Katie Arrington, former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Acquisition and Sustainment at the Department of Defense (DoD), is returning to the Pentagon in a new role as the DoD’s Chief Information Security Officer. Arrington, who played a pivotal role in establishing the department’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program, was previously put on administrative leave in 2021 following allegations of disclosing classified data.
Arrington first joined the DoD in 2019 during President Donald Trump’s administration as the CISO for Acquisition and Sustainment. She became well-known for her involvement in launching the CMMC program, which aimed to bolster cybersecurity across the defense supply chain. However, in May 2021, she was placed on administrative leave after the National Security Agency (NSA) suspended her security clearance, alleging that she had shared classified information with a defense contractor.
In February 2022, Arrington resigned from her position due to the DoD’s decision to move the CMMC program to its Chief Information Office. In her resignation letter, she argued that the suspension was “politically influenced” and denied the claims of disclosing top-secret information.
Following her resignation, Arrington made a second run for Congress, but she lost to South Carolina House lawmaker Nancy Mace.
While the DoD has not yet commented on the status of her security clearance or the ongoing investigation into the allegations, Arrington’s attorney, Mark Zaid, revealed in 2022 that she was still challenging the decision to suspend and potentially revoke her clearance.
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