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Cyber Security

Cyber Security

Virginia State Police – High Tech Crimes
In 2009, the Department of State Police formed the High Tech Crimes (HTC) Division within the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) to engage the use of leading technologies to proactively provide specialized law enforcement services in support of the Department’s overall mission. The High Tech Crimes Division provides the highest quality services in response to the needs of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, and the Commonwealth’s citizens. There are four specialties which make up the 28 person HTC Division:

  • The 52 agency Northern Virginia/District of Columbia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)
  • The Computer Evidence Recovery Section (CERS)
  • The High Tech Crimes Section (HCTS)
  • The Technical Support Section (TSS) 

Virginia State Police/Virginia Department of Emergency Management – Fusion Center
The Virginia Fusion Center (VFC) operates as a focal point within the Commonwealth of Virginia for the collection, receipt, analysis, and dissemination of timely threat intelligence between the federal government and state, local, and private sector partners. The VFC strives to operate under an all-hazards approach to threat information, and has developed a cyber capability utilizing 1 civilian analyst and 1 sworn special agent dedicated full-time to cyber activities. These personnel identify and track known and emergent cyber threats to the Commonwealth in support of state-wide awareness, detection, analysis, and response through the dissemination of timely and actionable cyber threat intelligence. The VFC also provides analytical case support on criminal investigations with a cyber nexus, cyber security training & awareness, and increased cyber resiliency through exercise and assessment.  

Virginia National Guard
The Virginia National Guard (VANG) has the largest single Cyber entity in the entire National Guard (174 total personnel). The VANG currently has 38 personnel mobilized on federal (Title 10) missions in support of US Cyber Command and Army Cyber Command. These two missions are enduring missions and have been sourced through 2018. The VANG convenes Virginia's Cyber Response Working Group. This Working Group is made of representatives from state, local, and federal agencies, as well as the Governor's office. Since 2011, the VANG has participated in National Level Cyber Exercises such as the US Cyber Command's Cyber Guard (focus on protection of critical infrastructure), DoD's Cyber Flag (focused on federal cyber National Mission Forces), and the National Guard's annual Cyber Shield exercise (focused on defense of military networks). Future VANG Cyber initiatives include pursuing an Air Force cyber operations squadron in the Langley area, state and local agency vulnerability assessments, 2-3 additional personnel for federal mobilizations, and a VANG hosted Commonwealth of Virginia Cyber Exercise.