WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the Office of U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) released the November edition of Senator King’s “Inside Maine” podcast, focusing on the threats that cyberattacks pose to America’s national security. In this episode, Senator King welcomed David Sanger, an award winning journalist and best-selling author, to discuss the rise of cyberthreats as both an important military consideration and a serious security concern. Senator King is a leading voice on cybersecurity issues in the Senate and co-chairs the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a bipartisan effort that brings together Congressional, executive, and civilian leaders to build consensus on a strategic approach to defending the United States in cyberspace.

“The rise of the internet has drastically changed nearly every aspect of society, including the way we fight wars,” said Senator King. “As one of the most connected nations in the world, America is asymmetrically vulnerable to cyberattacks. We need to respond accordingly, by enhancing our cybercapabilities and establishing a set of policies that deter bad actors from launching attacks. David Sanger is one of the most thoughtful voices on the set of challenges posed by cyber, and it was a pleasure to talk to him about what we’re up against and how best to defend ourselves.”     

David E. Sanger is a national security correspondent and a senior writer at the New York Times. His newest book, “The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage and Fear in the Cyber Age,” examines the emergence of cyberconflict as the primary way large and small states are competing and undercutting each other, changing the nature of global power.

Mr. Sanger is also the author of two Times bestsellers on foreign policy and national security: “The Inheritance: The World Obama Confronts and the Challenges to American Power,” published in 2009, and “Confront and Conceal: Obama’s Secret Wars and Surprising Use of American Power,” published in 2012.

During his time in the Senate, Senator King has been a strong advocate for functional and effective cyberpolicy, and deterring cyberattacks on American elections and everyday life. Senator King and U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced the Securing Energy Infrastructure Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives in July as part of their version of the NDAA. The legislation also passed the Senate in the upper chamber’s version of the NDAA, and is expected to be included in the final bill once it passes through the House/Senate conference process.

In late May, Senator King also cosponsored the Election Security Act, which would require voter-verifiable backup paper ballots and provide election security grants to states for cyber improvements and audits. Earlier that month, he highlighted the factors that could lead to election cybersecurity issues to members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the commission who provide best practices when certifying voting machines. In March, Senator King sent a letter to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) requesting information about NERC’s efforts to protect the United States’ bulk power system from supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly those posed by vendors from Russia and China. In a February hearing, Senator King emphasized the need for urgent action, and questioned NERC President and CEO James Robb about the dangers of foreign equipment in America’s energy grid.

To listen to the November edition of Senator King’s podcast click HERE.