Cybersecurity & Privacy — 2026-03-26
RSAC 2026: EU Takes Lead on Cybersecurity Governance as US Officials Sidelined
At RSAC 2026, European officials dominated cybersecurity governance discussions while US government officials were absent from keynote stages, reflecting the DHS shutdown impact on federal cybersecurity leadership. Dark Reading reported the dynamic marks a reversal from prior years when US agencies set the conference agenda. The vacuum has accelerated EU influence on global cybersecurity norms and standards. Ex-NSA directors participated in a separate panel discussing red lines for offensive cyberattacks, one of the few US government-adjacent sessions.
Analysis
The absence of US government officials from RSAC keynotes is a direct consequence of the DHS shutdown, which has sidelined CISA (operating at 38% staffing per prior cycle data). This creates a vacuum that EU regulators are filling with standards that US companies will need to comply with regardless of domestic policy direction.
The absence of US government officials from RSAC keynotes is a direct consequence of the DHS shutdown, which has sidelined CISA (operating at 38% staffing per prior cycle data). This creates a vacuum that EU regulators are filling with standards that US companies will need to comply with regardless of domestic policy direction.
2 sources
- At RSAC, the EU Leads While US Officials Are Sidelined -
Dark Reading - Ex-NSA Directors Discuss Red Line for Offensive Cyberattacks -
Dark Reading