Is America’s Cyber Weakness Self-Inflicted?

America's cyber weakness in its conflict with Beijing is largely self-inflicted, stemming from basic security failures rather than sophisticated Chinese attacks. The recent "Salt Typhoon" campaign, for example, exploited unlocked doors like unpatched software and weak passwords in U.S. telecommunications networks. Current U.S. policy is stuck between ineffective voluntary industry partnerships and a narrow focus on banning Chinese technology, both of which fail to address the core problem. The solution requires treating telecom cybersecurity as a critical safety discipline by enforcing mandatory standards, similar to regulations for aviation or water safety.