Cybersecurity Policy Report, FBI Seeks to ‘Impose Costs’ on Cyber Adversaries, New Strategy Says, (Sep 10, 2026)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation aims to “impose costs” on the nation’s cyber adversaries “through unique authorities, world-class capabilities, and enduring partnerships,” according to an FBI “Cyber Strategy” issued yesterday.
“FBI Cyber will disrupt adversaries before they can act, expose them when they do, and hold them accountable wherever they hide. These efforts will prioritize support for victims in both recovery and defense and will strengthen the partnerships that make collective action possible,” the strategy says.
“FBI Cyber prioritizes legal actions that hold adversaries personally accountable: arrests, prosecutions, and extraditions wherever they are achievable,” it notes.
“But permissive jurisdictions often allow these adversaries to hide beyond the immediate reach of U.S. law enforcement. For that reason, FBI Cyber measures success against a broader set of outcomes that reduce harm and bring relief to victims,” it says.
“Disrupting infrastructure denies operational continuity; seizing funds degrades adversaries’ ability to scale and pay collaborators; and dismantling tools forces them to rebuild their tradecraft. Each action makes it harder, costlier, and riskier to target U.S. victims while making clear that operating from a supposed safe haven does not mean operating without consequences,” it adds.
“This strategy puts President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America into action. We will bring the full weight of the FBI cyber teams to defend the homeland in cyberspace, and this is our roadmap for doing it,” Brett Leatherman, head of the FBI’s Cyber Division, said in a video news release.
“Adversaries no longer need to cross a physical border to reach the American people. So to our adversaries, know that you are not anonymous,” Mr. Leatherman said. “We know how to find you. Operating from a supposed safe haven country does not mean operating without consequence.”
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