CEO BIO AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Brent MacLean B.Sc., M.Sc., P. Eng. (Founder and CEO of J.B. MacLean Consulting Inc. and Canadian Intelligence Solutions Inc.) is a computer systems and security engineer and distinguished member of the IEEE with over 24 years experience in network / security / and infrastructure design and troubleshooting, as well as working for CRA and the R.C.M.P in areas such as fraud analysis, special investigations, audit, and financial / security forensics. In 1995, Mr. MacLean received the Merit of Excellence in the area of security forensics and network / systems security for the Federal Government. Mr. MacLean has recently been interviewed for the front story for Profit Magazine's September (2008) issue. He continues to broadcast the truth across the radio waves of the internet on his 'Cyber Crime Report' show and recently was asked to participate with Security Matters Magazine. He is currently the leading expert on cyber crime for Canada and enlists his services to all law enforcement agencies. He is the only cyber crime expert in Paul Palango's new book "Dispersing the Fog" which was released October 27th 2008. He has just been awarded the Medal of Honour in 2010. Commencing in the spring of 2010, he will be co-hosting a new TV show geared towards cyber crime and will be helping in the production of a second show airing in Spring of 2010. So stay tuned.
 
Mr. MacLean is presently in the private sector serving the corporate community as a computer forensics and security specialist / consultant, dealing specifically in the areas of internet security, identity theft and biometrics. Mr. MacLean has also written numerous articles for the media, and has given several interviews on the radio. Mr. MacLean has also been a frequent guest speaker at various corporate functions across Canada addressing the areas of internet security, ethical hacking, security solutions and more recently, the areas of identity theft and biometrics for public and private sectors.
 
As a recognized security consultant, Mr. MacLean is currently one of the leading authorities on identity theft in Canada and in the United States today. He continues to diversify his expertise in the area of cyber crime; a growing concern that is becoming more significant and serious across North America.
 
As CEO, Mr. MacLean has received on-going correspondence and recognition from the House of Commons for his continued work and persistent dedication in the growing field of computer security, identity theft and biometrics for Canada.

At the present time, J.B. MacLean Consulting Inc. is composed of distinct practice areas specialized in, consulting, identity theft, security practices, disaster recovery procedures and forensics.

Mr. MacLean remains a respected security consultant with over a decade of practical expertise and 22 years of technology and managerial experience working with the federal government as well as with his private practice.

Mr. MacLean conducts security audits and consulting for growing businesses, organizations and government facilities. He is a trusted advisor to corporations, publishes international newsletters and writes articles on topics of critical interest in today's media. His continued work enables him to expand security awareness on a global platform.
 
As Founder and CEO of J.B. MacLean Inc. for the past 12 years, Mr. MacLean helps provides corporate answers to the information security needs of today's security industry. As a consultant and speaker, he also provides solutions that accurately meet current demands and helps control emerging risk in the face of global change.

As a respected media resource, he continues to build security awareness by taking part in various media venues, by continually providing relevant information to his clients and to the public through his newsletters in an effort to provide awareness of these growing areas of private and corporate concern.

Computer hackers who use their skills for the right reasons are classified as "white hat." These white hats often work as certified "Ethical Hackers," hired by companies to test the integrity of their systems. Others, operate without company permission by bending but not breaking laws and in the process have created some really innovative stuff. In this section we profile five white hat hackers and the technologies they have developed.

Mr. MacLean’s work with law enforcement and other top government agencies is unparalleled. As one reporter said “There isn’t a system, he can’t crack”. Mr. MacLean has devoted his career to being the “lone ranger” of hacking. Apprehending the bad guys has and continues to be been his mission. He has write-ups up on countless articles in the Toronto Star, the Globe & Mail, the Times and was premiered in “Security Matters” magazine’s first issue. He is finishing his Ph.D in Computer Engineering. Mr. MacLean is currently the leading authority on identity theft in Canada and continues to manifest his talents in Canada and now has growing demands in high security levels in the United States. He was voted as one of the top “ethical” hackers in Canada. Due to Mr. MacLean's experience and expertise, it is no wonder that he is currently is in high demand to the largest corporations of North America. As the Toronto Star proclaimed… ”He is in a class of his own. We are just glad he is on our side”.

In today’s high-tech world and growing technological forums, there is an exponential increase in the market for cyber-intelligence amongst companies, governments, schools, and even individuals. But there is also an old saying that continues to resound in the intelligence community: "Bad intel is worse than no intel at all."

Over the past decade, the Internet has evolved from an easy and convenient way to share information to an essential communication tool and a primary engine of all types of businesses. From emails to online shopping, or stock trading, consumers and businesses depend and have become reliant on the power and convenience of the current online world. But as this acceptance and convenience becomes further entrenched and meshed into our society, so do the number of predators who seek to exploit it for malicious purposes.

Businesses and home users are increasingly vulnerable to Internet threats that go well beyond viruses and spam. Hackers have shifted their focus from creating Internet havoc for fun and notoriety to scams that deliver serious financial gain. Phishing, identity theft, botnets and exploiting data leaks are the domain of today's cybercriminal ; these predators become “the new age” cyber-terrorists and the fuel for a massive underground economy with known links to organized crime.

Today we live and work in a world of global connectivity. We can exchange casual conversation or conduct multimillion-dollar monetary transactions with people on the other side of the planet quickly and inexpensively. The proliferation of personal computers, easy access to the Internet, and a booming market for related new communications devices have changed the way we spend our leisure time and the way we do business.

The ways in which criminals commit crimes is also changing. Universal digital accessibility opens up new opportunities for the unscrupulous. Millions of dollars are lost by both businesses and consumers to computer-savvy criminals. Worse, computers and networks can be used to harass victims or set them up for violent attacks—even to coordinate and carry out terrorist activities that threaten us all. Unfortunately, in many cases law enforcement agencies have lagged behind these criminals, lacking the technology and the trained personnel to address this new and growing threat, which has been aptly termed cyber crime.

Even though interest and awareness of the cyber crime phenomenon has grown in recent years, many Information Technology (IT) professionals and law enforcement officers have lacked the tools and expertise needed to tackle the problem. To make matters worse, old laws didn’t quite fit the crimes being committed, new laws hadn’t quite caught up to the reality of what was happening, and there were few court precedents to look to for guidance. Furthermore, debates over privacy issues hampered the ability of enforcement agents to gather the evidence needed to prosecute these new cases. Finally, there was a certain amount of antipathy—or at the least, distrust—between the two most important players in any effective fight against cyber crime: law enforcement agents and computer professionals. Yet close cooperation between the two is crucial if we are to control the cyber crime problem and make the Internet a safe “place” for its users.
 
With the exponential growth of identity theft and fraud on the rise and with the aid of biometrics, both off-line and on-line, Mr. MacLean is regularly invited to do a variety of speaking engagements with the prospects of educating both the small business sectors as well as large corporate enterprises. His current assignment is now focused working extensively with elite law enforcement officials, one of them being the R.C.M.P. and other captains of industry in an effort to make awareness and education of this area more attainable to both the public and private sectors. With the growing demands of security and privacy across the globe, Mr. MacLean will be expanding his corporate ties in the USA and overseas. Please note that this page will be continually modified, so stay tuned.

For more information on Mr. MacLean's background, company publications, resources and services that J.B. MacLean Consulting Inc. offers and list of their elite clientele, please visit the corporate web site: www.jbm.net. Sign up for our weekly newsletter on the home page.