Taking a Leap
America’s entrepreneurs represent a rich resource for homeland security—one that DHS is making an effort to mine.
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2004 Homeland Security Report Card: Native American Response
In Washington state, one tribe is leading the Native American contribution to homeland security.
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In search of a final fix
Will creation of a new National Counterterrorism Center improve information sharing among counterterror agencies?Where you stand on the issue depends on where you sit.
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Security under the skin
The time may be coming when injectable computer chips will be the ultimate form of ID.
An implantable human identification computer chip may be the next step forward in security.
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Light up ahead for the night-vision market
Advanced night-vision systems are proving critical in the war on terror overseas with their widespread use in Afghanistan and Iraq, but the domestic homeland security market remains slow to employ the devices despite their benefits. Keep Reading
Early warning
For Russian hackers, America is the land of opportunity
Threats to American cybersecurity come in many forms. While they often remain unseen to the public until a major event actually occurs, the frequency and magnitude of hacker activity is increasing as attackers become better organized, more sophisticated and focused on tangible benefits from their attacks.
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Router Wars
In the quest for greater security, a battle is brewing at the source.
Standing inside the data center, with the door locked and encircled by windowless and bare walls, I felt secure—and a bit detached—from the rest of the world. But the network manager quickly made it clear that this safety wasn’t real—at least in a virtual sense.
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Las Vegas: Preparedness on America’s Playground
Ever since authorities discovered plots against their fair city, Las Vegas has been tightening its defenses.
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Getting a handle on HAZMAT
What works now? Firefighters on the front line survey some solutions already at work in their communities.
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US-VISIT: Bringing biometrics to the border
America’s virtual border still faces fears, concerns and disputes, but the controversial program is nonetheless proceeding apace.
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Pat Pentland, US Protect
Executive Vice President, USProtect
Homeland security is nothing new for Pat Pentland. In fact, Pentland told HSToday that the Department of Homeland Security—and the very term “homeland security”—was born in his office on his white board.
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Guarding the Queen of the Mississippi
When an accident shut down Mississippi shipping, New Orleans authorities suddenly realized just how vulnerable their critical port might be—and started taking action.
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Dark Lessons: Learning from the Blackout of August ’03
As soon as the lights went out, panickedthoughts turned to terror: Nearly a year ago, on Aug. 14, the powergrid collapsed. Some 50 million people from Manhattan to Detroit, alongwithsections of Canada, lost power. In New York, memories still freshof the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, residents and emergency officialsfeared the worst. What was happening? There was little news to access.After all, no one could turn on the TV or get on the Internet.Speculation was all that was left.
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Wireless Options
Responders and emergency managers can select from a broad range of wireless solutions as they seek to improve their communications. All have great advantages—and vulnerabilities.
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Politics at our peril
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.”
—Wendell Philips, 1852
“The price of eternal vigilance is indifference.”
—
Marshall McLuhan, 1964
The price of indifference is cynicism—and that’s what we’re seeing today.
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Administration drops CAPPS II
One of the crown jewels of DHS’s proposed aviation security program, the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System II (CAPPS II), imploded on July 14, apparently falling victim to the one-two punch of civil libertarians and the desire of the administration not to increase the air travel “hassle factor” in an election year.
HAZMAT grants: A culture of cooperation
A tanker overturns on the Interstate outside a rural township; drums containing flammable chemicals are punctured in a factory; a fire at a local chemical plant requires the evacuation of nearby residents. Similar events may havehappened in your community. It’s also likely that most members of your community were unaffected or even unaware of these incidents. This is due to the planning, prevention and mitigation efforts of Local Emergency Planning Committees and the first responders who implement their policies. Since 1992, these groups have been aided through the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grant program, which awards funds to states, territories and tribal governments to support key training and planning activities.
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Dangerous Déjà Vu
Once again, America’s nuclear labs are in the spotlight for security breaches. But there’s a long history behind the current incidents.
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Brainspotting
A new brain-scanning technology could provide a key counterterrorism tool.
The latest law-enforcement tool to gain popularity aims to tap involuntary brain waves to help separate the guilty from the innocent.
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Coast Guard’s Deepwater program generates homeland sales
The Coast Guard’s $17 billion, 20-year Deepwater modernization effort is offering tremendous potential as a market for aircraft, ships and even unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
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