Hiring & Workforce — 2026-03-26
CISA Approved for 329 Mission-Critical Hires to Rebuild from 40% Vacancy Rate Amid Ongoing DHS Shutdown
Acting CISA Director Nick Andersen emailed staff on March 23 announcing DHS approval of a critical hire list of 329 mission-critical positions. The agency faces an approximately 40% vacancy rate across key mission areas following Trump administration workforce cuts. Priorities include state cybersecurity coordinators and regional cybersecurity advisers. The hiring plan arrives as CISA simultaneously confronts the DHS shutdown that has furloughed 60% of remaining staff, with six threat hunters resigning in a single day. The shutdown prevents onboarding of the approved hires.
Analysis
Prior digest reported 329 hires approved; this cycle those hires remain frozen. The 40% vacancy rate means CISA entered the Iran conflict with roughly half the workforce it had when the current threat environment began escalating in late 2024.
Prior digest reported 329 hires approved; this cycle those hires remain frozen. The 40% vacancy rate means CISA entered the Iran conflict with roughly half the workforce it had when the current threat environment began escalating in late 2024.
1 sources
- CISA, eyeing China, plans hiring spree to rebuild its depleted ranks -
Cybersecurity Dive