**Trump Administration's Approach Likely to Shift U.S. Cyber Policies**

As the political landscape shifts, experts predict significant changes in the United States' cybersecurity policies with the potential return of the Trump administration. Notably, the efforts by the Biden administration to curb the spread of commercial spyware technologies may not continue. These tools, often utilized by authoritarian regimes to target journalists, civil-rights activists, and political opponents, have been a contentious aspect of international relations.

During his first term, Trump maintained close political and financial ties with prominent users of commercial spyware, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, showing minimal concern for their human rights violations. Steven Feldstein, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, suggests a high likelihood of significant rollbacks in spyware policy under a Trump administration. Feldstein believes that Trump officials are more inclined to prioritize the counterterrorism arguments made by spyware manufacturers over the criticisms from digital-rights activists.

Feldstein also highlights that spyware companies, particularly market leader NSO Group and its affiliates with the Israeli government, could find a more favorable environment under Trump. This potential shift aligns with the broader concerns about the survival of other cyber initiatives put in place by the Biden administration.

Biden's National Cybersecurity Strategy has called for greater corporate responsibility, particularly urging tech firms to enhance the security of their products. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) initiated a campaign encouraging companies to adopt the "secure by design" approach, while the Justice Department created a Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative to tackle misleading security practices by contractors. However, such initiatives may lack robust support under Trump, who is expected to appoint former business leaders resistant to government interference.

Henry Young from the software trade group BSA anticipates that the secure-by-design campaign could shift towards a more balanced approach, emphasizing collaboration over regulatory measures. This would mark a departure from any Democratic administration's potential move towards new corporate regulations using the campaign as a basis.

A prominent program that may undergo transformation is the cyber incident reporting regulations for critical infrastructure, mandated by Congress in 2022. CISA's proposed regulations, released in April, faced immediate backlash from industry groups over concerns of excessive demands for information. While the program is unlikely to be scrapped entirely, Trump’s administration could substantially alter its implementation to better align with corporate interests.

In summary, the potential return of a Trump administration indicates a substantial shift in U.S. cybersecurity policies. The focus may pivot from stringent regulations and corporate accountability measures to a more industry-friendly approach, reshaping the landscape of national cybersecurity efforts.