At the Defense Daily Cyber Summit today, Dawn Meyerricks, Deputy Director for Science and Technology at NSA stated without hesitation that cyber security is NOT the same as Information Assurance (IA). Many of us gave her hearty “amens.” Meyerricks made numerous other important points, and when questioned on differences between government agency perspectives on cyber, she said differences between various experts were in dire need of resolution.
By Michael T. Dougherty
It is an open question whether Congress will address comprehensive immigration reform legislation this year or find time to work on smaller immigration packages such as the DREAM Act or AgJOBS. Immigration reform poses many difficult issues for Congress, and if any legislation includes a pathway to citizenship for some or all the 10.8 million illegal immigrants that DHS estimates reside in the United States, Congress should ensure that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has the resources that it needs to promptly and accurately enroll that population.
If you can’t see a threat, or describe it in terms that the average person can understand or appreciate, is it really a threat? That was the challenge put before 200+ scientists, physicists, meteorologists and other very technical specialists at the Space Weather Enterprise Forum. This highly unique assembly gathered to discuss the emerging concerns regarding increasingly dramatic changes in our universe’s space weather. This is not about meteor showers, alien invasions or Texas-sized asteroids colliding with the Earth; it is about how our sun and planet interact with one another.
By Steve Serrao
Having visited and worked in many fusion centers across the nation, I often wonder how much attention is given to a basic question: Are we conducting analysis or not? The answer to the question of whether the centers conduct analysis varies widely, and it is partly dependent on whether the fusion center’s goal is to provide strategic-intelligence analysis or serve as a tactical operational data-sharing operation. Fusion centers that have decided to perform both data fusion and analysis need the appropriate staff and resources assigned. There must be a division of analytical labor.
It has been over a month since the tragic Deepwater Horizon explosion, and at this writing, oil continues to pour into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and onto adjacent land and marsh areas. It is clear that the oil companies worked diligently to produce technologies that could bring oil from deep wells to the surface. It is also clear that they did not develop, on a parallel track, the multi-layered technologies needed to stop and respond to an emergency on the deep ocean sea floor. It is like trying to repack your parachute while in a freefall.
The Department of Homeland Security’s continued commitment to E-Verify is apparent from the new E-Verify re-design, which will be launching on Sunday, June 12, 2010. The new re-design is a huge improvement in terms of the look and feel of the E-Verify program, giving users enhanced security, accuracy and efficiency. Unfortunately, the new system still does not address the most pressing need of many employers – an ability to address prevalent identity theft and false claims of U.S. citizenship. Regardless, the system should be a welcome improvement for employers. The enhanced tools and information also demonstrate the broader DHS commitment to enhance the E-Verify system. This commitment is a positive sign that the government is serious about helping employers successfully determine employment verification.
I was delighted to read in last week’s Homeland Security Newswire report on Secretary Napolitano’s consideration of “re-merging” the Infrastructure Protection and Cyber Security units. When we stood up DHS in 2003, Secretary Ridge charged the Office of Infrastructure Protection with the responsibility for both physical and cyber infrastructure protection. It made sense then as it does now. Securing a physical structure while leaving it vulnerable to a cyber attack can have the same catastrophic result as could a car bomb.
More and more people are becoming aware of Botnets and the problems they can cause. What used to be an esoteric technical subject has entered the common vernacular, and well it should. The size and complexity of these zombie computer networks is staggering. Many have over a million personal computers as “members.” Obviously the vast majority of these have been incorporated without the knowledge or consent of the owners. The bottom line is this: you must be aware that Bots are out there, and they “want” your computer.
Beginning this August, 100 percent of cargo bound for passenger planes must be screened before it is loaded. While this looming security deadline is reasonably well known to domestic air cargo companies (and somewhat less well known by thousands of shippers who may be affected), it is hardly known at all outside the United States. That is a problem, because the air cargo screening mandate applies not only to passenger flights within and from the United States, but also to foreign-originating flights to the United States.
Broadcasting live online from the Newseum at 2:00 PM EDT on Wednesday, May 26, American Airlines Cargo joins forces with TSA and others for a 100 percent air cargo screening roundtable.
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