The U.S. House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation held a hearing last week to assess the Department of Defense’s cyberwarfare capabilities, its overall cyber defense posture, and the readiness of the Cyber Mission Force and its broader support ecosystem.
Testifying at the hearing, Laurie Buckhout, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy, and Army Lt. Gen. William Hartman, acting commander of U.S. Cyber Command, called for sharper strategic focus, advanced technological innovation, and a top-tier cyber workforce to confront increasingly sophisticated threats.
Representative Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska and chairman of the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee, wrote in his opening statement that the U.S. is at war in the cyber domain. “In just the last two years, the United States has been directly and deliberately attacked by the People’s Republic of China and other nation-states in the cyber domain.
Highlighting the Volt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, Flax Typhoon, and countless other cyberattacks aimed at U.S. transportation, energy, water, telecommunications, and other critical infrastructure, Bacon noted that it’s time to stop talking about preparing for conflict because ‘we are already in one.’
“I, for one, believe it’s time we start acting like we’re truly at war in the cyber domain,” Bacon said. “But recent actions by this administration make me question whether they actually believe it themselves.”
First, he noted that there is the issue of leadership. Just weeks ago, the commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency (NSA), two of the most critical cyber roles in government, was abruptly removed without explanation. General Haugh was the most cyber-experienced officer ever to hold the position, respected by allies, trusted by his teams, and feared by adversaries.
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