The Defense Department’s No. 1 job in the area of cyber operations is self defense, and that is starting with some basic tech support. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, speaking during a Microsoft-supported event in Seattle, said the Pentagon is starting a department-wide transition to Windows 10, updating four million computer desktops. The large-scale upgrade is “unprecedented,” he said. Carter spoke Thursday as part of a visit to tech hubs in the West Coast, where he has unveiled multiple cyber-focused initiatives, such as a “Hack the Pentagon” contest where vetted hackers will attempt to infiltrate Pentagon networks. This effort is similar to “bug bounty” events where Microsoft has called on hackers to test their networks. DOD networks “are no good if they have been hacked,” Carter said. While speaking about network security, Carter entered the controversial discussion of encryption. “Data security, including encryption, is extremely important,” Carter said.
NASA Boss: Race to Moon Has National Security Stakes
Sept. 15, 2026
NASA is pushing hard to get astronauts back to the moon by 2028—and the urgency is driven in no small part by the national security implications of doing so before China does, Administrator Jared Isaacman said Sept. 15.
