Just a general question about this. If someone hacks or attempts to hack a fake or valid site and they are identified as real and are known by IP or otherwise, is it legal to retaliate as a means to protect your assets. Use to be said that the best defense is a strong offence, is that valid or legal in the IT world today?

If we just smile and spend another xxx billion dollars a year to protect ourselves across the entire industry passing that increased cost on time after time to the consumers could bankrupt some companies and cause online things just to cost too much to operate. Now I know that is in part what some would like to do, so why have we not taken them on, besides attempting to take them to court?

Just wondering!