Collaborative efforts in cybersecurity during the U.S. elections lead to a partnership between the public and private sectors, focusing on the next steps ahead
The U.S. election week proved to be resilient in terms of cybersecurity, with minimal significant incidents reported. However, the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a bipartisan body, has warned that the country is still in a potentially dangerous period in the coming weeks, if not months.
Sean Cairncross, nominated by the President to serve as the National Cyber Director, has been instrumental in breaking down silos and promoting unity in cybersecurity efforts. Although Cairncross has been nominated, his appointment is yet to be confirmed by the Senate.
The Commission's report highlights the role of the private sector in 'layered cyber deterrence,' emphasising the importance of information sharing across sectors for effective defense.
In the lead-up to the election, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released several alerts to industries, offering technical suggestions to ensure resilience. One such instance was the quick 27-hour turnaround time to notify state officials of fraudulent emails, as praised by CISA Director Chris Krebs.
Minor technological issues were reported, such as an election results website outage in Texas and a hacking disinformation campaign. Despite these minor incidents, the election week was relatively calm on the cyber front.
However, Sen. Angus King, co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, expressed concern about the lack of knowledge regarding the extent to which potential adversaries were prepared to attack or if they decided against it.
The U.S. government primarily plays a supporting and enabling role in cybersecurity and defense, while offensive security can carry an impact on foreign relationships and potentially escalate tensions. King has suggested that there may have been actions taken that provided a deterrent effect, but details are limited.
The White House is considering accepting the recommendation for a 'much more vigorous central coordinating role,' or a National Cyber Director, in response to the U.S.'s 'inability or unwillingness to identify and punish our cyber adversaries.' This inaction, according to the Commission, can signal that interfering in American elections or stealing billions in U.S. intellectual property is acceptable.
The effectiveness of defending forward, a defense mechanism in cyberspace aimed at reducing the frequency and severity of attacks, will be evaluated in the next year through a deep after-action review. Microsoft's pursuit of Trickbot's operational infrastructure in October was an example of defending forward, with the U.S. Cyber Command conducting operations against Trickbot to damage and disrupt the organization.
Defending forward is an ongoing effort due to Trickbot's multiple arms of operations. King has expressed a desire to see more offensive measures moving forward, but current measures may not significantly change an adversary's decision to attack.
The election, pandemic, and recession served as a cybersecurity pressure test, testing the resilience of the U.S. systems and the effectiveness of its defense mechanisms. Despite the challenges, the U.S. has demonstrated its ability to respond and adapt to cyber threats, ensuring the integrity of its democratic process.
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