A bold new strategy or a dangerous precedent? Experts are divided on Trump's memo.
Trump presidential memorandum authorizes private-sector companies to conduct federally supervised hacking operations against transnational criminal organizations.
A newly signed presidential memorandum enlists private companies in federal law enforcement hacking operations aimed at transnational criminal organizations, with a 60-day window to establish the program. Experts told CyberScoop the shift raises attribution, targeting and constitutional questions, including risks of private firms accidentally attacking foreign governments and procedures for prior approval before targeting US persons. Critics likened the approach to historical letters of marque, while supporters including NSC cyber policy director Amanda Naylor framed it as bringing private-sector speed to the fight against cybercrime and fraud.
- 60-day timeframe set to establish the program
- Experts flag attribution errors and accidental targeting of governments
- Constitutional questions raised over private citizens waging cyber attacks
- Compared to 19th-century letters of marque and privateering
- Program requires procedures for approving targeting of US persons
- Countries
- United States
From the original article
7 min read at cyberscoop.com
The “philosophical shift” that the memo authorizes raises legal, practical and moral questions, experts say. A new national security memo allowing the private sector to go after criminals in cyberspace leaves legal quandaries.
By @timstarks · cyberscoop.com
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