Part 4/10:
Cybersecurity remains a critical element of national security. Agencies like the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which monitors cyber threats and shares intelligence with private industry, depend on civilian analysts and technical staff. A shutdown could delay critical patches and threat warnings, leaving the U.S. exposed to cyberattacks. Similarly, intelligence operations could face significant setbacks, with collection efforts against high-priority targets continuing, but support structures—analysts, translators, contractors—being hampered or halted altogether. This weakening of intelligence fusion and threat assessment could result in costly delays and missed opportunities to address emerging threats.