Director, Counterintelligence 

 

NASA CI/CT MONTHLY NEWS UPDATE – March 2016 

This monthly newsletter is published to increase NASA personnel 

awareness of significant current issues related to counterintelligence, 

counterterrorism, and counterintelligence cyber matters. To learn more 

about CI/CT awareness, or to schedule a CI/CT presentation, please 

contact the CI POC located on the last page. 

Significant Counterterrorism (CT) Issues: 

HOMEGROWN EXTREMISTS TOP TERROR THREAT LIST SAYS DNI 

Homegrown extremists probably will “continue to pose the most significant 

Sunni terrorist threat to the U.S. Homeland in 2016,” Director of National 

Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper said in a summary for Congress. 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-08/homegrown-extremists-top-listof-terrorist-threats-clapper-says

U.S. OFFICIALS BELIEVE ISIS WILL ATTACK AMERICA THIS YEAR 

Lt. Gen. Stewart, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), told 

the Senate Armed Services Committee that ISIS "will probably attempt to 

conduct additional attacks in Europe, and attempt to direct attacks on the 

US homeland in 2016." 

http://www.witn.com/home/headlines/-US-officials-think-ISIS-will-attack-America-this-year--

368712021.html?utm_source=360Works%20CloudMail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NewsWatch

Significant Counterintelligence Issues: 

EXPERTS CITE ESPIONAGE PATTERNS IN ENGINEER’S ACTS

An Iranian-American engineer, naturalized in 1985, gets a job with the Navy 

and holds a secret clearance. He also allegedly maintained a sophisticated web 

of identities to shuffle money from foreign bank accounts, hold addresses in at 

least four states and lie about his Iranian passport for at least 30 years. 

http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2016/02/26/navsea-engineer-securityclearance-possible-espionage-james-baker-majid-karimi/80992946/

DID CHINA’S MILITARY DRONE ESPIONAGE PAY OFF IN THE END? 

China’s industrial espionage appears to have paid off in the drone market. 

The really interesting developments will come when the Chinese begin to 

export drones based on what the United States believes to be proprietary 

American technology. 

http://thediplomat.com/2016/02/did-chinas-military-drone-technology-espionage-payoff-in-the-end/?utm_source=360Works%20CloudMail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NewsWatch

(b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C)
Significant Cyber Issues: 

TOP US SPY CHIEF: CHINA STILL SUCCESSFUL IN CYBER ESPIONAGE 

The DNI Mr. James Clapper, delivered his 2016 annual threat briefing to the 

Senate Armed Forces Committee, noting that China remains engaged in 

malicious activities in cyberspace against the United States, despite a U.S.-

Chinese bilateral agreement to refrain from conducting or knowingly 

supporting commercial cyber-espionage. 

http://thediplomat.com/2016/02/top-us-spy-chief-china-still-successful-in-cyber-espionage-against-us/

RUSSIA TO SPEND $250M STRENGTHENING CYBER-OFFENSIVE CAPABILITIES 

Russia plans to significantly strengthen its cyber-offensive capabilities, and 

intends to create a cyber-deterrent that will equate to the role played by nuclear 

weapons. 

http://www.scmagazine.com/russia-to-spend-250m-strengthening-cyber-offensivecapabilities/article/471196/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&ut

m_term=%2ASituation%20Report

 

Analyst Notes – Items to Watch: 

 The 2016 DNI and DIA worldwide threat assessments dominated the February 2016 news 

cycle. The DNI and DIA strongly believe that ISIS will attempt some sort of domestic U.S. 

attack in 2016. The ISIS threat has expanded from the Middle East to a worldwide challenge 

from multiple ISIS affiliated groups. ISIS has shifted extensive numbers of fighters to Libya and 

now threatens portions of Africa into the Sahel region. Al-Qaeda has grown in Yemen and Syria 

(through Jabhat Al-Nusra) and is again threatening action against the U.S. Homeland. ISIS 

terrorism plotting and recruiting in 2016 continues in the U.S. and Europe. Iran, China and 

Russia continue their conventional espionage efforts and cyber-attacks against the United States 

and the West. The economic espionage threat against the United States is at an all-time high and 

continues to cost the U.S. billions in lost revenue and intellectual property loss. The NASA 

CI/CT division continues to monitor these threats and any others that have the potential to harm 

NASA or its equities. 

NASA CI Offices:

Ames Research Center:

Armstrong Flight Research Center:

Glenn Research Center:

Goddard Space Flight Center:

Jet Propulsion Laboratory: 

Johnson Space Center:

Kennedy Space Center:

Langley Research Center:

Marshall Space Flight Center:

NASA Headquarters:

Stennis Space Center:

(b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C) (b) (6), (b) (7)(C)