Government security Sonu Shankar named principal deputy CIO at Defense Department August 28, 2026 Share By SC Staff (Defense Department) DefenseScoop reports that Sonu Shankar, a cybersecurity industry veteran, has been appointed as the principal deputy CIO at the Defense Department, a role he officially assumed on Aug. 24. Shankar previously served as a strategic advisor to Pentagon leadership through the Business Operators for National Defense (BOND) initiative, which aims to leverage industry expertise to improve the Pentagon's acquisition system. His background includes nearly two decades in the private sector at companies like Phosphorus Cybersecurity, Arctic Wolf, Box, and Cisco. In his new position, Shankar will focus on advancing the Defense Department's IT, cybersecurity, and digital modernization efforts. His appointment comes at a critical time, following the recent suspension of Phase 2 requirements for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program due to concerns about its impact on the defense industrial base. A CMMC Reform Task Force is currently reviewing the program, having received over 1,110 responses to a request for information from industry. Source: DefenseScoop SC Staff Related Government security ATF investigating cybersecurity incident designated a major incident SC Staff August 28, 2026 The disclosure came after the ransomware group Qilin listed ATF on its dark-web leak site and claimed to have compromised the agency, as reported by Nextgov. Critical Infrastructure Security Five Washington developments every CISO should be watching SC Staff August 28, 2026 Federal cybersecurity policy shifts are reshaping AI, contracting, CISA and quantum priorities. Critical Infrastructure Security US denies access to China-linked group behind hacking federal agencies Steve Zurier August 27, 2026 DOJ and FBI seized China-linked cyber platforms used to target U.S. agencies and infrastructure. Related Events Webcast Public sector security: Achieving resilience in the AI age Tue Sep 8 Get daily email updates SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news Business Email By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Subscribe You can skip this ad in 5 seconds