Jen Easterly

Rule Changes

As of May 2026: Leading U.S. government push for secure-by-design principles

On January 12, 2026, millions of Teams users woke up to find their security settings had changed overnight. Microsoft activated weaponizable file blocking, malicious URL detection, and phishing protections across every organization still using default configurations—no administrator approval required. Days earlier, it had expanded Zero-Hour Auto Purge malware removal to all Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 customers. These moves are part of Microsoft's $34 billion bet on 'secure by default' security, following Russian and Chinese attacks on its networks in 2023.

Updated May 20

Force in Play

As of May 2026: Leading federal critical infrastructure defense efforts

Chinese hackers have burrowed deep into America's power grids, water systems, telecommunications networks, and transportation infrastructure—not to steal secrets, but to flip a kill switch. The Pentagon's December 2024 report confirms Beijing expects to fight and win a war over Taiwan by 2027.

Updated May 16