Lawmakers push to bolster U.S. defenses against Chinese cyber threats

The House Committee on Homeland Security heard testimony on Wednesday from expert cybersecurity witnesses who emphasized the need to cultivate stronger protections and protocols to prevent cyberattacks. The witnesses reiterated the need for greater offensive U.S. cybersecurity in conjunction with bolstering its defensive measures. Both panelists and lawmakers noted the basic lack of human resources available within the field of cybersecurity and cited a number of unfilled positions. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., addressed the urgency for better online security, citing FBI data that shows a near 75% rise in ransomware attacks from 2022 to 2023.

Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery is senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracy’s Center for Cyber and Technology Innovation and described cybersecurity as the greatest persistent threat to the United States. Foreign adversaries like China and Iran had a successful year of hacking U.S. networks for espionage and installing destructive malware, he said. CrowdStrike executive Adam Meyers specifically highlighted the threat posed by China’s sophisticated cyber capabilities and explained how China strategically nationalized cyber vulnerability detection. Unlike U.S. laws, Chinese law requires that private research on cyber weaknesses be submitted to the government, Meyers explained.

What kind of solution strategies were suggested? Montgomery emphasized the need for better communication with the commercial sector to protect government contracted private services from security threats. Federal agencies depend on dozens of shipping ports and airfields owned by local governments or private companies that always seem to lack cybersecurity measures, he said. The former Navy officer also suggested having the National Guard take greater responsibility for the nation’s cybersecurity. The National Guard bridges military and civilian sectors which makes it best suited to respond to and guard against domestic cyber threats, Montgomery said.

Both Montgomery and Meyers suggested enforcing greater punishments against cybercrimes as a form of deterrence. Meyers commanded the government’s recent efforts launching counterattacks on the tech infrastructure of foreign adversaries. Congressional tax credits and other financial incentives would also boost the domestic development of effective cybersecurity tools and training, he added.

Dig deeper: Listen to Mary Muncy’s report on The World and Everything in It on foreign cyber attacks disrupting the 2024 election.