This year has been marked by cyberattacks, espionage campaigns, and hacking efforts from China and Russia. All of which highlight the need for the United States to maintain its global technological edge.
In February, a Chinese spy balloon floated across the United States. In May, we learned that a state-sponsored Chinese hacking group had been spying on critical infrastructure. The next month, news broke about a Chinese spy base sitting just 100 miles off America’s coast. In July, state-backed Chinese hackers hacked into the email accounts of top U.S. officials from the Departments of State and Commerce, while Chinese malware infiltrated U.S. military operations and communications. And in August, Russian hackers posed as technical support to gain access to government agencies — to name a few. Now, FBI Director Christopher Wray says, “China already has a bigger hacking program than every other major nation combined.”
These attacks directly threaten our national security, economy, values and way of life.
To keep our nation safe, we must protect our digital airwaves, power plants, pipelines, military sites and communications infrastructure from cyberattacks.
Our authoritarian adversaries, such as China and Russia, have abused technology and cyberattacks to control, spy upon and steal sensitive information and intellectual property, to the tune of $500 billion annually, as part of their strategic goal of undermining America and our allies in an effort to propel themselves as global superpowers.
These authoritarian rivals view the future differently than the United States. Marked by human rights abuses, surveillance campaigns and oppression, China and Russia are leveraging technology to spread their authoritarian geopolitical objectives around the globe.
To protect the future of America and the advancement of democracy worldwide, the United States must act to preserve our spot as the globe’s leader and to protect our security, economy and sovereignty from foreign threats. Washington must ensure that the United States adopts a cyber defense strategy with best-in-class technology developed from our domestic technology sector.
Our tech sector is a critical ally in this ongoing fight.
American technology companies are on the frontlines in protecting against espionage campaigns and cyberattacks. They have been asked repeatedly, by the White House, Congress and the Pentagon, to invest in future technologies that underpin our defense and intelligence agencies. U.S. innovations, and those of our allies, will help us defend against these assaults on America, making it more difficult for China and Russia to launch successful cyberattacks, steal our technology and ultimately achieve their antidemocratic goals.
Knowledge is power. Technological power at home translates to power on the world stage, and a robust technology sector creates a strong national and cyber security strategy. Washington must not pursue policies that stifle technological development and future innovation. Instead, our leaders should work with our domestic technology companies and leverage their innovative capabilities to protect America’s future.
As we approach National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ensuring that America has the tools and capabilities to ward off these cyberattacks will ensure that we are not beholden to the Chinese Communist Party or Russia’s authoritarian regime.
America’s readiness and defense capabilities, or lack thereof, can reshape global values and institutions for the future.
A future rooted in democratic values and a safe, secure and prosperous United States begins with a strong American technology sector that can stay ahead of authoritarian threats and bolster our cybersecurity capabilities.
Asheesh Agarwal is an advisor to the American Edge Project. He has served in senior roles in the Trump and Bush administrations, including at the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice.