The US is facing a “catastrophic cyber-attack” which could create lasting damage exceeding that of the many serious fires, floods and hurricanes the country has had to endure, according to a new analysis from a federal commission. The US Cyberspace Solarium Commission claimed in its report that the country faces multiple threats from cyber-criminals and nation states: IP theft that hinders long-term growth, critical infrastructure attacks, cybercrime and ransomware, espionage for geopolitical advantage and attacks designed to undermined democratic institutions.
“The digital connectivity that has brought economic growth, technological dominance and an improved quality of life to nearly every American has also created a strategic dilemma. The more digital connections people make and data they exchange, the more opportunities adversaries have to destroy private lives, disrupt critical infrastructure and damage our economic and democratic institutions,” the report noted.
