Dimitrios Vastakis, a branch chief of the White House computer network defense who resigned from his post earlier this week, warns that the White House “is posturing itself to be electronically compromised once again” as the result of recent measures that greatly undermine the security posture of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
In July of this year, the US government abolished the Office of the Chief Information Security Officer (OCISO), which had been established five years ago in response to a Russian cyberattack that compromised White House systems. The OCISO staff, which included Vastakis, had worked to strengthen the security of the White House to prevent future breaches. However, Vastakis says that after the OCISO was abolished and its tasks were transferred to the White House Office of the Chief Information Officer, the White House security staff was “systematically being targeted for removal […] through various means.”
Read more: Senior Infosec Staffer Resigns, Says White House On Track To Be Hacked Again