Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure: How Digital Defenses Impact Military Mobility

Military mobility is about more than moving heavy equipment across rivers and over mountains; it is about protecting the transportation infrastructure across which it travels. In a potential crisis scenario, military reinforcement relies on national infrastructure and host nation support to move equipment and personnel using seaports, airports, bridges, and roadways. This critical infrastructure is also highly dependent on digital defenses, which create cyber vulnerabilities. The 2017 NotPetya malware attack, for example, is estimated to have inflicted more than $10 billion in damages and brought international shipping to a standstill. A similar cyberattack could likewise prevent military exercises or stall crisis response.

CEPA hosted a virtual discussion to consider the role of host nation support and transportation infrastructure in military mobility, the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to cyberattacks, and how the transatlantic alliance can adapt.