Hacker with laptop, Image via Shutterstock.
The top cybersecurity agency in the U.S. government revealed that it doesn't have access to a key piece of software while the rest of the government does.
According to an Axios scoop, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is the U.S. government agency that works to help secure important things online, from banks to power plants. But now it's being "left behind," the report said, while industries worry about hackers using AI to target companies.
"Anthropic decided against a public release of Mythos due to its unprecedented ability to quickly discover and exploit security vulnerabilities," explained Axios. They gave access to over 40 companies and organizations to test it, and CISA was not among them. At the same time, Anthropic would work on shoring up its systems.
While CISA and the Commerce Department were briefed by Anthropic, only the latter has access to test the program. The key technology unit under the Department of Homeland Security that aims to protect the U.S. from being hacked is still being left in the dark.
Ironically, the Department of Defense declared Anthropic a "supply chain risk." However, the NSA is also testing the new Mythos program.
Homeland Security has faced considerable pushback from the public over President Donald Trump's mass deportation plan, which he claimed would only arrest and deport people who have committed violent or drug-related crimes. The effort has sparked mass protests all over the country. Ethics questions have popped up with the department and ultimately the president fired Secretary Kristi Noem.
Axios said that the turmoil could have been what put off Anthropic's coordination with CISA.
While Trump has increased the staff at Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, at CISA, staff have been shrinking. Instead, Trump has been working with the White House's national cyber director, who is doing outreach to state and local communities.
"Trump proposed cutting as much as $707 million from the agency's budget in the upcoming fiscal year," said Axios. This is after CISA has slashed its workforce by one-third.
The organizations testing Mythos have found it has security vulnerabilities that can be exploited, a source told Axios.