Cyber Threats

Former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) today called cyber threats as big a deal as any other threats facing the United States.

Responding to a question posed by Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO) during his confirmation hearing, Hagel said a cyber attack could paralyze an entire nation "in a second."

Hagel also moved beyond the "larger threat" posed by cyber attacks themselves to the issue of who does what within the U.S. government to combat them. Noting the large number of agencies that play in this area, along with a host of competing and conflicting legal and regulatory issues to be sorted out, Hagel said Congress and the administration face a dilemma they've "never had to face before" in dealing with other national security threats, and pledged to work hard on the matter if he is confirmed.