FBI

The terrorism threat to the United States from international sources as well as domestic actors is evolving, officials say. On the international side, with the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the fall of the Afghan government and the Taliban takeover of that country last month, intelligence leaders fully expect Al-Qaeda to gain strength and capabilities in Afghanistan to be able to threaten the United States in the next one-to-two years.

“The current assessment, conservatively, is one-to-two years for Al Qaeda to build some capability to threaten the United States,” said Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, USA, director, Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).

From the virtual realm to zero gravity, China is posing a serious threat to U.S. national security that goes far beyond the Earth. With a strategic thrust designed to buttress and expand the reach of the Chinese Communist Party, the country is engaged in a long march for control that currently includes operations inside the United States as well as in orbit and beyond.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a unique role as a federal law enforcement agency as well as a national security department. Its vast information technology enterprise must support its functionality in carrying out these roles, which have different rules of engagement. And when adding new tools, processes or software, the bureau has to consider solutions carefully. With zero trust architecture—a method that combines user authentication, authorization and monitoring; visibility and analytics; automation and orchestration; end user device activity; applications and workload; network and other infrastructure measures; and data tenants to provide more advanced cybersecurity—gaining use in the U.S.

The FBI’s pilot iris recognition program initiated in 2013 will likely be fully operational this fall, possibly by October 1. The agency also is developing tools to detect fingerprints that have been deliberately mutilated and a scanner large enough to get a print of the entire palm along with all five fingerprints.

Government agencies are working together much more effectively as they counter terrorism and state-sponsored attacks in cyberspace. But more remains to be done as adversaries introduce new tactics and capabilities.

A panel comprising the top U.S. intelligence officials reviewed these issues as they closed out the AFCEA/INSA Intelligence & National Security Summit on September 5. Their points ranged from foreign interference in U.S. elections to cooperation—or the lack thereof—from industry with the U.S. government.

The United States faces a “toxic mix of threats,” Dan Coats, the director of National Intelligence, testified today before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence while unveiling the annual Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

You’ve probably received a phone call that goes something like this: “Mr. Smith? I’m calling from ABC company, and there appears to be a security problem with XYZ operating systems. Are you at your computer right now? We can fix the problem for you. All you have to do open your computer, and I’ll take care of it.”

U.S. lawmakers launched a bipartisan bid to boost the Department of Homeland Security's powers to better oversee cybersecurity compliance by federal agencies and intervene when they might fail to safeguard their networks.  

The Senate bill would strengthen the department's ability to enforce cybersecurity standards governmentwide, and “in the event that a federal agency chooses not to do so, [the] DHS would have the authority to stand in … and prevent worse damages from occurring,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said in announcing her plans to submit the bill to the full Senate on Tuesday. 

The significant federal government cyberbreach that let hackers swipe the personal data of more than 4 million current and former federal employees has all the trappings of a targeted nation-state attack aimed at gleaning critical information on federal workers; and current cyber protection methods might not be enough to prevent future attacks, one expert says.

Hackers breached computer systems of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in December, stealing data including Social Security numbers, job assignments, performance reviews, insurance details and training certificates. Officials detected the breach in April.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has transformed into an organization with intelligence as its core of operations, according to its director. This approach strengthens the bureau’s traditional activities of crime solving, and it enhances its work protecting the country against enemies within its borders.

In a closing plenary speech, FBI Director James Comey described these activities at the AFCEA/INSA Intelligence and National Security Summit 2014, held September 18-19 in Washington, D.C. Comey explained that the bureau built on reforms begun by his predecessor, and they give the FBI increased strength in all its operations.

General Dynamics Information Technology, Fairfax, Virginia, has been awarded three task orders to provide information technology (IT) services under the Federal Bureau of Investigation Information Technology Supplies and Support Services (FBI IT Triple S) contract. The task orders have a combined value of $19 million over eight years.

Louis F. Quijas has been named assistant director of the FBI's new Office of Law Enforcement Coordination, Washington, D.C.

Mary F. Rook has been named special agent in charge of the FBI's Anchorage Division.