U.S. Cyber Command chief Gen. Keith Alexander expressed concern today that cyber attacks will soon move from disruptive to destructive in nature, warning that the United States must be prepared for them. Speaking at an AEI event on cybersecurity, Alexander, who also heads the National Security Agency, emphasized that now -- before a crisis, when decision-makers have the time and ability to get it right -- is the time to act.
Other highlights from Alexander's remarks:
- New legislation on cyber issues, he said, is “vital." Without commenting on specific legislation, Alexander said that information sharing must be included; that U.S. citizens must be made aware that the government does not intend to violate their civil liberties and privacy; and that standards and rules are key, but controversial. Alexander added that he has discussed the issue with both Democrats and Republicans, but noted the political challenges in passing any legislation.
- Cyber threats, collectively, are a tougher issue to tackle than nuclear deterrence during the Cold War, he said, because there are five different types of cyber actors: nation-states, cybercriminals, hackers, hacktivists and terrorists.
- Al Qaeda is not a viable cyber threat today, but could become one in the future because exploiting networks is fairly easy.
- Addressing cyber issues is a "team sport" involving other agencies. The White House, he said, has led the effort to bring a team together, which includes the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
- DOD must be involved in building a defensive architecture, and even a thin, virtual cloud infrastructure is more defensible than what exists now. DOD also needs a trained and ready cyber team and better situational awareness, Alexander said.
- China and the U.S. must find a way forward given that the two countries have the largest numbers of computers and related devices.
