FBI Cyber Official on Panama Papers: ‘Good, It Wasn't a Law Firm in the US’
A marquee of the Arango Orillac Building lists the Mossack Fonseca law firm in Panama City, Sunday, April 3, 2016. Arnulfo Franco/AP
The leak could be a lesson for people who trust outside organizations, such as law firms, to protect their data.
A Panama law firm's recently leaked confidential documents, known as the "Panama Papers," are a reminder to U.S. citizens to be fiercely protective of their personal data, according to an FBI official.
"Good, it wasn't a law firm in the United States that got breached," said Arlette Hart, FBI's chief information security officer, when asked Tuesday for initial thoughts on the leak. The papers detail corruption and tax evasion practices of several powerful individuals abroad.
"Your footprint is bigger than you know,” Hart said, addressing any individuals who hand over their data to other parties.
Law firms, for instance, gather intellectual property and critical data, but customers aren't always aware of those organizations' cyber vulnerabilities.
"Are they protecting your data properly?" Hart asked. "We always look at the dependent organization. It goes to the vendor, the vendor management and supply chain question."
But it's harder for the private sector to to restrict access to sensitive data than it is for the public sector, which has a strict security clearance protocol, Hart said.
"Do you think Putin knew that his Panama law firm was going to get breached? I'm thinking that wasn't high on his agenda," Hart said.