U.S. Considers Economic Sanctions against Chinese Hackers

The United States Executive Branch is considering enacting economic sanctions against individuals and countries that attempt to hack U.S. networks. Other policies that may be considered include visa restrictions, military action, and State Department diplomacy efforts. Intellectual property concerns are the main motivation in the White House’s consideration of the issues of cyberattacks and cyber theft. White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Michael Daniel is the official responsible for developing a strategy to address the internet issues between US data owners and hackers.

The policy considerations seem to be in response to recent news alleging that a military unit of Chinese hackers based in Shanghai have been attempting to hack into U.S. companies’ data. The administration has not named China specifically in these policy discussions, but the news, along with hacker attacks involving The New York Times, The Washington Post, Apple, and other companies, are part of the backdrop of this initiative. The White House is encouraging Congress to develop legislation surrounding sharing information about cyber threats, fortifying cybersecurity measures, and establishing law enforcement tools for such crimes. The Commerce Department has also been involved in setting standards for cybersecurity.

These measures are part of an ongoing struggle regarding intellectual property between U.S. innovators, and entrepreneurs in countries such as China that borrow U.S. designs and technologies without regard to ownership. While the U.S. is clearly concerned about innovation and innovators’ rights, more needs to be done before China will respect property rights as the U.S. and inventors desire.

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