Trump lifts Cyber Command status to boost cyber defense
President Donald Trump elevated the status of the Pentagon’s U.S. Cyber Command on Friday to help spur development of cyber weapons to deter attacks, punish intruders and tackle adversaries.
In a statement, Trump said the unit would now be ranked at the level of Unified Combatant Command focused on cyberspace operations. The defense secretary is also considering separating the U.S. Cyber Command from the National Security Agency (NSA), he added.
Republican Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, both strong voices on security matters, praised the move that they said would boost the command’s abilities.
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Still, McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said more steps were needed to meet the nation’s cyber security challenges and protect it from such attacks.
“We must develop a clear policy and strategy for deterring and responding to cyber threats. We must also develop an integrated, whole-of-government approach to protect and defend the United States from cyberattacks,” he said in a statement.
Established in 2010, Cyber Command had been ranked below the U.S. Strategic Command, which is responsible for military space operations, nuclear weapons and missile defense.
Cyber Command aims to shut down and, when ordered, counter cyber attacks. The NSA’s mission is to gather intelligence and generally favors monitoring enemies’ cyber activities.
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