Rome Sentinel: United effort essential to defending U.S. against sophisticated cyber attacks
May 5th, 2025
In recent months, American officials have unveiled alarming details about “Salt Typhoon,” a sophisticated cyber-operation reportedly linked to China’s Ministry of State Security. This campaign, which has compromised at least nine American telecommunications and infrastructure firms, illustrates the advanced nature of cyber threats facing America today.
To counter these looming vulnerabilities, federal, local, and state officials must focus on developing a robust approach to cybersecurity that includes investments, pro-innovation policies, workforce development, and collaboration between the tech industry and government.
As cyber threats grow in sophistication and frequency, the proactive approach to safeguarding our digital infrastructure taken by New York State should serve as a model for the entire country. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposals to significantly expand programs and investments in cybersecurity and AI are not just timely — they are essential to protecting our national security and economy.
These efforts are helping to cultivate a well-trained workforce as well as enhancing collaboration between state and local governments by sharing resources, information, and best practices for both incident response and reporting. If properly coupled with tech sector partnerships, like the Empire AI initiative, we’ll not only protect our critical industries and infrastructure from hackers and adversarial nations but fortify our state and nation’s position as a leader in global cybersecurity innovation.
The stark reality is that the tools and tactics of cyber criminals are becoming more sophisticated by the day. As someone who has worked in the field of cybersecurity, I can attest to the immense financial and operational losses that can occur when our protective measures fail. According to IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average price tag for a cyberattack has escalated to a staggering $4.88 million. The good news is that organizations incorporating AI and automation into their security protocols save an average of $2.22 million in the event of a breach compared to those that do not.
Building completely impenetrable systems is nearly impossible, and we know that. However, an effective approach must involve deploying innovative tools for early detection, ensuring coordination between government and industry, and a strong focus on education and training. Now, with advancements in AI, our arsenal is consistently growing and evolving. But global competitors like China are fortifying their own capabilities. Government leaders should work to nurture the U.S. innovation ecosystem to ensure American tech companies are at the forefront, working to win the tech race — including in both open- and closed-source AI — and building the next generation of tools to predict, prevent, and mitigate new security threats.
New York has also established mutually beneficial regulations around cybersecurity for financial services and the energy grid. These regulations aren’t focused on punishing businesses — they ensure a common set of rules and best practices, setting a benchmark for others to follow. As lawmakers contemplate new laws aimed at safeguarding our data and addressing emerging technologies, they should continue to focus on guidance rather than innovation-squashing punitive measures — and outsourcing enforcement through profit-motivated lawsuits.
Protecting New York’s infrastructure goes beyond a focus on state assets. Local governments must be properly equipped to counter cyber threats. This commitment is reflected in the state’s investment in shared services programs and the mandate for cybersecurity training across all levels of government — state, county, city, town, and village — preparing all employees to defend taxpayer-funded IT infrastructure effectively. While breaches may be inevitable, the extent of the damage can be significantly curtailed through preventive measures, effective collaboration, and an environment where innovation thrives and quickly turns ideas into the tools needed to defend against cyber-attacks.
This collective effort is essential in an era where cyber threats are not just possibilities but inevitable realities. As such, it is imperative that we not only strive to defend but also to set a global standard in cybersecurity excellence. We must ensure that the security and economic vitality of New York, and America at large, are preserved and strengthened against hackers and state-sponsored digital espionage.
If we’re going to keep up with the increasingly sophisticated threats out there, we must do more than just patch up vulnerabilities as they appear. We need to be proactive and pro-innovation — and we need to be united.
Justin Wilcox is executive director of Upstate United, a nonpartisan business and taxpayer advocacy coalition focused on growing and protecting the economic vitality of upstate New York.