WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2021) The US Homeland Security Department is launching the biggest hiring initiative in the agency's history amid a significant rise in cybersecurity threats including ransomware attacks, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said on Wednesday.
"We intend to execute the most significant hiring initiative that the Department of Homeland Security has undertaken in its history," Mayorkas said at a virtual discussion hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce.
The recruitment effort, he added, is taking place amid a marked rise in cybersecurity attacks, particularly in the ransomware sphere. Mayorkas said ransomware attacks increased by 300% over the last year, with small businesses being the victim of between half and two-thirds of them.
The homeland security chief said the department will be recruiting talent that is already developed in addition to developing talent that is just about to bloom. The department will invest in the seeds to grow the talent of the future at all levels, he added.
Mayorkas also said the agency plays a vital role in the cybersecurity of the nation, hence needs to ensure expertise is lasting and growing in the years ahead.
The threat of ransomware and other cybersecurity attacks is not only an issue for small businesses, but for the government as well. In April, the Washington DC Police Department was the victim of a ransomware attack in which the hackers threatened to leak sensitive documents. In April, US Homeland Security said it was establishing a task force to counter ransomware while the Justice Department launched an extensive review to examine the issue along with the SolarWinds and microsoft Exchange attacks.
