DHS’s 2025 Strategy for Cybersecurity, AI, and IT Transformation

Since its inception in 2002, the Department of Homeland Security has had to contend with legacy IT systems that are costly to maintain, vulnerable to cyber threats, and increasingly misaligned with its evolving mission. By 2023, after several failed attempts to overhaul the system, the urgency to act had become unavoidable.

Past modernization efforts had often relied on sweeping programs and ambitious, all-at-once transformations that promised rapid change but frequently collapsed under their own complexity. These initiatives consumed billions of dollars, delivered little usable capability, and left DHS with fragmented systems that hindered efficiency and security. On the heels of a 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), DHS leadership shifted course and embraced a new IT strategy built on incremental progress, modular design, and mission-driven priorities. This report will serve as a guide to the latest DHS IT modernization initiative. Over the next three pages, we will look at cybersecurity modernization, AI integration, and the future outlook for DHS IT.

At IDGA’s Homeland Security Week conference, discussions on IT, AI and cybersecurity will be one of the main pillars. Over the two-day summit, taking place this March 18-19 at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in National Harbor, Maryland, professionals from the federal government and industry will also discuss biometrics, counter-UAS capabilities, border management, infrastructure resilience, and more. In total, the event will welcome over 500 attendees and 40+ speakers from across the homeland security space for meaningful conversations on