Offensive cybersecurity strategies, like active defense and counter-hacking, pose significant ethical and legal challenges. Ethically, issues of proportionality, necessity, and potential collateral damage arise. Misattribution of cyber attacks can result in unjust retaliation, violating privacy and civil liberties. Additionally, these actions risk escalating cyber conflicts, potentially leading to broader cyber wars.

Legally, these strategies often breach international law and state sovereignty. The lack of clear legal frameworks and difficulties in attributing attacks to specific state actors complicate the application of legal principles. Without universally accepted norms and treaties, regulating and enforcing standards for offensive cybersecurity remains challenging.

Policy implications include the urgent need for international norms governing state behavior in cyberspace, evolving legal frameworks to address these unique challenges, and fostering multilateral cooperation. Policies must balance security needs with civil liberties, ensuring transparency and oversight to maintain public trust and uphold democratic values.

In summary, while offensive cybersecurity measures can mitigate threats, their use requires careful consideration of ethical guidelines, robust legal structures, and international cooperation to ensure actions are justified, proportionate, and do not undermine global stability.