In a shock move that could have a major impact on Britain’s ability to defend itself against cyber attacks from hostile nations, the US Cyber Command (USCC) which is charged with defending US military networks has been ordered to axe contract dealings with private sector partners and freeze recruitment.
The USCC also helps conduct offensive cyber operations against state-sponsored threats and cyber criminal groups.
Stupak said the cuts were “extraordinarily concerning”.
An insider at the USCC said the cuts have caused “significant damage to capacity” at the agency, directly impacting ongoing work with international allies including UK intelligence agencies that are working to disrupt cyber threats from Russia, as well as China and Iran .
Nicholas Williams, a former senior official at Nato and the Ministry of Defence, said the downgrading of US cyber capability risks a “blunting of the UK’s ability to raise awareness of impending threats”.
“US Air Force full potential requires commercial contracts with Lockheed [Martin] and Northrup [Grumman] for the F35, and US Cyber Command has their own vendors. So when you’re cutting contracts .. I have to ask what capabilities are being lost.”
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa) is tasked with defending vital US infrastructure and electoral processes from cyber attacks. Yet despite the rising threat of targeted strikes from hostile states, there are fears that almost half of the agency’s 3,400 workforce could be at risk.
The move sent shockwaves among domestic and international intelligence chiefs.
He said: “As far as I know, a four-star general only declares his loyalty to those two entities. He served with distinction. All the free peoples of the world are a little less safe today.”
However, UK intelligence officials have grown cautious of their American counterparts after a series of cuts, intelligence leaks, and foreign policy changes from the Trump administration.
A UK intelligence source previously described the reports as “madness” and it showed a clear indication that the US was seeking to strike a “cyber peace deal” with Russia.
However, the source feared this decision “will leave Europe and the UK as open targets”, adding that “the US will just say we should have spent more”.
The USCC, and the National Security Agency refused to comment.
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