Adfero Group HSPI

As National Cyber Security Awareness Month comes to a close, the debate on who should be America’s lead on cyber security continues unabated. On Monday of this week, the US Air Force suspended its efforts to establish a Cyber Command until its new leadership takes over and determines what course they should take. While the USAF begins to figure out how much of the cyber skies they will end up patrolling, the battle over the civilian side of the America’s cyber house goes on at full throttle.

A new GAO report titled “Combating Nuclear Smuggling: DHS’s Phase 3 Test Report on Advanced Portal Monitors Does Not Fully Disclose the Limitations of the Test Results” criticizes DHS for its reporting related to testing radiation detection portal monitors, suggesting the reporting could be “potentially misleading.”

As we approach Election Day, regardless of the outcome, the business community awaits the economic and political change that is sure to come. We are fortunate that our nation’s commercial sector is profoundly diverse and has the ability to adapt to changing environments, while maintaining focus on its core business. While this adaptability will remain paramount, companies must continue to invest in security as a priority despite the environment of economic instability. At a time when many companies are focused on what the change in administration will mean to their economic endeavors, the need for vigilance should remain a primary corporate concern.

Earlier this month, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) unveiled its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for the regulation of general aviation (GA) aircraft in the U.S. While TSA and DHS have been talking about the need for increased security measures for GA for several years, the reality of the NPRM is hitting the GA community hard (and it should be). To date, TSA regulates but a small portion of the GA community – roughly 650 operators. TSA’s proposed NPRM would increase the regulated community to roughly 10,000 operators. A 65% increase in regulated parties is obviously significant.

How many stories do you read about some reporter crossing the border illegally or smuggling some contraband across the border, with gotcha headlines asserting that our homeland security system is broken? What is rarely reported are all of the other aspects of the nation’s security. Because an XYZ reporter sneaks through Customs doesn’t mean that he would not be caught in one of the many other layers of security put into place to protect the homeland.

The pressures on the Southern Border continue to grow, with South Texas authorities announcing a willingness to permit cross border engagements by the members of local law enforcement. The Southern Border is rapidly becoming the Third Front for the United States, with officers regularly being challenged or engaged in cross-border exchanges of gunfire. There are a number of reasons why local law enforcement officers shouldn’t engage in this kind of activity; the two most compelling are the risk of escalating the situation and the need to respect international boundaries.

DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, with the support of TSA Administrator Kip Hawley, announced this week that the Secure Flight program is finally moving forward. They acknowledged that it has taken a very long time to get this passenger name checking system ready to fly but now feel confident that the time taken has not been wasted. DHS and TSA should be commended for finally getting the Secure Flight rule out the door.

Last week in a speech to the Wharton School, Secretary Chertoff made the business case for the Department of Homeland Security’s approach to risk management that focuses on helping the private sector help itself. From my perspective, it is the only sustainable approach, and its success depends on the investment community’s appreciation of the value of security.

With Election Day approaching, the parlor game of who might get ‘the big jobs’ of the new President’s Cabinet is underway. As a longstanding Washington tradition (thankfully only celebrated every four years), there are lots of names being floated around to fill these big chairs, including the next Secretary of Homeland Security. In the spirit of bipartisanship, I have listed some names without reference to them being prospective Obama picks or McCain picks.

Yesterday, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff publically acknowledged the obvious when he announced that DHS will not meet the 2012 deadline set by Congress to scan every cargo container that comes in to U.S. ports. For those of us involved in the industry, the announcement is hardly surprising.

While much attention has been paid to the imploding U.S. economy, DHS’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) applied its own version of inflation to the ‘cost of the doing business’ by seeking for the first time the debarment of seven companies from federal contracting opportunities. The Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) provide that contractors may be considered for debarment if they have been found to have either knowingly hire an unauthorized worker or to continue to employ an alien who is or becomes unauthorized.

“The Closing of the American Border” is a superb text for policy makers who must wrestle with the challenges of border security and immigration policy.

The ability to order prescriptions via the Internet is one more example of how technology is changing our world for the better. As the tragic case of Ryan Haight shows, however, that with such new opportunities come the need for increased vigilance and proper oversight. This legislation is past due.

Secretary Chertoff was methodical in explaining the very real cyber security threats posed by nation-states (Russia & China), criminal enterprises and terrorists. Chertoff also stressed the collective responsibility of the public and private sectors (as well as individual citizens) to work together to address these threats.

I see a country suffering from homeland security spending fatigue. I see people who are wondering whether what we go through at airports is really doing anything and whether our efforts at border security will actually work. It’s time to change the paradigm. We’ve thought about the threat of Islamic terrorism and failed to prioritize the vulnerabilities that we have. Spending to reduce the identified vulnerabilities to our cyber system, our infrastructure, our borders and our national iconic emblems in the National Capital Region is more justified because it is quantifiable.

Security Debrief contributor Asa Hutchinson joins panel of security experts to provide oversight of Blackwater arms exports.

Anybody who wants to understand the dangers we face in the coming years (possibly months) with regard to militant Islamist threats should read this column by Sumit Ganguly.

Congress should establish an independent, bipartisan commission to study the results of the mandate for 100 percent screening of shipping containers and air cargo. The commission should assess the likely threats and look into alternatives for securing global supply chains and report its findings after the 2008 presidential elections so Congress can return to the issue in early 2009 with the politics of the election behind it.

Another national security tool appears on the verge of taking a hit this
week. A tool that has been effective despite its rare use.

DHS Secretary Chertoff has done a lot to bring awareness to cyber security threats. Now he needs to make sure Americans understand what is at stake.