The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) has released a report evaluating the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) efforts to mitigate the effects of Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance (UTS). This surveillance involves the widespread collection and analysis of data to connect individuals with various entities, events, or locations.
Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz announced that while the FBI has taken steps to protect its employees, investigations, and operations from being identified through UTS, there are areas needing improvement. The report highlights several findings.
One key finding was related to Enterprise Risk and Internal UTS Threat Assessment. In response to a December 2022 Management Advisory Memorandum (MAM), then-Director Wray classified UTS as a "Tier 1 Enterprise Risk" and directed an enterprise-wide review led by the Office of Integrity and Compliance. However, the threat assessment did not incorporate threats identified in a previous internal assessment.
Another area addressed was the development of a UTS Strategic Plan. The FBI began creating this plan during the audit, but it lacked specifics on assigning responsibility to officials with execution authority or leveraging existing efforts for broader benefit.
Training was also evaluated. While mandatory UTS-awareness training was provided following the 2022 MAM, there is limited awareness across the enterprise. Employees in specific roles require more advanced training than what is currently offered voluntarily due to resource constraints.
The DOJ OIG made four recommendations for improving how the FBI manages the UTS threat, all of which were accepted by the FBI.
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