The administration of President Donald Trump has decided to outsource cyberwarfare. Under a new presidential memorandum, US private companies have been given official permission to participate in offensive operations against foreign hackers. The corporate sector will now be able to lawfully penetrate the infrastructure of foreign cybercriminals, disrupt their operations, and destroy data while acting on behalf of the federal government.
Access to state hacking will be fee-based and tightly regulated. The program will be overseen by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Each prospective participant must pass a rigorous review of its technical infrastructure and deposit at least $1 million into an escrow account. If a company violates the agreed attack plan, the deposit will be forfeited to the government.
The powers of the newly authorized cyber contractors are limited. They are strictly prohibited from accidentally or intentionally attacking servers located on US soil or owned by US persons. In addition, the government will not approve operations that could cause human casualties or be regarded under international law as the use of armed force.
The policy breaks a long‑standing Washington paradigm under which private firms were allowed only to defend against attacks and not to carry out offensive strikes. Experts already warn of large diplomatic and legal risks. Analysts say ordinary employees of IT companies participating in such operations could be arrested abroad on cybercrime charges or be treated as combatants without military uniforms.
The White House justifies the use of private contractors by the sharp rise in external threats. The catalyst for the unprecedented decision was a recent wave of cyberattacks on water supply systems in about a dozen US states, which intelligence attributes to groups loyal to Iran.
