President’s Infrastructure Council Urges Bold Action to Prevent “Cyber 9-11”

In a draft letter to President Trump, the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) warned of serious cybersecurity threats facing critical infrastructure, threats it submits the nation is not currently prepared to counter. The NIAC calls out threats from nation states in particular and makes reference to recent activities by China, Russia, and Iran to highlight their capabilities and the types of attacks that could unfold. Standing on the front lines to address these threats are companies that, according to the report, “are ill-equipped to fully understand, thwart, or counter” a cyber war. In perhaps one its starkest points calling for urgent action, the NIAC states: “It is not a matter of if, but when, an attack will happen. Our window of opportunity to thwart a cyber 9-11 attack before it happens is closing quickly.” With the time to confront these grave cyber threats running out, the NIAC proposes a series of strategies and recommendations for urgent action. They cover areas like information sharing and facilitating communications between the government and critical infrastructure organizations, modernizing legal authorities, and securing the supply chain.