Sue Gordon, Former Principal Deputy Director for Office of the Director of National Intelligence and Matt Olsen, Uber Chief Trust and Security Officer and Former Director of National Counterterrorism Center, engaged in a panel discussion at CNBC’s @ Work conference in San Francisco, CA on November 4, 2019.
Arun Nevader | CNBC
The Department of Justice declared the establishment of a new unit within its National Security Division dedicated to combatting cyber threats posed by nation-state and state-backed hackers. This move formalizes an increasingly crucial aspect of the national security infrastructure within the Justice Department’s framework.
In a statement, Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen affirmed that this new unit would enable the DOJ’s national security team to “enhance the scale and velocity of disruption campaigns and prosecutions against nation-state threat actors, state-sponsored cyber criminals, affiliated money launderers, and other cyber-enabled threats to national security.”
The Department of Justice has been vigorously pursuing state-backed cyber actors, especially those originating from China or North Korea. This emphasis on China as a top cybersecurity concern has been echoed by key national security officials beyond the DOJ, including the United States’ top cybersecurity official.
Notably, the announcement made no direct reference to Chinese cyber efforts, which CISA director Jen Easterly recently described as an “epoch-defining threat.”
Criminal activities related to corporate and industrial espionage have long been a concern for high-ranking government and corporate executives, particularly due to allegations of Chinese entities attempting to advance their technology through the exploitation of U.S. innovation and research.
Last month, the Secretary of the Navy confirmed that a China-backed hacking group had “impacted” the navy’s operations by seeking intelligence and data.
The release did, however, highlight the threat posed by Russian malware and ransomware groups, which industry experts characterize as powerful but lacking coordination and strategic planning compared to Chinese incursions.
While Chinese hacking groups primarily focus on intelligence gathering, Russian and North Korean groups often seek to extort their victims for financial gain, thus generating revenue for themselves or their governments.
“NatSec Cyber will function as an incubator, enabling us to dedicate resources to the time-intensive and complex investigative work required for early-stage cases,” stated Olsen.
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