Across the United States, many metropolitan areas are finding themselves increasingly vulnerable in the digital realm, confronting the growing challenge of defending essential systems against hackers who seek to disrupt or exploit them. In response to these mounting cyber threats, the Army National Guard has announced an ambitious initiative that will unfold as a pilot program in five selected cities. The effort is specifically designed to enhance the ability of local governments and critical infrastructure providers to protect themselves from digital assaults that could jeopardize both public safety and national security.
Lieutenant General Jeth Rey, who serves as the Army’s deputy chief of staff G-6, explained the initiative’s significance during a media roundtable held at the annual Association of the United States Army conference in Washington, D.C. He stressed a sobering reality: modern military operations depend heavily on civilian infrastructure—everything from electricity and clean water to communication networks. Rey remarked that service members and their families rely on “what exists beyond our wires,” meaning the public utilities that sustain daily life. If those systems were to be compromised during a crisis, the consequences could place not only the military’s operational readiness at risk but also the well-being of their families back home.
At this early stage, the program remains intentionally limited in scope, confined to only a handful of urban areas. However, the underlying ambition is far broader—the Army hopes that successful results from these initial locations can be used as a blueprint for replicating and expanding the program nationwide. Although Rey declined to reveal which specific U.S. cities are participating, the controlled rollout suggests that each site will serve as a testing ground to refine best practices for regional cyber defense.
Over the past ten years, numerous U.S. cities and vital public utilities have suffered severe disruptions caused by cyberattacks, with effects rippling through municipal institutions and affecting residents on a practical level. Local governments have found their court systems paralyzed, water treatment facilities disabled, electric power grids destabilized, and police or emergency communication systems forced offline. In a notable incident earlier this year, a cyber intrusion prompted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to activate the state’s National Guard after the city of St. Paul’s digital infrastructure was crippled, effectively shutting down much of its governmental and administrative computer networks. This example, among others, highlights the increasingly blurred line between national defense and local cybersecurity, revealing that attacks on seemingly small systems can have far-reaching implications.
Recognizing the gravity of these challenges, the Department of Defense has made significant strides in recent years to expand and modernize its cyber operations. Investments have flowed toward the development of specialized tools and strategies in the domains of cyber weapons and electronic warfare. The U.S. Army, reflecting this broader shift, has established a dedicated commissioning program designed to attract skilled professionals from the private sector—individuals already well-versed in the intricacies of cyber defense—to bring their expertise into military service. By integrating civilian innovators and hackers-turned-defenders into its ranks, the Army aims to remain agile and competitive in an arena where adversaries evolve constantly.
Most cyberattacks are executed by criminal collectives that aim to extort victims financially, typically by encrypting their systems and demanding ransom payments in cryptocurrency in exchange for restored access. However, even more worrisome are operations sponsored or directed by nation-states. Such campaigns often pursue intelligence-gathering goals, focusing on stealing sensitive or classified data that could later be exploited for espionage or strategic advantage. Last year, U.S. officials disclosed details of a prolonged Chinese cyber operation referred to as “Salt Typhoon,” which compromised the personal data of millions of Americans. Hackers managed to gain entry into systems belonging to major telecommunications companies, the U.S. Treasury Department, and even attempted to intercept communications associated with presidential candidates. The scale of the intrusion underscored both its sophistication and its geopolitical implications.
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, who previously chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee, described the breach to The Washington Post as the most severe telecommunications hack in the nation’s history—a distinction that reflects just how consequential digital espionage has become in modern geopolitics. Warner emphasized that this was far from an isolated event, warning that Chinese cyber operations represent an ongoing, global effort to infiltrate data networks and exfiltrate vast quantities of information from targets around the world.
Adding to these concerns, retired four-star General Tim Haugh—who formerly directed both the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command—recently echoed Warner’s warnings in an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes.” He stated that Chinese hackers have penetrated almost every segment of American infrastructure, from major metropolitan systems to the databases of small towns. Haugh characterized the United States’ daily struggle to deter or repel such incursions as nothing less than a relentless contest, one that must be fought each day to maintain the integrity of critical digital systems. His observations came shortly after his abrupt dismissal from his previous position in April by the Trump administration, amid speculation surrounding internal political tensions.
While foreign threats undeniably remain a high priority, experts stress that domestic vulnerabilities can be equally perilous. Brandon Pugh, the Army’s principal cyber advisor, told reporters that both nation-sponsored adversaries and independent criminal entities have shown a troubling lack of restraint in their willingness to target the country’s most essential infrastructure. He emphasized that no sector should consider itself immune—whether energy providers, transportation hubs, or emergency services—because malicious actors are demonstrating unprecedented boldness.
The ramifications extend beyond the potential inconvenience to civilians. Officials caution that widespread attacks on local utilities, logistical systems, ports, or transit networks could have a cascading impact on military readiness, undermining the ability to deploy troops and transport equipment efficiently within the United States or to overseas theaters. In this context, cyber defense is no longer viewed solely as a technical necessity but as a fundamental component of national security. As Pugh explained, service members operating “within the wire” cannot always intervene directly in civilian systems, but through collaboration with the National Guard and operators of critical infrastructure, the military can still play a pivotal role in enhancing national resilience.
Through this emerging partnership between local governments and military cyber units, the United States seeks to build a more integrated and responsive defense posture—one capable of countering both present and future digital threats. The Army National Guard’s pilot program reflects a recognition that in the twenty-first century, security on the battlefield is inseparable from security in cyberspace, and that protecting citizens increasingly depends on safeguarding bytes as much as borders.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/national-guard-units-help-defend-against-cyber-attacks-2025-10
