Community Voices: The cyber threat is already here. It’s time to answer the wake-up call

Not a major financial hub. Not Silicon Valley. Infrastructure in the heart of California's Central Valley that serves our families, farmers and businesses.

Thankfully, no water production or delivery systems were compromised. But it is a stark reminder that America’s critical infrastructure is increasingly in the crosshairs, and the cyber threats of tomorrow are already here.

Since the beginning of the Iran conflict, cyberattacks increased 245%. Additionally, last year marked an 89% increase in AI-enabled cyberattacks. The reality is clear — AI is fundamentally reshaping the cyber battlefield.

AI can identify weaknesses, analyze systems and accelerate cyber operations at a speed that was unimaginable just a few years ago. As adversaries gain access to these capabilities, we must ensure America’s defenders have the most advanced tools available to protect our critical infrastructure.

Earlier this year, I participated in one of the first congressional briefings on Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Preview, one of the most advanced AI models ever developed. What we saw was sobering.

Mythos autonomously uncovered previously unknown security vulnerabilities in major operating systems and web browsers. One flaw had remained hidden in a widely used system for 27 years. Another survived more than five million automated tests without detection.

American AI labs assess that China is only months behind in developing comparable capabilities. That window is closing quickly, and the implications for our critical infrastructure are profound.

I serve on both the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the Homeland Security Committee’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Subcommittee. That dual perspective could not be more important right now.

On Science, Space, and Technology, I see the extraordinary potential of AI to transform agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and national defense to grow our economy and enhance America’s competitiveness. On Homeland Security, I see how our adversaries are working to weaponize those same capabilities against us.

No community is immune, but the reality is that rural communities are often expected to defend themselves without the same level of resources available to major urban centers.

My district produces nearly three-quarters of the nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables and powers California’s energy production. It is home to Edwards Air Force Base, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Naval Air Station Lemoore, and Mojave Air and Space Port. The infrastructure that supports these communities and installations is increasingly connected — and increasingly vulnerable.

That is why, in April, I hosted Homeland Security Chairman Garbarino and officials from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for a cybersecurity roundtable in Ridgecrest. We also visited the San Pedro Bay Port Complex and saw cyberattacks coming in from around the world in real time, attempting to derail our supply chains.

The message from local leaders was clear: The threats are real and additional resources and technological capabilities are urgently needed.

A hospital, water agency, or utility in the Central Valley may not have the cybersecurity capabilities of a major bank or technology company. That imbalance is exactly what our adversaries seek to exploit.

Closing that gap starts with building the workforce we need. That is why I secured more than $1 million for Cerro Coso Community College to launch a cybersecurity education program in Kern County. I also introduced the NSF AI Education Act to help build the next generation of AI and cybersecurity professionals, with a particular focus on rural communities that have too often been left out of the technology conversation.

Building a stronger workforce is an essential first step, but it is not enough. CISA needs additional resources. The private sector must extend its cybersecurity expertise beyond its own networks and into the communities, agencies, and infrastructure that form the cybersecurity backbone of our economy. And Congress must treat critical infrastructure protection with the same urgency we bring to our military readiness.

The attack targeting Bakersfield, Visalia and Chico should serve as a wake-up call. The capabilities demonstrated by Mythos should serve as another.

The good news is that America still leads in innovation, talent and technological capability. We have the tools to meet this challenge.

But leadership requires urgency. Every day we wait, the gap between offensive and defensive capabilities narrows. Congress, industry and government must work together to strengthen our cyber workforce and protect the infrastructure Americans rely on every day.

The question is no longer whether these threats are coming. They are already here. The question is whether we will act before our adversaries force the lesson upon us.