Time and again the U.S. has claimed that China has been launching a series of cyberattacks on agencies and companies based in the country. The administration has always denounced such attacks but now it is reportedly going to take a firm stand against them. A number of options are on the table, which the U.S. may pursue in order to strong-arm China in to ending cyberattacks from their homeland. Only last week Secretary of State John Kerry said that both the countries will form a working group on cybersecurity
These options include the prosecution of individuals that launch cyberattacks against the U.S. Surely we can’t expect China to hand over its citizens to the U.S. so that they can undergo trial, but an indictment in the country will seriously limit the countries an individual can travel to in order to not be released in U.S. custody. The administration may also place visa restrictions on people that are believed to be connected with these attacks, particularly those what work with China’s military. Chinese companies that are involved might have sanctions slapped on them. It is also reported that the country might also launch defensive or offensive countermeasures in the future, against such cyberattacks.