AFSOUTH Eyes Cybersecurity Partnerships With South American Partner Nations

U.S. Air Force Col. James Hamilton, A6 for the 12th Air Force, said the United States is seeking to strengthen the cyber defense capabilities of partner nations in the Caribbean and Central and South America.

His organization, AFSOUTH, is working to combat cyber threats in the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility, Signal Magazine reported Monday.

During an Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association event earlier in November, Hamilton explained that cyberthreats to the region have evolved in the last 18 months because of advancements in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum. He warned that “all data will be open source” and no encryption will be able to deter nation-state adversaries if no steps are taken on emerging technologies.

Hamilton noted that the U.S. is increasingly conversing with partner nations about strengthening critical infrastructure security. Efforts are underway to communicate about software and hardware supply chain risks with noncyber professionals, he added.