In a first, US will allow some private firms to carry out cyberattacks

The U.S. government will for the first time allow vetted private companies to launch offensive cyber operations against international criminal gangs and hackers, the White House said on Wednesday.

In a newly published presidential memorandum, the Trump administration said the move will allow the federal government to use “innovative capabilities of the private sector” to combat cybercrime and threats targeting Americans, such as ransomware attacks, financial scams, and sextortion.