Intel Chiefs Testify on Global Threats, Cybersecurity and Elections | Lawfare

On a related note, see An Angry Trump Pushes Back Against His Own ‘Naïve’ Intelligence Officials | NYT

"The written statement provided by Coats began with a general discussion on the cyber threats facing the United States. According to Coats, “[o]ur adversaries and strategic competitors will increasingly use cyber capabilities—including cyber espionage, attack, and influence—to seek political, economic, and military advantage over the United States and its allies and partners.” He also briefly addressed how cyber threats have evolved. In that section, Coats concluded that foreign adversaries have expanded their traditional cyber espionage and intelligence activities and “are now becoming more adept at using social media to alter how we think, behave, and decide.” Coats’s written statement reflected the conclusions of the recently published National Intelligence Strategy, which states that “[d]espite growing awareness of cyber threats and improving cyber defenses, nearly all information, communication networks, and systems will be at risk for years to come,” and “[o]ur adversaries are becoming more adept at using cyberspace capabilities to threaten our interests and advance their own strategic and economic objectives.”

Coats identified China and Russia as “pos[ing] the greatest espionage and cyber attack threats” to the country, but also warns of the threats presented by Iran and North Korea. This point does not substantially deviate from the information that Coats provided during his 2017 and 2018 briefings to Congress. In addition, it is consistent with a 2016 statement by former DNI James Clapper, which described these four countries as “leading threat actors.”"

Intel Chiefs Testify on Global Threats, Cybersecurity and Elections | Lawfare