Christopher Stangl is a managing director in BRG’s Cybersecurity and Investigations practice.
A veteran FBI Agent, he spent his law enforcement career investigating cybercrime, shaping national cyber policy, and working directly with private industry through the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s public/private partnerships. His tenure in government encompassed the full range of cyber threats facing corporations and individuals, from ransomware to advanced persistent threats.
Mr. Stangl leverages his deep cybersecurity expertise to help clients tackle and overcome a wide range of data security, data protection, and privacy challenges. He specializes in the design and implementation of robust cybersecurity programs to safeguard critical assets, proactive threat intelligence, complex cyber investigations, and navigating the legal and regulatory implications of security incidents.
Before joining BRG, Mr. Stangl had a distinguished career spanning over twenty years as an FBI Special Agent, including as a member of the FBI’s Senior Executive Service. He most recently spearheaded the implementation of a cybersecurity program within the FBI’s Science and Technology Branch, safeguarding critical resources across multiple divisions. Mr. Stangl adhered to industry standards and best practices, including the NIST Cybersecurity and Risk Management Frameworks.
Mr. Stangl investigated a wide range of cyber cases at the FBI, including computer intrusions by cybercriminals and nation-states, counterintelligence and insider threats, intellectual property rights violations, online child exploitation, extortion, and internet fraud. The cases for which Mr. Stangl was responsible included matters involving millions of dollars of illicit funds transferred to Russia via a digital currency exchange; a cross-jurisdictional, coordinated takedown of over seventy cybercriminals associated with the “Zeus Trojan” email malware; the apprehension and conviction of the creator of “Gozi” malware; a multinational investigation into the use of stolen account information from a hacked ATM network, resulting in nine convictions and millions of dollars seized in cash and property; dismantlement of the LulzSec hacking group; and the FBI’s response to nation-state–sponsored distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on US banks’ websites—the most significant and sustained DDoS attacks against US critical infrastructure originating from a nation-state actor in history.
Mr. Stangl held leadership roles at the FBI’s New York and Newark field offices as well as FBI headquarters in Washington, DC. He served as Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge at the FBI Newark field office, leading the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Counterintelligence squads, and Cyber Task Force. He also was Chief of Operations for the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force, enhancing interagency information exchange and intelligence integration in the cyber field.
Mr. Stangl earned a number of awards for distinguished government service, including the FBI Director’s Award for Excellence in Outstanding Cyber Investigation in 2010 for his instrumental role in identifying and dismantling an international cybercrime organization that targeted US critical infrastructure; and again in 2011 for his leadership in an innovative investigation into a prolific cybercrime enterprise.
During his time at the FBI, Mr. Stangl emphasized partnering with the private sector by fostering shared situational awareness of the cyber threat landscape through collaboration, information exchange, and intelligence sharing. In 2015, he received the Director of National Intelligence’s National Intelligence Community Award for Intelligence Integration for leadership in neutralizing a threat country through analytic, operational, and outreach initiatives.
Mr. Stangl holds a BS from Peru State College, an MBA from Monmouth University, and an MS in information technology from Carnegie Mellon University. He is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
Employment History
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Section Chief, Senior Executive Services, 2020-2023
- Assistant Special Agent in Charge, 2017-2020
- Acting Section Chief, Cyber Division, 2014-2016
- Unit Chief, Cyber Division, 2012-2014
- Supervisory Special Agent, 2010-2012
- Special Agent, 2003-2010
Credentials
GIAC Cloud Security Essentials Certification (GCLD)
GIAC Information Security Professional Certification (GISP)
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
