The former leader of the National Security Agency’s unit dedicated to cracking foreign computer systems warned lawmakers today that the potential mass firings of probationary federal employees would have bleak consequences for the country’s cybersecurity posture, especially when contending with malicious cyber activity from the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“I want to raise my grave concerns that the aggressive threats to cut US government probationary employees will have a devastating impact on [US] cybersecurity and our national security,” Rob Joyce, former director of cybersecurity at the NSA and ex-chief of the agency’s elite Tailored Access Operations unit, told the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
“At my former agency, remarkable technical talent was recruited into developmental programs that provided intensive, unique training and hands-on experience to cultivate vital skills,” Joyce said. “Eliminating probationary employees will destroy a pipeline of top talent essential for hunting and eradicating PRC threats.”
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