"to track money through the blockchain"
The assumption that there is a single global blockchain seems extremely naive, as are the apparent concomitant assumptions that all transactions will be recorded in any blockchain, or even if the relevant transactions are recorded in some blockchain that we will be able to identify it.
The proposed default policy of counter-attack seems equally naive. It will do nothing to stem the tide of cyber crime, as it will not diminish the population (or the long term resource base) of attackers. The inevitable result will be, as the US has experienced in the physical arena (e.g. Afghanistan), endless skirmish in enemy territory, rather than subduing that enemy. This will also have world-wide adverse repercussions as cyber threats have no national boundaries (witness notPetya). We'd be better served by a general improvement of our defences - concentrating on pre-emptive resilience so attacks don't succeed so often. Sadly, that's harder and less demonstrative than hitting back in individual instances, so it probably won't be considered.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
