Trump authorizes use of cyber tools against transnational criminal organizations

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order that the White House said aims to empower federal law enforcement agencies to use cyber tools to combat transnational criminal organizations operating from areas outside U.S. jurisdiction to launch attacks against Americans.

In a press release regarding the order, the White House cited ransomware attacks, financial fraud, and other crimes carried out by foreign criminal groups, which the order described as “transnational criminal organizations.”

The White House added that the order establishes a framework encouraging private-sector companies to enter into agreements with other private entities, as well as with federal, state, and local government agencies, to share information on threats linked to transnational criminal organizations and to propose cyber operations to counter those threats.

The idea of involving private-sector companies in cyber operations against criminal targets and others is not new, and it has previously sparked debate over concerns about unintended consequences and coordination challenges among agencies.