One challenge: Attracting personnel with the right experience and training who are willing to accept the pay scale. Image: christianthiel.net/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffUnderstaffing is hampering the operations of the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, an inspector general report has said.
The report on CISA—the lead federal entity for responding and mitigating cybersecurity breaches both within the government and in general—is the latest in a series from IGs of various agencies pointing to shortfalls in staffing, in particular in cybersecurity and other IT-related occupations.
“CISA’s mission execution depends on a properly staffed organization with the skills, competencies, and performance capabilities necessary to meet cybersecurity challenges. However, CISA has struggled to maintain sufficient staffing levels,” said the report. It said that as of last August, 38 percent of the 3,600 authorized positions were vacant, and that in an employee survey 60 percent said the agency “did not have enough people to complete its mission.”
Problems included that (in the report’s words):
• Attracting personnel with the right experience and training who are willing to accept the pay scale (typically half of the industry standard), and able to obtain a security clearance, is difficult.
• Hiring can take 6 to 12 months for Government employees and contractors with the hard-to-find cyber-specific skillsets required.
• CISA does not have enough hiring managers and support staff, further prolonging the hiring process. Like other CISA divisions, those in charge of hiring are also short staffed.
• After employees do get hired, they work extra hours, burn out quickly, and often leave, which starts the hiring cycle over again.
“Despite its hiring difficulties, CISA does not have a multiyear strategic workforce plan to help ensure it hires staff with the right knowledge, skills, and abilities to achieve goals and address workforce needs,” it said. Other issues included lack of sufficient classified workspace, areas for private conversations, or appropriate access to some classified information.
The report said that that management agreed with recommendations to document the levels of staffing, resources, and intelligence access needed.
A CISA spokesperson noted for this story that the agency hired 516 employees in fiscal 2022, and was on pace to hire over 600 this year, “with the aim to reduce our vacancy rate to less than 17% by the end of the 2023 and under 10% by the end of 2024.” CISA also cited plans to leverage new tools and authorities, including the new DHS Cybersecurity Service and Cyber Talent Management System.
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