"These significant malicious cyber-enabled activities continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States," the notice said. "For this reason, the national emergency declared on April 1, 2015, must continue in effect beyond April 1, 2018."
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The threat was posed by the increasing prevalence and severity of malicious cyber-enabled activities originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, the notice said.
A state of national emergency was introduced in 2015 by then-President Obama in order to create a basis for freezing the assets of those allegedly involved in hacking campaigns. In December 2016, the order was amended to also sanction those carrying out cyber attacks in a bid to disrupt presidential elections.
