Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07HELSINKI182
2007-03-14 10:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Helsinki
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH FINNISH COMPUTER SECURITY

Tags:  ECPS EINT PINR BEXP FI 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHHE #0182 0731053
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141053Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3067
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS HELSINKI 000182 

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SENSITIVE
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECPS EINT PINR BEXP FI
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH FINNISH COMPUTER SECURITY
EXPERTS

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000182

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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

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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