By Paolo von Schirach
President, Global Policy Institute; Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bay Atlantic University, Washington, DC
The lead story in a recent Exchange supplement of The Wall Street Journal (August 31 – September 1, 2024) is intriguingly titled “Silicon Valley Is in Love With the Israeli Military.” At first glance, I expected this article to delve into possible indiscretions related to military-to-military cooperation mediated by Silicon Valley tech firms. However, that was not the case.
Instead, the lengthy article provides a detailed account of successful and heavily funded high-tech firms, primarily specializing in cybersecurity. Some of these firms are based in Silicon Valley, while others are located in Israel. What they all have in common—here’s the twist—is that their founders are veterans of Unit 8200, a large and highly specialized cyber warfare unit within the Israeli army. This is well-known and openly discussed both in Silicon Valley and Israel.
Here’s the story: The Israeli army seeks exceptionally talented young people for its secret cyber warfare operations within Unit 8200. There are thousands of recruits. After passing rigorous tests and undergoing some training, these young recruits are thrust into the cyber warfare trenches. They tackle issues, devise creative solutions, and innovate in the high-pressure environment of a country—Israel—that is, for all practical purposes, in an undeclared war with Iran and its proxies in the region and beyond.
What we see now is that many Unit 8200 veterans, upon retiring from the service, transition into business—and do so quite successfully. Many of them move to Silicon Valley, still the epicenter of U.S. high-tech innovation. The statistics are impressive.
According to the WSJ article, “There are at least five tech companies founded by Unit 8200 alumni that are publicly traded in the U.S., collectively worth around $160 billion. Private companies started by ex-8200 soldiers are valued at billions more.” Among these companies are Wiz and Palo Alto Networks.
But this is only part of the story. There are many more cybersecurity firms founded in Israel by Unit 8200 veterans, including Zafran, founded by Sanaz Yashar. In fact, Tel Aviv has a Unit 8200 alumni association that sponsors events and webinars for its members.
This scenario represents an extraordinarily successful example of a government institution nurturing young talent, who, after completing their military service, go on to create highly successful businesses that benefit the nation and enhance cyber defenses.
The U.S. equivalent of Unit 8200 is the National Security Agency (NSA). However, the NSA is a highly secretive agency rarely discussed in public. I am not aware of the NSA engaging in a role similar to Unit 8200, where exceptionally talented young people help the U.S. combat cyber threats while also being groomed to become business leaders in a strategic field critical to national security. If such a nurturing approach exists in the U.S., it is not openly discussed.
If this model is not in place, U.S. military and civilian national security leaders should seriously consider the Israeli Unit 8200 experience. This recommendation should extend to all NATO countries as well. We, the Western world, face mounting cyber threats.
We are effectively in an unconventional, undeclared war with rogue nations and criminal organizations, sometimes associated with these nations. The “bad guys” are relentlessly attacking our data centers and critical infrastructure. To counter these threats, we need all available resources and coordinated efforts every day.
U.S. military units and American private sector firms, particularly those funded by Silicon Valley venture capital, should collaborate closely. Military units that attract and recruit young computer geniuses will be crucial in winning this ongoing cyber war.
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