Heinrich Presses NSA Director On Lack Of National Cyber Deterrence Doctrine

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the United States Cyber Command’s fiscal year 2019 budget, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) raised concerns about the lack of a national cyber deterrence strategy to prevent future Russian attempts to interfere in U.S. elections.

VIDEO: Heinrich Presses NSA Director On Lack Of National Cyber Deterrence Doctrine   

In the hearing, National Security Agency (NSA) Director Admiral Michael Rogers told Senator Heinrich that the Trump Administration’s response to Russia’s continued use of bots and trolls has not been sufficient enough to change Russia’s behavior. Admiral Rogers expressed frustration with the lack of an effective doctrine to help deter cyber-attacks before they happen.

During Senator Heinrich’s questioning, Admiral Michael Rogers was also unable to provide a reason why a cyber-deterrence plan has not yet been developed even though it has been directed as part of the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act and prior legislation. 

Senator Heinrich has long been concerned about the vulnerabilities of cyber-attacks and has led bipartisan efforts to strengthen election cybersecurity in America and protect against foreign threats. He recently introduced the Secure Elections Act to improve and modernize protections for our voting systems, registration data, and ballots to prevent theft, manipulation, and malicious computer hacking.