14 DAY TRIAL // Over the past period, the US government has invested a lot of resources to make sure that the country’s networks are protected against cybercriminals. When it comes to the US Army, the Criminal Investigation Command’s Computer Crimes Investigative Unit (CCIU) is the one that handles the threats from cyberspace.
“CCIU is the U.S. Army's sole entity for conducting worldwide criminal investigations of computer intrusions and related national security threats affecting U.S. Army computers, networks, data and personnel,” Special Agent Daniel Andrews, the director of CCIU, explained.
“Intruders range from non-malicious hackers to those intent upon disrupting a network or website, to foreign intelligence probes, so that makes our mission extremely important not just for CID, but the United States Army.”
Andrews says that their investigations have led to the arrests of soldiers, civilians and foreign nationals from all over the world.
“Regardless of where a crime is committed or the judicial venue in which it's prosecuted, if you commit a crime against the Army, we will find you and bring you to justice,” Andrews said.
A perfect example of the CCIU’s capabilities is the case of the Romanian hacker known as TinKode, who attempted to breach the systems of various US organizations, including the Army and NASA.
The CCIU managed to stop him from gaining access, and pushed on with the investigation to ensure that the attacker would be brought to justice.
Despite the fact that they couldn’t get the case prosecuted in the United States, they were able to prosecute the hacker in Romania in collaboration with their international law enforcement partners.
“Just because a person commits the crime overseas doesn't mean that our investigation stops or that justice won't be carried out. We simply adapt to ensure that in the end, justice is served,” Andrews explained.
The head of the US Army’s CCIU is confident that no one can escape them.
“As the Army continues to move forward by incorporating technology into all aspects of operations, they will become a target of opportunity for cyber criminals. But we will be here to stop them, dead in their tracks,” Andrews concluded.