Obama order creates new U.S. authority to sanction cyber attackers

[April 01, 2015] WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday issued an executive order creating new sanctions authority to punish individuals and entities engaged in cyber attacks.

"Cyber threats pose one of the most serious economic and national security challenges to the United States, and my administration is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to confront them," Obama said in a statement announcing the order.

(Reporting by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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