Many cybersecurity incidents are deliberate assaults that disrupt key facilities that include U.S. military bases, 911 services, fire and police departments, healthcare facilities, law enforcement, government services and agencies, and educational and financial institutions endangering public safety and interrupting economic activity.
In response, a leading group of telecommunications industry advocacy organizations in the United States has launched a new initiative called STRIKE (Strategic Threat Response & Infrastructure Knowledge Exchange), aimed at confronting what is increasingly recognized as a serious national security crisis.
Led by the US cable industry
STRIKE is co-led by SCTE (the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers), a subsidiary of CableLabs; and NCTA – The Internet & Television Association (previously known as the National Cable and Telecommunications Association).
The STRIKE Executive Forum draws senior executives from leading broadband operators including, but not limited to, Comcast, Charter, Altice USA, CableOne, Cox, GCI, Mediacom and Rogers. Comcast’s Elad Nafshi, serving as chair, and Charter Communications’ Tom Monaghan, as vice chair, highlight the industry’s unified commitment to strategic coordination and rapid response.
STRIKE’s Objectives
STRIKE’s core mission is to:
· Spotlight broadband damage and destruction as a top-tier national security threat
· Facilitate intelligence sharing to quickly identify and mitigate emerging threats.
· Integrate policy advocacy, technical standards and operational protocols into a cohesive national defense strategy.
· Establish clear, unified communication with government stakeholders.
Efforts already underway
NCTA has advocated for federal legislation such as H.R 2784 – Stopping the theft and Destruction of Broadband Act of 2025, which would amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code to ensure that attacks on public and private networks are treated equally and carry appropriate penalties. NCTA has also taken the lead in encouraging federal agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to increase intelligence sharing, treat these infrastructure attacks as domestic terrorism when the facts warrant and allocate more resources to high incident regions.
STRIKE will also leverage SCTE’s operational expertise to surface cross-operator insights that strengthen broadband resilience. For decades, SCTE has set essential industry standards that help providers assess business impacts, gain secure access to incident areas, coordinate effectively with federal agencies, evaluate location-specific risks and maintain continuity and rapid recovery during crises. Public awareness efforts, such as the Don’t Cut Cable campaign, further protect vital infrastructure by enlisting communities in safeguarding broadband networks. STRIKE builds on this foundation, uniting executive leadership to accelerate best-practice adoption and deliver a coordinated, national security–driven strategy.
Further reading
Broadband industry launches STRIKE initiative to combat rising attacks on critical networks. Press release. September 11, 2025. NCTA
Protecting the nation’s critical communications infrastructure from theft and vandalism. Report. April 2025, by NCTA, CTIA, USTA, NTCA and WIA (Telecommunications industry associations)
Why it matters
During the period from June to December 2024, a study released in April 2025 (linked above) found that 5,770 intentional incidents of theft and vandalism targeting communications infrastructure – approximately 824 per month – were reported; affecting over 1.5 million customers.
