Trump administration opens door to private-sector cyber offensives
Brief
The Trump administration is opening the door for vetted US companies to conduct cyber operations against foreign cybercriminal organizations under federal supervision, giving the private sector a more direct role in disrupting cyber-enabled crime.
A presidential memorandum issued on August 12 directs the National Coordination Center to create a program authorizing participating companies to conduct cyber surveillance and cyber effects operations against foreign groups engaged in cyber-enabled crime targeting US interests.
The memorandum says, “any resulting operational action will be exclusively conducted on behalf of and under the supervision of the Federal Government.”
Companies admitted to the program will have to contract with either the Department of
Justice or the Department of Homeland Security and undergo government vetting.