The United States no longer prioritizes Russia as a major cyber threat

A hot potato: Even before the invasion of Ukraine, the US had long considered Russia its main cybersecurity threat. But it appears that the designation no longer applies. The move comes as Trump attempts to normalize the relationship with Russia and President Putin, and follows a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. According to a US official familiar with the matter (via The Record), new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered US Cyber Command to "stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions." The official said that Hegseth gave the order to the head of the command, Air Force Gen. Tim Haugh, in late February. The order does not apply to the National Security Agency, which Haugh also leads. This is the second incident suggesting the US no longer considers Russia a cybersecurity threat. Last week, Liesyl Franz, deputy assistant secretary for international cybersecurity at the state department, said in ... Read full article.