Eric Geller
@ericjgeller.com
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Senior reporter at @CybersecurityDive.bsky.social covering all things digital security. I also co-host Hoth Takes. | Send me tips: bit.ly/contactejg
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New: The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center lost its federal funding at midnight. Here's my story about what happened, why it matters, and how the group — a critical resource for state and local governments — is trying to move forward: www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/ms-isac...
ericjgeller.com
"[W]hen Black began to lower his arms a few seconds later, the agents responded to his spiritual plea by firing pepper balls ... [A]s the pastor rubbed his face in pain, the agents continued to fire. 'We could hear them laughing,' Black said." religionnews.com/2025/10/07/i...
Religious protesters say ICE threatens religious freedom in Chicago
(RNS) — Despite potential danger, religious leaders and faith activists have been a visible presence at Chicago-area ICE protests, some waving signs with slogans such as ‘Love thy neighbor’ and ‘Who…
religionnews.com
ericjgeller.com
The U.S. military is reducing the frequency of its mandatory cybersecurity training, per a new memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. media.defense.gov/2025/Sep/30/... (h/t www.meritalk.com/articles/pen...)
ericjgeller.com
Last month, Google said Chinese government hackers were breaching law firms and looking for national security and trade information as part of a broader campaign. Now we know that Williams & Connolly was one of the victims. www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/china-e... www.nytimes.com/2025/10/07/u...
ericjgeller.com
"Thousands of federal agents once tasked with investigating drug smuggling, sexual exploitation and organized crime have been redirected to immigration enforcement under President Trump’s second-term push to accelerate deportations..." www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
ericjgeller.com
I've found it, the most cursed phrase in the history of Disney Star Wars speculation.
ericjgeller.com
"'When did we become the enemy?' said one National Institutes of Health employee who, like other workers interviewed for this article ... Her husband, who retired from the NIH this year, could not answer.

"'*Why* are we the enemy?' he asked."

www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
ericjgeller.com
Cybersecurity Awareness Month begins with the expiration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, & federal funding for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

Not exactly the kickoff experts were hoping for.
ericjgeller.com
For state & local govts that haven't converted to paid MS-ISAC memberships, there will be a transition period of 1-2 mos, after which those who can't pay will lose their access.

"There's been a lot of discussion," a National Association of Counties rep told me, "about what the future looks like."
ericjgeller.com
If the MS-ISAC doesn't generate enough membership revenue, it may have to reduce some of its services.

Executive-committee member Rob Beach said his colleagues are exploring "which capabilities are going to remain and which ones we may have to cut back."
ericjgeller.com
CIS believes the MS-ISAC will begin meeting its new costs in late 2026, but even if that happens, the loss of so many members could jeopardize the quality of the threat intel it collects and shares — including with CISA, which relies on it for the vast majority of local data.
ericjgeller.com
Even many of the state and local governments that can afford membership won't be able to join until their next budget cycles. Many states just started new budgets on July 1 and didn't plan for this expense.
ericjgeller.com
Needless to say, these cuts will disproportionately hurt small, underfunded communities like rural towns, which were already struggling with cybersecurity even when they had access to the MS-ISAC's free suite of tools.
ericjgeller.com
The new fees for MS-ISAC membership have forced out many of the group's members. Two-thirds of states say membership is too expensive, and thousands of local governments have dropped out.

There used to be 19,000 members. "We won't be back to that level," one leader told me.
ericjgeller.com
CISA made a bold statement yesterday about supporting states on its own, but a CISA employee told me it's offering "nothing new" in the near future "to offset the loss of the free stuff from the MS-ISAC."

The employee said CISA's pushing states toward grants for the time being.