At times of upheaval and unprecedented change, America’s adversaries have taken advantage of the distraction to intensify their attacks on critical systems and infrastructure with the intention of gaining strategic advantages. The SolarWinds attack in 2020 clearly demonstrated that despite the billions of dollars invested in cybersecurity, agencies were still vulnerable to compromise. Since then, the move to a Zero Trust cybersecurity posture has clearly strengthened cyber defenses, but the Department of Defense (DoD), along with other agencies responsible for protecting critical systems and infrastructure are still under constant attack and must prepare for more sophisticated attacks, including those leveraging AI.
“Our adversaries today are both nation state and non-state actors emanating primarily from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea,” shared Remso Martinez, Director of Strategic Business Development at Chenega MIOS and a retired United States Army Colonel. Martinez, who recently attended the Department of Defense Cybersecurity & SAP IT Summit, where the protection of critical infrastructure and how to prevent and mitigate these attacks was the focus of discussion. “What we focused on at the Summit was how wide-ranging the impact of these attacks can and will be,” he added. “These cyber threats significantly impact force and mission readiness by compromising the integrity of critical systems and data. This can lead to disruptions in operations, delays in mission execution, and a reduction in the overall effectiveness of the DoD’s capabilities. Further, the impact that they have in the Defense Industrial Base and our critical infrastructure is of constant concern.”
Attacks on Industrial Control Systems (ICS), which includes the power grid and water supply systems and communications systems have long been of concern, but the war in Ukraine has brought the impact on military bases into stark relief. “What the conflict in Ukraine has shown us is that ICS systems must be continually assessed for survivability,” shared Mike Giannini, Senior Solutions Architect at Chenega MIOS, who also attended the Summit. “Asymmetrical attacks, such as using deployable drones and other technologies can be used with great effectiveness against traditionally formidable adversaries disabling military bases and disrupting communications and other critical systems including power, water supply, and data centers.”
To build systems – both physical and digital – that can withstand the never–ending series of attacks, hardening and survivability must be at the center of design. “The Executive Order on Zero Trust gave the Department of Defense and other agencies a strong starting point to build more robust and resilient networks,” explained Martinez. “Prioritizing continuous monitoring and verification is an essential next step as is applying identity, credential, and access management, ensuring that security is baked into IT modernization activities either natively or as part of a DevSecOps methodology. Industry must support the Department of Defense not only in continuous education of personnel and in threat intelligence, but also in the adoption and implementation of AI and ML to stay ahead of adversaries. In the end, physical security and cybersecurity teams need to work in concert so that their measures complement one another; it’s the only way to reduce the risk of physical breaches that could lead to cyber attacks and protect both physical and digital infrastructure from malicious insiders.”
As we head into the next era of Great Power competition cyberspace will continue to be a contested environment and one where the consequence of failing to protect and defend critical assets will have dangerous consequences. “It’s essential that government and industry work together to secure the nation and protect the national interest,” Martinez concluded. “Government, industry, and academia must all work together to ensure that all three critical elements – people, process, and technology – are robust, resilient, and fit for mission.”