Security News > 2020 > February > US Counterintelligence Outlines 5 Key Priorities

The agency that leads counterintelligence efforts for the U.S. has listed five key priorities for the year ahead that go far beyond protecting government secrets.

In documents published by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence on Monday, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center notes that its priorities for 2020 are: protecting critical infrastructure; reducing threats to U.S. supply chains; guarding against the theft of corporation's intellectual property; battling against influence campaigns aimed at undermining democracy; and guarding against the use of new technologies, such as 5G and the internet of things, for spying.

"While past counterintelligence strategies categorized the threat by our top foreign nation-state adversaries, this one focuses on five key areas where foreign intelligence entities are hitting us hardest and where we need to devote greater attention," said William Evanina, the director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center.

Foreign adversaries could exploit vulnerabilities in networks to target businesses and organizations that underpin the U.S. energy sector or financial markets, which would cause widespread disruptions not only in the U.S., but around the world as part of a ripple effect, according to the report.

To counter these types of threats, the center plans to increase information sharing with the private sector as well as develop new procedures to track foreign investment in the U.S. The center also plans to counter the types of foreign influence campaigns that have targeted U.S. citizen and voters with disinformation, especially near election time.

News URL

https://www.inforisktoday.com/us-counterintelligence-outlines-5-key-priorities-a-13711