David DiMolfetta
@ddimolfetta.bsky.social
Nextgov/FCW cybersecurity + intelligence reporter. Tips: ddimolfetta@govexec.com Signal: @ djd.99 X/Twitter: @ddimolfetta
Pinned
David DiMolfetta
@ddimolfetta.bsky.social
· Nov 10
(1/3) Hi all. My name is David, I cover U.S. federal cybersecurity policy, intelligence and a bit of national security for Nextgov/FCW in Washington, DC.
We are curious to hear from current or former government employees and officials about what the coming months will bring in this new admin.
We are curious to hear from current or former government employees and officials about what the coming months will bring in this new admin.
Reposted by David DiMolfetta
“Experts warned there's no single government agency in charge of monitoring, defending and repairing the cables, and no effective deterrent strategy.” breakingdefense.com/2025/11/grea...
'Greatest vulnerability': Australian Navy chief says protecting undersea cables is 'existential' - Breaking Defense
Experts warned there's no single government agency in charge of monitoring, defending and repairing the cables, and no effective deterrent strategy.
breakingdefense.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:04 AM
“Experts warned there's no single government agency in charge of monitoring, defending and repairing the cables, and no effective deterrent strategy.” breakingdefense.com/2025/11/grea...
Reposted by David DiMolfetta
Tulsi Gabbard is trying to take control over counterintelligence from the FBI. It's not going great. A scoop with @shaneharris.bsky.social
Tulsi Gabbard’s Quest to Bring the ‘Deep State’ Under Her Control
A memo circulating within the federal government lays out her office’s reasoning for wanting to transfer counterintelligence work away from the FBI.
www.theatlantic.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Tulsi Gabbard is trying to take control over counterintelligence from the FBI. It's not going great. A scoop with @shaneharris.bsky.social
Senate Homeland staffer: Senator Peters is aware of the CBO hack and is monitoring the situation.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Garbarino statement:
November 7, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Senate Homeland staffer: Senator Peters is aware of the CBO hack and is monitoring the situation.
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Garbarino statement:
November 7, 2025 at 12:18 AM
House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Garbarino statement:
Confirming WaPo - CBO systems accessed in ‘security incident’ possibly tied to foreign hackers:
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
CBO systems accessed in ‘security incident’ possibly tied to foreign hackers
The office estimates the cost and economic impact of proposed legislation and helps forecast federal spending, revenues, deficits and debt.
www.nextgov.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Confirming WaPo - CBO systems accessed in ‘security incident’ possibly tied to foreign hackers:
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
Reposted by David DiMolfetta
New: Washington Post latest to be identified as an Oracle EBS hacking victim
www.reuters.com/business/med...
www.reuters.com/business/med...
November 6, 2025 at 7:43 PM
New: Washington Post latest to be identified as an Oracle EBS hacking victim
www.reuters.com/business/med...
www.reuters.com/business/med...
Update: In a statement to Nextgov/FCW, CISA Director of Public Affairs Marci McCarthy said that “the agency does not comment on pending litigation and the government’s filings speak for themselves.”
DHS says it’s proceeding with planned layoffs at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, despite a recent court order barring workforce reductions across parts of the federal government during the ongoing shutdown:
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
DHS says shutdown layoffs at CISA will proceed despite court injunction
The cybersecurity agency says it has complied with the court’s order because the firing of 54 people in its Stakeholder Engagement Division was planned beforehand and doesn’t affect unionized employee...
www.nextgov.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Update: In a statement to Nextgov/FCW, CISA Director of Public Affairs Marci McCarthy said that “the agency does not comment on pending litigation and the government’s filings speak for themselves.”
Reposted by David DiMolfetta
CISA's filing in the shutdown layoffs lawsuit provides the first confirmed count of laid-off employees in the Stakeholder Engagement Division: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us... (h/t www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...)
CISA says employees are exempt from injunction b/c they're not in a union.
CISA says employees are exempt from injunction b/c they're not in a union.
November 5, 2025 at 8:12 PM
CISA's filing in the shutdown layoffs lawsuit provides the first confirmed count of laid-off employees in the Stakeholder Engagement Division: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us... (h/t www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...)
CISA says employees are exempt from injunction b/c they're not in a union.
CISA says employees are exempt from injunction b/c they're not in a union.
DHS says it’s proceeding with planned layoffs at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, despite a recent court order barring workforce reductions across parts of the federal government during the ongoing shutdown:
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
DHS says shutdown layoffs at CISA will proceed despite court injunction
The cybersecurity agency says it has complied with the court’s order because the firing of 54 people in its Stakeholder Engagement Division was planned beforehand and doesn’t affect unionized employee...
www.nextgov.com
November 5, 2025 at 7:48 PM
DHS says it’s proceeding with planned layoffs at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, despite a recent court order barring workforce reductions across parts of the federal government during the ongoing shutdown:
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
NSA spox:
“NSA is unwavering in our Signals Intelligence and Cybersecurity missions to protect the United States and our citizens. We are committed to maintaining the same vigor, fortitude and drive in defending the nation and securing the future that we have for over 73 years.”
“NSA is unwavering in our Signals Intelligence and Cybersecurity missions to protect the United States and our citizens. We are committed to maintaining the same vigor, fortitude and drive in defending the nation and securing the future that we have for over 73 years.”
NEW: Inside NSA, a leadership vacuum and staffing cuts are threatening morale and operational strength, former officials and others tell Nextgov/FCW⬇️
November 5, 2025 at 7:38 PM
NSA spox:
“NSA is unwavering in our Signals Intelligence and Cybersecurity missions to protect the United States and our citizens. We are committed to maintaining the same vigor, fortitude and drive in defending the nation and securing the future that we have for over 73 years.”
“NSA is unwavering in our Signals Intelligence and Cybersecurity missions to protect the United States and our citizens. We are committed to maintaining the same vigor, fortitude and drive in defending the nation and securing the future that we have for over 73 years.”
Reposted by David DiMolfetta
@ddimolfetta.bsky.social looks at the consequences of layoffs and furloughs on the NSA's hacking and espionage missions, which may be faltering as people leave or sit at home: www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
November 4, 2025 at 4:30 PM
@ddimolfetta.bsky.social looks at the consequences of layoffs and furloughs on the NSA's hacking and espionage missions, which may be faltering as people leave or sit at home: www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
NEW: Inside NSA, a leadership vacuum and staffing cuts are threatening morale and operational strength, former officials and others tell Nextgov/FCW⬇️
November 4, 2025 at 4:08 PM
NEW: Inside NSA, a leadership vacuum and staffing cuts are threatening morale and operational strength, former officials and others tell Nextgov/FCW⬇️
Breaking tonight: The U.S. plans to pursue a “mass deferment” of job placement deadlines on the CyberCorps program, aiming to give affected students a temporary reprieve from requirements that would have sent many of them into debt.⬇️
November 3, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Breaking tonight: The U.S. plans to pursue a “mass deferment” of job placement deadlines on the CyberCorps program, aiming to give affected students a temporary reprieve from requirements that would have sent many of them into debt.⬇️
New: Ryan Donaghy, the CISA official who held acting director roles in two of the cyberdefense agency’s divisions, is moving to the Transportation Security Administration, sources familiar tell us. Unclear if the move was voluntary or if it was a directed transfer.
October 31, 2025 at 5:48 PM
New: Ryan Donaghy, the CISA official who held acting director roles in two of the cyberdefense agency’s divisions, is moving to the Transportation Security Administration, sources familiar tell us. Unclear if the move was voluntary or if it was a directed transfer.
Reposted by David DiMolfetta
CyberCorps participants are feeling betrayed by the promise of the program. My story: cyberscoop.com/cyber-schola...
Cyber scholarship-for-service students say government has pulled rug on them, potentially burdening them with debt
Some CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service participants have had federal agency job and internship offers rescinded this year due to cutbacks and freezes. It’s a condition of their scholarship contract ...
cyberscoop.com
October 31, 2025 at 12:59 PM
CyberCorps participants are feeling betrayed by the promise of the program. My story: cyberscoop.com/cyber-schola...
NEW: CyberCorps talent pipeline buckles under Trump hiring freezes --> I spoke to students about their experience being admitted to the scholarship program, only to learn that they are stuck with no federal cyber job and now risk incurring more debt:
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
October 29, 2025 at 9:05 PM
NEW: CyberCorps talent pipeline buckles under Trump hiring freezes --> I spoke to students about their experience being admitted to the scholarship program, only to learn that they are stuck with no federal cyber job and now risk incurring more debt:
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
Good new info here from @martinmatishak.bsky.social amid the monthslong leadership vacuum within NSA.
Officers from the Army and Air Force are under consideration to lead the NSA, and moves could be happening soon for other top jobs at the spy agency, sources tell Recorded Future News therecord.media/national-sec...
New names surface for NSA director, other top jobs at spy agency
Officers from the Army and Air Force are under consideration to lead the NSA, and moves could be happening soon for other top jobs at the spy agency, sources tell Recorded Future News.
therecord.media
October 29, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Good new info here from @martinmatishak.bsky.social amid the monthslong leadership vacuum within NSA.
‘I have no idea what I’m going to do:’ Feds abroad fret about making rent without pay or subsidies during shutdown —> great reporting from my colleague Eric Katz
www.govexec.com/workforce/20...
www.govexec.com/workforce/20...
‘I have no idea what I’m going to do:’ Feds abroad fret about making rent without pay or subsidies during shutdown
Some employees say their foreign landlords have little sympathy for their “U.S. issue.”
www.govexec.com
October 25, 2025 at 12:07 AM
‘I have no idea what I’m going to do:’ Feds abroad fret about making rent without pay or subsidies during shutdown —> great reporting from my colleague Eric Katz
www.govexec.com/workforce/20...
www.govexec.com/workforce/20...
Reposted by David DiMolfetta
Gift link
The Peril of a White House That Flaunts Its Indifference to the Law
The White House has made no legal argument explaining its bald claim that the president has wartime power to summarily kill people suspected of smuggling drugs.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
The Peril of a White House That Flaunts Its Indifference to the Law
The White House has made no legal argument explaining its bald claim that the president has wartime power to summarily kill people suspected of smuggling drugs.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
The Peril of a White House That Flaunts Its Indifference to the Law
www.nytimes.com
October 24, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Gift link
The Peril of a White House That Flaunts Its Indifference to the Law
The White House has made no legal argument explaining its bald claim that the president has wartime power to summarily kill people suspected of smuggling drugs.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
The Peril of a White House That Flaunts Its Indifference to the Law
The White House has made no legal argument explaining its bald claim that the president has wartime power to summarily kill people suspected of smuggling drugs.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...
Exclusive: A coalition of industry groups is asking Congress to preserve measures in the annual intelligence community authorization bill that support the use of open-source intelligence in spy agencies, though several IC elements aren’t on board⬇️
October 23, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Exclusive: A coalition of industry groups is asking Congress to preserve measures in the annual intelligence community authorization bill that support the use of open-source intelligence in spy agencies, though several IC elements aren’t on board⬇️
House Homeland Chairman Andrew Garbarino statement on yesterday’s AWS outages:
October 21, 2025 at 2:46 PM
House Homeland Chairman Andrew Garbarino statement on yesterday’s AWS outages:
First in Nextgov/FCW → Rep. James Walkinshaw and other Dem colleagues wants answers on recent CISA staff reassignments to DHS agencies including ICE and CBP. w/ the great Edward Graham:
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
House Democrats want answers on CISA reassignments to border security, immigration roles
A letter led by Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., argues DHS violated the Antideficiency Act when it transferred staff to agencies focused on border security and deportation work.
www.nextgov.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
First in Nextgov/FCW → Rep. James Walkinshaw and other Dem colleagues wants answers on recent CISA staff reassignments to DHS agencies including ICE and CBP. w/ the great Edward Graham:
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
www.nextgov.com/cybersecurit...
CISA's Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Division Nick Andersen has a statement on AWS outages:
October 20, 2025 at 6:11 PM
CISA's Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Division Nick Andersen has a statement on AWS outages:
Reposted by David DiMolfetta
The Dutch intelligence services are sharing less information with the United States and working more closely with European partners, AIVD director Erik Akerboom and MIVD director Peter Reesink have told the Volkskrant in a joint interview.
Dutch intelligence services now share less information with US - DutchNews.nl
The Dutch intelligence services are sharing less information with the United States and working more closely with European partners, AIVD director Erik Akerboom and MIVD director Peter Reesink have to...
www.dutchnews.nl
October 19, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The Dutch intelligence services are sharing less information with the United States and working more closely with European partners, AIVD director Erik Akerboom and MIVD director Peter Reesink have told the Volkskrant in a joint interview.
“The United States has informed the guarantor nations of the Gaza peace agreement of credible reports indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas against the people of Gaza.” —>
www.state.gov/releases/off...
www.state.gov/releases/off...
Planned Attack by Hamas - United States Department of State
The United States has informed the guarantor nations of the Gaza peace agreement of credible reports indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas against the people of Gaza. This planned atta...
www.state.gov
October 18, 2025 at 10:25 PM
“The United States has informed the guarantor nations of the Gaza peace agreement of credible reports indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas against the people of Gaza.” —>
www.state.gov/releases/off...
www.state.gov/releases/off...