Businesses in Indiana and around the country need to be more proactive in evaluating their security systems to prevent cyber threats.

The biggest vulnerability many businesses face when it comes to cybersecurity often comes from employees.

FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Middleton says that includes clicking on phishing emails and other spoof messages.

He says cybersecurity threats are growing not just in Indiana, but around the world.

“Especially as we look at the globalization of the economic interdependence and also as we look at the fast development of technology and those types of matter that would support a cyber intrusion matter,” Middleton says.

Middleton spoke at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s two-day Business Technology Summit.

He says the bureau needs to work more with private companies using models developed by the Joint Terrorism Task Force after 9/11.

“What we need to do now is be able to develop that integration with a private sector to be able to address a variety of these threats that face a variety of different companies across the board,” Middleton says.

He says while the FBI can’t tell businesses what to do, the agency can advise companies on issues related to cybersecurity and other threats.

Contact Samantha at shorton@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @SamHorton5.