Three senior FBI officials specializing in cybersecurity are retiring from the agency, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday night.
Cyber Division Assistant Director Scott Smith; Criminal, Cyber, Response and Services Branch Executive Assistant Director David Resch; and Executive Assistant Director of the National Security Branch Carl Ghattas were all named in the Journal report.
All three are moving on to work in the private sector, the Journal said.
In a statement provided by the FBI to the WSJ, Mr. Rech said, “As I retire after 28 years of government service to transition into the private sector, I have full confidence that under Director Wray’s steadfast leadership, the Bureau will remain the FBI the American people have depended on for 110 years.”
An FBI spokeswoman told the Journal that while many officials are now reaching the age-requirement for pensions, and the agency expects to see more retirements in the following few years. Other anonymous FBI sources told reporters that pension aged retirements weren’t unusual, the number of officials leaving was.
These top cybersecurity retirements come as concern over Russian hacking and cyberspying mounts.
The Justice Department recently indicted 12 Russians for meddling with the 2016 election. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Homeland Security Secretary Kristen Nielsen and Director of National Security Dan Coats have all said that Russian cyber attacks are ongoing.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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