The New York Times reported Sunday that the previous strategy had been based on counterattacks against hackers targeting the United States.
In spring the approach was changed that had created an opportunity for regular raids against foreign networks in order to prevent potential cyberattacks on the United States with the use of such foreign infrastructure, the media outlet said.
Commenting on the reports, Rebecca Crootof, the Executive Director of the Information Society Project and a Research Scholar and Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School, said to Sputnik that other states may follow the US suit, using it "as a cover for industrial cyber espionage activities." She went on to say that Washington has to focus on other issues to bolster own security.
"Rather than beefing up our cyber operations, US aims would be better served by beefing up international law. Developing the law to hold states liable for the harms caused by their cyberoperations would minimize the likelihood of escalatory responses and increase the likelihood that those actually harmed by malicious cyberoperations would be compensated," she said.
The issue of cybersecuirty has become topical in recent years due to the growing number of cyberattacks around the world, including with the use of ransomware such as Wannacry or ExPetr.
