Recent Chinese cyber espionage attacks Within the country’s major telecommunications networks This week, a U.S. senator called communications between President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Vance “the worst telecommunications hack in our history.”
The United States has not yet figured out the full extent of China’s achievements and whether its spies are still inside U.S. communications networks.
“The barn door is still open, or mostly open,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. told The New York Times on Thursday.
The revelations underscore rising cyber threats related to America’s geopolitical and nation-state rivals, but there are divisions within the federal government over how to fight back, with some advocates calling for the creation of an independent federal U.S. cyber force. In September, the Ministry of Defense Formal appeal to Congressurging lawmakers to reject the approach.
One of the most prominent voices supporting this new branch is the national security think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, but the issue goes far beyond the scope of any one group. In June, the House and Senate defense committees approved measures Calls for an independent assessment of the feasibility of establishing an independent cyber department as part of the annual defense policy review.
FDD draws on the insights of more than 75 active and retired military officers with cyber operations experience, 40 page report Highlights long-standing structural issues within U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM), including fragmented recruiting and training practices across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.
“The U.S. cyber power generation system is clearly broken,” FDD wrote. Comments made in 2023 Army Gen. Paul Nakasone, then commander of U.S. Cyber Command, who took over the post in 2018, called the current U.S. military cyber organization unsustainable: “All options are under consideration except maintaining the status quo. “,” Nakasone once said.
Concerns about Congress and a changing White House
FDD’s analysis points to “deep concerns” that have existed within Congress — on both sides of the aisle — for a decade about whether the military can be adequately manned to successfully defend cyberspace. Talent shortages, inconsistent training and inconsistent missions are weakening Cyber Command’s ability to effectively respond to complex cyber threats, the report said. Supporters argue that creating a dedicated branch would put the United States in a better position in cyberspace. However, the Pentagon warned that such a move could undermine coordination, increase fragmentation, and ultimately weaken U.S. cyber readiness capabilities.
As the Pentagon doubles down on its resistance to establishing an independent U.S. cyber force, the incoming Trump administration is likely to play an important role in determining whether the United States favors a centralized cyber strategy or strengthens the current comprehensive framework that emphasizes cross-agency coordination.
Known for its tough national security measures, Trump’s 2018 National Cyber Strategy Emphasis on embedding cyber capabilities into all elements of national power and focusing on cross-agency coordination and public-private partnerships rather than the creation of a standalone cyber entity. At that time, the Trump administration emphasized centralizing civilian cybersecurity efforts under the Department of Homeland Security and tasked the Department of Defense with addressing more complex cyber threats targeting national defense. Trump selects South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary Discussing her and her state’s focus on cybersecurity.
Former Trump officials believe The second Trump administration will take an aggressive stance on national security issues, fill gaps in the Department of Energy, and reduce regulatory burdens on the private sector. They anticipate an increased focus on offensive cyber operations, tailored threat vulnerability protection and greater coordination among state and local governments. There will be changes at the top of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the agency created during Trump’s first term, current director Jen Easterly has announced She will leave after Trump takes office.
Cyber Command 2.0 and the US military
John Cohen, executive director of the Cybersecurity Center’s Hybrid Threats Program, shares the Pentagon’s concerns. “We can no longer operate in stovepipes,” Cohen said, warning that separate cyber branches could exacerbate existing silos and further isolate cyber operations from other critical military operations.
Cohen emphasized that adversaries such as China and Russia use cyber tactics as part of a broader, comprehensive strategy that includes financial, physical and psychological factors. He believes that in order to deal with such threats, the various U.S. military branches need to adopt a consistent approach. “In the face of this problem, our military must adapt to the changing battlespace in a consistent manner,” he said.
In 2018, CYBERCOM certified that its Cyber Mission Force team was fully staffed, but FDD and others have expressed concern that personnel were being transferred between teams to meet staffing goals, a move they said masked deeper structural problems. Nakasone calls for establishment of Cyber Command 2.0said in comments earlier this year, “How do we look at training differently? How do we look at personnel differently?” adding that a major issue is the approach to military staffing within the command.
Austin Berglas, the former chief of FBI cyber programs in New York who was responsible for integration efforts within the FBI, believes that a separate cyber force can be achieved by pooling resources and priorities. Enhance U.S. capabilities. “When I first took over the (FBI) cyber program … the assets were dispersed,” said Berglas, now global director of professional services at supply chain cyber defense firm BlueVoyant. He said centralization has brought focus and efficiency to the FBI’s cyber efforts, and he believes the model will also benefit the military’s cyber efforts. “Cyber is a different beast,” Burglas said, emphasizing the need for dedicated training, advancement and resource allocation that would not be diluted by competing military priorities.
Bergras also pointed to the ongoing “cyber arms race” with adversaries such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. He warned that without dedicated forces, the United States could fall behind as these countries expand offensive cyber capabilities and exploit vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.
Nakasone said in comments earlier this year that much has changed since U.S. Cyber Command began establishing a cyber mission force in 2013 to combat counterterrorism and financial cybercrime from Iran. “We live in a completely different world today,” he said, referring to threats from China and Russia.
Former CISA executive director Brandon Wells said there is a need to strengthen U.S. cyber capabilities but warned against major structural changes at a time of heightened global threats.
“A reorganization of this magnitude would obviously be disruptive and take time,” said Wells, now vice president of cybersecurity strategy. Sentinel One.
He pointed out that China is preparing for potential conflicts on the Taiwan issue, which is one of the reasons why the US military needs to maintain combat readiness. Rather than creating a new branch, Wells supports initiatives such as Cyber Command 2.0, which aims to enhance coordination and capabilities within existing structures. “Large restructurings should always be a last resort because they are disruptive,” he said.
Wells said it is important to ensure that any structural changes do not undermine integration between the military services and recognizes that coordination among existing services is critical to countering the complex, multi-domain threats posed by U.S. adversaries. “You shouldn’t always think that centralization will solve all your problems,” he said. “We need to enhance our defensive and offensive capabilities. This is not a solution; it is ensuring that we can quickly detect, stop, disrupt and prevent threats from attacking our critical infrastructure and systems,” he added.
