US Strike Force launched to keep advanced technology secure from foreign adversaries

A new US Strike Force will target bad actors, strengthen supply chains and protect critical technology from getting in the hands of bad actors and rogue nation-states.

A new ‘Disruptive Technology Strike Force’ was announced Thursday by the US Justice and Commerce Departments in an effort to prevent bad actors and nefarious nation-states from trying to disrupt US infrastructure and commandeer sensitive technology.

The strike force will “target illicit actors, strengthen supply chains and protect critical technological assets from being acquired or used by nation-state adversaries,” according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) press release.

“Today, autocrats seek tactical advantage through the acquisition, use, and abuse of America’s most innovative technology. They use it to enhance their military capabilities, support mass surveillance programs that enable human rights abuses and all together undermine our values,” said US Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco.

Joining forces with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the strike force will also collaborate with over a dozen US Attorneys’ offices in metropolitan areas such as Washington DC, New York, Boston, Chicago , Miami, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.

“Using real-time intelligence and 21st century data analytics, the Disruptive Technology Strike Force will….strike back against adversaries trying to siphon off our most advanced technology, and to attack tomorrow’s national security threats today,” US Deputy Monaco said.

The strike force's aim is to prevent the illegal transfer of sensitive technologies to foreign adversaries by working together with international intelligence sources to investigate, disrupt, enforce, and prosecute criminal violations of US export laws and controls.

“Advances in technology have the potential to alter the world’s balance of power,” said Assistant Secretary for US Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod.

“This strike force is designed to protect US national security by preventing those sensitive technologies from being used for malign purposes,” Axelrod said.