Despite the regular infusion of mea culpas, Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey touted improvements by both companies in combating foreign influence.

Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen painted a daunting picture of the global digital landscape, describing “a worldwide outbreak of cyberattacks and cyber vulnerabilities” that had moved from the “epidemic” to the “pandemic” stage.

The U.S. government is trying to more effectively deter cyberattacks by imposing clear consequences on nation-state-linked hackers, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

The Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity strategy proactively tackles the agency’s mandate to protect critical infrastructure from hacking.

A forthcoming cybersecurity strategy from the Department of Homeland Security will seek to curb “systemic risk” to critical infrastructure by helping to secure digital tools used across sectors, DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said.

Much of the hearing focused on the increasingly close relationship between DHS and the state and local offices that run elections.