Subscribe to our RSS feed
Failed Progress on 100 Percent Maritime Cargo Scanning Irks Lawmaker - HS Today
‘When nuclear terrorism remains a viable threat, we should be doing everything possible to combat it’
On the heels of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit that found the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not adequately tested next generation radiological detectors that are [...]
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.”
NextGov: Tech Insider - Changing DHS’ Role in Cybersecurity?
Robert Jamison, under secretary of the National Protection and Programs Directorate at the Homeland Security Department, told ComputerWorld:
“As we go ahead into the election, the first thing that’s important is career leadership … that we have the right people in the right jobs, and, secondly, that we [...]
While everybody else is focused on next week’s presidential election, I took some time today to consider what scientific research might have the most impact on national security over the next four years — no matter who is in the White House. These are in no particular order, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. I’d welcome additional suggestions in the comments or via e-mail.
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.
The McCain campaign pounced the other day, when Joe Biden said that his running mate would be tested by an international crisis at the start of his White House tenure. But the chairman of a key Pentagon advisory panel is sounding a similar warning, telling the next administration to “prepare for a likely first-270-days crisis.”
New federal ID cards easily cloned, study says
Some new border-crossing identification cards are easily cloned, may be scanned at up to 150 feet, and may be susceptible to being disabled, according to a new study from RSA Laboratories and the University of Washington.
Counterterrorism Blog: Twit or Tweet
The military intelligence report highlights three scenarios relating to how Twitter could be used - terrorist command and control, terrorist real-time targeting for suicide operations and pre-operational research on terrorist targets who use Twitter. Of these scenarios it is the latter that is so far potentially the most ‘negative’ use of [...]
India-Afghanistan Relations - Council on Foreign Relations
India has restored full diplomatic relations, and has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in aid for Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development. But Pakistan views India’s growing influence in Afghanistan as a threat to its own interests in the region. Experts fear for Afghanistan’s stability as India and Pakistan compete [...]
Pakistan in a panic - Real News Network
While financial markets crumble worldwide, Pakistan is in the grips of a terrible economic crisis which threatens to destabilize the country. Pakistani officials have reached out to its richest allies for support, China, Saudi Arabia and the United States. All three countries, dealing with economic woes of their [...]
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.
USCG’s Adm. Thad Allen talks government 2.0 « DorobekInsider.com
The Coast Guard is a fascinating organization — one of the better managed government agencies. And I give a lot of credit to Allen for deciding to play a leadership role in government 2.0.
ImmigrationProf Blog: A New Sanctuary Movement?
The 1980s saw the emergence of a “sanctuary” movement to offer refuge to those persons fleeing the civil unrest in Central America. A “new” — and more general — sanctuary movement protecting undocumented immigrants is emerging. For a website on the movement, click here. For a [...]
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.
SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Mexico > Tijuana & The Border — Arellano Félix brother is captured in Tijuana
Mexican authorities say they have dealt a severe blow to the Arellano Félix drug cartel with the weekend detention of Eduardo Arellano Félix, a suspected trafficker and the last in a band of five brothers to be captured [...]
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.