Summary of DNI Coats Intelligence Threats Testimony to Congress

By Allen Cline – Contributor

Recently, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Dan Coats, provided his annual testimony to Congress on January 29^th, 2019. This testimony was given in front of the Senate intelligence committee with a focus on threats to US national security. The types of US threats covered this year in Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats’s written statement were threats posed by:

• The Islamic State;
• Al-Qaeda;
• Homegrown violent extremists;
• Counter-space weaponry;
• Drug trafficking; and
• The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

With a minor focus on:

• Pandemic flu;
• Contagious diseases;
• Human displacement; and
• Weak economic growth.

However, this year’s annual testimony possessed a great deal of focus on cyber threats and electoral security. As reported by Coats, our enemies (state/non-state actors) will rely on evolved cyber capabilities to gain political, economic, and military advantages over the US and its allies and partners. The state and non-state actors and their capabilities:

State/Non-State and Cyber-Attack Capabilities 

China

Launch localized temporary disruptive effects on critical infrastructure;

Russia

Cyber espionage/attacks, perform influence operations for political/military objectives and attacks on domestic critical infrastructure;

Iran

Cyber espionage (not described in detail but similar to Russia);

North Korea

Cyber operations against financial institutions (help North Korea generate   funding);

Non-state actors

Criminals – Cyber-attack domestic organizations for financial gain. DNI Coates did not discuss any particular tactics or techniques. Possible targets are healthcare, financial, government and emergency service sectors.

Terrorist – Obtain and disclose compromising/personally identifiable information to perform acts of coercion, extortion, or inspire physical attacks.

Online Influence and Election Security

Russia, China, and Iran are the main players when it comes to the use of social media and its ability to spread propaganda. These adversaries will “probably” use image, audio and video files that contain false information to influence the US and its allies’ elections to play in their favor. What is interesting to note in this section of the brief is it caveated with the term, “probably”. This is due to the intelligence community not willing to admit that such tactics of false information are likely or highly likely to transpire.

The annual worldwide threats briefing provides the public with a degree of insight into the secret world of U.S. intelligence. The majority of intelligence products, assessments, and reports are classified and (excluding leaks) rarely made available to the public. Intelligence briefings to Congress are often conducted in a closed setting to allow for the protection of sensitive and classified information. 

DNI Coats Annual Threats Assessment Testimony Opening Statement

– DOWNLOAD PDF VERSION HERE – CLICK

2019-01-29-ATA-Opening-Statement_Final

 

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Allen Cline is a Contributor with Fulcrum Global who works in the security industry. He has an undergraduate certificate in counter-intelligence and is currently working on his B.A. in Intelligence Collection as well as his undergraduate certificate in intelligence analysis.

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