Senate Sgt. at Arms: Cybersecurity ‘Is a Much Greater Concern’ Than Another Mob Attacking Capitol

During a portion of an interview aired on Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Situation Room,” Senate Sergeant at Arms Karen Gibson stated that she views “cybersecurity as my greater concern than a mob attacking the Capitol.”

Gibson said, “I worry a lot more about cybersecurity than I do about another mob attacking the Capitol. Certainly, our networks are — have attempted intrusions every single day. And so, cybersecurity, for me, is a much greater concern than the prospect of thousands of people storming the West Terrace.”

CNN Senior Washington Correspondent Pamela Brown asked Gibson if she agrees with FBI Director Christopher Wray’s comparison of the threat of ransomware to the threat of terrorism around 9/11. Gibson responded, “I think, whether it’s ransomware or other cybersecurity threats, yes, I actually — again, I see cybersecurity as my greater concern than a mob attacking the Capitol.”

She also stated, “I think members have sensitive information that they would not necessarily want to have disclosed that may be in documents, much of what we do is public and meant to be so. So, committee deliberations, hearings, that’s intended to be public. But I would worry about, I think, nation-state actors or others who might try to just really cripple the government’s ability to function by locking down cyber communications networks.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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