Officials: US better at finding cyber attackers

US military and law enforcement officials say the government has made significant strides in figuring out who is responsible for complex cyber attacks, a fundamental but elusive first step to determine whether the U.S. should strike back, whom to strike, and how hard.

US authorities are using a mix of high-tech forensics and a greater emphasis on spying within the online world, although officials won't reveal exactly how they are ferreting out cyber criminals in the vast, often anonymous Internet universe. Officials familiar with the issue say the escalating cyber security threat has triggered a greater government-wide emphasis on collecting intelligence related to computer crimes. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence gathering. The broader approach includes spycraft methods from electronic surveillance and satellites to international cooperation and the everyday tactics and techniques that undercover agents use.