The tenth of a new, well-received, and highly acclaimed series on critical infrastructure and homeland security, Communications Sector Protection and Homeland Security is an eye-opening account and an important reference source of a complex sector. Communications systems are the backbone for much of the critical infrastructure within the United States and many of the other infrastructure components are completely dependent on them to perform their missions. They serve part in parcel with other key national security and emergency preparedness resources. This book examines the importance that communication sector has for national security policy and issues of homeland security.
The tenth of a new, well-received, and highly acclaimed series on critical infrastructure and homeland security, Communications Sector Protection and Homeland Security is an eye-opening account and an important reference source of a complex sector. Communications systems are the backbone for much of the critical infrastructure within the United States and many of the other infrastructure components are completely dependent on them to perform their missions. They serve part in parcel with other key national security and emergency preparedness resources. This book examines the importance that communication sector has for national security policy and issues of homeland security.
The sixth of a new, well-received and highly acclaimed series on critical infrastructure and homeland security, Dam Protection and Homeland Security is a reference source that is designed to serve and advise U.S. project designers, engineers, managers, superintendents and supervisors of dams, navigation locks, levees, dikes, hurricane barriers, mine tailings and other industrial waste impoundments, and other similar water retention and water control facilities who want quick answers to complicated questions. It is intended to help employers and employees handle security threats they must be prepared to meet on a daily basis. In the post-September 11 world, the possibility of dam infrastructure terrorism—the malicious use of weapons and cyber intrusion to cause devastating damage to the dam infrastructure sector along with, literally, its cascading effects—is very real. Thus, the need is clear and so is the format and guidelines presented in this text to improve protection and resilience of the dams infrastructure sector. This book describes the sector-wide process required to identify and prioritize assets, assess risk in the sector, implement protective programs and resilience strategies, and measure their effectives.
A scientific approach to the new field of critical infrastructure protection This book offers a unique scientific approach to the new field of critical infrastructure protection: it uses network theory, optimization theory, and simulation software to analyze and understand how infrastructure sectors evolve, where they are vulnerable, and how they can best be protected. The author demonstrates that infrastructure sectors as diverse as water, power, energy, telecommunications, and the Internet have remarkably similar structures. This observation leads to a rigorous approach to vulnerability analysis in all of these sectors. The analyst can then decide the best way to allocate limited funds to minimize risk, regardless of industry sector. The key question addressed in this timely book is: What should be protected and how? The author proposes that the answer lies in allocating a nation's scarce resources to the most critical components of each infra-structure--the so-called critical nodes. Using network theory as a foundation, readers learn how to identifya small handful of critical nodes and then allocate resources to reduce or eliminate risk across the entire sector. A comprehensive set of electronic media is provided on a CD-ROM in the back of the book that supports in-class and self-tutored instruction. Students can copy these professionally produced audio-video lectures onto a PC (Microsoft Windows(r) and Apple Macintosh(r) compatible) for repeated viewing at their own pace. Another unique feature of the book is the open-source software for demonstrating concepts and streamlining the math needed for vulnerability analysis. Updates, as well as a discussion forum, are available from www.CHDS.us. This book is essential for all corporate, government agency, and military professionals tasked with assessingvulnerability and developing and implementing protection systems. In addition, the book is recommended for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students studying national security, computing, and other disciplines where infrastructure security is an issue.
The challenge in combating terrorism is not that any of us could die tomorrow in an attack, but that we cannot seem to perform the basic functions of diagnosing and treating the problem so that it is manageable. Given this, and because public and private sector partnerships are critical to the success of this management, Homeland Security and Private Sector Business: Corporations’ Role in Critical Infrastructure Protection identifies the role the private sector plays in securing our homeland and offers strategies to aid in the fight against national and international threats. Organized to take into consideration differing leadership and management styles, organizational cultural change barriers, and team dynamics, the information is structured to appeal to most adult learning styles, ensuring effective communication of critical messages. Using helpful case studies and exercises, the author presents invaluable instruction on how to establish, implement, and reinforce terrorism awareness and regulatory compliance with national critical infrastructure interests. Comprehensive in scope, the book reviews threat factors, risk mitigation, readiness plans, prevention approaches, human factors, and training methods. It concludes with insights into the limitations businesses must respect as they adjust to this new paradigm. A recognized expert in terrorism deterrence and counterintelligence methods, Elsa Lee brings her 28 years of experience in counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and counterespionage investigations to inform the discussion. Organizations which integrate her recommendations into their internal corporate strategies will not only contribute to Homeland Security efforts, but will also ultimately improve business continuity, resiliency, and operational and financial security for the corporation.
A compelling overview of systems and strategies implemented to safeguard U.S. resources from a plethora of threats, the vulnerabilities and security gaps in these infrastructure systems, and options to enable the future security of the homeland. Since the first edition of this book was published in 2009, significant changes have occurred in the security landscape, both domestically and internationally. This second edition is thoroughly updated to reflect those changes, offering a complete review of the various security and resilience measures currently in place and potential strategies to safeguard life and property within the U.S. homeland. As noted in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Preparedness Goal, the mission area of protection is vital to the homeland in its focus on actions to protect people, vital interests, and our nation's way of life. With that in mind, this book discusses strategies such as risk analysis and assessment, information sharing, and continuity planning. The authors focus on relevant and timely threats and hazards facing specific infrastructure components including, but not limited to, agriculture and food, banking and finance, water, energy, telecommunications, and transportation. The dynamic posture of critical infrastructure security and resilience (CISR) underscores the importance of an integrated, layered all-hazards approach. In describing this approach, the book includes new chapters on planning and guidance, public and private partnerships, cyber issues and threats, and careers in infrastructure protection. Additions such as discussion questions, learning objectives, and fundamental concepts for each chapter provide additional direction for instructors and students alike.
Provides a comprehensive account of past and current homeland security reorganization and practices, policies and programs in relation to government restructuring.
Every day in cities and towns across the Nation, emergency response personnel respond to incidents of varying scope and magnitude. Their ability to communicate in real time is critical to establishing command and control at the scene of an emergency, to maintaining event situational awareness, and to operating overall within a broad range of incidents. However, as numerous after-action reports and national assessments have revealed, there are still communications deficiencies that affect the ability of responders to manage routine incidents and support responses to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other incidents. Recognizing the need for an overarching emergency communications strategy to address these shortfalls, Congress directed the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) to develop the first National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP). Title XVIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 United States Code 101 et seq.), as amended, calls for the NECP to be developed in coordination with stakeholders from all levels of government and from the private sector. In response, DHS worked with stakeholders from Federal, State, local, and tribal agencies to develop the NECP—a strategic plan that establishes a national vision for the future state of emergency communications. To realize this national vision and meet these goals, the NECP established the following seven objectives for improving emergency communications for the Nation's Federal, State, local, and tribal emergency responders: 1. Formal decision-making structures and clearly defined leadership roles coordinate emergency communications capabilities. 2. Federal emergency communications programs and initiatives are collaborative across agencies and aligned to achieve national goals. 3. Emergency responders employ common planning and operational protocols to effectively use their resources and personnel. 4. Emerging technologies are integrated with current emergency communications capabilities through standards implementation, research and development, and testing and evaluation. 5. Emergency responders have shared approaches to training and exercises, improved technical expertise, and enhanced response capabilities. 6. All levels of government drive long-term advancements in emergency communications through integrated strategic planning procedures, appropriate resource allocations, and public-private partnerships. 7. The Nation has integrated preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery capabilities to communicate during significant events. The NECP also provides recommended initiatives and milestones to guide emergency response providers and relevant government officials in making measurable improvements in emergency communications capabilities. The NECP recommendations help to guide, but do not dictate, the distribution of homeland security funds to improve emergency communications at the Federal, State, and local levels, and to support the NECP implementation. Communications investments are among the most significant, substantial, and long-lasting capital investments that agencies make; in addition, technological innovations for emergency communications are constantly evolving at a rapid pace. With these realities in mind, DHS recognizes that the emergency response community will realize this national vision in stages, as agencies invest in new communications systems and as new technologies emerge.
The information infrastructure--comprising computers, embedded devices, networks and software systems--is vital to operations in every sector. Global business and industry, governments, and society itself, cannot function effectively if major components of the critical information infrastructure are degraded, disabled or destroyed. This book contains a selection of 27 edited papers from the First Annual IFIP WG 11.10 International Conference on Critical Infrastructure Protection.
