{"id":377870,"date":"2021-12-08T01:18:38","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T22:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/cia-director-says-agency-currently-has-a-number-of-different-projects-focused-on-crypto\/"},"modified":"2021-12-08T01:18:38","modified_gmt":"2021-12-07T22:18:38","slug":"cia-director-says-agency-currently-has-a-number-of-different-projects-focused-on-crypto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/cia-director-says-agency-currently-has-a-number-of-different-projects-focused-on-crypto\/","title":{"rendered":"# CIA director says agency currently has ‘a number of different projects’ focused on crypto"},"content":{"rendered":"

“# CIA director says agency currently has ‘a number of different projects’ focused on crypto <\/strong>”<\/p>\n

Current director of the Central Intelligence Agency William Burns said his predecessor at the government agency initiated projects focused on gathering intelligence on cryptocurrency.<\/p>\n

Fielding a question on crypto at the Wall Street Journal<\/em> CEO Council Summit on Monday, Burns said<\/a> the CIA was looking to add expertise in cryptocurrencies and blockchain to its team of intelligence analysts in addition to communicating with industry experts. He said the challenges from the crypto space \u201ccould have enormous impact\u201d on the United States given what he has already seen in ransomware attacks.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy predecessor had started this,\u201d said Burns, likely referring to the actions of former acting CIA director David Cohen. \u201c[They] had set in motion a number of different projects focused on cryptocurrency and trying to look at second- and third-order consequences as well and helping with our colleagues in other parts of the U.S. government to provide solid intelligence on what we’re seeing as well.”<\/p>\n

Screenshot from Wall Street Journal’s\u00a0CEO Council Summit on Dec. 6<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He added that building such knowledge on crypto was \u201can important priority\u201d for the Agency, and he planned to devote \u201cresources and attention\u201d to it. The CIA director did not mention specifics on the direction the Agency planned to take in regard to fighting cyberattacks, but hinted it would aim to \u201cget at the financial networks\u201d for criminal groups using digital currencies for ransom.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Burns, who assumed the director position in March, has seen hackers demand millions in crypto over an attack on Colonial Pipeline system in May, but also a task force from the U.S. government respond by recovering the majority of the lost funds. Michael Morrell, a former acting CIA director from 2012 to 2013, said \u201cblockchain analysis is a highly effective crime fighting and intelligence gathering tool,\u201d one underutilized by law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n

Related: <\/em><\/strong>CIA Has Had Keys to Global Communication Encryption Since WWII<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

There is no fixed term for a CIA director, meaning Burns will likely serve at the Agency at the pleasure of U.S. President Joe Biden. At the time of publication, Biden has yet to announce his picks to fill three empty seats on the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System.<\/p>\n