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The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced it will hold sector-by-sector virtual town halls to gather additional industry feedback on its long-delayed rulemaking under the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA). The proposed regulation would require covered critical infrastructure entities to report significant cyber incidents within 72 hours and ransomware payments within 24 hours, but key details—such as which entities are covered, how to treat small businesses, what incident examples trigger reporting, and how to avoid conflicts with existing regulatory regimes—remain contentious and are a focus of the sessions.
Separately, CISA leadership briefed staff on an impending Cybersecurity Division reorganization driven by resource constraints, including plans to deprioritize or shut down some programs to concentrate on higher-profile goals such as operational technology (OT) security and core national cyber defense functions. The internal messaging emphasized doing more with fewer personnel following a period of layoffs, retirements, and other disruptions, while refocusing the division on delivering actionable cyber intelligence to partners and coordinating broader “national cybersecurity defense” planning and operations.
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CISA Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Nick Andersen said updates on the CIRCIA rule are expected in the next couple of weeks, though he did not confirm whether the agency will continue the current rulemaking process or restart it.
CISA said it will host seven sector-by-sector virtual town halls to gather additional industry feedback on the delayed CIRCIA rule. The agency is seeking input on report contents, sector applicability, treatment of small businesses, subpoena use, and how to reduce reporting burden while preserving useful threat information.
CISA disclosed plans to reorganize its Cybersecurity Division, reducing or shutting down some programs to focus limited resources on higher-priority missions, including operational technology security. The agency said it would publish a strategy document followed roughly 60 days later by an implementation plan with timelines and performance measures.
CISA published its proposed rule to implement CIRCIA, outlining requirements for covered organizations to notify the government within 72 hours of major cyber incidents. The proposal triggered debate over which entities should be covered and what reporting thresholds should apply.
Congress enacted the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act, requiring covered critical infrastructure entities to report significant cyber incidents to CISA within 72 hours and ransomware payments within 24 hours.
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US cyber leadership signaled near-term movement on **national cybersecurity strategy** and **critical-infrastructure cyber regulation**, emphasizing closer industry-government coordination. National Cyber Director **Sean Cairncross** said the forthcoming national cyber strategy aims to streamline overlapping regulations away from checklist compliance, while strengthening information-sharing mechanisms, federal modernization, critical infrastructure protection, workforce development, emerging technologies, and deterrence of foreign cyberattacks; he also highlighted work on an **AI security framework** and urged support for reauthorizing the **2015 Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act**. CISA indicated an update is imminent on implementing the **2022 Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA)** after delays and industry backlash to an earlier approach. CISA executive assistant director **Nick Andersen** said news is expected “in the next couple of weeks” on how the rulemaking will proceed; the final rule deadline has slipped to **May 2026**. CIRCIA would require critical infrastructure entities to report **major cyber incidents within 72 hours** and **ransomware payments within 24 hours** to CISA, reflecting federal efforts to standardize incident reporting and improve national visibility into significant attacks.
Jun 29, 2026
CISA is expected to finalize its long-delayed **Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act** (`CIRCIA`) rule by September, establishing a mandatory federal reporting regime for critical infrastructure operators. Under the rule, covered entities would have to report substantial cyber incidents to CISA within **72 hours** and disclose **ransomware payments within 24 hours**, marking a major shift from the agency’s largely voluntary incident-sharing model. The reporting mandate was authorized in 2022 but missed its statutory October 2025 deadline amid rulemaking delays and Department of Homeland Security scheduling disruptions. CISA has continued procedural work and stakeholder outreach, including notices and town halls, as officials refine the final directive shaped by lessons from the **SolarWinds** compromise, the **Colonial Pipeline** attack, and broader concerns that geopolitical crises could trigger cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure.
Jul 7, 2026
The **Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)** said it will **not participate in the RSA Conference (RSAC)** in March, citing routine reviews of stakeholder engagements and “good stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” and framing the decision as part of a broader effort to return to its statutory “core mission” and align with the Trump administration’s priorities. The move followed the announcement that former CISA Director **Jen Easterly** was named **CEO of the RSAC Conference**, after which senior administration cyber officials reportedly discussed canceling their attendance. Separately, Acting CISA Director **Madhu Gottumukkala** told the House Homeland Security Committee that CISA remains capable of protecting government networks and critical infrastructure despite significant workforce reductions, describing the cuts as intended to eliminate duplication and refocus on mission outcomes. Lawmakers raised questions about impacts to **election security**, broader cybersecurity operations, and implementation of the **Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA)**; Gottumukkala said CISA will continue targeted hiring for mission-critical roles and asserted the agency has the staffing it needs, while an internal report cited in the hearing indicated nearly **1,000 personnel** have departed, been laid off, or transferred since President Trump took office (over one-third of the workforce).
Jun 29, 2026