President Barack Obama ordered national security leaders to compile a list of potential overseas “adversaries” for US cyber-attacks which could be targeted with “little or no warning”, a top secret document reveals.
The 18-page, classified document, entitled Presidential Policy Directive 20, outlines plans for
Offensive Cyber Effects Operations (OCEO), cyber-attacks which would target US adversaries around the world.
Obama opted not to publicly accuse China of being behind a raft of cyber-attacks targeting US facilities and institutions. Rather, he called for “common rules of the road,” adding that China and the US should work together for a mutually beneficial cyber-security regime.
Despite Obama’s reticence to challenge China, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel recently issued a stern warning to China over its alleged cyber-attacks against the US: “We are also clear-eyed about the challenges in cyber. The United States has expressed our concerns about the growing threat of cyber intrusions, some of which appear to be tied to the Chinese government and military.”
