A strategy of quickly identifying the threat, sharing information between agencies, and finally taking action to counter it has helped the US overcome attacks in 2018, 2020 and 2022, the years in which America held key elections.
He said that the US wants the Indo-Pacific to be a free, open and prosperous region, and that it is concerned with dual-use technology being used to impede free speech or prevent like-minded nations from building partnerships.
When it comes to social media apps like TikTok, General Nakasome said his agency is concerned not just about the data collected and who controls it, but also the algorithm used to decide what messaging is disseminated.
He noted that the final piece is that we're concerned about the ability for a foreign nation to have rapid access to millions of phones that are using this social application.
General Nakasome did not go into specifics when asked about the threat posed by China on cybersecurity issues.
He said the US takes all of its adversaries seriously with vigilance, and noted that the level of sophistication involved in cyber warfare is one of the things that is one of the takeaways from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
These are very difficult operations to plan for and most importantly conduct, he said.
He acknowledged the impact of the cybersecurity that Ukraine has built up over the past four years.
The preparation that Ukraine did to raise the level of cybersecurity is incredibly important, he said.
He stressed the importance of partnerships and collaboration not only within the government but also with foreign partners and private sector players.
The learning experience starts with the sharing of intelligence, and being able to share that information with close partners. That's something we do every day, General Nakasone said.
He said the US is concerned about a range of ways in which cyberattacks can happen, including enemies using ransomware to affect a country's economy and citizens daily lives.
Another concern is the possibility of enemies breaching and gaining control of critical infrastructure, along with the conduct of influence operations that could affect the outcome of elections.