President Donald Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum on Aug. 12 directing the federal government to authorize vetted U.S. companies to conduct offensive cyber operations against foreign criminal networks, according to the White House.
Participating companies must post a bond of at least $1 million, undergo vetting, and operate under the direction and oversight of the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security. The program, housed within the National Coordination Center of the Homeland Security Task Force, authorizes private firms to access, surveil, disrupt, or destroy systems tied to transnational criminal organizations behind ransomware, phishing, financial fraud, and sextortion schemes. Americans reported over $20.8 billion in losses to cyber-enabled crime in 2025, the White House said.
