Today, the Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the October edition of Senator King's "Inside Maine" podcast, featuring a timely discussion on the threats that cyberattacks pose to Americans' day-to-day activities and how to identify and avoid disinformation online. Senator King was joined by Peter Warren Singer, a cyberdefense strategist, a fellow at New America, and a bestselling author; they discuss the serious national security concerns of our increasingly interconnected world. Senator King is a leading voice on cybersecurity issues in the Senate and co-chairs the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, an ongoing bipartisan effort that published a comprehensive report on America's cyberspace posture, and secured 25 cybersecurity recommendations in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021.
"America is fortunate to be one of the most connected countries in the world, unfortunately this has also meant we're asymmetrically vulnerable to cyberthreats," said Senator King. "As I discussed with Peter Warren Singer on this month's episode of Inside Maine, everything from the phones in our pockets to oil and gas pipelines are being targeted by bad actors, and we need to respond accordingly. We have made progress on these threats in recent years, but a full response requires a whole-of-government approach, partnership with the private sector, and increased awareness from all Americans. Peter is one of the most thoughtful, knowledgeable, and frank voices on the serious challenges of the 21st century, and it was a true pleasure to talk to him about what we're up against and how best to defend ourselves."