The Department of Homeland Security would see reductions in funding for contracts supporting cybersecurity programs aimed at detecting threats and protecting civilian networks, Secretary Janet Napolitano says in a letter.
Nextgov reports Napolitano outlined impacts of the sequester in the letter to Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee.
Thompson asked Napolitano to detail how the department would handle the cuts, which would take between 7.4 and 9.4 percent of funds away from DHS, Aliya Sternstein reports.
DHS would have to scale back cybersecurity infrastructure protections that have been developed over recent years, Napolitano said.
The letter comes in the same week as the White House issued an executive order to outline the federal government’s role in helping protect the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure.
