The Trump administration has terminated the powers of several advisory committees of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Cybersecurity Review Board (CSRB). This decision, announced just a day after Donald Trump's inauguration, was communicated to members through official letters, effectively dissolving these committees, TechCrunch reports.
The CSRB, which included cybersecurity experts from the private and public sectors, analyzed critical cyberattacks and made recommendations to improve national security. Its dissolution came at a time when the level of cyber threats, especially from China and Russia, is constantly growing, raising concerns among experts about the new administration's priorities.
A former member of the CSRB, who wished to remain anonymous, called the decision "terribly short-sighted."
"Shutting down all DHS advisory boards without consideration of the impact was horribly shortsighted," he noted. "Stopping the CSRB review when China has ongoing cyberattacks into our critical infrastructure is a dangerous blunder. We need to learn from Salt Typhoon and protect ourselves better."
Salt Typhoon is a group of hackers believed to be run by China's Ministry of State Security (MSS). Last year, it hacked into American telecommunications companies. The CSRB has been actively investigating these incidents, as well as hacking into government email accounts.
Katie Moussouris, an experienced cybersecurity expert and former CSRB member, also expressed her concerns. "Government advisors should be judged by skills and merit, not by political affiliation," she said. "These critical advisory board vacancies will be filled with the most qualified people without delay."
In response to the inquiries, the DHS issued a statement stating that resources should be aligned with national security priorities.
"Effective immediately, the Department of Homeland Security will no longer tolerate any advisory committee which push agendas that attempt to undermine its national security mission, the President’s agenda or Constitutional rights of Americans," the statement reads. In addition, it is noted that all current powers of members of advisory boards are terminated to avoid "inefficient use of resources".
However, critics questioned this rationale. "It's ironic to call it an 'inefficient use of resources' since members of advisory councils receive a salary of... $0," one source added.
The dissolution of the CSRB and other advisory boards focused on artificial intelligence, telecommunications, science and technology, and emergency preparedness has raised alarm among security experts. The CSRB's work, in particular its widely recognized report on the hacking of Microsoft's electronic systems, was seen as an important step in the fight against cyber threats.
"This decision sends the wrong message at a time when cyberattacks are on the rise globally," the cybersecurity expert said.