White House Prepares Overhaul of U.S. Cyber Rules 

 A new White House cyber strategy, due in January, is expected to arrive alongside changes that could ripple through critical-infrastructure operators, federal contractors and the broader digital economy.

 According to Nextgov/FCW, the Trump administration’s forthcoming strategy will be paired with a review and potential revision of several “bedrock policy frameworks” that shape U.S. cyber operations and crisis response. Those include NSPM-13, a classified document governing how cyber operations are authorized; PPD-41, which sets out roles and coordination when a major cyber incident occurs on U.S. soil; and NSM-22, which sets standards for protecting critical infrastructure across sectors.

Separate executive orders aimed at cybercrime and ransomware groups are also being prepared, per Nextgov. The reporting is based on interviews with people familiar with the administration’s plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity and cautioned that details remain fluid.

 The strategy will be organized around six pillars, including steps to preempt foreign adversaries’ hacking capabilities, modernize federal networks and secure critical infrastructure—along with an explicit goal of reforming cybersecurity regulations to reduce compliance burdens. That combination of tighter national security posture, paired with a pledge to rationalize regulation signals an attempt to recalibrate cyber policy amid sustained nation-state pressure on both the nation’s digital systems and the physical infrastructure that now depends on them.

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 A central theme is a more assertive posture overseas. Nextgov/FCW reports that the strategy’s offensive pillar is aimed at reshaping adversary behavior by being more proactive in cyberspace and leaning into partnerships with the private sector seeking “preemptive erosion” of adversaries’ hacking capacity, according to an industry document cited by the outlet. The piece notes that the contours of any offensive realignment are still unclear, and that debates about private-sector involvement have included proposals to grant companies authority to conduct offensive cyber activity.

 Still, the White House is signaling determination even if keeping details close. “We do not comment on pre-decisional policy matters,” a spokesperson for the Office of the National Cyber Director told Nextgov.

On the defensive side, agencies will be pushed toward quantum-safe security measures, reflecting concern that future quantum computing advances could undermine today’s encryption. The strategy also emphasizes “zero trust,” a security approach that treats users and devices as untrusted by default and continuously verifies authenticity.

In procurement, the plan would seek to increase competition in federal cyber contracting by not relying primarily on the largest prime contractors that have historically dominated major deals.

The report adds that critical infrastructure policy would continue moving away from Chinese technology, building on earlier efforts to remove China-linked telecom hardware from U.S. networks. The workforce pillar includes exploring business incentives to bring more people into cybersecurity, along with the concept of a U.S. cyber academy and even a venture-capital component meant to support cyber startups.

For the digital economy, the practical impact will likely be felt less in slogans than in purchasing decisions, product road maps and audit requirements. If the White House follows through on reducing compliance burdens while tightening expectations for “zero trust” and quantum-safe migration, companies could see a shift from paperwork-heavy checklists toward more measurable technical controls, according to Nextgov, particularly for firms selling into federal agencies or operating in regulated critical-infrastructure sectors.