White House OKs Offensive Cyber Operations by Private Firms Against Criminal Networks

President Donald Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum on Aug. 12 to create a U.S. program that lets vetted private firms conduct offensive cyber operations against foreign criminal networks, under DOJ and DHS direction. The program will run inside the National Coordination Center of the Homeland Security Task Force. To participate, companies must pass vetting and post a bond or escrow of at least $1 million, forfeited if they break rules. Operations are proposed by the firm based on threat information from other businesses and government sources, but the U.S. government retains operational control and must approve each action in writing—no private “trigger” without federal sign-off. The memo authorizes cyber surveillance (including accessing or exceeding authorized access) and broader offensive actions targeting networks behind ransomware, phishing, financial fraud, and sextortion. Actions that produce “critical outcomes” are barred, and any operation affecting a U.S. person or U.S.-based system must stop immediately with minimization procedures. The targeting rules are in a classified annex. The White House frames the plan as scaling the fight against transnational criminal organizations. It cites large cybercrime losses to Americans in 2025 (and notes separate costs from crypto scams), while stating the program could reduce cyber-enabled fraud and predatory schemes. In short: the U.S. is expanding offensive cyber operations capacity by outsourcing execution to compliant private contractors under strict federal oversight.