Why Governments Can't Win the Next Cyber War Without the Private Sector

Jan de Vries · 2026-08-07

Cyber attacks are getting faster, smarter, and more destructive. And here's the uncomfortable truth: governments can't handle this on their own. Steve Durbin, a well-known voice in the cybersecurity world, has been making this point loud and clear. His argument is simple but powerful: as artificial intelligence makes threats more sophisticated by the day, the public sector needs the private sector's firepower more than ever. This isn't just about sharing tips or best practices. This is about survival. ### The AI Threat Multiplier Think about how much has changed in just the last couple of years. Hackers used to rely on manual effort and patience. Now, AI does the heavy lifting for them. Malware that learns and adapts. Phishing emails that sound exactly like your CEO. Attacks that find vulnerabilities faster than your IT team can patch them. This isn't science fiction anymore. It's happening right now, in real time, to companies and governments across the globe. Durbin's point is that the speed and scale of these AI-driven threats have outgrown what any single government agency can manage. The bad guys are sharing tools and intelligence with each other. The good guys need to do the same. ### Why Public-Private Partnerships Matter The private sector holds something governments desperately need: real-world data. Every day, companies see attacks that never make the news. They have visibility into the latest tactics, the newest malware strains, and the patterns that emerge before a big breach. When that intelligence stays locked inside individual companies, everyone loses. When it's shared openly, everyone gets stronger. Here's what strong public-private cybersecurity partnerships actually look like: - Real-time threat intelligence sharing between companies and government agencies - Joint training exercises that simulate large-scale attacks - Clear legal frameworks that let companies share data without fear of liability - Coordinated responses when a major incident does happen None of this is easy. There are privacy concerns, competitive worries, and bureaucratic hurdles. But the alternative is far worse. ### The Cost of Going It Alone Consider the financial math for a moment. A single major data breach can cost a company millions of dollars in lost revenue, legal fees, and reputational damage. For a government, a successful attack on critical infrastructure could disrupt power grids, water systems, or emergency services. The price of a strong partnership, on the other hand, is relatively small. It's about building trust, creating communication channels, and committing to a shared mission. Durbin isn't asking for a complete overhaul of how we think about cybersecurity. He's asking for something more practical: a recognition that no one has all the answers, and that the best defense is a collective one. ### A Call for Practical Action So what does this mean for the average business owner or IT professional? It means paying attention to how your industry shares threat information. It means participating in the conversations that matter, whether that's through industry groups, government programs, or informal networks of peers. The next cyber war is coming. It might already be here. And the only way to win it is together. As Durbin puts it, the firepower is already in the room. The question is whether we're willing to use it as one unified force. That's a decision every leader needs to make now, before the next big attack forces our hand.