On the security beat, the Trump administration has redirected crucial cybersecurity funding, originally allocated to combat threats from Chinese telecom giant Huawei, towards tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations. The Secure And Trusted Communications Act, passed in 2020, provided $1.9 billion for U.S. telecom operators to replace Huawei equipment, but the effort has been stymied by a lack of follow-through and funding redirection. Despite the initial $1 billion set aside to develop Western alternatives to Huawei, much of this funding has been slashed, as Texas Senator Ted Cruz led the charge to prioritize tax cuts instead. As a result, projects aimed at enhancing U.S. cybersecurity and infrastructure are suffering, leaving national security at risk while the government appears to struggle with coherence and consistency in its strategy. The overall impact reflects a troubling trend of prioritizing financial benefits for the few over essential public safety initiatives.
As previously covered, the Department of Defense is set to implement its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification requirements in November, following years of rulemaking. Of note, the Pentagon is exploring financial relief options for small businesses as part of this initiative. The final acquisition requirements were published recently and will be effective 60 days after publication, marking a significant milestone in ensuring defense contractors adhere to necessary cybersecurity protocols.
Scammers are targeting small businesses by bombarding them with fake one-star reviews on platforms like Google Maps and then demanding payment to remove these damaging posts. Reports indicate that these fraudsters are extorting businesses for hundreds of dollars, leveraging the fact that negative reviews can severely impact a company’s star rating and online reputation, potentially leading to significant revenue losses. The Federal Trade Commission has acknowledged the issue but has focused primarily on businesses that buy fake positive reviews, leaving review platforms like Google with minimal new requirements to combat this growing problem.
Why do we care?
Here’s the rundown. Cybersecurity funds meant to rip Huawei out of U.S. networks? Redirected to tax cuts. So much for a coherent national security strategy. Meanwhile, CMMC is finally hitting in November—mandatory compliance for defense contractors, and maybe some financial help for the smallest players. And on the street level, scammers are hammering small businesses with fake Google reviews and demanding cash to remove them.
Government priorities shift, compliance is mandatory, and criminals adapt faster than regulators. For providers, that means don’t count on subsidies or coherent federal funding—focus on where the money has to be spent, like CMMC, and where the pain is obvious, like fake review extortion. That’s where you can actually help your customers.