Threat Management

Experts: Commerce Departments intelligence resources lacking

The U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security has been noted by experts to lack the intelligence resources required to protect U.S. tech exports from Chinese cybersecurity threats, reports CyberScoop. Eighty-six of all technology export licenses have been approved by the BIS last year, while nearly 90% of all tech sale licenses to China have been OK'd during the past 10 years, figures which experts noted were exceedingly high considering the national security risks posed by military uses of many of the approved technologies. "They could use better intelligence, theres no doubt about it. They have not made the transition to China being a national security problem," said American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Derek Scissors. Moreover, former BIS Chief Nazak Nikakhtar testified during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in June that China's threat to various products' supply chains has long been ignored by the Commerce Department. However, BIS noted that it has been collaborating with the intelligence community. "As the threat environment has evolved as it relates to nation-state threats, new technologies, and an expanding array of contested domains, we are constantly working to build on those relationships, bring on additional resources, and leverage all sources of information to fulfill our critical and expanding mission," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez.

Get daily email updates

SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news

By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.