▁off ensive ▁cy ber ▁operations ▁with ▁a ▁legal ▁regime ▁that ▁enables ▁the ▁Def ense ▁Department ▁and ▁other ▁relevant ▁ag encies ▁to ▁operate ▁with ▁a ▁greater ▁authority ▁to ▁pen et rate ▁foreign ▁networks ▁to ▁d eter ▁ha cks ▁on ▁U . S . ▁systems . ▁Descri bing ▁the ▁new ▁strategy ▁as ▁an ▁ende avor ▁to ▁" create ▁powerful ▁d eter rence ▁structures ▁that ▁persu ade ▁the ▁advers ary ▁not ▁to ▁strike ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁place ," ▁Bol ton ▁added ▁that ▁decision - making ▁for ▁launch ing ▁attacks ▁will ▁be ▁moved ▁down ▁the ▁chain ▁of ▁command ▁from ▁requiring ▁the ▁president ' s ▁appro val . ▁ ▁The ▁Def ense ▁Department , ▁in ▁its ▁strategy ▁document ▁released ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁further ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁" def end ▁forward " ▁U . S . ▁networks ▁by ▁dis rupt ing ▁" mal icious ▁cy ber ▁activity ▁at ▁its ▁source " ▁and ▁ende avor ▁to ▁" ensure ▁there ▁are ▁consequences ▁for ▁ir respons ible ▁cy ber ▁behavior " ▁by ▁" pres erving ▁peace ▁through ▁strength ." ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Cy ber ▁Str ategy ▁has ▁also ▁gar ner ed ▁critic isms ▁that ▁evalu ating ▁acts ▁of ▁cy ber war fare ▁against ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁still ▁remains ▁ambigu ous , ▁as ▁the ▁current ▁U . S . ▁law ▁does ▁not ▁specifically ▁define ▁what ▁constit utes ▁an ▁illegal ▁cy ber act ▁that ▁trans c ends ▁a ▁just ifiable ▁computer ▁activity . ▁The ▁legal ▁status ▁of ▁most ▁information ▁security ▁research ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁is ▁govern ed