Billboard from new awareness Campaign FBI photo

A new FBI PR campaign seems to emphasize that spies in the modern age ain’t your Coldwar Commie.

The campaign includes billboards in major cities like the one pictured here, asking the public to be vigilant against spies who may be insiders, like the two Dupont employees charged this year for divulging trade secrets to China. China wanted the recipe for Dupont’s TiO2 white pigment for coloring paint, plastic and paper.

FBI Director Mueller just made a pitch to congress to renew FISA which allows the agency to conduct electronic surveillance on foreigners without a warrant, and CNET reports that the FBI is pushing for legislation to force social networks like Facebook and Twitter, email providers and peer-to-peer networks to become “wiretap friendly”.

Now the FBI is asking the public to pitch in. Perhaps you might spend your lunch break surveilling your cubicle mate for shenanigans.

The FBI’s press release for the new campaign offers warning signs to look for in your shifty coworkers.*

• They work odd hours without authorization.
• Without need or authorization, they take proprietary or other information home in hard copy form and/or on thumb drives, computer disks, or e-mail.
• They unnecessarily copy material, especially if it’s proprietary or classified.
• They disregard company policies about installing personal software or hardware, accessing restricted websites, conducting unauthorized searches, or downloading confidential material.
• They take short trips to foreign countries for unexplained reasons.
• They engage in suspicious personal contacts with competitors, business partners, or other unauthorized individuals.
• They buy things they can’t afford.
• They are overwhelmed by life crises or career disappointments.
• They are concerned about being investigated, leaving traps to detect searches of their home or office or looking for listening devices or cameras.

If you suspect someone in your office may be committing economic espionage, report it to your corporate security officer and to your local FBI office, or submit a tip here.

Shoshanna Utchenik

An internal FBI report that was leaked and made its way onto the Internet this week may unfortunately help some folks with illegal activity.

The website WIRED reports that that an FBI report called “Bitcoin Virtual Currency: Unique Features Present Distinct Challenges for Deterring Illicit Activity,” raises concerns about the anonymous Bitcoin payment network as an alarming haven for money laundering and other criminal activity — including as a tool for hackers to rip off fellow Bitcoin users.

The leaked report unfortunately provides advice for Bitcoin users looking to further protect anonymity. Oops.

That advice: let the FBI help you out:

• Create and use a new Bitcoin address for each incoming payment.
• Route all Bitcoin traffic through an anonymizer.
• Combine the balance of old Bitcoin addresses into a new address to make new payments.
• Use a specialized money-laundering service.
• Use a third-party eWallet service to consolidate addresses. Some third-party services offer the option of creating an eWallet that allows users to consolidate many bitcoin address and store and easily access their bitcoins from any device.
• Individuals can create Bitcoin clients to seamlessly increase anonymity (such as allowing users to choose which Bitcoin addresses to make payments from), making it easier for non-technically savvy users to anonymize their Bitcoin transactions.

To read more click here.

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST

• John Edwards and Harry Thomas Jr.: They didn’t think anyone would notice? (Washington Post)
• FBI Warns Travelers Of Unexplained Pop-Up Window Horror (WIRED)
• Bill Blockbuster: O’s an ‘Amateur’ (New York Post)
• The FBI Took — and Mysteriously Returned — Their Server. Here’s Their Story (MSNBC)
• FBI Reviewing Allegations Against Westerly Police in Man’s Death After Release From Custody (The Republic)

There were a whole lot of new appointments announced at the FBI this week.

Andrew G. McCabe was named assistant director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. He last served as deputy assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division.

Robert Holley/fbi photo

Jennifer R. Sanchez was named assistant director of the Information Technology Services Division (ITSD). Her most recent post was that of the division’s deputy assistant director.

Dean C. Bryant was named special agent in charge of the St. Louis Field Office. He most recently served as the chief of the Critical Incident Response Group’s Hazardous Devices Operations Section near Quantico, Virginia.

Robert J. Holley was named deputy assistant director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, Operations Branch I. Holley most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Indianapolis Division.

John Perren

Steven M. Martinez was named executive assistant director of the Science and Technology Branch.He most recently served as the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Division.

Ralph Boelter

Ralph S. Boelter was named assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Division, the top post in that office. Boelter most recently served as the assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division.

John G. Perren was named  the assistant director of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate. He most recently served as the deputy assistant director of the Criminal Investigative Division. Ticklethewire.com first reported this in March.