Hacking Back: What the U.S. shift toward private cyber warfare means for Guyana

Aug 18, 2026 Letters

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Dear Editor,

In a historic and controversial shift that is redrawing the boundaries of modern warfare, the United States has officially authorised vetted private cybersecurity firms to carry out offensive cyberattacks against international criminal networks. Under a landmark presidential memorandum, Washington is stepping away from a decades-old policy that restricted private entities strictly to network defence. Now, approved corporate firms will be permitted to deploy surveillance spyware, disrupt foreign target infrastructure, and permanently destroy the data of overseas cartels engaged in ransomware, financial fraud, and cyber extortion.

This drastic policy change aims to harness private-sector innovation to dismantle international syndicates that operate beyond the reach of traditional law enforcement. However, Washington is not giving these firms a blank check. To prevent rogue vigilante operations, the U.S. government maintains tight control, requiring private contractors to seek explicit, case-by-case approval from the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Participating companies must also put up a steep $1 million escrow bond, subject to immediate forfeiture if guidelines are breached. Despite these guardrails, global cybersecurity experts are sounding the alarm, warning that unleashing private actors into foreign digital battlegrounds invites severe diplomatic fallout and exposes civilian hackers to prosecution as illegal combatants under international law.

As this unprecedented era of privatized warfare unfolds on the global stage, the implications ripple far beyond Washington and affect fast-developing nations like Guyana. Experiencing unprecedented economic growth driven by its booming oil and gas sector, Guyana is rapidly digitizing its banking, energy, and government infrastructure. This sudden influx of wealth and digital transformation makes the nation an increasingly attractive target for the very same international ransomware syndicates the U.S. aims to strike down. While Guyana is not in a position—nor would it be wise—to deploy its own private cyber armies, the country must strategically adapt to this new digital reality to safeguard its economic future.

First and foremost, Guyana can position itself to directly benefit from these overseas operations through expanded intelligence sharing. Because major cybercriminal networks operate across borders, a ransomware gang targeting financial institutions in Georgetown is often the same entity attacking infrastructure in North America. By deepening bilateral security ties with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Guyanese authorities can share critical threat data, effectively allowing heavily armed international allies to strike down cyber threats at their source before they hit local networks.

Simultaneously, the U.S. initiative highlights a truth that Georgetown’s policymakers must accept: governments can no longer defend cyberspace alone. Guyana must bridge the gap between the public and private sectors by forging an active national defense alliance. By empowering the Guyana National Computer Emergency Response Team (Guyana CERT) to collaborate directly with local commercial IT experts, telecommunications providers, and financial institutions, the nation can build a unified, real-time defence shield capable of repelling sophisticated attacks.

Furthermore, this shift toward privatized cyber conflict creates a murky legal landscape that demands an urgent update to Guyana’s local laws. As private firms and foreign proxies engage in digital crossfire, Guyana’s Cybercrime Act must be modernised to clearly delineate between legitimate corporate defence, state-sanctioned activity, and illegal hacking. Clear legislation will ensure that Guyanese servers and digital infrastructure are not unwittingly hijacked or used as proxy launchpads by foreign corporate mercenaries operating in legal grey areas.

Finally, Guyana can adopt the U.S. policy’s smartest financial safeguard: mandatory security escrows. As the government contracts foreign and local tech firms to build out critical digital infrastructure—from automated customs systems to smart power grids—it should require these vendors to place financial performance bonds in escrow. Holding contractors financially liable for security oversights ensures that those building Guyana’s digital backbone are strictly accountable for maintaining the highest defences.

The era of passive cybersecurity is officially over, replaced by a complex landscape where private enterprise and state security collide. For Guyana, a nation standing on the cusp of unprecedented economic prosperity, remaining a bystander is no longer an option. By refining its legal frameworks, demanding vendor accountability, and leveraging strategic international alliances, Guyana can ensure that its soaring economic rise is protected by a modern, impenetrable digital armour.

Respectfully,

Philip Inshanally

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