When I joined the U.S. Navy in 1995, warfare was dominated by physical battlegrounds and traditional combat tactics. Today, that landscape has shifted dramatically. The frontline of 21st-Century conflict lies in cyberspace. And that reality has massive implications for both our national and economic security.
In an interconnected world where everything from medical devices to infrastructure systems are online, the potential damage from cyberattacks is staggering. A successful attack can shut down power grids, halt financial transactions, cripple utility systems, and wreak havoc on the societal stability we all take for granted. Cyberattacks are now more likely to bring down F-35 jets than missiles.
These threats are not hypothetical — they are happening now and growing more sophisticated.
According to Cybersecurity Ventures, there were over 2,200 cyberattacks per day in 2023, inflicting $16.4 billion in damages across the globe. These attacks, ranging from individual hacks to sophisticated assaults on businesses and government entities, often originate from adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran.
Earlier this year, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray warned, “the cyber threat posed by the Chinese government is massive. China’s hacking program is larger than that of every other major nation, combined.” Indeed, Chinese hackers steal more than $500 billion annually in U.S. technology and intellectual property. Their Beijing-backed Cyber Corps unit, with nearly 100,000 members, conducts extensive campaigns against critical U.S. entities and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the rate of cyberattacks originating from Russia has increased substantially since the start of the Ukraine-Russia war. These attacks range in size, scope, and impact. For instance, last month, the “People’s Cyber Army of Russia“ claimed responsibility for an attack on the Tipton West Wastewater Treatment Plant in Indiana. This attack followed a similar attack at a water facility in Texas, causing a tank to overflow.
Cyberwarfare blurs the line between military and civilian targets, making everyone a potential victim, and presenting unprecedented national security and economic threats. This is very much an escalating threat with global cybercrime costs projected to increase by 15% annually, reaching $10.5 trillion by 2025. That is why it is essential for the United States to act with clear eyes and establish a robust, bipartisan cybersecurity strategy that remains persistent across administrations and is updated regularly.
We are making progress in this area. For example, the Biden Administration recently unveiled the first U.S. global cybersecurity strategy in over a decade, alongside a roadmap by a bipartisan group of Senators to enhance artificial intelligence (AI) security through added cyber protections. However, the government cannot tackle this challenge alone.
American tech companies are central to our cyber defense capabilities. We are fortunate to have the most innovative tech companies in the world, and it is essential that the government fully partners with them to properly protect our digital domain.
America’s leading companies invest billions in cybersecurity research and development (R&D), benefiting users worldwide. For instance, Microsoft provides advanced threat detection and automated response capabilities to numerous key government agencies, enabling them to quickly mitigate and respond to cyber threats. Just two months ago, IBM opened its new “X-Force Cyber Range” headquarters to train U.S. federal agencies and critical infrastructure organizations to respond and protect against cyberattacks. Meanwhile, Meta is a leader in countering foreign disinformation and is making rapid strides in advanced technologies, such as AI and augmented reality that will have wide-ranging dual-use applications in the near future.
Every government intelligence branch working to protect America relies on technology, services, or consulting insights from American tech companies. Having served as a senior intelligence specialist for the National Aviation Intelligence Integration Office, I saw firsthand how our tech companies stand on the frontline of our defense against this new type of warfare.
That is why I am concerned to see regulators in Europe, as well as some in Congress and key Federal agencies, push deeply misguided anti-tech policies that could break up our most innovative companies, dictate how they can compete, prevent them from acquiring cutting-edge technologies, and force them to share sensitive data with China and other authoritarian corporate competitors.
I understand the political posturing that accompanies election-year campaigns and how criticizing “Big Tech” can score political points. But this isn’t just politics. This is reality, and these companies are essential frontline protectors. The stakes are too high for us to err.
Let’s work together to incentivize innovation, promote coordination, and ensure America’s cyber defense remains the strongest and most advanced in the world. With cyberattacks rapidly on the rise, we can’t afford to handcuff our strongest partners in this fight.
About the Author: Chris P. Carney
Chris P. Carney represented Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District for two terms and previously worked at the Pentagon for four years on strategic analysis of the global terrorist threat.
