Assessing Persistent and Emerging Cyber Threats to the U.S. in the Homeland

The expanding number of cyber actors, ranging from nation-states to terrorists to criminals, as well as increasing attack capability and the increasing intensity of cyber attacks around the globe, have made cyber warfare and cyber crime one of the most significant threats facing the United States. This week the Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against five Chinese individuals working for the Chinese military for hacking into multiple private-sector U.S. businesses to steal their sensitive proprietary information. Additionally, the FBI and international law enforcement arrested over 100 people for using malicious software called Blackshades, which is used remotely to take over a computer, turn on the web cam, and access passwords and other information without the owner's knowledge. Over the last decade the threats facing the United States have become more diverse, as have the tools for conducting attacks and waging war. While the United States has made great strides to secure the homeland since 9/11, our enemies have evolved, and we must now consider that a foreign adversary, terrorist network, or a criminal organization will use cyberspace to penetrate America's defenses.