The Pentagon has unveiled its first Cybersecurity strategy, designed to safeguard the military-industrial complex from cyber attacks. Deputy Defense Minister Kathleen Hicks emphasized the importance of maintaining resilience against continuous attempts by adversaries to gather information on U.S. capabilities while working collaboratively to protect the nation.
This strategy acts as a roadmap to enhance cybersecurity and resilience of the supply chain, which comprises numerous entities directly interfacing with the Pentagon and its various components. Covering the fiscal years 2024 to 2027, the document outlines four primary goals focused on advancing practices within the industrial complex, with each goal containing specific subtasks.
The goals of the strategy are to:
- Strengthen the management structure of the Defense Ministry for cybersecurity of the military-industrial complex (VPK);
- Enhance the cybersecurity posture of military-industrial complex contractors;
- Safeguard the critical capabilities of the military-industrial complex in the cyber competitive realm;
- Enhance collaboration with the military-industrial complex.
The Pentagon’s cybersecurity strategy also incorporates a certification program for a cybersecurity maturity model, a long-term initiative to elevate cybersecurity standards among contractors to ensure their compliance and resilience. Concerns about vulnerabilities among companies within the department’s supply chain, deemed critical infrastructure, have prompted officials to address ongoing cyber threats. The Pentagon stressed the persistent threat from cybercriminals, underscoring the need for heightened awareness of cyber capabilities across the U.S.
Ongoing violations underscore the need for continuous monitoring, prompting officials to develop an implementation plan for the strategy that military-industrial base entities can adhere to.