London has charted a clear course: national cybersecurity can no longer be defended solely within the country's own digital boundaries, but by identifying and neutralizing threats at their source, abroad. This is the strategy of the British "hunt forces" — highly specialized military units led by Major General Mike Fayers, commander of the Defence Cyber and Electromagnetic Force (DCEMF) — designed to get ahead of hostile hackers before they can strike critical infrastructure and defense networks.
The British strategy: active prevention and rapid response
The paradigm shift driven by the global cyber threat rests on clearly defined pillars:
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From passive defense to active projection: Historically limited to protecting national territory, the British Armed Forces now defend themselves "outside their own networks," intercepting adversaries where they plan and prepare their attacks. The operation involves the physical deployment of personnel (soldiers, sailors, and airmen) to Europe and Asia, with the consent of host countries.
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The pressure of Artificial Intelligence: The use of automated tools has eliminated time margins. Whereas vulnerabilities could once be remediated over days, intervention windows have now shrunk to "double-digit minutes."
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Resilience and systemic threat: Recent incidents — such as cyberattacks on European refrigeration systems, the food supply chain, and the French blood bank — show that the target is no longer merely the military perimeter, but the country's overall resilience.
A strategic consideration for the national system
In light of this scenario, a crucial question naturally arises: could adopting a similar posture, strengthening and employing specialized Army units in overseas projection and active prevention operations, also be the key to safeguarding Italy's cybersecurity and critical infrastructure?
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