By Doug Kelly
As Cybersecurity Month kicks off, the headlines tell a sobering story: a relentless wave of cyberattacks targeting everything from our power grids to personal data—many orchestrated by hostile adversaries like China. With our critical infrastructure and national security at risk, there’s no time to waste. The key to defending against these threats lies in strengthening America’s tech sector—our first line of defense in the digital battlefield.
U.S. intelligence found that the Chinese government is running a broad campaign to hack as many American organizations as possible, but this isn’t the first warning about China’s vast cyber espionage campaign.
As cyberspace evolves into a modern-day battleground, a single successful cyberattack could disrupt power grids, financial systems, and utility networks, leading to blackouts, economic turmoil, and service outages that could fundamentally alter our way of life.
Unfortunately, in today’s digitally driven world, no business or public institution is immune to these attacks.
Over the summer, CDK Global, a software provider used by car dealerships nationwide, was targeted by hackers, disrupting operations for many dealerships in Louisiana. This attack halted sales and repairs, significantly hurting the local economy and employees. In July, personal information, including student and employee Social Security numbers and addresses, was compromised in a cyberattack on the Louisiana Special School District, and early this year, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office thwarted a potential breach. While their system identified the intrusion early, the hackers still obtained some data. These attacks serve a prime example of needing strong and robust cybersecurity protections.