October 22, 2025
Faction Networks Co-Founder and CPO Geoff Halstead was in Washington DC today to attend The Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Cyberspace Solarium Commission 2.0 panel presenting the key findings from the release of their Fifth Annual Assessment. Geoff attended as a guest of Faction Networks Strategic Advisor Philip Niedermair, who was instrumental in the formation of the original commission and has served as a member ever since. Faction Networks continues to monitor these readiness and policy assessments as part of our commitment to supporting critical infrastructure and national cybersecurity resilience objectives.
The report reveals concerning trends in America’s cyber resilience capabilities. The assessment shows that for the first time since CSC 2.0 began evaluating implementation of the original Commission’s recommendations, there has been a reversal, with nearly a quarter of previously fully implemented measures now slipping. This troubling pattern means that America’s ability to defend itself and its allies from cyber threats is stalling and, in some areas, declining at a time when China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are actively working to exploit persistent vulnerabilities in U.S. critical infrastructure, defense systems, and institutions.
The virtual event featured keynote remarks from Commission Co-Chair Senator Angus King, alongside former Co-Chair Hon. Mike Gallagher, former CSC Executive Director RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, and assessment author Jiwon Ma. The discussion underscored the urgency of sustained policy implementation to protect national security interests in cyberspace.
The livestream and recording of the panel can be found here:
