Military units like the 780th Military Intelligence Brigade shown here are just one component of U.S. national cyber defense. Credit: Fort George G. Meade
Takeaways:
- There are no easy solutions to shoring up U.S. national cyber defenses.
- Software supply chains and private sector infrastructure companies are vulnerable to hackers.
- Many U.S. companies outsource software development because of a talent shortage, and some of that outsourcing goes to companies in Eastern Europe that are vulnerable to Russian operatives.
- U.S. national cyber defense is split between the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, which leaves gaps in authority.
The ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline on May 7, 2021, exemplifies the huge challenges the U.S. faces in shoring up its cyber defenses. The private company, which controls a significant component of the U.S. energy infrastructure and supplies nearly half of the East Coast’s liquid fuels, was vulnerable to an all-too-common type of cyber attack. The FBI has attributed the attack to a Russian cybercrime gang. It would be difficult for the government to mandate better security at private companies, and the government is…
