Private firms enlisted for limited offensive cyber ops under US oversight

President Trump signed a national security memorandum to empower vetted private companies to conduct limited cyber operations against foreign transnational criminal organizations, under direction of the US government with oversight from DHS and DOJ. The program requires vetting and a bond of at least $1 million, and while it expands the private sector’s role in cybersecurity, it raises questions about escalation, liability, and interagency coordination.