The threat of ongoing cyberattacks will remain an issue of utmost urgency for security officials as foreign attackers show no signs of relenting in their efforts.This according to the White House, who has announced that for the next year cyberattacks will be considered a National Emergency event and subject to executive actions and economic sanctions.In doing so, the Trump administration will allow federal law enforcement to seize the assets and accounts of people involved in cybercrime activity as well as restrict entry and enforce sanctions on those who donate to known cybercrime groups.“These significant malicious cyber-enabled activities continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” the White House said in extending the order.This marks yet another extension of the original 2015 executive order from President Obama that granted law enforcement additional powers to act against those suspected of operating cybercrime activities. That year would see a number of landmark breaches including those against T-Mobile, Ashley Madison, and Hacking Group in a series of data releases that would expose both public and private sector companies.Since then, the order was formally extended in 2016, 2021, 2023, and January of 2025 though the rulings were effectively held in the meantime.“On April 1, 2015, the President declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Power to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the increasing prevalence and severity of malicious cyber-enabled activities originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States,” the White House said in announcing the extension.The order has remained in place over the subsequent three administrations and will now officially be enforced for another year.Extending the order is, at this point, more of a formality that allows law enforcement the ability to take measures against foreign threat actors who are often immune from extradition and prosecution by U.S. courts.In many cases, freezing financial accounts and assets is the only way for authorities in Washington to counteract overseas actors and criminal organizations that profit from illegal hacking.Cracking down on foreign threat actors has become something of a hot-button issue under the new Trump administration. With the Elon Musk-lead Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) making wholesale cuts to Federal agencies, a lack of human resources has arisen in many government departments.Among those organizations is CISA, where it has been reported that staffing cuts could affect the agency’s ability to effectively track and take action against criminal groups that target U.S. government systems and services.Additionally, there have been reports that officials in CISA have been instructed to deprioritize actions against threat actors based in Russia. The Kremlin has in the past been accused of colluding with the Trump camp to sway public opinion in the US, though those allegations have been disputed.
