AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH FINNISH COMPUTER SECURITY

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000182 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS EINT PINR BEXP FI SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH FINNISH COMPUTER SECURITY EXPERTS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Ambassador Ware recently received a briefing on computer and Internet security from senior officials at F-Secure, known internationally as a reliable antivirus provider and Finland,s foremost computer security company. A protector of critical infrastructure worldwide, F-Secure works closely with international law enforcement organizations, including U.S. authorities, to track and identify cyber criminals. F-Secure officials noted an alarming shift in the complexity of new viruses and an increase in targeted industrial and defense-related espionage attacks. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Sitting in F-Secure,s impressive 24/7 Ops Center, F-Secure CEO/President Kimmo Alkio told the Ambassador that his company prides itself on adapting quickly and anticipating trends as it provides network security services to thousands of customers worldwide, including the Finnish government and the Finnish Defense Forces. Clearly riding the Finnish ICT wave, F-Secure nonetheless sees itself as a global company. Reflecting its global reach, Ambassador Ware was introduced to computer security experts from the U.S., Russia, and Finland, including the oft-quoted Mikko Hypponen -- widely considered to be one of the industry,s "rock stars". In line with its business strategy of promoting growth rather than short-term profits, F-Secure is currently focused on actively developing software to protect the avalanche of mission-critical services that shortly will be available on mobile devices, including the phones of that other Finnish giant, Nokia. ¶3. (SBU) As a protector of critical infrastructure worldwide, F-Secure tracks and identifies cyber criminals, routinely working with international law enforcement organizations, including the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Secret Service. Known for its close collaboration with other SIPDIS computer security companies, F-Secure welcomed further opportunities to share best practices with the U.S. Government and private sector experts to improve worldwide computer security. ¶4. (SBU) F-Secure officials noted an alarming shift in the complexity of new viruses that appear to be the work of organized crime units rather than teenage hackers. While large scale virus attacks still occur regularly, F-Secure officials said they are increasingly seeing individual companies, particularly in the defense industry, being targeted for specific proprietary data. Officials shared several examples of sophisticated viruses that employees at defense-related companies have received recently. In each of these cases, the masquerading email and associated attachment appears to have been sent from within the employee,s own company. F-Secure believes this trend in industrial and defense-related espionage will simply increase as more sophisticated wireless mobile devices come online in the future. HYATT