White House Rules Out Private-Sector Offensive Cyberattacks
Summary
White House officials say the U.S. will not authorize private companies to conduct offensive cyberattacks, while pursuing more routine government cyber operations and greater industry cooperation to identify threats and support government-led responses.
Key points
- A senior White House adviser said the administration is not considering cyber “letters of marque” or private companies conducting offensive operations for the U.S. government.
- The national cyber strategy calls for more routine and coordinated use of government offensive cyber capabilities.
- Officials want industry to share technical visibility and help identify threats, but not to conduct offensive campaigns.
- Microsoft and the Department of Justice recently collaborated to disrupt infrastructure associated with the Lumma infostealer.
- Officials described industry support for government-led actions, but did not specify how those actions would work.
Article Details
- Event Type
- U.S. policy clarification on government offensive cyber operations and private-sector cooperation
- Impact
- White House officials said the administration will not authorize private companies to conduct offensive cyberattacks or “hack back.” The administration plans more routine, coordinated use of government offensive cyber capabilities and seeks private-sector technical visibility and support for government-led actions. Officials said the details of that cooperation remain unclear. Microsoft and the Department of Justice were cited as having collaborated to disrupt Lumma infostealer infrastructure.
People
Sean CairncrossThe National Cyber Director who called for closer industry cooperation while clarifying that private companies would not conduct offensive campaigns.Thomas LindA senior adviser at the Office of the National Cyber Director who described the administration’s approach to offensive cyber operations and private-sector cooperation.