In a document published by the White House, the United States include offensive cyber attacks in their anti-terrorism strategy, targeting drug trafficking networks and Islamist terrorist groups, while remaining vague on other state actors and the actual means involved.
The United States are adjusting their range of responses to attacks. In a White House note detailing its anti-terrorism strategy, “offensive cyber operations” are now integrated into a range of measures targeting groups deemed a threat to American interests. Anti-terrorism activities carried out against state actors include “offensive cyber operations against those who plan to kill Americans or support such actions,” the document specifies.
But who exactly is the American government targeting? The document remains relatively vague on this point. However, it explicitly mentions narcoterrorists, transnational gangs, traditional Islamist terrorist groups, as well as “violent left-wing extremists, including anarchists and antifascists,” as the main entities considered threatening to the nation. It also specifies that offensive cyber operations will continue to target groups supported by Iran.
Context: The article discusses the integration of offensive cyber attacks into the United States’ anti-terrorism strategy, focusing on various groups deemed a threat to American interests.
Fact Check: The US Cyber Command carried out Operation Glowing Symphony in 2016, targeting the servers and propaganda networks of the Islamic State, illustrating direct offensive action in cyberspace. The article also mentions China accusing Washington of offensive operations between 2022-2024, with presumed NSA intrusions against the Chinese National Time Schedule Center.
