US to use more aggressive cyber to strike back at enemies

WASHINGTON – Top Pentagon cyber leaders have told a congressional committee that the U.S. is prepared to use cyber operations more aggressively to strike back as the nation faces growing cyberattacks and threats of interference in the 2020 presidential elections.

Army Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of U.S. Cyber Command, says the military learned a lot as it worked with other government agencies to thwart Russian interference in the 2018 midterm elections. He says the focus has turned to the next election cycle.

Nakasone says cyberattacks from Russia, China, North Korea and Iran are increasingly sophisticated and until recently were done with little concern for consequences.

His comments Wednesday come on the heels of a Navy review that described significant breaches of naval systems and concluded that the service is losing the cyber war.