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Trump admin greenlights private sector cyberattacks

White House just authorized private cybersecurity companies to conduct government-backed offensive operations against foreign cybercriminals. We're talking surveillance, infrastructure disruption, the works. This isn't "hack back" lite. It's privatizing military-grade cyber operations and handing the keys to private companies with zero public oversight. Every contractor now has legal cover to wage cyber warfare, which means every contractor is also a target. American networks just became a lot more interesting to hit.
Chris Wysopal @WeldPond
This is a pretty big shift in U.S. cyber policy. The White House is setting up a program that would let private cybersecurity companies conduct government-authorized operations against foreign cybercriminal groups, including surveillance and disruption of their infrastructure. Not exactly “hack back,” but definitely a major expansion of the private sector’s role in offensive cyber operations. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/expanding-capabilities-to-combat-transnational-cyber-enabled-crime/

Source

x.com