Conclusion

Russia and China are conducting cyber operations throughout the Western Hemisphere in support of their global policies and operations. While Russia seeks to destabilize the global system for its own advantage, China’s goal is to maintain the current system and replace the United States as the global hegemon. Although their daily cyber operations will not pose a clear and present danger to U.S. goals and activities in the region, the cumulative effect of their cyber operations will endanger U.S. influence in the region, could circumscribe the U.S. ability to operate in the region and, in the worst case, cause the United States to allocate resources to the area in case of a global conflagration. To ensure that China and Russia do not achieve their objectives, the United States must operate in the region as well as build partner cyber capacity throughout the area.