The FBI is bolstering its ability to fight cybercrime as it faces a spike in the number of prominent cyber intrusions, such as the break-in at RSA earlier this year. Robert Mueller, the FBI director, noted at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that "these attacks threaten to undermine the integrity of the Internet and to victimize the businesses and people who rely on it."

Mueller took over as FBI director in 2001, and his 10-year term is scheduled to end this September. The hearing was focused on President Obama's request to extend Mueller's term by two years, for which congressional approval is needed. Mueller told lawmakers that the FBI will ensure that "the personnel in the bureau have the equipment, the capability, the skill, the experience to address those threats" and that "we will increasingly put emphasis on addressing cyber threats in all of their variations."

Mueller's testimony was a recognition of the profound shifts in the use of computers and how hacking has changed from a juvenile activity to one which has a serious impact on businesses and governments. Indeed, recent reports on the security front illustrate how hacking is now playing a pivotal role in commercial crimes and state espionage.

For more:
- see the Judiciary Committee hearing page to watch the video and read testimony
- check out this article at InformationWeek
- check out this article at Bloomberg

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