A strategy of quickly identifying the threat, sharing information between agencies, then finally taking action to counter it, has helped the US overcome attacks in 2018, 2020 and 2022 – the years in which America held key elections.
CYBER WARFARE
He said the US wants the Indo-Pacific to be a “free, open and prosperous region”, and is concerned with dual-use technology being used to impede free speech or prevent like-minded nations from building partnerships.
When it comes to social media apps like TikTok, General Nakasome said his agency is concerned not just about the data collected and who controls it, but also the algorithm employed, as it could decide what messaging is disseminated.
“And the final piece is we’re concerned about the ability for a foreign nation to have rapid access to millions of phones that are utilising this social application,” he noted.
When asked about the threat posed by China on cybersecurity issues, General Nakasome did not go into specifics.
He said the US takes all its adversaries seriously with vigilance, and noted that the level of sophistication involved in cyber warfare is one of the takeaways from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
“First of all, these are very difficult operations to actually plan for and most importantly conduct,” he said.
He also acknowledged the “impactful” level of cybersecurity that Ukraine has built up over the past four years.
“Preparation matters. The preparation that Ukraine did in terms of being able to raise the level of cybersecurity, is incredibly important,” he said.
He stressed the importance of partnerships and collaboration not just within the government, but also with foreign partners and private sector players.
“The learning experience really begins with the sharing of intelligence, and being able to share that intel with close partners. That’s something we do every single day,” said General Nakasone.
COUNTERING CYBER ESPIONAGE
He said the US is concerned about a range of ways in which cyberattacks can happen, including enemies using ransomware to affect a country’s economy and its citizens’ daily lives.
Another concern is of enemies breaching and gaining control of critical infrastructure, along with the conduct of influence operations that could alter the outcome of elections.