Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the federal government should increase efforts to protect agencies, industry, academia and the public from hackers supported by other countries since the U.S. today “is not prepared†for a foreign cyber attack, The Hill reported Monday.
“It’s not just U.S. troops and government agents on the frontlines anymore. It’s U.S. companies. It’s our schools and gathering places. It’s ordinary Americans,†Nielsen said during a speech at the George Washington University.
The call comes after other federal officials warned that hackers backed by countries like Russia, China and North Korea pose major threats to the U.S. Despite the growing threats, Nielsen said that the U.S. government did “far too littleâ€Â to boost cybersecurity. The Department of Homeland Security is working with the Department of Defense to address cyber threats targeting the government and the local supply chain.
“Let me just send one last message to our cyber adversaries,†Nielsen said. “We are watching you. And no matter what malware you develop, I promise you, the engines of our democracy are far stronger and far more resilient than any code you can write.â€
