David DiMolfetta

Washington, D.C., United States

Cybersecurity and Intelligence Reporter at Nextgov/FCW

@NextgovFCW cybersecurity + intelligence reporter. Tips: [email protected] Signal: @ djd.99 BSKY: @ddimolfetta.bsky.social

Articles

State Dept. cuts poised to be more severe than previously outlined with 3,400 employees on the chopping block

5 days ago | nextgov.com | Eric Katz |David DiMolfetta

The State Department’s upcoming staff cuts are more severe than they initially appeared and are expected to impact around 3,400 employees beginning in early June, according to the agency’s briefings with lawmakers and employees with knowledge of the matter. The previously announced 132 office closures as part of Secretary Marco Rubio’s reorganization of State will lead to 700 jobs being eliminated.
State Department plans deeper-than-anticipated staff cuts

5 days ago | defenseone.com | Optum Serve |Eric Katz |David DiMolfetta

The State Department aims to cut some 3,400 employees beginning in early June, substantially more than generally expected, according to the agency’s briefings to lawmakers and employees with knowledge of the matter.
Signal clone used by Waltz to archive messages suspends services after reported hack

1 week ago | nextgov.com | David DiMolfetta

TeleMessage, a cloned version of encrypted messaging app Signal that’s modified to securely store messages for archiving purposes, has suspended service after a reported security incident, the parent company said Monday. 404 Media reported Sunday that a hacker had accessed sensitive internal materials stored in TeleMessage in as little as 20 minutes of effort, including contents tied to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Federal cost cutting leads cyber contractors to rework ties with government

1 week ago | nextgov.com | David DiMolfetta

SAN FRANCISCO — On the sidelines of last week’s RSAC Conference, cybersecurity practitioners said the Trump administration’s broad cost-cutting push is pressuring government contractors to rethink how they deliver their cybersecurity services to agencies with diminished budgets. The Department of Government Efficiency’s federal reduction plans have targeted swaths of agencies who have budgeted for digital defense tools like antivirus or endpoint detection software.
Top NSC official wants to normalize offensive hacking as tool of US might

1 week ago | defenseone.com | David DiMolfetta

Insights & Reports May 2, 2025 12:00 PM ET Cyber White House SAN FRANCISCO — In his first major discussion as the top cybersecurity official in the National Security Council, Alexei Bulazel said he wants to normalize the use of offensive cyber activity as a tool of U.S. national power.
Top NSC official wants to normalize offensive hacking as tool of US might

1 week ago | nextgov.com | David DiMolfetta

SAN FRANCISCO — In his first major discussion as the top cybersecurity official in the National Security Council, Alexei Bulazel said he wants to normalize the use of offensive cyber activity as a tool of U.S. national power.
‘Just wait’ to see how CISA reforms play out, DHS head tells cyber community

2 weeks ago | defenseone.com | David DiMolfetta

SAN FRANCISCO — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday that her cuts to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, plus other yet-to-be-announced reforms, will eventually strengthen the nation's lead cyber defense organization.
‘Just wait’ to see how CISA reforms play out, DHS head tells cyber community

2 weeks ago | nextgov.com | David DiMolfetta

SAN FRANCISCO — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told a crowd of hundreds of cybersecurity practitioners Tuesday that, despite headlines about significant cuts being levied against the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the cyber community should look forward to new changes that will make the nation’s cyber defense agency more robust.
Salt Typhoon hacks to influence final round of DARPA’s AI-cyber competition

2 weeks ago | nextgov.com | David DiMolfetta

SAN FRANCISCO — The final round of a cybersecurity competition run by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will take inspiration in part from a Chinese hacking campaign discovered last year that was found to have burrowed into major U.S. telecommunications systems and their wiretapping platforms.
Justice Dept. rescinds rules safeguarding media from government seizures

2 weeks ago | govexec.com | Eric Katz |David DiMolfetta

Attorney General Pam Bondi on Friday reversed a Biden-era policy that prevented the Justice Department from seizing reporters’ communications, notes and interviews through subpoenas or court orders as part of efforts to uncover confidential sources that leak agency information, according to an internal memo obtained by Government Executive.