DHS chief contemplating proactive cyber attacks (Steve Johnson)

[Richard]

Begin forwarded message (via Dave Farber's IP distribution):

Steve Johnson, Homeland Security chief contemplating proactive cyber attacks
*San Jose Mercury News*, 16 Apr 2012 sjohnson at mercurynews.com,

Posted:   04/16/2012 07:35:38 PM PDT
Updated:   04/16/2012 09:08:36 PM PDT

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_20410915

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday she would consider
having tech companies participate with the government in "proactive" efforts
to combat hackers based in foreign countries.

Napolitano, who made the comments during a meeting at the *San Jose Mercury
News* with the editorial board and reporters, declined to say what steps
corporations and federal agencies might take against foreign cybercrooks,
who have been blamed for numerous computerized incursions against the United
States. She made the remarks in response to a question, and emphasized the
idea is merely one she would consider and that no decisions have been made.

In discussing the private partnerships she is promoting to combat
cyberattacks, Napolitano was asked if instead of just taking defensive
measures, the government and companies should be launching proactive
counterattacks against foreign-based culprits. "Should there be some aspect
that is in a way proactive instead of reactive?" she responded, and then
answered her own question with "yes." She added, "it is not something that
we haven't been thinking about," noting someone else had raised the subject
with her earlier Monday.

However, Napolitano said some restrictions might have to be placed on
businesses participating in such cyber activities because "what you are
doing is authorizing a private entity to do what might otherwise be
construed as an attack on another entity."

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