Tanner Nelson

The United States has been warned of a “cyber-Pearl Harbor” for years. Earlier in 2018, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats announced that “the lights are blinking red.”[1] Russia’s attempts at interference in U.S. elections has already been confirmed by the U.S. intelligence community, and the theft of American intellectual property is a daily occurrence. The world is already “weaponizing the Internet,” and the United States needs to adapt or lose its edge.[2]

Cyber warfare[1] is the most dangerous threat America faces today.[2] The U.S. Government has identified three major cyber threats to the American way of life: China, Russia, and Iran.[3] These nations have consistently attacked American industry, threatening the United States’ economic security. These attacks are occurring on a daily basis with the express purpose of “[exploiting] America’s openness in order to undermine our long-term competitive advantage.”[4] America is also vulnerable to non-state actors using cyber capabilities to challenge America’s interests. While no non-state actor has yet to conduct a major cyber attack on the United States, America’s online infrastructure is still vulnerable to attacks from state and non-state actors alike.