Category Archives: hacking operations

Ex-NSA chief welcomes more U.S. offensive operations in cyberspace

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Former National Security Agency director Michael Rogers has welcomed the Trump administration’s willingness to use cyber-operations to deter foreign adversaries, adding that the United States’ previous reluctance to do so was counterproductive. “My argument when I was [in government was]: “We want to keep the full range of options and capabilities available,” Rogers said Tuesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “One of the things that frustrated me at times was: Why are we taking one element just straight off the table?” said Rogers, who left the administration in May for the private sector. “I just thought, boy, if you’re in Moscow or Beijing, you are loving this approach to life because it doesn’t really change your risk calculus,” Rogers added. While NSA director from 2014 to 2018, he also led U.S. Cyber Command. Presidential Policy Directive 20, which then-President Barack Obama signed in 2012, had installed an intricate inter-agency legal […]

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In the opaque world of government hacking, private firms grapple with allegiances

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Private sector cybersecurity companies are increasingly stuck with difficult decisions when it comes to publicizing research into malware. Over the past few years, nation-states have increasingly devoted time, money and man-hours to creating sophisticated weapons that wreak havoc once they are unleashed on the internet. When private companies find these nation-state tools and break them apart for examination, the dynamic gets complicated very quickly: No longer are they just trying to figure out who is responsible — they have to tiptoe around the ramifications of how a public report could impact relationships with governments around the world. Beyond merely attributing sophisticated malware, large-scale cybersecurity firms are often left with tough questions: Should those based in the United States avoid publicly releasing research on cyber-espionage campaigns if they look to be conducted by allied governments? What does a company owe its clients when handling homegrown digital threats? Do these companies have a plan of action for […]

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Lawmakers to generals: Tell us the policies you need to launch cyberattacks

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Lawmakers bluntly asked military leaders for a regulatory wishlist Tuesday, in a move that could open the door for policy changes concerning when warfare units are allowed to launch hacking operations. Over the last several years, top military brass has been frustrated by the legal barriers that complicate military-led computer network attacks. Military organizations largely lack the authorities to act independently in cyberspace. Approval usually begins with a interagency review and ends with direct permission from the president. Historically, this arrangement has led to a long line of denials. One lawmaker, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., described the current approval process as being “slow as molasses.” A bipartisan effort by lawmakers in recent weeks has seen Congress vocally criticize the Trump administration for its lackluster response to Russian offensive cyber and misinformation activities. Part of this outrage stems from two prior congressional hearings where intelligence leaders, including Director of National Intelligence Dan […]

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