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Intelligence

Foreign Repair Stations: The Security Trojan Horse

Recently, the House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on the issue of aircraft foreign repair station security. And while the Committee’s oversight on this issue is commendable, the hearing lacked one important item: an updated risk assessment. This omission, along with the testimony of three union representatives, suggests that security at foreign repair stations continues to be a Trojan horse for some.

ID Management and Online Transactions at the U.S. Chamber

The U.S. Chamber held another meeting in the very helpful series of exchanges between Business and Government. The event focused on the nascent strategy for securing online transactions and was sponsored by two of the Chamber’s internal organizations: the National Security Task Force and the Telecommunication and E-Commerce Committee. The government participants were Tom Donahue and Ely Kahn, the Directors for Cyber Policy on the National Security Staff. On the Business side, besides a good presence form the Chamber itself, there were representatives from Telecoms big and small.

Top Republican says White House hiding info on Fort Hood

Top Republican says White House hiding info on Fort Hood – The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room The ranking Republican on the House intelligence committee on Tuesday night accused the White House of withholding information on the Fort Hood attack. Rep. Pete Hoekstra (Mich.) said administration officials delayed briefing members of Congress about the alleged gunman, […]

FBI techs shy away from facial recognition – Spends 40 years losing face

A senior FBI technologist declared last month that after decades of evaluation, the agency sees no point in facial recognition. He said that 18,000 law enforcement agencies contribute fingerprints and DNA samples to the FBI’s databases and, at their peak, they submit 200,000+ identity verification queries a day. It’s a big operation, and it’s only going to grow, he said. What will be missing from this mix, however, is facial recognition.

Maher Arar Lawfare Update

Maher Arar, the Canadian who got more than $10 million from the Canadian government for its role in Arar’s rendition to Syria, has lost his suit against U.S. officials in an en banc Second Circuit decision.

Joint Special Ops University: U.S. Needs Hit Squads, ‘Manhunting Agency’

U.S. Needs Hit Squads, ‘Manhunting Agency’: Spec Ops Report | Danger Room | Wired.com CIA director Leon Panetta got into hot water with Congress, after he revealed an agency program to hunt down and kill terrorists. A recent report from the U.S. military’s Joint Special Operations University argues that the CIA didn’t go far enough. […]

DEA Agents Killed in Afghanistan: Another Tragic Reminder

The recent death of three DEA Special Agents in Afghanistan is a tragic reminder that the war on narcotics and terrorism cannot be separated in that part of the world. I doubt many heroin dealers and addicts in the U.S. make the connection between the two.

The U.S. Army Addresses Its Cyber Role

The Army is working hard to finalize plans that will allow it to better support the nation’s efforts towards correct and effective cyber operation. There is a major effort this week to finalize the Army’s Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the future of cyber forces, doctrine and organizational arrangements.

Caryn Wagner to be Nominated as Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis

DHS: Secretary Napolitano Applauds President Obama’s Intent to Nominate Caryn Wagner as Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Wagner currently serves as senior faculty at the Intelligence Security Academy—providing education and training in intelligence community and resource management to the U.S. government. Wagner previously held numerous positions involving oversight of the collection and analysis of […]

We Must Get Better: The Future of Cybersecurity

I received a truly scary briefing on the incredible magnitude of the existing cyber threat that runs the gamut from individuals to nation-states. We must understand that just being in compliance with federal or state laws does not equal security. We must get better at cybesecurity.