s critical infrastructure and cyber platforms,” said CISA Director Christopher Krebs. “CISA continues NPPD’s mission of leading the national effort to improve critical infrastructure security, coordinating the protection of the federal government’s networks and physical infrastructure, and helping entities in the public and private sectors manage risk.”
SEE: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Applauds Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act Passage
Today @POTUS signed legislation to stand up the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in @DHSgov. The cybersecurity threat is constantly evolving and this reorganization positions us to better defend America’s infrastructure from digital and physical threats.
— Chris Krebs #Protect2020 (@CISAKrebs) November 16, 2018
.@CISAKrebs gives his first speech as Director of #CISA at the @USChamber, highlighting our mantra “defend today, secure tomorrow” for the nation’s #cybersecurity pic.twitter.com/QHdi27GWEf
— Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (@CISAgov) November 16, 2018
Also: Inside the Pentagon’s Struggle to Build a Cyber Force
