Security News > 2011 > May > Hack attacks on US could spark military action

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/17/white_house_cyberspace_strategy/ By Dan Goodin in San Francisco The Register 17th May 2011 The Obama Administration has put the world on notice that hack attacks directed against US assets could be met with military action. “When warranted, the United States will respond to hostile acts in cyberspace as we would to any other threat to our country,” the White House said in a long-expected policy, titled The International Strategy for Cyberspace. “All states possess an inherent right to self-defense, and we recognize that certain hostile acts conducted through cyberspace could compel actions under the commitments we have with our military treaty partners. “We reserve the right to use all necessary means – diplomatic, informational, military, and economic – as appropriate and consistent with applicable international law, in order to defend our Nation, our allies, our partners, and our interests.” The administration went on to say military force would be used only after all other options have been exhausted. [...]

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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/17/white_house_cyberspace_strategy/