Published on: January 24, 2025
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has made waves by terminating all current members of advisory committees within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB). This decision, outlined in a Jan. 20 memo from Acting DHS Secretary Benjamine Huffman, is part of a broader effort to reduce costs and realign the department’s priorities.
A released memo from DHS Acting Secretary Benjamine Huffman stated, “In alignment with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) commitment to eliminating the misuse of resources and ensuring that DHS activities prioritize our national security, I am directing the termination of all current memberships on advisory committees within DHS, effective immediately.”
The CSRB, created under President Joe Biden’s 2021 cybersecurity executive order, was tasked with investigating significant cyber incidents affecting the federal government. It had been actively examining a major cyberattack by state-sponsored hackers from China, referred to as the Salt Typhoon hacks.
These attacks targeted at least nine U.S. telecommunications companies and prominent political figures, including associates of President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. With the board disbanded, the future of these investigations is uncertain.
Huffman’s memo emphasized that this move reflects the DHS’s commitment to eliminating resource misuse and ensuring that its activities focus on national security. While the memo invited outgoing advisory board members to reapply for future roles, it remains unclear whether the CSRB or other advisory committees will be reinstated in their original forms.
Mark Green, chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said the new DHS leadership should have the opportunity to reevaluate the structure and purpose of the CSRB. Green, a Republican from Tennessee, suggested that President Trump’s administration might choose to appoint new members or explore alternative methods for addressing cyber intrusions.
This shift has sparked concerns among cybersecurity experts, given the importance of the CSRB in addressing critical threats like the recent Salt Typhoon attacks.