(NewsNation) — The Pentagon is looking for new weapons in the fight against cyberterrorism.
New reports suggest the Department of Defense is considering private contractors for its offensive cyber operations, potentially putting them on the front lines of America’s digital battlefield.
Some are calling it the dawn of a new era. The next battlefield may not be overseas; it could be a computer screen, and the Pentagon wants more firepower.
What makes this especially significant is that private companies could potentially play a role in the military’s hacking missions.
The U.S. military’s cyber push
The goal is to put some of the country’s top cybersecurity talent and technology on the same team as the military. That could give U.S. Cyber Command more people and technology to infiltrate foreign networks and potentially disrupt an adversary’s systems.
Jennifer Coffindaffer, NewsNation law and justice contributor, says there are hurdles, particularly regarding security clearances and government oversight.
“I think certainly, though, any time you align outside of the government, you have to be careful when involving the private sector. Meaning those individuals are going to have to get security clearances. But this is nothing that cannot be overcome,” she said.
Last month, the Trump administration created a path for vetted private companies to conduct offensive cyber operations against foreign criminal organizations but under government direction and oversight.
Now, the Pentagon appears to be considering taking that concept further, potentially bringing the private sector into military cyber operations.
Is AI part of this push?
Artificial intelligence could change the cyber battlefield.
Advanced AI models are increasingly capable of identifying vulnerabilities in computer networks, raising concerns they could eventually help turn those weaknesses into cyberattacks.
That means the U.S. military is under increasing pressure to move faster than hackers working for foreign governments and criminal organizations.
“That’s why it makes sense to use the best of the best in our private security industry, in cybersecurity specifically, to offensively go after attackers,” Coffindaffer said. “If we don’t, then we will be behind.”
Though critics say the proposal raises a major question: If a private company is hacking on behalf of the U.S. military, where exactly does the private sector end and the government begin?
The Pentagon hasn’t commented on the reports. More details about the strategy could reportedly be released as soon as next week.
Click Here For The Original Source.
