The Government Accountability Office identified the 26 biggest threats to the country based on input from the Departments of Defense, State and Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, National Interest reported Thursday.
Among these threats are China, Russia, Iran, artificial intelligence, drones and the internet of things. China and Russia are expanding globally with military advancements including those in the cyber warfare area. China’s economic, diplomatic and military development threatens U.S. power in air, space, maritime and cyber domains, the report noted.
Meanwhile, Iran is working to boost its military and intelligence forces, with the development of technologies that hold potential applications for cyber offense intercontinental ballistic missiles. The three countries may also wage information warfare via modern digital means such as artificial intelligence, social media and data analytics. GAO identifies drones as a threat due to the technology’s potential warfare applications that adversaries may leverage against the U.S.
The growth of the internet of things technology creates openings and vulnerabilities in national infrastructure. Other threats described in the list include climate change, North Korea, mass migration and biotechnology.
