Cybersecurity Headlines U.S. weighs cyberwarfare options, DeadLock uses smart contracts to hide work, China says stop using US and Israeli cybersecurity software
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Jan 15, 2026 The U.S. is exploring the possibility of allowing private companies to engage in offensive cyber operations, raising intriguing legal questions. Meanwhile, China has ordered its firms to stop using cybersecurity software from the U.S. and Israel. DeadLock is making waves by employing smart contracts to obscure its operations and threaten to sell stolen data. In other news, Microsoft has taken action against fraud stemming from the RedVDS platform, which has impacted real estate transactions severely. Finally, Poland successfully stopped a cyberattack aimed at its power grid, preventing a potential blackout.
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Private Firms Could Join Offensive Cyber Ops
- The U.S. is considering letting private firms take a direct role in offensive cyber operations.
- This would require changes to federal law and likely congressional approval.
China Bans Some U.S. And Israeli Security Software
- China told companies to stop using ~12 U.S. and Israeli cybersecurity products over national security concerns.
- This fits a broader push to swap Western tech for domestic alternatives ahead of high-level diplomacy.
Ransomware Hides C2 In Smart Contracts
- Deadlock ransomware uses Polygon smart contracts to rotate proxy addresses and hide C2 infrastructure.
- That technique complicates blocking and mirrors tactics seen in North Korean campaigns.