Trump Administration Launches Private-Sector Cyber-Attack Program

The Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security will oversee a newly announced initiative that permits private cybersecurity firms to conduct offensive cyber operations against foreign criminal groups.

The Verge

Oversight will be exercised jointly by the Justice Department and Homeland Security, which will retain “control and oversight” of each contractor’s activities. The memorandum emphasizes that private entities are “underutilized” forces for disrupting criminal networks.

The Verge

• Bond/Escrow: Minimum $1 million per contractor.

The Verge

• Eligibility: Demonstrated technical skill, prior cyber-operation performance, and secure facilities.

The Verge

• Target Restrictions: Only non-state-affiliated criminal groups may be engaged.

The Verge

• “Threat actors don’t launch attacks from labeled servers in Moscow; they route traffic through compromised, innocent infrastructure, like a vulnerable router at an Ohio dental office or a hospital network,” — Ben Bernstein

The Verge

The initiative marks a shift from exclusively government-run cyber operations to a hybrid model that leverages private sector capabilities while attempting to maintain federal oversight.

The Verge