Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks
,
Fraud Management & Cybercrime
,
Government
Former DoD CIO Leslie Beavers on Nation-State Attacks and Defense
Cyber conflict has evolved into a persistent and borderless threat, with nation-state actors increasingly targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, commercial organizations and government systems. Leslie Beavers, retired brigadier general and former acting CIO and principal deputy CIO at the Department of Defense, said the United States is already experiencing a “cyber invasion,” driven by coordinated activity from adversaries including Iran, China, Russia and North Korea.
See Also: Experts Offer Insights from Theoretical to the Realities of AI-enabled Cybercrime
Beavers said the scale and scope of these attacks highlight a fundamental shift in cyber’s role from a supporting function to a primary theater of warfare. Adversaries are exploiting vulnerabilities across both public and private sectors, often using legitimate system tools rather than traditional malware to evade detection and extract sensitive data.
“There is an actual invasion happening within cyberspace,” Beavers said. The threats extend beyond federal networks to include businesses of all sizes, critical infrastructure and everyday systems, she said.
Defending against these threats requires a more coordinated, national approach, she said. While individual organizations have historically been responsible for their own cybersecurity, Beavers said the growing sophistication of nation-state actors makes it unrealistic for even large enterprises to defend themselves alone. She called for a federally led, orchestrated defense model that integrates government capabilities with private-sector partners.
In this video interview with Information Security Media Group, Beavers discussed:
- Why cyber warfare has become a primary domain of modern conflict;
- The need for a coordinated national defense across government and the private sector;
- How organizations can strengthen resilience through zero trust and cybersecurity maturity.
Beavers is a retired U.S. Army brigadier general and former acting CIO and principal deputy CIO of the Department of Defense. She has led enterprise IT, cybersecurity and digital modernization initiatives across defense and federal environments, with expertise in cyber operations, critical infrastructure protection and national security strategy.