The curious case of Sean Plankey’s derailed CISA nomination

Sean Plankey, a cybersecurity expert nominated to lead CISA (the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, a government organization responsible for protecting US digital infrastructure), withdrew his nomination after 13 months of Senate delays and resistance. His withdrawal comes during a period of significant turmoil at CISA, including staff reductions, budget cuts, and the sudden departure of the acting director, which experts warn weakens US cybersecurity defenses at a critical time.