WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) questioned officials from the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation during a Senate Armed Services Committee focused on the nation’s cyber defenses. In his questioning, Senator King emphasized the importance of establishing a national doctrine for deterring adversaries in cyberspace.

“I think [the need for a doctrine is] one of the key issues here,” said Senator King during his questioning. “If all we do is try to patch networks and defend ourselves we’ll ultimately lose… Mr. Smith, you used the term ‘impose consequences,’ and right now, we’re not imposing much in the way of consequences…We need a doctrine where our adversaries know if they do ‘X’, ‘Y’ will happen to them… Just being on the defensive isn’t going to work in the end. If you’re in a boxing match, and you can bob and weave and you’re the best bobber and weaver in the history of the world, if you’re not allowed to ever punch, then you’re going to lose that boxing match… In reality, a secret deterrent is not a deterrent. The other side has to know what’s liable to happen to them.”

During the hearing Senator King, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, also pressed Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Global Security Kenneth Rapuano on the status of a report on deterrence of adversaries in cyberspace, which the Assistant Secretary said was forthcoming. The report, which was due in June, is required by a 2017 National Defense Authorization Act provision based on language from legislation authored by Senator King and Senator Rounds.

In addition to Assistant Secretary Rapuano, hearing witnesses included Christopher Krebs, the Senior Official performing the duties of the Under Secretary for the National Protection and Programs Directorate at the Department Of Homeland Security and Scott Smith, Assistant Director for the Cyber Division at the FBI. Also invited was Rob Joyce, the White House Cybersecurity Coordinator for the National Security Council, who was not in attendance.