Could striking first in cyber be new Pentagon policy?
Bolstering cyber operations is top of mind for Katie Sutton, the White House’s pick to lead Defense Department cyber policy.
Lauren C. Williams | May 7, 2025 01:05 PM ET
Cyber Pentagon Congress
The White House’s pick to lead Pentagon cyber policy wants to lean in on offensive cyber operations and using AI as the cyberattacks become more common and lawmakers worry about conflict with China.
“While we need strong defenses, we are not going to deter the adversary with defenses only,” Katie Sutton, who was recently the chief technology advisor at U.S. Cyber Command, told senators Tuesday during her confirmation hearing to become assistant defense secretary for cyber policy. “If confirmed, I will work to strengthen our offensive cyber capabilities to ensure the President has the options he needs to respond to this growing threat.”
To do that, Sutton said the Pentagon needs to reevaluate its policies and authorities, including the 2018 National Security Presidential Memorandum 13, which was designed to streamline how cyber operations get approved, to keep up with new threats.
“I believe we're at a point where we need to re-evaluate those and make sure that we're…able to respond to the increasing speed of cyber attacks, and that we are able to address the incoming impacts of AI,” Sutton said. “The speed of technology is often outpacing the policies we have in place to utilize that technology. So for example, in the case of artificial intelligence, we need to make sure we have the right policies for data and that it's responsibly used, but also that we are authorizing its use.”
https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2025/05/could-striking-first-cyber-be-new-pentagon-policy/405128/?oref=d1-featured-river-top
