CNBC Undercard Republican Debate: Live Coverage

Farai, on my podcast I recently interviewed national security expert William Arkin about digital warfare, and asked him about the threat of cyber-attacks. I was surprised to hear him downplay the threat. In his view, countries are always spying on each other; cyber-hacking is no different.

Lindsey Graham and George Pataki just tied answers about cyber-security to Hillary Clinton. Why? Well, for one thing, there are few people more unpopular with Republican voters than Clinton. According to an October ABC News/Washington Post survey, Clinton’s unfavorable rating was 84 percent among Republicans.

Both Pataki and Graham responded to a question about cyber-attacks, which have been launched at the United States by actors believed to be affiliated with China. Former State Department Director of Innovation Alec Ross said one of the biggest threats to America would be a cyber Homeland Security Act, an overreaction to what he sees as an inevitable volley of cyber-attacks. Some of the cyber-espionage from China comes from “state-sponsored” hackers who are not direct government officials, making a response difficult.