Espionage attempts like the SolarWinds hack are inevitable, so it’s safer to focus on defense – not retaliation

In the wake of the major espionage operation in which people alleged to be Russian government agents infiltrated the digital networks of the U.S. Defense, Treasury, and Homeland Security departments – as well as other government agencies and private companies – President Joe Biden is considering how to respond.

It’s not clear exactly what data the hackers actually stole in the time they had access, roughly from March through December 2020, but they exploited software made by the Texas-based firm SolarWinds to gain access to key research and security information, including research for future nuclear weapons.