CISA Finds AI's Impact on Federal Cyber Operations to Be Minimal

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a report on a pilot study that evaluated the effectiveness of current Federal vulnerability detection software products utilizing AI, including large language models (LLM).

“From late 2023 to early 2024, CISA performed an operational pilot to examine whether current vulnerability detection software products that use AI, including large language models (LLMs), are more effective at detecting vulnerabilities than those that do not use AI,” the agency said in a blog post.

The pilot found that the current optimal application of AI for vulnerability detection is to complement and enhance existing tools rather than replace them. Learning to use these new AI capabilities can require a significant investment of time, and the improvements achieved may often be minimal. Additionally, AI tools can sometimes exhibit unpredictable behavior, which can be challenging to troubleshoot.

Recently, The CISA appointed Lisa Einstein as its first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO). Einstein, who has been leading CISA's AI initiatives since 2023 as the Senior Advisor for AI, also served as the Executive Director of the CISA Cybersecurity Advisory Committee since 2022.

“Lisa Einstein has been central to that effort. Beyond her technical expertise, she’s an inspirational leader who has brought together colleagues across the agency around a clear and impactful vision. I could not be more thrilled to have her take on this important new role, which will help us continue to build AI expertise into the fabric of our agency and ensure we are equipped to effectively leverage the power of AI well into the future,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said.

“It has been a privilege to work with the dedicated and talented CISA team and with our partners across the United States and around the world over the last two years. I am honored to serve in this new role to help CISA tackle this important challenge,” Einstein said.