Trump Administration to Consider Adversaries’ Stricter Measures Against Cyber Attacks 

On Sunday, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Representative Mike Waltz announced plans for new cyber policies targeting foreign adversaries, particularly China, in response to intensified cyberattacks on US infrastructure.  

The cybersecurity foreign policy follows US claims that China is behind most cyber-attacks on US infrastructure, including the Salt Typhoon espionage operation targeting key US officials.  

During his CBS News’s Face the Nation talk, Waltz made it clear that the US needs a shift in its cybersecurity policy management, from defense to offense.  

“For too long, we’ve focused mostly on strengthening our cyber defenses,” he said. “We need to start going on the offense and begin imposing higher costs and consequences on private actors and nation-state actors who continue to steal our data and spy on us.” 

According to Waltz, the shift in the cybersecurity strategy is going to form a shield for US data and protect the country’s interests while aggressive cyberattacks are increasing.  

The Salt Typhoon Cyber Espionage Campaign 

This Chinese cyberattack has targeted US telecoms and infrastructure companies, stealing crucial data including the metadata of many American citizens, highlighting US security systems’ vulnerabilities to foreign cyber threats and the needed shift in cyber policies. 

It was informed that a minimum of eight companies were affected by the beach.  

Further details about the new cyber risk management policy were not provided, as well as to how the upcoming Trump administration will respond to the cyber espionage campaign.  

In parallel, Waltz emphasizes an aggressive approach for protecting US assets and limiting foreign adversaries by imposing financial and strategic costs, adding that private US technology firms may highly contribute to national defense. 

Private Tech Companies’ Contribution to National Defense 

Tech firms can make foreign adversaries more vulnerable to counterattacks, while strengthening US’ defense and cyber policies. Cybersecurity efforts highly depend on American tech companies, and Waltz added that he perceives them as key pillars in forming a stronger cyber information security policy.  

While the US is busy strengthening its new cyber policies, China is denying its relation to cyber campaigns, calling the claims as nothing but mere “disinformation” campaigns. 

The China cybersecurity policy is fierce, and the country has long maintained its stance that it does not support any cyberattack in all forms. However, the repeated allegations of cyber-attacks demonstrate the growing tensions between China and the US over cybersecurity.  

Trump Administration’s 2024 Cybersecurity Tactic 

The cybersecurity policy management the Trump administration will be following seems very promising and effective and is expected to include more aggressive defense mechanisms and proactive offensive tactics. 

With the continuation of cyberattacks, the US is in the front of an increasing pressure to strengthen its response and safeguard its digital assets from foreign threats, and especially Chinese cyber espionage campaigns. 

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