Ex-NSA advisor warns about fragility of US cybersecurity

Speaking at the AI Expo for National Competitiveness last week, former deputy national security adviser and NSA cybersecurity director Anne Neuberger said that a cyberattack could potentially destroy US critical infrastructure. She added that the digital resilience of US infrastructure is lacking due also to recent cuts to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA’s) workforce. In response, Neuberger pushed for the introduction of more AI to secure critical infrastructure, describing such systems as being better able to evaluate legacy systems to discover weak points. She also supported the use of more digital twinning to evaluate internet-connected infrastructure. Finally, Neuberger highlighted the need to approach cyber defense with a more targeted approach, closing the gaps in the protection of critical infrastructure.
CISA, the agency responsible for securing government systems and handling critical infrastructure security, has been hard hit by cuts under the new Trump administration. Layoffs at the agency have increased concerns of a brain drain that could further weaken US cybersecurity. Meanwhile, the FBI has warned the public to beware of a growing number of Badbox 2.0 botnets that could compromise several Android-based streaming devices, projectors, digital picture frames, and other devices.