The Pentagon has unveiled its new 2023 Cyber Strategy, painting a sobering picture of the looming cyber threats from China and Russia.
The 2023 Department of Defense Cyber Strategy outlines how both nations are equipped to launch a series of cyberattacks targeting the U.S. critical infrastructure and defense networks in the event of war. The revelation underscores the escalating global cyber conflict and places added urgency on the United States to bolster its own digital defenses.
According to the unclassified summary made public on September 12, the tactics intended by China and Russia aim to “target our critical infrastructure,” which presents a serious danger to the American people. Such strategies have been witnessed before, notably during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The United States is challenged by malicious cyber actors who seek to exploit our technological vulnerabilities and undermine our military’s competitive edge,” the document states, adding, “Defending against and defeating these cyber threats is a Department of Defense imperative.”
According to C4ISR.NET, defense analysts have long labeled China and Russia as national security risks. The 2023 strategy updates a previous version from 2018 and elevates China as a “broad and pervasive” cyber-espionage threat. “It routinely conducts malicious cyber activity against the United States as well as our Allies and partners,” the document states.
Additionally, the document labels Russia as an “acute threat to the cybersecurity of the United States.
The strategy explains, “Russia has undertaken malign influence efforts against the United States that aim to manipulate and undermine confidence in U.S. elections,” adding, “It continues to refine its espionage, influence, and attack capabilities.
Gregory Touhill, a retired Air Force brigadier general and former federal chief information security officer, has emphasized the urgency of the situation.
“Cyber issues everywhere — in critical infrastructure, domestically and abroad — are something that’s front and center on the minds of our key senior leaders,” Touhill said at a recent conference.
The retired Air Force general added, “We continue to see critical infrastructure as a target for cyber-enabled attacks, including things like denial-of-service, malicious software, ransomware, and theft of intellectual property. We’re very concerned about that.”
According to C4ISR.NET, the Pentagon’s new strategy aligns closely with the White House’s digital defense plans, revealed in March, which pledge to employ “all instruments of national power” to counter cyber threats.
This news article was partially created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited and fact-checked by a human editor.
