Computers and Homeland Security Unite
Homeland security was created by the Bush administration in 2001 as a result of the September 11th events. It is an independent agency in the United States whose mission is to protect the nation from potential terrorist attacks. Together the agency is made up of twenty two agencies and 180,000 employees. Their main focus is “intelligence and warning; boarder and transportation security; domestic counterterrorism; protecting critical infrastructure; defending against catastrophic threats; and emergency preparedness and response” (Whitehouse 1). The agency could not carry out these important tasks if it were not for the latest in computer technology.
“The Department of Homeland Security is connected to all fifty states” (Whitehouse 1), networking, and the shared information across the US makes it easier to keep everyone informed of the current events which allows them to work together more efficiently. It is their job to inform the American people if they are at risk for terrorism. The agency issues a current and up to date warning level sign for terrorism alerts.
In 2003 the United States Homeland Security signed a contract with Microsoft making them the agencies “supplier of desktop computers and computer software” (gov exec 1). America will spend 90 million dollars to purchase the rights to 140,000 computers for the next five years to ensure that they keep America secure. As a result of the new system from Microsoft the agency was allowed to simplify their network because it is now all intergraded into one system that they did not have in the past.
The agency uses computers to organize all the data they have collected by entering it into a computer database. They call the database...
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...rrent information in their databases. Today America is continuously up dating and entering information into their databases because they hope to prevent further US destruction. With this new system of security implemented the nation is less likely to suffer another attack like September 11th 2001 because we will have enough time to prepare for potential terrorist attacks in the future with this new system implemented.
Works Cited
TeleType GPS Homeland Security US Coast Guard Press Release. February 19,2003. TeleType GPS,
Http://www.teletype.com/pages/pgs/press/coast_guard_homeland_secuirty.html
GovExec. July 15, 2003. National Journal Group INC.
http://www.goveexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleeid
Homeland Security Home page. July 20, 2005. The White House President George Bush.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/homeland/
After 9/11 there was a great increase in security nationwide. One major example of this is the number of agencies created as a result of 9/11. Among these agencies include the creation of the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), the DHS (The Department of Homeland Security), the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), and lastly the massive advancement of the US Coast Guard. Every one of the budgets of these agencies has doubled since 9/11. The creation of the transportation and security administrations primary goal is to improve the safety of all American Citizens traveling by plane. The TSA started implementing, new policies and new technological advancements.
After the fear of terrorism grew in the United States do to the Al Qaeda 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the US Government found a need for a centralized department that umbrellas all other agencies when it comes to homeland security. The U.S. Government found this umbrella agency with the passage of the Homeland Security Act by Congress in November 2002, the Department of Homeland Security formally came into being as a stand-alone, Cabinet-level department to further coordinate and unify national homeland security efforts. (Homeland Security) With the creation of the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) the government had a pinpoint location for the collection and gathering of intelligence, control of policies that effect national security, and a no fail mission. The Department of Homeland Security started to engulf other agencies and created many more, a total of 22 agencies now fall under the DHS. The DHS is control of all areas that deal with national security which included but are not limited to coastal and boarder protection, domestic terrorism, international terrorism, protection of the American people, protection of key infrastructure, protection of key resources and respond to natural disasters.
This paper will briefly discuss the formation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). With every government program or agency comes an alphabet soup of acronyms and DHS is no different from the rest. To better understand the agency and concepts that comprise DHS, this paper will also examine acronyms associated with DHS. They are QHSR, HSE, NRF, NIMS, ICS, and UC. Each will get a description while highlighting and discussing core elements or requirements that each acronym calls for or offers.
September 11, 2001 marked the most horrific day in history for United States of America. The events of this day changed the lives of those residing in America forever. United States was considered somewhat safe, in regards to terrorists’ attacks. However, this all came to a screeching halt when 19 militants known to be a part of the Al-Qaeda terrorist group hijacked four planes for the purpose of destroying targeted areas in the United States. As a result of the deadly attack on the United States, security measures drastically changed. Although, security measures throughout the United States have been in place, extreme caution came into effect. All departments looked at different measures to improve preventing terrorists’ attacks. Department of Homeland Security, Aviation and US Customs and Immigration were some of the main areas that changed their security measures.
On November 19, 2001, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act was signed into act by the 107th Congress, enacting the Transportation Security Administration, also known as TSA (Pistole). TSA assumed responsibility for hiring, training, and developing security officers to deal with airport security. In March 2003, TSA was transferred from being a part of the Department of Transportation to the Department of Homeland Security which is also known as DHS (Pistole). This transfer was due to the realization that TSA’s mission had the same ideas as the mission of DHS. Department of Homeland Security is a general term, given for all domestic and international activities to protect people and property in the United States from terrorism (Curtis).
Bellavita, C. (2009). Changing homeland security: The year in review - 2008. Homeland Security Affairs, 5(1) Retrieved from http://ezproxy.fau.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1266212855?accountid=10902
Homeland Security is one of the most important departments in the United States. The United States Department of Homeland Security job is to reduce our vulnerability to terrorism and lead a national effort to help prevent terrorist attacks on our nation (Computer Concept, pg. 50). As technology evolves over the course of time, computers end up playing a crucial role in homeland security.
I will conduct a Homeland Security Assessment for my organization because the need for homeland security is tied to the underlying vulnerability of my company’s infrastructure in general, but I would conduct one for any threats against the infrastructure of my company. In our company we would need to establish a planning team to conduct Homeland Security Assessment for my organization by developing a plan Also, Analyzing capabilities and hazards in company to minimizing the threat.The next step is to Implementing the plan. Another, step in conducting Homeland Security Assessment is getting prepared.The company game plan for homeland security set homeland security task into six critical mission areas: (1) comprehension and caution(2) boundary and transport security, (3) Military personal design to prevent any kind of terrorism, (4) protecting the company critical organizational structure (5) guarding against disastrous terrorism in the company like people getting shot up, and (6) the company's organizational structure crisis preparedness and response. The first three critical mission areas focus on stopping a terrorist attack. The next two on reducing protectiveness, and the final one is reduced to a small amount of damage and recovery from
The concept of homeland security has developed over the last decade. Homeland security as a concept was precipitated by the terrorist attacks of 9/11. However, prior to 9/11 such entities as the Gilmore Commission and the United States Commission on National Security discussed the need to evolve the way national security policy was conceptualized due to the end of the Cold War and the rise of radicalized terrorism. After 9/11, policymakers concluded that a new approach was needed to address the large-scale terrorist attacks. A presidential council and department were established, and a series of presidential directives were issued in the name of “homeland security.” These developments established that homeland security was a distinct, but undefined
After the September 11th attacks, the United States Senate and House of Representatives legislated the Homeland Security Act (HSA). This law was passed on November 25, 2002. The purpose of the Homeland Security Act is to allow federal law enforcement agencies power to prevent any future terrorist attacks in the United States. with the creation of this law, came the establishment of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Department of Homeland Security mission is to respond to natural disasters, man-made accidents, and terroristic threats and attacks. The DHS became effective on March 1, 2003.
Homeland Security’s mission is “to secure the nation from the many threats we face. With honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values.”[3]
The first area is the Department of Homeland Security’s mission. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in 2002 by the Homeland Security Act. In 2003 the DHS started their operations. The DHS primary responsibilities and objectives includes prevention, protection, and response to issues that threaten national security. There are five core missions that define the DHS: Managing and securing our nation’s borders, strengthening security initiatives to help prevent terrorism, administering and enforcing the nation’s immigration laws, ensuring that the nation can rebound fast and or prevent disasters, and ensuring the internet is secure by instituting safeguards that protect the nation against cyber-attacks. (TWH, 2003)
September 11, is a time etched in history of the United States, more so than the majority any past conflicts or disasters felt on domestic land. This caused our country to consider its safety for family, friend, and country that has caused a shift in considered career paths or chosen professions. Larsen address the need for a different type expert needed to talk the threats of homeland security (n.d). Studies now show that the past prerequisite degrees like, biomedical are chemistry are no longer the normal backgrounds in the profession of homeland security. Furthermore, to meet the demand of the new career path, many colleges, and university to introduce and address the needs of the field. By 2012 nearly a quarter of all federal jobs were related to homeland security, while ...
For many industries relying solely on NIST framework is not enough. The framework is not meant to replace their existing processes of handling cyber threats, however, by using the framework as a base, they can find the gaps in the most important infrastructure and figure out a way to harden and improve its security. For example, the energy industry is one of the most important industries and it has critical role in keeping the country safe. Therefore, most of the cyber-attacks are targeting it. In order to keep it safe, many agencies are involved in improving the best practices and standards for the industry, and hardening its critical infrastructure.
With each of these purposes come responsibilities for the Department of Homeland Security. First, DHS is responsible for overseeing the protection of the government domain. Second, DHS use intrusion detection tools to monitor government network traffic for malicious activity and uses this resulting data to address cyber vulnerabilities. Third, DHS ensure the security and resiliency of government networks.