Bridget Bean to Discuss China Threats at Cyber Summit

Bridget Bean is one of the cybersecurity industry’s most respected leaders. With malign cyber actors targeting critical infrastructure with growing sophistication, governments and GovCons today face unprecedented challenges protecting sensitive U.S. computing resources.

This makes perfect timing for Bean’s highly-awaited May 15 keynote speech at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Cyber Summit. Bean, the executive director of the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, will discuss a range of topics at the forefront of global cybersecurity discourse, including Chinese cyber threats to valuable U.S. cyber systems.

How Is China a Cyber Threat to the United States?

China is the most persistent and active cyber threat to federal government, private sector and core infrastructure networks, according to the 2025 U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence annual threat assessment. A pair of campaigns demonstrate the effectiveness of China’s cyber warfare capabilities and its ability to compromise U.S. infrastructure: Volt Typhoon, where China attempts to gain access to infrastructure to launch attacks during crisis or conflict, and Salt Typhoon, which is responsible for a recent compromise of U.S. telecommunications infrastructure.

GovCons will hear directly from Bean and other federal cyber leaders at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Cyber Summit on May 15. Learn more about cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions and how GovCons can help the U.S. solve the biggest challenges to federal cybersecurity. Tickets are selling fast, sign up today!

Additionally, ODNI expects China to continue performing a wide variety of cyber operations against U.S. targets for both spying and strategic advantage. If Beijing thought a major battle with the U.S. was inevitable, it could consider bold cyber operations against important U.S. systems and military assets

CISA’s ‘Back to Basics’ Approach

Bean will also discuss CISA’s “back to basics” strategy. Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and 2025 Wash100 Award winner, recently outlined her agenda for pivoting CISA to its core mission. This is protecting critical infrastructure from attacks, specifically from China, and reigning in what she called “mission drift.” In this “back to basics” strategy, Noem wants CISA to strengthen U.S. defenses against adversaries who can penetrate critical systems.

CISA’s Secure by Design concept for designing and manufacturing cyber products will also be part of Bean’s address. CISA is tasked with defending the U.S. against growing cyber threats and understanding, managing and reducing risk to physical and cyber systems that Americans rely upon.

But CISA said in its Secure by Design whitepaper that this has resulted in placing this cyber burden on everyday people and not on the developers of the technology and products that propel Americans’ daily digital lives. Products developed with Secure by Design principles, in response, prioritize customer security as a foundational business requirement instead of as a technical feature.

Cyber Flaws: Will Secure by Design Reduce Them?

Secure by Design attributes should significantly reduce the amount of exploitable flaws before introducing them to customers for common use or consumption. Commercial off-the-shelf, or COTS, products should have better security features such as multi-factor authentication or single-sign on available at no additional charge.

Bean will also address other fascinating topics such as AI and cybersecurity and collaboration across government, industry and academia at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Cyber Summit. Held on May 15 at the Marriott Fairview Park in Falls Church, Virginia, this GovCon-focused conference is a great opportunity for government contractors to make new connections, revive older relationships and create teaming arrangements to boost their bottom lines. Don’t miss out!