A sanctions program has been launched by President Barack Obama on Wednesday with an aim to target individuals and groups outside the US that make use of cyber attacks to threaten US foreign policy, national security or economic stability.

Such activities have been declared as 'national emergency' by Obama in an executive order. The US Treasury Department has been permitted to freeze assets and bar other financial transactions of entities involved in destructive cyber attacks.

"The Obama administration is really getting serious now. This order brings to bear the economic might of the United States against people who are robbing us blind and putting us in danger", said Joel Brenner, who headed U. S. counterintelligence during President George W. Bush's second term.

The attempt to strengthen the response to hacking follows indictments of five Chinese military officers as well as the decision to 'name and shame' North Korea for a high-profile attack on Sony According to China, cyber attacks were normally cross-border incidents with origins hard to track. Normally, China refuses accusations by US investigators that attackers supported by the Chinese government have been behind attacks on US companies.

According to Senior US administration officials, the new program was concentrated the new program was than countries or regions. The move has been supported by US lawmakers and security and legal experts and according to them it is a motivating step after a steady stream of cyber attacks aimed at Target, Home Depot and other retailers.

Obama said that damaging critical infrastructure, making use of trade secrets for competitive advantage, misappropriating funds and disrupting computer networks will trigger the penalties.