February 18, 2022
Will Biden’s ‘Severe Costs’ on Russia Include Cyber Attacks?
What if the “severe costs”—the damage the United States and its allies cause to the Russian military and government should they invade Ukraine—comes not with just sanctions, but through the use of cyber operations? Will we ever know?
Despite all of the attention paid to the deployment of 3,000 U.S. troops to Poland to support NATO’s defense, satellite images of Russian troops amassed on the Ukrainian border, and potential sanctions if Putin opts to invade, we simply don’t know what actions may or may not be taken in cyberspace by the U.S. government or NATO. But we should know something. Congress and the Biden administration should use this moment to ensure that, whatever Americans are told, it is the best possible and most transparent understanding of how their government is protecting the nation and its allies.
The lack of openness about how nations are operating in the cyber domain may be limiting the world’s understanding of what activities may be going on behind the scenes.
So far, the White House and intelligence offices at the FBI, National Security Agency, and Department of Homeland Security are actively warning about Russian state-sponsored malign cyber activity, but the U.S. government does not articulate how it might respond. This outdated lack of transparency about the true conduct of 21st century asymmetric war—or hostile activity below the threshold of war—clouds the domestic and geopolitical debate and hinders our ability to formulate policy options and inform decisions about military preparedness, engagements, and diplomacy.
Read the full article from Defense One.
More from CNAS
-
The Fed, Ed Accreditation, and DHS
Podcast
Loren and Radha reminisce about wintry memories and Benedict Cumberbatch before a cocktail parties worth of gossip on Fed rates, tariffs, and appropriations politics. In dumps...
By Carrie Cordero
-
Accountability and Oversight Concerns in DHS
Video
CNAS general counsel and senior fellow Carrie Cordero joins CNN to discuss a 2020 CNAS report detailing how to improve the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through enhanc...
By Carrie Cordero
-
Legal Questions Remain After U.S. Capture of Maduro
Video
CNAS senior fellow and general counsel Carrie Cordero joined CNN to discuss the arrest and capture of Venezuelan leader Maduro, legal issues surrounding the military campaign ...
By Carrie Cordero
-
Nicolás Maduro Indictment Implications
Video
CNAS senior fellow and general counsel Carrie Cordero joined CNN to discuss the case brought against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the Trump administration's interventi...
By Carrie Cordero
