White House authorizes private security firms to conduct offensive hack-back operations against foreign cybercrime organizations under government oversight; Trump memo establishes NCC program requiring $1M bond, vetting procedures to disrupt ransomware, fraud targeting transnational criminals.

White House taps security firms for offensive hack-back operations

A new White House memo signed by U.S. President Donald Trump instructs the National Coordination Center (NCC) to establish a program that would allow private security companies to apply for approval to hack foreign cybercrime organizations. Signed on Wednesday, the national security presidential memorandum (NSPM) enables the NCC (part of the Homeland Security Task Force) to leverage the U.S. private sector's capabilities to conduct cyber operations targeting transnational criminal organizations ...