Dr. Erica Lonergan & RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery
In an era of political polarization, congressional efforts to shore up America’s cybersecurity offer a rare beacon of bipartisanship. But these legislative efforts are currently under threat.
Recently, the Defense Department asked lawmakers to kill a bipartisan proposal — across both chambers of Congress — that would mandate an independent study of the readiness of America’s cyber forces. As cybersecurity leaders, we know that the two oceans that have long deterred a physical invasion of our homeland do not protect us in cyberspace. Our adversaries are already compromising our critical infrastructure, conducting covert cyber activities in our networks, inserting malicious software payloads, and gathering information from government and the private sector, all to gain a competitive advantage and prepare for potential conflict. Congress is right to ask for an independent study to ascertain whether the United States is appropriately postured to recruit, train, and retain the personnel needed to overpower and outmaneuver our adversaries in cyberspace.
This is not just a federal government or military issue. Cyberattacks overwhelmingly impact state and local governments — like New York — and the companies, corporations, organizations, and individuals within their jurisdictions. For example, in September 2022, Suffolk County, N.Y., the largest county outside of New York City, was hit with a devastating cyberattack that took several months and over $25 million to fully recover from.
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