A report by the F.B.I. 9/11 Review Commission says that the bureau needs to improve its intelligence capabilities and hire more linguists to counter the rapidly evolving threats to the United States. The report also found that it needs to:  The intelligence failures relating to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks revealed that the F.B.I.'s analytical corps was woefully inadequate. Analyst jobs were used as promotional opportunities for secretaries, mechanics and other support staff. That has changed a lot and analysts are now crucial to the F.B.I.'s counterterrorism efforts. The report found that the bureau needs to do better to retain, train and develop those analysts as leaders in the F.B.I.  Continue to Improve Information Sharing  The Sept. 11 attacks highlighted not a failure to collect information but a failure to share and analyze it. The report praises the F.B.I. for a cultural change that encourages information sharing, but recommends some logistical changes, such as allowing non-F.B.I. agents to have full access to F.B.I. computer databases when serving on task forces.  Drop Key Parts of the 'Combating Violent Extremism' Mission  Combating extremism, the idea that the government can identify would-be terrorists and steer them away from violence, is a hot topic. But what an initiative would look like and whether it is a realistic goal for the federal government are matters of deep debate. The F.B.I. sees a role for itself in that effort. The report says "such initiatives are best undertaken by other government agencies."  Speed Up Improvements in Cybersecurity  Fighting cybercrime is a major priority for the federal government but the responsibilities for doing so are spread across several agencies -- the F.B.I., the Secret Service, the Pentagon and more. The report calls for the F.B.I. to increase collaboration with private companies, which are often the target of cyberattacks, and to improve recruiting and technology purchases for investigators looking into the crimes.  Increase the Number of Legal Attachés Abroad  The F.B.I. has agents stationed in embassies around the world as part of a program that has expanded threefold since the 1990s. Legal attachés work alongside and exchange intelligence with foreign intelligence and law enforcement officials. Agents are often at the scene of international terrorist attacks, gathering information that can be shared quickly with officials in the United States. The report urges better training, education and selection criteria for legal attachés and calls for them to be placed in more countries.
A panel found that the F.B.I. has made improvements since the Sept. 11 attacks, but pointed to areas that still need strengthening.