Loading story…
The United States is actively considering the establishment of a dedicated Cyber Force as a new military branch, with Congress directing the National Academies to study potential organizational models for such a force within the Department of Defense or a possible Department of War. This move is seen as a natural progression following the creation of the Space Force, and it is being closely examined by various policy organizations in Washington. The rationale behind a Cyber Force is rooted in the recognition that cyber power is a critical component of national power, influencing not only military operations but also diplomacy, economic growth, and cultural influence. The military's role in cyberspace, while important, is considered just one aspect of a broader national cyber strategy. For a Cyber Force to be effective, its mission must be precisely defined to ensure decisive action and proper allocation of resources, while also maintaining the primacy of civilian leadership in areas such as economic innovation and cultural influence. The United States currently leads in cyberspace due to its economic strength, innovative capacity, and global cultural reach, and a well-scoped Cyber Force could amplify these advantages. In parallel, federal agencies are facing significant challenges related to aging mainframes, a shrinking pool of technical expertise, and increasing expectations for digital services that match those of the private sector. A recent report from the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology, supported by Rocket Software, outlines a path toward 'mission-ready modernization' that emphasizes the integration of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and automation, particularly in environments where connectivity is limited. The report highlights the importance of explainable and auditable AI, especially for defense and intelligence missions, and stresses the need for upskilling the federal workforce to bridge critical skills gaps. Modernization efforts are encouraged to focus on mission outcomes rather than mere technology replacement, advocating for practices such as DevSecOps and hybrid cloud architectures. The cultural shift toward resilience, transparency, and adaptability is seen as essential for secure government transformation. Trusted partnerships and the adoption of explainable AI are identified as key enablers for achieving secure, mission-aligned modernization across federal agencies. These developments reflect a broader trend in the US government toward strengthening cyber capabilities, both through organizational innovation and technological advancement, to ensure continued leadership and resilience in the face of evolving cyber threats.
Mallory correlates global threat intelligence with your attack surface — know if you’re exposed before adversaries strike.
1 event from the most recent confirmed update back to the earliest known activity.
Initial story creation
2 references tracked. Mallory keeps watching after this page renders.
Map indicators from this story to your assets and identify affected systems in minutes.
Every observed campaign, victim, and pivot linked to actors named in this story.
Malware, exploits, and IOCs connected to the activity described here.
YARA, Sigma, and Snort rules deployed to your SIEM as soon as they’re published.
Get matching new stories delivered to your team as they break — not the next morning.
Ask questions about this story and take action on the answers.
Other stories Mallory is tracking that overlap on entities, sources, or topic labels.
Federal agencies are rapidly integrating artificial intelligence into their cyber defense strategies, with a focus on scaling vulnerability identification and operational resilience. Acting Federal CISO Michael Duffy highlighted the need to update the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-130 to reflect the new AI-driven landscape. The government is also reviewing AI's strengths and limitations to ensure secure and efficient public interactions.
Jun 29, 2026
The United States is experiencing a period of instability in its federal cybersecurity leadership, with budget cuts, leadership turnover, and shifting political priorities undermining the government's traditional role in setting national cyber strategy. Federal agencies, including the Office of the National Cyber Director, are facing funding and staffing challenges, leaving critical infrastructure operators and security professionals without consistent guidance or support. This erosion of centralized leadership is forcing the private sector and local governments to manage escalating cyber threats and operational risks independently, often without a unified national playbook. Compounding these challenges is a growing crisis in the cybersecurity workforce, as underfunded education systems and high burnout rates threaten the talent pipeline needed for national digital defense. The lack of federal investment in cyber education and workforce development is creating vulnerabilities that adversaries may exploit. Meanwhile, political divisions are evident in the debate over how to respond to major cyber intrusions, such as the China-linked Salt Typhoon campaign targeting US telecommunications networks. Lawmakers remain split on whether voluntary industry partnerships or mandated standards are necessary to address fundamental security weaknesses, highlighting the broader uncertainty in US cyber policy and enforcement.
Jun 29, 2026
Federal agencies are being urged to modernize and consolidate aging, fragmented IT environments to reduce cost, improve operational efficiency, and address security weaknesses tied to legacy systems and siloed technology portfolios. One article argues that effective consolidation requires sustained leadership, planning, workforce change management, and a realistic assessment of barriers such as budget constraints, fragmented data, shadow IT, and hard-to-retire legacy platforms. A separate federal policy piece says Congress reauthorized the **Technology Modernization Fund** through the fiscal year, allowing continued investment in agency modernization projects and positioning the fund to operate more like a revolving source of capital for urgent technology needs, including cybersecurity-driven upgrades. The other cited articles are not part of the same story: one is a generic set of **cloud storage security best practices**, and another is a broad explainer on the business benefits of **hybrid cloud** adoption.
Jun 29, 2026