DHS Has a New CISO

The Department of Homeland Security appointed Kenneth Bible as its new chief information security officer last week.

Bible comes from the United States Marine Corps, where he served as Deputy CIO since March 2015. Bible fills the DHS position after former DHS CISO Paul Beckman left to serve as CISO for Consolidated Nuclear Security in February 2020. Theresa Lang served as Acting CISO since Beckman’s resignation.

Under Bible’s leadership, the Marine Corps began transitioning away from legacy weapons systems to more electronic-based, tech-oriented weapons, like unmanned aerial vehicles, prompting an IT modernization push.

News of Bible’s appointment came right before the Federal News Network reported DHS CIO Karen Evans will leave the agency Jan. 20.

DHS serves as the federal lead for cybersecurity across the government and as such promotes the adoption of common policies and best practices that are risk-based and ahead of cyber threats, especially as they relate to national security. Some of the efforts in the agency’s CISO shop include cyber risk management, compliance, supply chain and continuous monitoring of systems.

President-elect Joe Biden picked Alejandro Mayorkas to be DHS secretary in December 2020. If confirmed, Mayorkas will be the first Latino leader of the agency and will also choose the next CIO.

The Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee scheduled Mayorkas’ nomination hearing for Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. EST.