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**U.S. Department of Justice**        Office of Community Oriented Policing Services            145 N Street, N.E.       Washington, DC 20530		www.cops.usdoj.gov×         Menu         - Home
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**Police are Victims Too:            How to Protect Your Department from            Cybercrime**
 September 2019 | Volume 12 | Issue 8

Cybercriminals are a growing threat to government and law  enforcement—holding municipal and police department internet systems hostage  for ransom, stealing valuable information, and endangering public safety. 

Law enforcement agencies are a target for hackers,  especially hackers interested in stealing or compromising data, and some  departments are especially vulnerable because of outdated technology or inadequate  training. Stopping these criminals isn’t easy, but there are ways to increase  security and minimize risks. 
*Some Best Practices*
Everybody should know the best practices for using  social media and all other forms of electronic communication, including the use  of cloud services. Among other security measures, remind all personnel to do  the following:
- Test USB drives for malware before inserting into department computers. 
- Verify all emailed links before clicking and never open attachments without verifying who the sender is, even if the name is familiar.
- Check email only on a secure network, never in an unsecured public hotspot.
- Encrypt email when sending sensitive or confidential information.
- Make computers less vulnerable to intrusion by always turning them off when unattended.
- Regularly upgrade and test systems.
- Train, test, and frequently remind all personnel of security requirements.
Police departments’ unique vulnerabilities
In addition to searching for the identities of witnesses and  other critical policing data, cybercrooks can tamper with evidence storage  systems and spoof email accounts of vendors and government agencies, sending  fraudulent emails requesting wire transfer payments and employee W-2  information. They can even lock down the department’s entire system in a  ransomware attack. 

          But chasing these bad guys is virtually impossible,  because they themselves are virtual—invisible and often far from their victims,  possibly on the other side of the world, posing daunting technological as well  as jurisdictional challenges. These challenges mean adequate prevention is more  important than any response.
Prevention is the best defense
The front line on data security is high quality  technology, enterprise level anti-virus and malware software with a centralized  dashboard of all devices and notification capabilities, which is upgraded  regularly. But even with the best software or programs, hackers can still get  in. 

          As Mark Gowen, the Information Systems Security Officer  for the COPS Office, says, “There is no such thing as 100 percent safety from cybercrime.  You must always be on the lookout for threats. What’s most important is an  up-to-date system and a culture of cybersecurity, ensuring that all your people  are well aware of the threats and what they must do to protect themselves and  the department.” 

          Gowen maintains that delegating the right person to be  responsible for this is critical. “Cybercrime is an ever evolving threat, and  an agency can’t keep ahead to adequately protect themselves without somebody  dedicated to the task,” he says. 
Sources for no-cost training and support
An information security manager will require professional  training to effectively manage security and train others in the department, Gowen  adds. “But the cost of prevention is far less than the cost of recovery, financial  and otherwise.”

        There are a number of sources for training, including the  following:
- The  FBI’s web site for cybersecurity  resources  and information, much of which is accessible to agencies through  participation with the  Cyber  Shield Alliance  (CSA), an FBI cyber security initiative for law enforcement 
- The International Association of Chiefs of  Police’s (IACP) online  Law Enforcement Cyber Center
- The  National  Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI) , which partners with the U.S. Secret  Service and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, providing training for state  and local law enforcement in network intrusion, digital forensics, and other  issues
- The  U.S. Department of Homeland  Security’s no-cost security assessments  for law enforcement departments 
- The Law Enforcement Cyber Center (LECC) Cyber  Report Card,  the Cyber  Resilience Review (CRR),  and the Cyber Hygiene (CH) Program, a technical  assessment scanning of internet accessible systems for known vulnerabilities  and configuration errors 
Multifactor authentication and other security procedures
But there are also behavioral modifications that can  increase departmental security. Everyone must protect and update passwords;  shred confidential documents; and be vigilant about their laptops, cameras, and  USB drives. 

          The most effective way to protect against this is Multifactor  Authentication (MFA), a two- or more-step authentication process, in which  users must provide a special code or use a passkey or card in addition to their  password. 
Recognizing and reporting intrusions
Most important, all personnel must immediately report any  suspected malware intrusions or breaches of security—even if they aren’t sure  but just think something doesn’t seem right. To help your people respond, provide  guidelines on how to recognize and respond to threats. 

          Gowen recommends testing personnel by sending fake emails  that look real to all personnel. Those who open them and click on links or  attachments get a warning not to open emails from unverified senders. 
Spotting malware
Electronic threats most often come as malicious software,  or malware, which can infect computers and networks. Malware can be detected  several ways. Your computer's operating system may slow down so that it takes  longer than usual to perform basic actions. Or your web browser’s behavior may  change. Popups that keep appearing and can’t be closed are another sign.

          Be especially wary of popups warning of security threats,  as these may be ploys to trick you into downloading malicious software. Avoid  clicking to close them. Instead, close them from the system tray area or  windows taskbar with a right mouse click.
Preventing phishing, watering-hole attacks, and spoofing 
Phishing is the most common way thieves access sensitive  information and infect computer systems. These scams often come as emails and  social media contacts designed to lure you into clicking links or visiting fake  websites that contain malware. 

          Phishing scams are often presented as urgent requests with  dire consequences for not replying by clicking the included link. Typically,  they appear to come from corporations rather than specific people at the  company and use either no salutation or a generic one like "officer" or  "employee.” To see the true destination for the link, hold your cursor over  the URL.

          In a watering hole attack, the perpetrator infects a  frequently visited website with malware to gain access to the victim’s network.  Unsuspecting visitors may download the malware or offer personal information to  the attacker without knowing it. Spoofers send emails in the name of an individual,  company, or institution known to the victim.
If all else fails, backup is critical
If a hacker is successful in locking down or compromising  your network, a backup system and recovery plan can provide the ability to  quickly restore the department’s operating system and all of its data. If there  is recovery system and plan already in place, the designated IT person can  react quickly. 

The  threats are numerous and varied, and these criminals are technologically savvy.  Police departments and sheriffs’ offices should expect to be attacked at some  time; but as in all effective crime fighting strategies, being prepared,  vigilant, and well-armed—in this case, with strong security practices—is your  best defense.

Faye ElkinsSr. Technical Writer        

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The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

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