McCrary Institute

“We’re dramatically under invested in cyber defenses.”

Katie Gray of In-Q-Tel says the U.S. is falling behind as AI changes the threat landscape—and private industry holds 85% of the nation’s critical systems. #

🎙️ Full Cyber Focus episode: youtu.be/5cHlKQvE2xE
#cybersecurityawarenessmonth

This October, we're celebrating #cybersecurityawarenessmonth with a special page on #ThreatBeat with exclusive content and tips Americans need to stay safe online. Check it out! threatbeat.com/project/cybe...

New on #ThreatBeat: The Energy ISAC writes that forums such as 4chan play a role in promoting violence against the electric sector.
threatbeat.com/extremist-so...

Scammers call it pig butchering—a chilling term from China for scams that "fatten up" victims with fake crypto gains before stealing everything.

As we kick off #CybersecurityAwarenessMonth Lisa Plaggemier of the National Cybersecurity Alliance explains how these long cons work

youtu.be/TUz-fjGJK6c

Out now: A new, quick episode of our Cyber Focus podcast called To The Point. Frank sits down with Matt Hayden to discuss the under the radar risk of letting counter-drone authorities expire unless Congress acts today. threatbeat.com/podcast/cybe...

In a new op-ed in NextGov, Frank Cilluffo and Kyle Klein warn that without congressional action, the federal government will lose capacity to mitigate threats from drones and it's happening as drones are becoming a larger part of our adversary's playbook. www.nextgov.com/ideas/2025/0...

New on #ThreatBeat: Southern states hit by 911 outage after ‘major fiber cut’ in Mississippi threatbeat.com/southern-sta...

CISA has lost about a third of its workforce — roughly 1,000 people since spring. The full impact isn't yet clear.

@federalnewsnetwork.com's Justin Doubleday unpacks what’s at stake in the new Cyber Focus podcast.

Full episode: youtu.be/hspGAreR-sY

Cyber Pros Protecting US Critical Infrastructure The job of protecting US systems from nation-state cyberattacks is falling to cybersecurity professionals across a vast swath of organizations.

OUT NOW: A new podcast from our friends at @darkreading.bsky.social featuring our own Frank Cilluffo and Booz Allen's Dave Forbes. They talk candidly about the challenges facing those on the front lines defending America's critical infrastructure. www.darkreading.com/cyber-risk/d...

New on #ThreatBeat: Food and ag sector ‘will almost certainly be more intensely targeted’ by attacks
Read the full recap of the House hearing raising alarms at threatbeat.com/food-and-ag-...

New on #ThreatBeat: Minerals security measures will be needed to withstand growing demand in critical sectors, warns a new report. threatbeat.com/minerals-sec...

New on #ThreatBeat: When it comes to cyber insurance, industry and government should not give up on a federal cyber backstop writes Matthew McCabe in a Threat Beat exclusive threatbeat.com/enhancing-cy...

In a new op-ed, Frank Cilluffo writes that Congress has until the end of September to prevent two pillars of America’s cyber defense from collapsing. It's out now in @federalnewsnetwork.com
Read the full piece here: federalnewsnetwork.com/commentary/2...

The deadline worrying America’s cyber defenders In a world where cyberspace is the new battleground, everyone is on the front lines.

In @federalnewsnetwork.com, Frank Cilluffo calls on Congress to move quickly to prevent two pillars of America’s cyber defense from collapsing: key information sharing protections for the private sector and vital grant funding for state and local governments. federalnewsnetwork.com/commentary/2...

At this week's Billington Cybersecurity Conference, Frank Cilluffo joined Tom Fanning, David Luber, Daniel Reese and Felipe Fernandez for a robust conversation on the state of US critical infrastructure. Thanks to Andy Boyd for moderating and the Billington team for a fantastic week of conversations

“If CISA 2015 lapses… America would be in the dark.” – Cynthia Kaiser, Halcyon SVP & former FBI cyber leader.

On the Cyber Focus podcast, she explains how failure to reauthorize would cripple info-sharing and put small businesses at greater ransomware risk.

Full episode: youtu.be/vaQsg-rBzRI

Ranking Member @peters.senate.gov spoke with @mccrarycyber.bsky.social about his bill to streamline federal cybersecurity regulations. His bill would ensure that different industries can effectively comply with cybersecurity rules to better combat cyberattacks to help keep our homeland safe.

“You actually end up saving money by investing in this kind of protection.” – @peters.senate.gov

In Cyber Focus, Sen. Gary Peters explains why local cyber grants matter and lays out the urgent cyber priorities Congress must address before the end of the month.

🎧 Full episode: youtu.be/ucJ2S16eTkA

Letting CISA 2015 expire “will be catastrophic,” warns @peters.senate.gov.

In this Cyber Focus episode, Peters explains why liability protections are essential for real-time threat sharing—and how Congressional inaction could put national security at risk.

Watch or listen: youtu.be/ucJ2S16eTkA

YouTube video by McCrary Institute Cyber, Space, and the Future of Warfare with Rep. Mike Rogers

You heard it here first! In April, Rep Mike Rogers said that Space Command will build its headquarters in Huntsville. "I’ve already talked with the contractor and he is ready to turn dirt on the day they announce."
Congratulations to Rocket City! 🚀
Full episode www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jAQ...

As lawmakers tackle AI, the question isn’t whether to act—but how.

Sarah Beth Jansen urges Congress to avoid rigid rules that could limit innovation:

“They shouldn’t be over-prescriptive… just give the chance for the technology to work and to grow.”

Full episode: youtu.be/29oYBE9KGwo

#AIpolicy

Only one week left to register for the Alabama Water OT/IT Cyber Summit. We'll bring together the operators who provide safe, reliable water across Alabama with government and industry leaders for a first-ever summit in Huntsville. Learn more and register here: mccraryinstitute.com/event/alabam...

Attacker barricades doors, shoots children through windows of Minneapolis Catholic church The Faith-Based Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (FB-ISAO) issued a security advisory on March 26 noting the importance of reinforcing windows.

Breaking on #ThreatBeat: Attacker barricades doors, shoots children through windows of Minneapolis Catholic church threatbeat.com/attacker-bar...

Lawmakers are racing to regulate AI—but who’s helping them shape the rules?

@seedai.bsky.social SeedAI CEO Austin Carson warns:

“The fewer people... the more dangerous it is.”
Carson and Sarah Beth Jansen join Frank Cilluffo to discuss how to get new voices at the table.

youtu.be/29oYBE9KGwo

Step one in defending critical infrastructure?
“Understand the battle space, understand your environment,” says Booz Allen’s Brad Medairy.

He and Dave Forbes join Cyber Focus to expose real-world port vulnerabilities—from foreign cranes to legacy OT.
🎧 Full episode: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bRH...

Chinese cranes, old tech and vendor backdoors: Why U.S. ports are a national security risk America’s commercial ports may look like economic engines – but in the eyes of foreign adversaries, they’re something else: a strategic seam in a single, connected battlespace. And that seam is…

Chinese-made cranes, old tech, and open vendor links—our ports are exposed in ways we can't afford to ignore.

Booz Allen’s Dave Forbes and Brad Medairy join Frank Cilluffo on Cyber Focus to explain why a small disruption could trigger national chaos.

Full coverage: threatbeat.com/chinese-cran...

YouTube video by McCrary Institute Ports, Cranes, and Zero Trust: Defending U.S. OT — w/ Booz Allen’s Brad Medairy & Dave Forbes

🎧 Watch/Listen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bRH...

In the future, China could exploit a major U.S. vulnerability: 80% of port cranes are Chinese made.

Knocking one crane offline could trigger crippling consequences.

“It doesn’t need to be a devastating attack. It needs to be a disruption,” says Booz Allen’s Dave Forbes on the Cyber Focus podcast

We're pleased to welcome two new members to our Advisory Board: Kirstjen Nielsen, the Sixth Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and James Hoskins, Auburn alumnus and Former Chairman and CEO of the Scitor Corporation. Read the announcement mccraryinstitute.com/auburn-unive...

Think you’re ready to kick hackers out?
CISA just dropped a first-of-its-kind tool to help you build a real eviction playbook — before an incident hits.
Chris Butera & Bob Costello from CISA explain it all on Cyber Focus.
Watch + listen: youtu.be/l9eRwJl8qkc