Agencies increasingly dive into AI for cyber defense, acting federal CISO says | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/federal-agencies-ai-cyber-defense-mike-duffy-ciso\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Agencies increasingly dive into AI for cyber defense, acting federal CISO says\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Mike Duffy said feds are looking at ways to use it even more for cybersecurity.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/federal-agencies-ai-cyber-defense-mike-duffy-ciso\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-09-18T20:30:12+00:00\"> <meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-18T20:30:15+00:00\"> <meta 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content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/01\/cropped-cs_favicon-2.png?w=270\"> <\/head><body class=\"wp-singular post-template-default single single-post postid-86032 single-format-standard wp-theme-scoopnewsgroup wp-child-theme-cyberscoop\" id=\"readabilityBody\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/federal-agencies-ai-cyber-defense-mike-duffy-ciso\/#main\" class=\"skip-to-content-link visually-hidden-focusable\">Skip to main content<\/a> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-desktop\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <main id=\"main\" role=\"main\" tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"24.895966029724\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"33.033707865169\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/federal-agencies-ai-cyber-defense-mike-duffy-ciso\/\"> <span>Technology<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Mike Duffy said feds are looking at ways to use it even more for cybersecurity. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/86032\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg 6000w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> Acting Federal CISO Mike Duffy speaks at FedTalks in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 18, 2025. (Scoop News Group photo) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"39.167291220557\"><body readability=\"81.010188792328\"><\/p>\n<p>Federal agencies are increasingly incorporating <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/tag\/artificial-intelligence-ai\/\">artificial intelligence<\/a> into the cyberdefenses of government networks, and there\u2019s more still to come, acting Federal Chief Information Security Officer Michael Duffy said Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re at an exciting time in the federal government to see that we\u2019re not only putting AI in production, but we\u2019re finding ways to accelerate emerging technology across the government, across all missions and all angles,\u201d Duffy said at FedTalks, produced by Scoop News Group. In his \u201crole overseeing federal cybersecurity policy,\u201d he said, he is \u201cable to see these at the ground level, as agencies bring excitement and enthusiasm and hope for what they can optimize through artificial intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cyber attackers are moving faster than ever, and on a much larger scale than before, he said. They\u2019re also using technology in new ways. But it\u2019s not all \u201cdoom and gloom\u201d when it comes to the cybersecurity of federal networks, especially because of feds\u2019 move toward AI, Duffy said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m pleased to say that the advancements that we\u2019ve made over the past decade in the federal government have brought us to this point: Agencies are poised now, postured, positioned, to take advantage of new capabilities, bring them into federal agencies and make them work for the mission,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The next decade is important, and needs a \u201cclear vision\u201d of the available technologies and the threat landscape, \u201cand how AI-interconnected digital ecosystems will both strengthen and strain that defensive posture,\u201d Duffy said.<\/p>\n<p>The focus now is on protecting sensitive information and making sure the government has efficient and secure interactions with the general public, he said. That includes \u201cleveraging AI to identify vulnerabilities at scale,\u201d Duffy said.<\/p>\n<p>He said that will require the government to update a key document on federal information security, the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-130. A <a href=\"https:\/\/bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov\/briefing-room\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/16\/executive-order-on-strengthening-and-promoting-innovation-in-the-nations-cybersecurity\/\">Biden administration executive order<\/a> from January ordered an update within three years, and a June <a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2025\/06\/11\/2025-10804\/sustaining-select-efforts-to-strengthen-the-nations-cybersecurity-and-amending-executive-order-13694\">Trump executive order<\/a> retained that requirement, albeit with fewer specifications about what the update would entail.<\/p>\n<p>But Duffy noted the document had not been updated since the onset of large-scale AI adoption; its last update was in 2016.<\/p>\n<p>In coordination with the federal chief information officer, Duffy said his office was undertaking a review of AI to measure its strengths and limitations. That includes several steps, among them evaluating the best methods of swiftly adopting AI but with safeguards for proper use.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll assess the existing cyber defense capabilities within agencies and explore cyber-centric AI use cases,\u201d he also said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re working with CISOs to rationalize their cybersecurity tool stack to ensure individual agencies are well-postured for the evolving threat environment, while identifying opportunities to eliminate redundant and ineffective systems and capabilities to leverage enterprise-wide capabilities and programs \u2014 shared services to gain efficiencies and scale, successful AI pilots occurring within agencies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>And \u201cwe\u2019re working with agencies to increase operational resilience as well, and our collective capacity to respond to AI incidents,\u201d Duffy said.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/artificial-intelligence-ai\/\" rel=\"category tag\">artificial intelligence (AI)<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/federal-cio\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Federal CIO<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/federal-ciso\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Federal CISO<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/federal-it\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Federal IT<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/government\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Government<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/michael-duffy\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Michael Duffy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/office-of-management-and-budget\/\" rel=\"category tag\">office of management and budget<\/a> <a 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{"id":7998,"date":"2025-09-18T15:30:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T20:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=86032"},"modified":"2025-09-18T15:30:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T20:30:12","slug":"agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/09\/18\/agencies-increasingly-dive-into-ai-for-cyber-defense-acting-federal-ciso-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Agencies increasingly dive into AI for cyber defense, acting federal CISO says"},"content":{"rendered":"