The United States and other nations are faced with a new and frightening global opponent: a wave of targeted cyberattacks and data breaches designed to damage critical infrastructure and major organizations. A coordinated and robust response is necessary, but governments have a decision to make: should they ask the private sector for help in this era of dramatic upticks in cyberattacks.
This August, a joint operation between the “Department of Justice and the FBI seized platforms used by Chinese hackers to target NASA, the Federal Reserve, and other networks in both the government and private sectors.” This was an impressive, targeted strike as well as an important show of force, but a September 2026 analysis from the Council on Foreign Relations warns that infrastructure in the United States remains at greater risk than ever before. Why? Because outdated protocols and improperly secured hardware mean that too many networks are exposed. In the last ten years, “China has built a cyber apparatus whose sophistication, scale, and strategic alignment rival that of the United States.” The availability of advanced AI (from coding models like Claude Mythos to Open AI), has made the race for the best cybersecurity systems urgent and raised the stakes
In April, as reported on the World Economic Forum site, “A joint advisory from U.S. agencies warned that cyber activity targeting critical infrastructure has escalated due to the conflict in the Middle East.” Analysts describe a broader shift in cyber warfare: “rather than focusing only on data theft or espionage, threat actors are focused on interfering with industrial control systems and physical operations.”
One of those areas of focus is logistics and supply chains, a well-known weak point in cybersecurity, and they continue to be under attack. Geopolitical upheaval, the weaponization of critical supply chains, and the rise of generative AI are redefining risk and exposure. The problem is that most organizations are not ready for this new reality. In most cases they lack the resources, skilled workforce, and – as things rapidly change – time to assess risk before it’s too late. In other words, supply chains always seem to be one step behind the technology curve.
Every sector is understandably anxious. According to Verizon’s 2026 Data Breach Investigations Report, “48 percent of data breaches now involve a third party, which marks a 60 percent year-over-year increase.” In the same blog from Secureframe, SecurityScorecard’s 2026 survey found that “86 percent of global cybersecurity leaders” doubt their suppliers can defend themselves. Governments are answering with regulation, including a July 2026 executive order on suppliers “to map their critical supply-chains down to the origin of their raw materials and vet suppliers for foreign ownership and cyber risk.” This is on top of DFARS 252.204-7012 contractual obligations and mandates such as NIST SP 800-171.
Maritime logistics are also under threat. As noted in a January 2026 Infosecurity Magazine article, “shipping networks combine legacy systems, operational-technology dependencies, and global connectivity of data,” and this mix creates dangerous loop-holes for attackers. As sanctions and regional conflicts shift trade routes through “the Suez Canal, the South China Sea, and the North Atlantic,” malicious actors are empowered to increase their campaigns against port operations and communications.
The threat is all too real. In August 2026, the Coast Guard and the FBI boarded two U.S.-bound energy tankers after severe network compromises cut all communications for about 30 hours. Compromises to navigational systems were feared and suspected. This incident gave outsiders temporary access to the ships’ digital systems, marking a dangerous and invasive breach into its propulsion system.
By September U.S. government agencies were tracking maritime cyber threats across the globe, hoping they don’t find a worst-case scenario: a large vessel carrying hazardous material losing critical functions mid-voyage.
There should be a law, and there is a law. Unfortunately, the law has not kept pace with the leaps in technology. The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 requires cybersecurity checks, but limited resources and the difficulty of securing outdated systems present significant challenges. According to Industrial Cyber, “attacks on maritime transportation leapt 400 percent in the span of only one year,” making it clear how deeply this sector relies on connected systems, which means a greater risk of breach and malicious attacks.
The risk of attacks is not confined to the shipping industry. In March 2026, a group linked with Iran carried out a major cyberattack on medical technology company Stryker and caused massive global disruption, “with 56,000 employees impacted across 79 countries. It appears to have involved a destructive wiper-style attack.”
Across energy grids, water treatment plants, and wind and solar installations, coordinated efforts continue to intrude into industrial control systems. In addition, intelligence agencies note that state-sponsored actors are increasingly targeting supply-chain access and satellite-enabled maritime communications.
Businesses face more risks than ever. Geopolitical conflict and the rapid adoption and advancement of AI have created new challenges to physical security and supply-chain stability, especially for international companies. As described in a November 2025 issue of Forbes, one answer to this problem may be a new role dedicated to these issues: a Geopolitical Risk Officer (GRO). The GRO makes sure that businesses track the most pertinent risks and has the information to manage these risks. This senior position would provide a function that cuts across IT, corporate security, legal and compliance, where risk strategies are often fragmented and unorganized. The problem? Where to find this person. This blend of very specific skills is rare. Chuck Brooks writes in this November 2025 Forbes essay that former national security professionals may be the best candidates.
In August 2026, as reported in Fast Company, the White House made a sweeping and dramatic change to federal hacking policy. A presidential memorandum would allow for vetted private companies to launch cyberattacks against hacker groups. This signals a reversal of a long-standing policy that prohibited companies from “hacking back” without court approval.
Many big questions remain related to these issues. The first is legal protection: “what happens if an employee is arrested by a foreign government in connection with an authorized cyberattack?” The memo offers no advice on this issue and very little if any legal shield, and this concerns experts. In this Fast Company article, Cybersecurity expert and former FBI operative Eric O’Neill, author of Spies, Lies, and Cybercrime, warns that U.S. authorization does not bypass other countries’ laws: a foreign government may treat an intrusion into infrastructure “within its borders as a crime,” no matter what Washington has deemed permissible.
The other issue here is establishment of a dangerous precedent. Empowering private firms to carry out cyberattacks opens a “Pandora’s box that the United States might struggle to close,” and this could lead to dangerous escalations in global cyber conflicts. There are, of course, distinct advantages: it is private-sector infrastructure that hackers seek to attack and exploit. Private firms have unmatched visibility, and many companies are already operating in this space. But whether the memo’s de-escalation guidelines (or lack thereof) can contain the consequences remains an open question.
Infrastructure, logistics, supply chains, nations, and companies are all under increasing attack from cybercriminals. The answer might be AI-enabled rapid defense, offensive strike-back capability, or simply greater resilience, but no matter what, the quickly evolving threat landscape means preparation is vital. Here at CYRIN, we help organizations prepare for this reality by building the readiness to create defensive strategies for critical systems before, during, and after an attack.
We continue to work with our industry partners to address major challenges and set up realistic scenarios that allow them to train their teams and prepare new hires for the threats they will face. Government agencies have been using CYRIN for years, training their front-line specialists on the real threats faced on their ever-expanding risk surface.
For educators, we consistently work with colleges and universities both large and small to create realistic training to meet the environment students will encounter when they graduate and enter the workforce. In an increasingly digitized world, training and experiential training are critical. A full-blown cyberattack is not something you can prepare for after it hits, no matter who the adversary.
Our training platform teaches fundamental solutions that integrate actual cyber tools from CYRIN’s labs that allow you to practice 24/7, in the cloud, no special software required. Our new programs, including our new “mini labs,” AI, and Digital Twins, can create real-world conditions for you to practice before you must act. Cyber is a team effort; to see what our team can do for you look at our course catalog, or better yet, contact us for further information and your personalized demonstration of CYRIN. Take a test drive and see for yourself!