US Cyber Agency Shifts to 'Aggressive, Anticipatory' Defence of Critical Infrastructure

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) has released a new strategy, CISA 2030: Defend, Harden, Prevail, published on October 26. It promises a move away from "passive defense" towards an "aggressive, anticipatory" approach to threats against critical infrastructure. The agency says this will include responding to threats faster and building more resilient systems.

Acting director Nick Anderson wrote that nation-state actors and other malicious adversaries are growing more sophisticated, and that "there is no guarantee that a strong defense will eliminate intrusions." The strategy therefore stresses resilience: detecting intruders quickly, evicting them decisively, and keeping critical operations running without interruption. It is designed to carry out recent White House cyber policy, including a national cyber strategy published in March 2026 that covers offensive cyber operations, law enforcement measures and economic sanctions. In August 2026, President Trump announced that federal law enforcement agencies can work with private firms on offensive cyber strikes against foreign threat actors targeting the US.

The roadmap sets objectives across three pillars to be reached by 2030. CISA says it will bring together the cyber defence capabilities of government, industry, State, Local, Tribal and Territorial partners, and international organisations. One focus area is working with operational technology owners and operators to modernise their environments and improve supply chain security.