Opinion: October 2008 Archives

At the recent GEOINT 2008 Conference Charles E. Allen, Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis and Chief Intelligence Officer of DHS urged a more all-hazards approach to domestic intelligence.  The DHS chief intelligence officer address focused on how geospatial intelligence is the key to all-hazards approach.  READ MORE

To see the complete address, CLICK HERE

A recent independent study has concluded that six years after it was established to better coordinate military support to civil authorities following catastrophic events on U.S. soil, Northern Command "is effectively providing coordinated and coherent planning and direction to U.S. air-ground-sea forces in support of homeland defense and civil support".  READ MORE

To read the report by retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, an adjunct professor of international affairs at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. CLICK HERE

Two years ago Congress directed that DHS perform an independent study on the feasibility of creating a counterterrorism intelligence agency.  DHS contracted with the RAND Corporation for this analysis but asked it specifically not to make a recommendation.

Government Executive.com article - "Officials weigh creating a domestic intelligence agency"; READ MORE

Editorial in Homeland Security Today - " Domestic Intelligence Service Would Disrupt DHS Efforts", READ MORE

RAND Report - "Reorganizing U.S. Domestic Intelligence - Assessing the Options" (.pdf), DOWNLOAD

RAND Research Brief - "Should the United States Establish a Dedicated Intelligence Agency for Counter Terrorism" (.pdf), DOWNLOAD

A report by the Henry L. Stimson Center concludes Federal decision-makers must improve the way they collect and share information among themselves and with state, local and private organizations, if they are to respond to future security threats effectively, according to a new study from a nonprofit research organization.  "The biggest problem is cultural.  We know what we need to do, but we don't seem to understand how to incentivize sharing."  READ MORE

Download the Stimson Center report (.pdf) - New Information and Intelligence Needs in the 21st Century Threat Environment

Researchers at the Georgia Tech Information Security Center say cell phones, and not just PCs, are the next likely conscripts into the automated armies. READ MORE

The Emerging Cyber Threats Report for 2008 addresses five emerging threats expected to increase and evolve in 2008:
Web 2.0 and client-side attacks
Targeted messaging attacks
Botnets
Threats targeting mobile convergence
Threats to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems

The  National Research Council report -- entitled "Protecting Individual Privacy in the Struggle Against Terrorists" concludes that the effectiveness of current technology designed to decide from afar whether a person had terrorist intents, would no doubt result is significant false positives and quickly lead to privacy invasions.

A sobering article in Business Week

The American military faces a growing threat of potentially fatal equipment failure--and even foreign espionage--because of counterfeit computer components used in warplanes, ships, and communication networks.  To read more, click here...

Travelers should be careful about how they use the Internet connections supplied by hotels, as most are not secured properly, according to a new study from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.  To read more, click here.

A good Commentary in Wired Security Matters... " Most counterterrorism policies fail, not because of tactical problems, but because of a fundamental misunderstanding of what motivates terrorists in the first place. If we're ever going to defeat terrorism, we need to understand what drives people to become terrorists in the first place." To read more, click here...

To download the paper on which this Commentary is based - "What Terrorists Really Want - Terrorist Motives and Counterterrorism Strategies", click here...

A new report from the Reform Institute calls for a new direction in U.S. homeland security policy.  Building a Resilient Nation: Enhancing Security, Ensuring a Strong Economy offers findings and recommendations for making resilience a cornerstone of our security strategy.  

Read the REPORT

Read the Executive Summary

Press Release

Reform Institute Resilience Web brief

Homeland Security Today article, click here...

The Department of Homeland Security will proceed with the first phase of the controversial National Applications Office, even though an independent review found the department hasn't yet ensured the program will comply with privacy laws.

The DHS National Applications Office (NAO) is the executive agent to facilitate the use of intelligence community technological assets for civil, homeland security and law enforcement purposes within the United States.  The office will build on the long-standing work of the Civil Applications Committee, which was created in 1974 to facilitate the use of the capabilities of the intelligence community for civil, non-defense uses in the United States.

References: 
DHS NAO fact sheet, click here...
Recent article in Wall Street Journal, click here...

Sending false signals to GPS receivers could disrupt critical infrastructure.  To read more, see article in MIT Technology Review, click here...