- President Trump has signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law
- The bill includes new telecoms and cybersecurity provisions
- The dual-hat leadership structure between NSA and Cyber Command has been protected
The new 2026 National Defense Authorization Act has been passed into law, and included in the over $900 billion worth of new Pentagon funding are some significant changes for cybersecurity and telecoms.
Cybersecurity requirements have been introduced for telecommunications and mobile phones used by senior US government officials, as well as any personnel that perform sensitive national security functions.
Within 90 days from the passing of the bill, those affected will be provided with mobile phones that have ‘enhanced cybersecurity protections’ including encryption, continuous monitoring capabilities, and persistent identifier obfuscation.
Dual hat structure
The bill also takes steps to create a ‘risk-based framework’ that details the cybersecurity and physical security standards for machine learning and AI technologies procured by the department.
Security guidance must also be developed to help defend AI against sabotage or technology theft from state-sponsored adversaries.
This will sit alongside the establishment of comprehensive cybersecurity and governance policies for all machine learning and AI systems used within the Pentagon.
The dual-hat nature of the leadership structure has also been effectively protected between the National Security Agency and the US Cyber Command, as Pentagon funds are prohibited from use in ways that may “reduce or diminish the responsibilities, authorities, or organizational oversight of the Commander of United States Cyber Command.”
The President has recently nominated a new head of the Cyber Command and NSA, Army Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd - who is currently serving as deputy commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command.
The post is currently unmanned, and has been for the past eight months after Trump ousted the previous leader and reassigned several high ranking officials following a meeting with far-right activist Laura Loomer, who claimed the leaders were fired because they had been “disloyal to President Trump”, arguing the administration “cannot allow for a Biden nominee” to hold the office of “arguably the most powerful intel agency in the world” in the NSA.
Via; WilmerHale
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