We absolutely must be prepared for – and vigorously defend against – cyber attacks.  The United States must have a comprehensive national cybersecurity strategy that thoroughly protects everything from our infrastructure to our intelligence databases.  However, we don't want to become part of the problem.  Shifting our strategy from one of defense to one of offense (i.e. "hacking back") will, at best, serve as a major distraction and, at worst, escalate cyber wars across the globe.

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The Trump Administration engaged in a new approach to cybersecurity, complete with a new directive to eliminate the Obama-era interagency approval process previously needed to launch offensive cyber strikes.  The National Cyber Strategy released by the Administration says that "the United States has sanctioned malign cyber actors and indicted those that have committed cyber-crimes."  It goes on to say that America will "preserve peace and security by strengthening the United States’ ability – in concert with allies and partners – to deter and if necessary punish those who use cyber tools for malicious purposes (read the entire document here)."  All good. 

 

However, the Defense Department's Cyber Strategy document included language like "We will defend forward to disrupt or halt malicious cyber activity at its source, including activity that falls below the level of armed conflict."  More specifically, it says we will "defend forward by leveraging our focus outward to stop threats before they reach their targets (read the entire report here)."  Red Flag! Red Flag!

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1787 never backs down from a smart fight.  But this provocative, unsubstantiated approach is borrowing trouble.  Cyber-warfare brings an entirely new battlefield to war, and our adversaries are really, really good at it.  It is going to take tons of resources and most of our cyber capabilities to identify our vulnerabilities and prepare our defense, and we don't need any tit-for-tat distractions.  

 

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Evidence:

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United States. The White House.  "Presidential Memorandum on the Support for National Biodefense."  18 Sept 2018

United States.  The White House.  "National Cyber Strategy."  September 2018

United States.  Department of Defense.  "Cyber Strategy."