In response to a significant cyberattack attributed to China, Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL), the incoming National Security Adviser for President-elect Donald Trump, has announced plans to impose stricter consequences on hackers targeting the United States. Waltz emphasized the need for a more offensive approach to cybersecurity, stating that merely enhancing defensive measures is insufficient. He advocates for imposing higher costs on both private actors and nation-state adversaries engaged in cyber espionage and data theft.
This policy shift follows reports of a Chinese-backed hacking group, known as Salt Typhoon, breaching eight U.S. telecommunications providers. The hackers accessed sensitive cellular logs of numerous Americans, including communications related to President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Despite efforts to mitigate the breach, the intruders have not been fully removed from the affected networks, posing ongoing security risks.
Waltz’s statements indicate a forthcoming change in U.S. cybersecurity strategy, focusing on deterrence through offensive measures to prevent future cyber intrusions. He suggests that the private U.S. technology sector could play a crucial role in enhancing national defense and exposing vulnerabilities in adversarial systems.
The Chinese government has denied involvement in the cyber espionage activities, maintaining that it opposes all forms of cyber attacks and theft. However, U.S. officials remain concerned about the scale and sophistication of the recent breaches, prompting calls for a more robust response to safeguard national security interests.
WATCH BELOW
WATCH: Incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz says that the @realDonaldTrump admin is going to get significantly tougher when it comes to dealing with cyberattacks on the U.S., including by going on offense and imposing “higher costs and consequences on private actors and… pic.twitter.com/pQjOmuMT5m
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) December 15, 2024