EC Event - 2017 Counterintelligence Symposium

On April 26th, 2017, the Sonoran Chapter of the Society of Industrial Security Professionals held the Counterintelligence Symposium at the downtown Tucson Fire Station.  There were a variety of state and federal agents representing agencies including the FBI and Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS).  Speakers discussed different topics in regards to information security, industrial security and intellectual property (IP).

Special Agent Huerta from the BIS' Phoenix field office went into great depth on case studies and 'red flags' concerning the US Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement (OEE).  This was an important presentation because he discussed the regulations that are designed to prevent American exports from being used in efforts to compromise US national security.  The OEE targets WMD development, terrorist groups and unauthorized military end-use.  When American corporations do not adhere to the OEE's export regulations, their technologies and information systems become vulnerable to these third parties.

OEE agents collaborate with the private sect to foster compliance.  This is important in preventing security and information breaches.  For example, an American company that produces triggered spark gaps to test for kidney stones in a medical setting were illegally exported to South Africa because they do not require a license.  These spark gaps were then transported to Pakistan which were used as detonators for WMDs.  If this company had followed the BIS' protocol, this issue would have never occurred.  And this is why BIS enforcement is important.  We do not want American parts being used in foreign nuclear weapon development.  This was only one of 47 administrative cases that were conducted by the BIS in 2017.

In the end, the symposium emphasized the importance of security professionals doing their 'due diligence' in applying OEE regulations to their company's export operation.  Although the BIS' federal funding was cut by 15% since last year, the department's role in maintaining national security is becoming increasingly more important with the advancement of information systems and technologies.