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☆ US and allies disrupt Russian cyber espionage operation against US and Europe, FBI chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The FBI and its international allies disrupted a network of over 1,000 hacked internet routers that Russia’s military intelligence agency was using for cyber espionage operations against the United States and its European allies, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Thursday. The US has new intelligence on Russian military capabilities related to its efforts to deploy a nuclear anti-satellite system in space, CNN reported Wednesday. Wray’s announcement is the latest move by the FBI to use court orders to try to stifle complex hacking operations from Russian spy agencies. US intelligence agencies also use hacking operations to try to thwart Russia, China and other rival governments. But unlike the FBI’s court-authorized work, details of those US cyber operations rarely, if ever, are made public.

Persons: Christopher Wray, ” Wray, Wray, “ we’ve, Weeks, Russia’s Organizations: CNN, FBI, Munich Security Conference, Justice Department, Russian Embassy, US, “ Locations: United States, Russian, Washington , DC, Munich, Russia, China, Beijing, Ukraine, “ Russia

☆ Top House China hawk to retire, opening seat in battleground Wisconsin
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

His seat in Wisconsin's 8th congressional district is particularly valuable, given the state's battleground status and House Republicans' current rail-thin majority. Despite occasional resistance to his party, Gallagher is still an essential GOP vote representing a key swing state. Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 but lost it to President Joe Biden in 2020. In 2022, Gallagher won roughly 72% of the vote against several third-party candidates but no formal Democrat opponent. He was also appointed to the helm of the House's high-profile China committee, which was created at the start of last year.

Persons: Mike Gallagher, Gallagher, Alejandro Mayorkas, Donald Trump's, Trump, Joe Biden, Gallagher's, Kristin Lyerly, Christopher Wray Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Chinese Communist Party, Marine Corps, House Republicans, Homeland, Trump, Wisconsin, Badger, Democrat, Democratic, GOP, CCP Locations: Wisconsin's, Wisconsin, Washington, China

(AP) — One state lawmaker wants Nebraska to take measures to protect it from cyberattacks. State Sen. Loren Lippincott presented a bill Thursday to the Legislature's government committee that would give the Nebraska State Patrol $200,000 to hire “an ethical hacker.” The hacker would spend his or her days trying to break into the state’s computer network, as well as election equipment and software, to find any vulnerabilities in those systems. His bill also would allow hiring a security company that provide hackers to find weaknesses in the state's system. Lippincott presented the bill on the heels of FBI Director Christopher Wray's warning that Chinese government hackers are targeting critical U.S. infrastructure, including water treatment plants, the electrical grid and transportation systems. If advanced, they would have to survive three rounds of debate to be passed in Nebraska's unique one-chamber Legislature.

Persons: LINCOLN, cyberattacks, Sen, Loren Lippincott, Lippincott, ” Lippincott, Christopher Wray's, “ Organizations: Nebraska State Patrol, Security, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Security Agency, cybersecurity Locations: Neb, Nebraska, Missouri, Georgia

☆ Who Is Robert Hur, Special Counsel on Biden Classified Document Probe?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Kanishka SinghWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Robert Hur, the special counsel appointed to investigate whether President Joe Biden improperly handled sensitive government documents, is a former high-ranking Justice Department official with experience in prosecuting sensitive leak investigations. On Thursday, he concluded that probe and found that Biden retained classified materials about Afghanistan after leaving the vice presidency in 2017 but said he will not be criminally charged. Hur was appointed by Donald Trump in 2018 as the chief federal law enforcement officer in Maryland and left that position in early 2021. Under Hur, the Maryland U.S. attorney's office prosecuted the case of former National Security Agency contractor Harold Martin, who stole huge amounts of classified material from U.S. intelligence agencies. A graduate of Stanford Law School and Harvard College, Hur served as top aide to then-Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein before his appointment as the U.S. attorney in Maryland.

Persons: Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, Robert Hur, Joe Biden, Biden, General Merrick Garland, Hur, Trump, Gibson, Dunn, Garland, Washington . Hur, Donald Trump, Harold Martin, Martin, Rod Rosenstein, William Rehnquist, Christopher Wray, Kanishka Singh, Gram Slattery, Heather Timmons, Jonathan Oatis, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: U.S, Maryland U.S, National Security Agency, Stanford Law School, Harvard College, Supreme, Justice Department, FBI Locations: Afghanistan, U.S, Maryland, Delaware, Washington

☆ Chinese hackers have lurked in some US infrastructure systems for ‘at least five years’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The report would be the most detailed disclosure yet by the US government of the hackers’ stealthy techniques, one aimed at helping private owners of critical infrastructure spot the Chinese hackers in their networks. The hackers’ presence in critical US networks has sparked a monthslong effort by US national security officials to kick the hackers out. The report, which US officials are set to release this week, makes clear that the Chinese hackers’ activity began much earlier than previously known, with the hackers scoping and accessing IT systems years ago. The Beijing-backed hackers have been probing systems that control heating, cooling and water, access that, if exploited, could allow them to manipulate those systems and cause “significant infrastructure failures,” the report says. Canada’s cybersecurity agency “assesses that the direct threat to Canada’s critical infrastructure” from the Chinese hackers “is likely lower” than that to US infrastructure, but that Canada would still likely still be affected by a disruption to US infrastructure due to “cross-border integration,” the document says.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Canada’s, “ Organizations: CNN, FBI, US, Embassy, National Security Agency, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Security Agency Locations: Beijing, China, Taiwan, Washington ,, Guam, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Pacific

☆ CNBC Special Podcast: China’s Corporate Spy War
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

CNBC Documentaries examines the case of a Chinese government spy who tried to steal trade secrets from some of America's biggest companies, including GE, Boeing and Honeywell. Correspondent Eamon Javers talks with prosecutors, intelligence experts and government officials, including the Director of the FBI, Christopher Wray — all of whom say the case is an example of China's desire to dominate global markets through any means necessary, including stealing technology from the heart of corporate America. In this special podcast series, Javers explores the shadowy world of spies and the industrial battle space that has millions of U.S. jobs on the line. "China's Corporate Spy War" originally aired on CNBC in June 2023. To watch China's Corporate Spy War and other CNBC Documentaries go to: https://www.cnbc.com/documentaries/

Persons: Eamon Javers, Christopher Wray —, Javers, China's Organizations: CNBC, GE, Boeing, Honeywell, FBI Locations: America

☆ Trump suggests he would consider a tariff upward of 60% on all Chinese imports if reelected
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Kate Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Former President Donald Trump said Sunday he would consider imposing a tariff upward of 60% on all Chinese imports if he regains the presidency. His remarks come at a time of high economic and other tensions between the US and China. “No, I would say maybe it’s going to be more than that,” Trump said when asked by Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo whether he would consider imposing a 60% tariff, as The Washington Post has reported. As president, Trump slapped tariffs of 25% on $50 billion of Chinese goods in June 2018. But FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Wednesday that Chinese hackers are preparing to “wreak havoc and cause real-world harm” to the US.

Persons: Donald Trump, ” Trump, Maria Bartiromo, Trump, Biden, “, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Christopher Wray, Xi, ” China’s, reunify, CNN’s Jack Forrest, Brad Lendon Organizations: CNN, Fox News, Washington Post, Trump, Party, Taiwan, Taiwan Relations Locations: China, Beijing, Taiwan

☆ Illicit Iranian programs targeted by sanctions and criminal charges, US says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Michael Conte | Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington CNN —The US announced a number of measures including sanctions and criminal charges targeting a range of malicious Iranian initiatives, including their cyberwarfare and drone programs, as well as Iran’s alleged illegal oil trafficking to fund foreign terrorist organizations. Earlier in the day, the Treasury Department announced sanctions against several Iran- and Hong Kong-based companies for allegedly supporting Iran’s drone program and missile production. The three alleged front companies in Hong Kong and an Iranian subsidiary allegedly obtained components, such as engines and carburetors, for Iran’s drone program. Treasury also announced sanctions targeting the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Cyber–Electronic Command and five other senior officials for alleged cyberattacks against critical infrastructure in the US and other countries. That’s a reference to a series of hacks that defaced computers at multiple water utilities in the US in November.

Persons: Biden, ”, General Merrick Garland, Christopher Wray, Brian Nelson, Matthew Miller, That’s, ” John Hultquist, Mandiant, CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz Organizations: Washington CNN, US, Justice Department, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Department, DOJ, FBI, Treasury Department, Treasury, Terrorism, Financial, Command, Google, CNN, Boston Children’s Hospital Locations: Iran, Jordan, Omani, ”, Washington ,, United States, Hong Kong, Iranian, Israel, Boston, Tehran

☆ Chinese hackers would outnumber FBI cyber agents by 50 to 1 even if the agency threw all its resources at China: FBI chief
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

China's hacking capabilities dwarf the FBI's, says FBI chief Christopher Wray. "The PRC has a bigger hacking program than every other major nation combined," Wray told Congress. Wray said Chinese hackers outnumber the FBI's cyber agents by at least 50 to 1. AdvertisementThe FBI is outnumbered and outgunned when it comes to tackling China's hackers, says FBI director Christopher Wray. "In fact, if each one of the FBI's cyber agents and intelligence analysts focused exclusively on the China threat, China's hackers would still outnumber FBI cyber personnel by at least 50 to 1," Wray continued.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Wray, — Organizations: FBI, Service, Business Locations: China

☆ Inside Impeachment’s Rise as a Weapon of Partisan Warfare
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Peter Baker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But Mr. Mayorkas is not as lonely as all that. Republicans have also filed articles of impeachment against his boss, President Biden, as well as Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director, while threatening them against Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. Indeed, threats of impeachment have become a favorite pastime for Republicans following the lead of former President Donald J. Trump, who has pressed his allies for payback for his own two impeachments while in office. The chances of Mr. Mayorkas, much less Mr. Biden, ever being convicted in the Senate, absent some shocking revelation, seem to be just about zero, and the others appear in no serious danger even of being formally accused by the House.

Persons: impeaches Alejandro, Mayorkas, President Biden, Antony J, Lloyd J, Austin III, General Merrick B, Garland, Christopher A, Wray, Pete Buttigieg, Miguel Cardona, Donald J, Trump, Biden Organizations: Republicans, Transportation

☆ Wray’s stunning warning points to a new age of US vulnerability
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“The CCP’s dangerous actions, China’s multi-pronged assault on our national and economic security, make it the defining threat of our generation,” Wray said. Xi promised Biden China wouldn’t interfere in the 2024 presidential election at that meeting, CNN reported exclusively this week. The high-level diplomatic contacts continued last week when national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Bangkok. “This is the cyberspace equivalent of placing bombs on American bridges, water treatment facilities and power plants,” he said. “If you have a cyberattack on that sort of technology, it could affect all signals at once,” Geddes said.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Rick Geddes, ”, Wray, Xi, ” Wray, Joe Biden, Biden, Biden China wouldn’t, Jake Sullivan, Wang Yi, Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, Mike Gallagher of, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Paul Nakasone, Gallagher, Geddes, ” Geddes Organizations: CNN, Cornell, Chinese Communist Party, Communist Party, CCP, South China, –, Capitol, Republican, Democrat, US Cyber Command, “ Locations: Washington, Beijing, United States, China, Taiwan, South, Xi Jinping’s China, California, Biden China, Bangkok, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Illinois

☆ FBI: 'Financial sextortion' of teens is a 'rapidly escalating threat.' How parents can protect their kids
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Cavan Images | Cavan | Getty Images"Financial sextortion," a type of cybercrime that targets teens and tweens, is on the rise. "Sextortion is a rapidly escalating threat," FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Senate Judiciary Committee in December. Financial sextortion is the fastest-growing crime targeting children in North America and Australia, according to the Network Contagion Research Institute. Wealthy parents are more likely to be lenient about social media use. How to protect your kids from sextortion

Persons: Christopher Wray, Sen, Dick Durbin, Criminals, Tracy Kitten, Kitten, didn't, Oladosu, sextortion Organizations: Getty, FBI, Finance, Network, Research, Yahoo Boys, Meta, Strategy, U.S, YouTube Locations: Cavan, North America, Australia, African, U.S, Nigerian, bitcoin, sextortion

☆ Chinese hackers are preparing to 'wreak havoc' on US electrical grids, water treatment plants, and oil and gas pipelines: FBI director
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewFBI Director Christopher Wray warned that Chinese hackers are targeting critical US infrastructure in a bid to potentially "wreak havoc" on the lives of ordinary Americans in testimony to Congress. Speaking to the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party on Wednesday, Wray said that China is seeking to infiltrate electrical grids, water treatment plants, oil and gas networks, and transport systems. AdvertisementWray's testimony comes after the Justice Department announced that it had disrupted a group of Chinese hackers who infiltrated old routers belonging to private citizens and small businesses. The sole purpose is to be ready to destroy American infrastructure, which would inevitably result in chaos, confusion, and potentially mass casualties." The House select committee Wray testified to was created to counter the intensified threat posed by China, a rare example of bipartisan consensus amid Washington's stark partisan divides.

Persons: —, Christopher Wray, Wray, They're, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Mike Gallagher Organizations: Service, Chinese Communist Party, Business, Justice Department, FBI, CNN Locations: China, San Francisco, Taiwan, Ukraine, South China, Wisconsin

FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday warned Congress about a range of threats against the U.S., from Chinese hackers to heightened terrorist risks after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The FBI director has long warned about the Chinese government’s hacking capabilities. Cyberattacks and disinformation warfare can work in tandem, Wray warned. He also noted that AI can enhance foreign adversaries abilities to collect personal data and feed it into disinformation and influence operations. Heightened Terrorist Risk“We are, since Oct. 7, in a heightened threat environment from various forms of terrorist risk,” Wray warned, alluding to Hamas’ attack on Israel last year.

Persons: Christopher Wray, ” Wray, ” TikTok, Wray, ”, “ Organizations: Wednesday, U.S, Chinese Communist Party, FBI, Intelligence Locations: Israel, U.S, China, PRC, Iran

☆ FBI director warns that Chinese hackers are preparing to ‘wreak havoc’ on US critical infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday warned that Chinese hackers are preparing to “wreak havoc and cause real-world harm” to the US. Chinese government-backed hackers, Wray said, are targeting things like water treatment plants, electrical infrastructure and oil and natural gas pipelines, Wray said. The Chinese hackers are working “to find and prepare to destroy or degrade the civilian critical infrastructure that keeps us safe and prosperous,” Wray said. The hearing comes in the wake of a big push by US and Chinese officials to ease tensions in the relationship between the two superpowers. We have made it easy on them,” Jen Easterly, who leads the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, told lawmakers.

Persons: Christopher Wray, “, ” Wray, Wray, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Xi, “ China’s, Jen, Paul Nakasone, ” Nakasone, CNN’s Evan Perez Organizations: CNN, Chinese Communist Party, National Security Agency, Infrastructure Security Agency, FBI, Justice Department Locations: China, Taiwan, America

☆ FBI shuts down China's 'Volt Typhoon' hackers targeting U.S. infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Justice Department and FBI identified the attacks and shut down aspects of the Volt Typhoon malware, Wray said. Microsoft in May warned that Volt Typhoon hackers had been active since 2021 and were targeting U.S. cyber infrastructure. The hacks have become increasingly sophisticated, Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said at the hearing. She explained that Chinese hackers are able to "live within a computer's operating system" in a way that makes them difficult to identify. In July, Chinese hackers also compromised the email accounts of the U.S. ambassador to China and other officials.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Wray, they're, that's, Shou Zi Chew Organizations: FBI, Justice Department, Microsoft, Infrastructure Security Agency, Communist Party, NBC News, British Locations: China, U.S, London, Taiwan

☆ Chinese hackers are determined to 'wreak havoc' on U.S. critical infrastructure, FBI director warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese government hackers are busily targeting water treatment plants, the electrical grid, transportation systems and other critical infrastructure inside the United States, FBI Director Chris Wray will tell House lawmakers on Wednesday in a fresh warning from Washington about Beijing's global ambitions. "China's hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities, if or when China decides the time has come to strike," Wray will say. The comments align with assessments from outside cybersecurity firms including Microsoft, which said in May that state-backed Chinese hackers have been targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and could be laying the technical groundwork for the potential disruption of critical communications between the U.S. and Asia during future crises. The following month, Mandiant said that suspected state-backed Chinese hackers had used a security hole in a popular email security appliance to break into the networks of hundreds of public and private sector organizations globally. The Chinese government has lashed out at the committee, demanding that its members "discard their ideological bias and zero-sum Cold War mentality."

Persons: Chris Wray, Wray, Mandiant, they're, Mike Gallagher of Organizations: Chinese Communist Party, Microsoft, U.S, Republican Rep Locations: United States, Washington, China, Asia, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin

☆ China Is Targeting U.S. Infrastructure and Could ‘Wreak Chaos,’ F.B.I. Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Adam Goldman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Christopher A. Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, warned on Wednesday that China was ramping up an extensive hacking operation geared at taking down the United States’ power grid, oil pipelines and water systems in the event of a conflict over Taiwan. Mr. Wray, appearing before a House subcommittee on China, offered an alarming assessment of the Chinese Communist Party’s efforts. Its intent is to sow confusion, sap the United States’ will to fight and hamper the American military from deploying resources if the dispute over Taiwan, a major flashpoint between the two superpowers, escalates into a war, he added. Before his testimony, F.B.I. “China’s hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities, if or when China decides the time has come to strike,” said Mr. Wray, who pressed the committee to increase funding for the bureau.

Persons: Christopher A, Wray, ” Organizations: Federal Bureau of, Communist, Justice, Volt Typhoon Locations: China, United States, Taiwan, States, Beijing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chinese government hackers are busily targeting water treatment plants, the electrical grid, transportation systems and other critical infrastructure inside the United States, FBI Director Chris Wray will tell House lawmakers on Wednesday in a fresh warning from Washington about Beijing's global ambitions. “China’s hackers are positioning on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc and cause real-world harm to American citizens and communities, if or when China decides the time has come to strike,” Wray will say. The comments align with assessments from outside cybersecurity firms including Microsoft, which said in May that state-backed Chinese hackers have been targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and could be laying the technical groundwork for the potential disruption of critical communications between the U.S. and Asia during future crises. The following month, Mandiant said that suspected state-backed Chinese hackers had used a security hole in a popular email security appliance to break into the networks of hundreds of public and private sector organizations globally. The Chinese government has lashed out at the committee, demanding that its members “discard their ideological bias and zero-sum Cold War mentality.”

Persons: Chris Wray, Wray, “, ” Wray, Mandiant, they’re, Mike Gallagher of Organizations: WASHINGTON, Chinese Communist Party, Microsoft, U.S, Republican Rep Locations: United States, Washington, China, Asia, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin

☆ Maryland won a tentative victory in the race for a new FBI headquarters, a potential economic boon for a majority Black county near DC
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"And he recognized the importance of the FBI for Maryland and in particular for Prince George's County." Related storiesPrince George's County, the majority-Black county directly to the east of Washington, DC, has for years had one of the most affluent Black populations of any jurisdiction in the country. But compared to Northern Virginia localities like Fairfax County, which has been an economic powerhouse for decades, Prince George's County hasn't enjoyed a similar level of economic development. "We have 4% of leased federal office space in Prince George's County," Hoyer told me, while also pointing out that the county is home to roughly 20% of the Washington region's federal workers. "We're absolutely convinced that everything was done properly," Hoyer told me.

Persons: Wes Moore, Steny Hoyer, —, Edgar Hoover, Ben Cardin, Chris Van Hollen, Hoyer, Robert Mueller, Mueller, Moore's, George's County, Prince, Prince George's County hasn't, ERIC BARADAT, Moore, Christopher Wray, We're, I've Organizations: GSA, FBI, Gov, Virginia, Service, Metro, Maryland Gov, Maryland, Democratic Rep, Democratic, eventual, Prince, Getty, Washington, Marine Corps Base Quantico, General Service Administration Locations: Maryland, Virginia, Greenbelt , Maryland, Prince George's County, Maryland Sens, George's, Black, Washington, Northern Virginia, Fairfax County, AFP, Prince George's, Fairfax

☆ China and cybercriminals are targeting American AI companies, FBI Director Wray says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-09 | by ( Ian Thomas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

American companies like Google , Microsoft , and OpenAI are currently driving the cutting edge of generative artificial intelligence development across the globe. However two of U.S.'s top national security leaders said that AI lead is under attack from foreign cybercriminals and nation-states like China. "Eighteen of the 20 most successful AI companies in the world are American," FBI Director Christopher Wray told CNBC's Morgan Brennan during a CNBC CEO Council virtual roundtable on Tuesday. "Generative AI, in the world of cyberattacks, is what I would describe as taking kind of junior varsity athletes and making them varsity," Wray said. But while much of the discussion around AI in the cybersecurity space has centered on how AI is enhancing both attackers and defenders, Wray said the FBI is also focused on "defending American AI [research and development], American innovation in AI."

Persons: Christopher Wray, CNBC's Morgan Brennan, Wray, General Paul Nakasone, Nakasone Organizations: Google, Microsoft, CNBC, Cyber Command, National Security Agency, Central Security Service Locations: China, U.S

☆ FBI chief to urge Senate panel to renew US global surveillance power
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Andrew Goudsward | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FBI Director Christopher Wray attends a House Homeland Security Committee hearing examining worldwide threats to the U.S., on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 15, 2023. “Stripping the FBI of its 702 authorities would be a form of unilateral disarmament,” Wray will tell the Democratic-led Senate Judiciary Committee during an oversight hearing, according to excerpts of his testimony released by the FBI. A bipartisan team of U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation last month to impose new limits on searches of Americans' communications and prohibit so-called "backdoor" searches which invoke foreign intelligence justifications to spy on Americans. Wray plans to tell the Senate panel that the FBI will be “good stewards of our authorities,” citing reforms he said the FBI has already made in response to criticism of law enforcement’s use of the law. Reporting by Andrew Goudsward Editing by Don Durfee and Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Elizabeth Frantz, ” Wray, Wray, Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s, Hunter, Andrew Goudsward, Don Durfee, Kim Coghill Organizations: Homeland Security, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Foreign Intelligence, Democratic, FBI, U.S, U.S . Capitol, Thomson Locations: U.S, Washington , U.S, United States, Iran, China

☆ FBI director says bureau is working ‘around the clock’ against potential attacks inspired by Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

FBI Director Christopher Wray said Tuesday that the bureau is working “around the clock” to “identify and disrupt” potential attacks by individuals inspired by the Hamas attacks on October 7. “Given the steady drumbeat of calls for attacks by foreign terrorist organizations since October 7th, we’re working around the clock to identify and disrupt potential attacks by those inspired by Hamas’s horrific terrorist attacks in Israel,” Wray said in his opening remarks before the Senate Judiciary Committee at a hearing Tuesday. His comments echo previous warnings of threats to the United States. He made similar remarks to other congressional committees. The law enables the US government to obtain intelligence by targeting non-Americans overseas who are using US-based communications services.

Persons: Christopher Wray, “, we’re, ” Wray, ”, Wray, we’ve Organizations: FBI, Foreign Intelligence Locations: Israel, United States

☆ Watchdog to Probe FBI Headquarters Selection Process
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Sadie Gurman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

FBI Director Christopher Wray has cited a potential conflict of interest in the site-selection process. Photo: elizabeth frantz/ReutersWASHINGTON—A government watchdog is launching an investigation into how the Biden administration chose a suburban Maryland site for the FBI’s new headquarters after Director Christopher Wray and Virginia lawmakers accused a political appointee of inappropriately interfering with the siting decision. Robert Erickson, acting inspector general for the General Services Administration, told lawmakers Thursday his office would immediately probe the decision to relocate the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s main campus to Greenbelt, Md., after a decadelong drama that engulfed the site-selection process.

Persons: Christopher Wray, elizabeth frantz, Biden, Robert Erickson Organizations: Reuters WASHINGTON, General Services Administration, Federal Bureau Locations: Maryland, Virginia, Investigation’s, Greenbelt, Md

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Texas man who was the first arrest by a Justice Department task force that investigates threats to election workers has been sentenced to two years in prison over posts made following the 2020 election, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday. Chad Christopher Stark, 55, was accused of posting threatening messages on Craigslist about killing government officials in Georgia. “Christopher Stark threatened the lives of multiple election workers in an attempt to prevent them from doing their job,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement. Political Cartoons View All 1273 ImagesStark’s arrest was the first by the Justice Department's Election Threats Task Force, which was launched in 2021 amid a rising tide of violent threats against people who count and secure the vote. The threats followed former President Donald Trump making repeated unproven claims that election fraud cost him the 2020 presidential election.

Persons: —, Chad Christopher Stark, Stark, “ Christopher Stark, Christopher Wray, ”, Donald Trump Organizations: WASHINGTON, Justice Department, Justice, Force Locations: Texas, Georgia, Austin

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