Fortinet in threat information sharing agreement with Interpol

By Digital News Asia July 3, 2018

To share threat information generated by Fortinet FortiGuard Labs global threat research team
Covers over 9,000 command-and-control servers, government portals & compromised websites

Fortinet in threat information sharing agreement with Interpol

FORTINET, a global leader in broad, automated and integrated cyber-security solutions, on July 2 announced that it has formalised its threat sharing with Interpol.

The goal of the agreement is to proactively combat cyber-crime and threats to privacy globally through the sharing of threat information generated by Fortinet FortiGuard Labs global threat research team.

“Organisations continue to struggle against evolving threats, an expanding attack surface, and a growing security skills shortage. Law enforcement, in particular, can also be hampered by the fact that cyber-crime often crosses political and jurisdictional boundaries,” said Gavin Chow (pic), network and security strategist for Fortinet Asia Pacific.

“Actionable threat intelligence with global visibility is the best way to move from being reactive to proactive in a world where cyber-crime has no borders. No single organisation has a complete view into the security landscape, which is why threat information sharing and collaboration between public and private organisations is critical,” he explained.

Fortinet has been an active member of an expert working group within Interpol for more than two years, providing cyber-threat intelligence which has helped discover and identify multiple cyber-crime operations.

In 2017, Fortinet was one of several private sector companies that provided support to an Interpol-led operation targeting cyber-crime across the Asean region, resulting in the identification of nearly 9,000 command-and-control (C2) servers as well as hundreds of compromised websites, including government portals.

Previously, Fortinet also helped uncover through close threat information cooperation between Interpol and other private sector partners, a group of online fraudsters behind thousands of online scams totalling more than US$60 million and involving hundreds of victims worldwide.

According to Silvino Schlickmann Jr, acting executive director, Interpol Global Complex for Innovation, tackling cyber-crime cannot be resolved unilaterally by law enforcement alone, but is a joint responsibility which requires trusted relationships with the private sector.

He pointed out that this new agreement with Fortinet will ensure that law enforcement have access to the most comprehensive threat intelligence necessary to take effective action against cyber-crime.

Through the collaboration, Fortinet will be involved in operational briefings at Interpol and vice versa. A threat intelligence expert from Fortinet will be assigned to collaborate with experts at the Interpol Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI), helping provide a clearer understanding of the current threat landscape, which in turn will help the Interpol team and law enforcement use the information to prevent risks to security and privacy.

While the agreement formalises the cooperation between Fortinet and Interpol, both organisations have been operationally collaborating for over two years.