Risky Business · Wednesday, September 9, 2026
A provision in the US defense authorization act will allow Cyber Command to contract private companies for 'access generation.' This initiative aims to leverage private sector expertise for initial access capabilities in cyber operations. Robbie Winchester expressed interest in the concept but raised questions about protections and potential new targets for these private firms.
“there's been a provision inserted into the defense authorization Act, uh, which looks to give permission to cyber command, uh, to contract private companies to do what they're calling access generation, which, I mean, the United States is the world leading exporter of, like, absolutely cracking euphemisms.”
“The idea here seems to be that cyber command can say, you know, go forth, contract, go forth prime contractor and collect shells for us.”
“But cyber, information warfare changes so rapidly. Um, I think this is an interesting new direction to how can we go and leverage the expertise of the private sector and treat it almost, is this, is this the equivalent of you're purchasing, you know, rifles and bullets from a company that makes it separately?”