White House authorizes private US companies to hack foreign criminal networks
Trump memorandum authorizes vetted private US companies to conduct government-supervised offensive cyber operations against foreign criminal networks.
The National Security Presidential Memorandum signed August 12 lets vetted private companies run offensive cyber operations against transnational criminal organizations behind ransomware, phishing and sextortion, under US government oversight. The Homeland Security Task Force's National Coordination Center, led by DOJ and DHS executive directors, must give written approval for both Cyber Surveillance Operations and Cyber Effects Operations. Participating companies must post a $1 million bond or escrow, undergo annual review, and notify authorities if they unintentionally target US persons or systems.
- Program overseen by a National Coordination Center with DOJ and DHS executive directors
- Two operation types: Cyber Surveillance Operations and Cyber Effects Operations
- Companies must maintain at least $1 million in bond or escrow to participate
- Operations likely to cause loss of life or use of force exceed executive directors' authority
- Americans reported losing $20.8 billion to cyber-enabled crime in 2025
- Threat actors
- transnational criminal organizations
- Organizations
- Homeland Security Task Force
- Countries
- United States
From the original article
2 min read at helpnetsecurity.com
President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum on August 12 allowing vetted private companies to run offensive cyber operations against foreign threat actors, under the control and oversight of the US government.
By @helpnetsecurity · helpnetsecurity.com
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