John Costello

John Costello is the Director of Strategy, Policy, and Plans for the National Protection and Programs Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security, formerly serving as the Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications. Before joining DHS, Costello served as a Congressional Innovation Fellow for majority staff in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. During his time on the Hill, Costello helped investigate the 2015 cyber breach of the Office of Personnel Management and helped oversee federal IT security. Previously, Costello was a research analyst at Defense Group Inc., where he concentrated on Chinese cyber espionage, information warfare, and intellectual property theft. Costello is a U.S. Navy veteran, serving under the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command. He is fluent in Chinese Mandarin, graduating with honors from the Defense Language Institute.

Costello's insights have appeared in Wired, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Reuters, and Jamestown China Brief. Costello's research focuses on state conflict and stability in cyberspace, Chinese cyber operations, and intersection of cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and national security.