13 December 2024

Expect more offensive cyber ops once Trump takes office

Morgan Wright

Nothing encapsulates the cybersecurity challenge for the incoming administration more than the oft-quoted statement by Gen. Paul Nakasone, the recently retired former head of U.S. Cyber Command, the NSA and the Central Security Service, who said:

“If we find ourselves defending inside our own networks, we have lost the initiative and the advantage.”

The threat landscape morphs daily, and while new AI technologies will play a significant role in defeating our adversaries in cyberspace, a more offensive cyber policy may be the most potent weapon we can deploy.

So with the Trump administration about to take power in January, can we expect more offensive cyber operations in the months and years ahead?

I think so. Ramping up a kinetic war is far different than unleashing a team of warfighters in cyberspace. Traditional warfare has big risks and comes with a big price tag. Not so with cyber.

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