Primary tabs

View
Show Changes(active tab)

Status message

No visible changes

Key to Changes

This text is Revised text

This word has been added to the text

This text is Last Published text

This word has been removed from the text

Modifed styling with no visual changes

Strategic Objective

Combat cyber-based threats and attacks

Strategic Objective

Combat cyber-based threats and attacks, through the use of all available tools, strong private-public partnerships, and the investigation and prosecution of cyber threat actors

Lead Office: CRM

Themes:

National Defense Administration of Justice

DOJ.gov

Facebook Twitter Linkdin Mail RSS

XML

CSV

Overview
Progress Update

Overview

A range of cyber activities can diminish our security and siphon off valuable economic assets. A growing number of sophisticated state and non-state actors have both the desire and the capability to steal sensitive data, trade secrets, and intellectual property for military and competitive advantage. The other major national security threat in cyberspace is cyber-enabled terrorism. The Department believes that it is a question of when, not if, there will be attempts to do so.

The cyber threat demands ready and fluid means of sharing information and coordinating

Progress Update

Strategic Objective Review Summary of Findings: On track and making satisfactory progress

A key component of DOJ’s strategy for combating cyber-based threats and intrusions is to prevent such threats from developing into incidents or criminal cases. Cyber-based threats are prevented by establishing successful relationships with other law enforcement agencies and members of the intelligence community; outreach to and information sharing with victims; the collection of intelligence about such threats; of business transactions and license applications for national security concerns; and providing guidance to other Executive Branch departments and agencies on complex and novel legal and policy questions. Once an intrusion occurs, the Department’s investigators and prosecutors conduct investigations with the objective of arresting and prosecuting those responsible or otherwise disrupting and deterring that activity.

DOJ uses a combination of civil, criminal, and administrative authorities (e.g., civil injunctions and seizure and forfeiture) to prevent and disrupt cyber threats such as computer intrusions. Although narrowly missing its 2015 target, the FBI achieved 479 computer intrusion program disruptions and dismantlements in FY 2015, and attained 2,492 during 2014. The Department also consistently surpasses its target of resolving 90 percent of its cyber cases favorably; achieving 100 percent in FY 2015. Notable case successes include the largest law enforcement cyber action in U.S. history – the takedown of Blackshades; a particularly insidious computer malware, sold and distributed to thousands of people in more than 100 countries. Alex Yücel, the co-creator of Blackshades, pled guilty to one count of distribution of malicious software in February 2015. Another successful case for DOJ was U.S. v. Christopher Glenn. A former cleared military contractor, Glenn pled guilty in January 2015 to a computer intrusion to obtain national defense information, and later was sentenced to 120 months in prison. Another success was the takedown of GameOverZeus (GOZ). GOZ infected between 500K – 1M computers worldwide and caused more than $100 million in financial losses to businesses and consumers in the United States.

The FBI’s Next Generation Cyber initiative further enhanced the Department’s leading role in investigating and countering domestic threats to the nation’s cyber security, developing and using Cyber Task Forces (CTFs) in all 56 FBI field offices. CTFs focus exclusively on cyber security to counter threats posed by terrorists, nation-state actors, and criminal cyber actors. To support prioritization and action with regard to cyber-security threats, in FY 2015, NSD also reorganized to create a new Deputy Assistant Attorney General to oversee national asset protection, foreign investment review, and cross-divisional cyber efforts.

Challenges related to this objective include increased use of encryption in communications; personnel recruitment and retention; potential statute reforms imposing additional resource demands; keeping pace with more sophisticated cyber threat actors and tools; and privacy constraints. To mitigate these risks, the Department will continue to recruit, hire and train qualified cyber-skilled professionals, as well as deliver continuing education for cyber investigators and prosecutors. Through the National Security Cyber Specialist and Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property coordinator networks, NSD will train additional Assistant U.S. Attorneys in criminal and national security related to cyber investigations. The Department will also continue to invest in information technology that addresses cyber vulnerabilities, and continue to deploy the innovative use of civil, criminal, and foreign intelligence authorities to counter the advanced and ever-evolving tactics, techniques, and procedures of criminal and national security cyber actors.

Expand All

Strategic Goals

Strategic Goal:

Prevent Terrorism and Promote the Nation’s Security Consistent with the Rule of Law

Statement:

Prevent Terrorism and Promote the Nation’s Security Consistent with the Rule of Law

Strategic Objectives

Prevent, disrupt, and defeat terrorist operations before they occur

Statement:

Prevent, disrupt, and defeat terrorist operations before they occur by integrating intelligence and law enforcement efforts to achieve a coordinated response to terrorist threats

Description:

Combating terrorism is DOJ’s top priority. The Attorney General, acting primarily through the FBI, has principal investigative responsibility for all criminal acts of terrorism (18 U.S.C. § 2332b(f)). A key tenet of this objective is to ensure that intelligence and law enforcement agencies are able to use all available tools to investigate vigorously and prevent acts of terrorism in a manner consistent with law.

Learn More

FY 14-15 Priority Goal: National Security

Statement:

National Security: Protect Americans from terrorism and other threats to National Security, including cyber security threats.

By September 30, 2015, the Department of Justice will: Disrupt 175 terrorist threats and groups and disrupt and dismantle 600 cyber threat actors.

Description:

Terrorism is the most significant national security threat that the country faces. Accordingly, the Department’s number one priority is, and will continue to be, protecting the security of this Nation’s citizens. The Administration has recognized that terrorism cannot be defeated by military means alone. The Department of Justice serves at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, providing a broad spectrum of tools, resources, and skills to combat terrorists. Specifically, the Department’s agents, analysts, and prosecutors will continue to use every available resource and appropriate tool to detect, deter, and disrupt terrorist plots, investigate and prosecute terrorists, and aid in developing rule of law programs in post-conflict countries to help prevent terrorism abroad. The Department will aggressively pursue emerging threats around the world and at home, enhance the ability to gather and analyze actionable intelligence, and engage in outreach efforts to all communities in order to prevent terrorism before it occurs.

Cyber activities, likewise, constitute a growing threat to our national security. As an initial matter, an increasing number of sophisticated state and non-state actors have both the desire and the capability to steal sensitive data, trade secrets, and intellectual property for military and competitive advantage. In addition, cyber-enabled terrorism poses a viable threat to national security. Although the United States has not yet encountered terrorist organizations using the Internet to launch a full-scale cyber-attack, the Department believes that it is a question of when, not if, they will attempt to do so. The cyber threat demands ready and fluid means of sharing information and coordinating actions and responses. In order to successfully investigate and disrupt cyber threats, the Department must be creative and forward-looking in its approach, considering what kinds of tools, investigations, and outreach can be launched now to lay the groundwork for future cyber protective efforts.

Learn More

Prosecute those involved in terrorist acts

Statement:

Prosecute those involved in terrorist acts

Description:

Vigorously investigating and prosecuting terrorism offenses is a critical tool in the effort to incapacitate terrorists, gather valuable intelligence, and deter future acts of terrorism. Since September 11, 2001, DOJ’s counterterrorism successes include achieving numerous criminal convictions of high-profile terrorists, defeating would-be terrorists, and protecting the Nation through prevention efforts. The investigation, disruption, and prosecution of terrorism will continue to be the top priority for the Department.

Learn More

Investigate and prosecute espionage activity against the United States

Statement:

Investigate and prosecute espionage activity against the United States, strengthen partnerships with potential targets of intelligence intrusions, and proactively prevent insider threats

Description:

Foreign espionage strikes at the heart of U.S. national security, impacting political, military and economic arenas. The foreign intelligence threat to the United States is expanding, becoming more complex and less predictable. While traditional threats to national defense, military operations and policy, and intelligence, and science and technology remain, many intelligence threats are expanding their targets to include the burgeoning population of cleared defense contractors and other sectors affecting U.S. security, most notably sensitive economic information and emerging proprietary technology. Concurrently, foreign threats now have sophisticated networks of governmental and non-governmental entities using a wide array of intelligence collection platforms and engaging in long-term efforts to obtain sensitive information and threaten the security of the United States.

The Department will combat espionage by, among other things, vigorously investigating and prosecuting violations of espionage statutes and regulations. Additionally, DOJ will investigate and prosecute violations of export control and embargo statutes and regulations by combining intelligence and law enforcement to target individuals and networks involved in the illicit trafficking of controlled technologies and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and will expand its export control initiative to ensure nationwide coverage.

Learn More

Combat cyber-based threats and attacks

Statement:

Combat cyber-based threats and attacks, through the use of all available tools, strong private-public partnerships, and the investigation and prosecution of cyber threat actors

Description:

Learn More

FY 14-15 Priority Goal: National Security

Statement:

National Security: Protect Americans from terrorism and other threats to National Security, including cyber security threats.

By September 30, 2015, the Department of Justice will: Disrupt 175 terrorist threats and groups and disrupt and dismantle 600 cyber threat actors.

Description:

Learn More

Agency Priority Goals

FY 14-15: National Security

Statement:

National Security: Protect Americans from terrorism and other threats to National Security, including cyber security threats.

By September 30, 2015, the Department of Justice will: Disrupt 175 terrorist threats and groups and disrupt and dismantle 600 cyber threat actors.

Description:

Learn More

Agency Priority Goals

FY 14-15 Agency Priority Goal:

National Security

Statement:

National Security: Protect Americans from terrorism and other threats to National Security, including cyber security threats.

By September 30, 2015, the Department of Justice will: Disrupt 175 terrorist threats and groups and disrupt and dismantle 600 cyber threat actors.

Description:

Learn More

Download
Featured Report

Agency Plans and Reports

Agency Strategic Plan