SINGAPORE — The United States has called on its allies to strengthen cybersecurity defenses and protect critical technology supply chains from adversarial influence as geopolitical tensions reshape the global digital security landscape.
White House National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said countries must strengthen their ability to defend national networks, secure critical infrastructure and address hidden dependencies in their technology supply chains.
“True sovereignty in the digital age is measured by the capacity to defend one’s own networks, protect critical systems, and ensure the supply chains remain free of adversarial influence and hidden dependencies,” Cairncross said during the opening plenary of Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW) 2026 on Tuesday, October 13.
His remarks come amid intensifying technological competition between the United States and China, particularly over semiconductors, telecommunications infrastructure and other critical technologies.
Washington has increasingly treated the security of technology supply chains as a national security concern, reflecting fears that reliance on foreign suppliers could expose sensitive systems to espionage and other vulnerabilities.
Cairncross raised concerns over state-sponsored cyber threats, digital authoritarianism and foreign influence over critical technologies.
He said countries sharing Washington’s cybersecurity priorities must act with greater urgency as emerging technologies and shifting geopolitical alliances create new security challenges.
“If our partners and allies sit on the sidelines while the United States navigates this terrain on its own, I fear regret will last far beyond this moment in time,” he said.
The US official also emphasized that strengthening national cybersecurity defenses would contribute to the security of allied countries.
“When nations strengthen their own defenses, they reinforce the broader network of allied security,” Cairncross said.
Trusted partnerships over global consensus
Cairncross also called for closer cooperation among like-minded countries, arguing that existing institutions and global governance frameworks may be too slow to respond to rapidly evolving cyber threats.
He said the emerging cybersecurity landscape should instead be shaped by trusted partners willing to act decisively, rather than wait for agreements acceptable to all countries.
“The new cybersecurity reality cannot be turned over to the international institutions or global governance frameworks with slow-moving bureaucratized deliberation or appeasing indecision,” he said.
Cairncross acknowledged that prioritizing trusted technologies could carry additional costs but argued that cheaper alternatives may create greater security risks in the long term.
“Trust may cost more. But believe me, the long-term cost of the cheap stuff will show up, and it’ll cost more,” he said.
He also pushed for stronger information-sharing arrangements and collective responses to cyberattacks targeting partner countries.
According to Cairncross, cyber threats affecting one country could spread across interconnected networks, making cooperation among governments and technology providers increasingly important.
The remarks were delivered during the 11th edition of SICW, themed “Cyber at a Crossroads: Shaping the New Cyber Order,” which brings together government officials, cybersecurity experts and industry leaders to discuss emerging threats and international cooperation.
