Katie Arrington returns to DOD as CISO

Katie Arrington has been named the deputy chief information officer for cybersecurity and chief information security officer at the Department of Defense, a department spokesperson confirmed.

She assumed the role effective Feb. 18.

A familiar face, Arrington comes back to the Pentagon where she was the chief information security officer for the department’s acquisition and sustainment organization during the first Trump administration.

She was best known for starting the Pentagon’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program over six years ago, which aims to improve the cybersecurity posture of the defense industrial base and contractors by requiring minimum cyber standards to bid on contracts

Arrington previously ran for Congress in South Carolina. Prior to exiting government, she was embroiled in a scandal that saw her security clearance revoked before eventually reaching a settlement.

In the role, Arrington will be expected to provide policy and technical expertise on DOD-wide oversight on all matters related to cybersecurity, including protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats, coordinating cybersecurity standards and delivering information dominance to defeat adversaries.

Arrington posted on LinkedIn announcing her role.