FBI Statement on the Sentencing of Former IT Contractor Joseph T. Colon

FBI Security Division Assistant Director, Charles S. Phalen Jr., today said:

"As with any IT Systems Administrator, whether in government or private business, Joseph T. Colon was granted a substantial level of trust. He betrayed that trust.

Today's sentencing of Mr. Colon represents the final chapter to this case. The government's decision to prosecute Mr. Colon was based on his criminal conduct through his covert and unauthorized access to information in FBI computers. It was a crime that Mr. Colon pled guilty to in March, 2006.

This case demonstrates that the FBI takes internal security seriously. Once we identified the breach of security, we took quick and appropriate action to neutralize its impact.

Within the past few years we have taken numerous measures to address Information Security. For example, we established the Information Assurance Section (IAS) within the Security Division to create a robust information security program. The IAS provides a foundation for safeguarding the FBI's information by evolving information assurance security policies, procedures, technologies, and training into a comprehensive, and proactive security program. The IAS' approach is to improve security awareness, aggressively monitor FBI systems, conduct threat and vulnerability assessments, establish an information technology incident response capability, deploy layered access controls, and harden system defenses. Additionally, we have introduced mandatory annual Information Security Awareness training for all employees and contractors."