How the FBI collars cybercriminals

28.07.2006
Identity theft, hacking for profit, espionage, iPod slurping -- the FBI is increasingly focused on helping organizations fight these and other cybercrimes. Computerworld's Robert L. Mitchell asked several agents what they're seeing in the field and what advice they can offer IT. Andrew G. Arena is special agent in charge of the FBI's criminal division in New York, Matt Heron is assistant special agent in charge of the transnational criminal enterprise branch in New York, and Timothy O'Brien is a special agent with the computer crimes squad in the New York office. Nenette Day, a special agent in Boston, was responsible for a sting operation that recovered the source code stolen from a major computer-aided design software vendor.

You all met recently with corporate CIOs. Why are you seeking them out?

Arena: We're trying to build a relationship with the private sector where they will trust us, where they will be comfortable coming to us if there is an intrusion.

What's on the minds of CIOs you've met?

Arena: Right now, the concern is, What is the FBI going to do? If we go to the FBI, is this going to be in the media the next day? Is our stock price going to go down? Am I going to lose my job? How will we handle it? Are we discreet?

Are you hearing about specific issues?