A New Website: Speed to Mission
Passion for homeland security is the driving force in our company. I love what we do…and our new website!
It's a Two Way Street: Homeland Security and State Work Together On Immigration
Facilitating legitimate travel, managing immigration benefits, and securing our borders from threats depends on extensive cooperation between the Department of State (DoS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This collaboration requires constant communication and information sharing.
Cyber Crime Trend: The Unlawful Activities of the Dark Web
Portions of the internet invisible from standard search engines, known as the "Dark Web," are providing rapidly increasing user base access to many illegal activities online. Dark Web websites are publicly visible, yet hide the IP addresses of the servers that run them using anonymity software like Tor or I2P. These software programs encrypt internet traffic in multiple layers and bounce it across randomly selected computers around the world. This lets anyone using one of these programs access a site, but it can be difficult to locate its servers and users.
Don’t Fall for Phishing in 2015
You have probably never met a Nigerian prince. However, you might have received an email from one asking for help unlocking a fortune with the promise to pay you for your help. These so-called ‘Nigerian prince scams’ are a crude version of fraud that people can easily recognize.
From the Ground Up: Opening a New Operational Immigration Center
On November 20th, 2014, President Obama issued a series of executive orders intended to expedite the processing of two-year work permits and driver’s licenses for nearly five million undocumented immigrants in the United States with no criminal records.
Information Sharing is a Linchpin for Securing Special Events
After the tragic events of 9/11, there was overwhelming consensus that a coordinated effort against terrorism and other public safety threats was required between the nation’s entire law enforcement, emergency management, and intelligence apparatus. This includes the identified requirement to secure large-scale public events. These events present a potential target for terrorism and other crimes based on size, scope, and especially notoriety.
Buyer Beware – The Crime of Counterfeit Goods
With the celebration of major sports events like Super Bowl XLIX, and the ensuing zeal of football fans to attend it, many fans are determined to own a piece of Super Bowl history. Unfortunately, unscrupulous vendors and criminal organizations that specialize in selling counterfeit merchandise, such as tickets and jerseys, will defraud some of these fans. Each year people throughout the United States unwittingly purchase “genuine” memorabilia only to learn that they have been defrauded hundreds, or in some instances, thousands of dollars, for a counterfeit product.
A Leader’s Guide to Establishing Trust
A foundation of trust has been proven essential throughout history for achieving success in challenging environments, similar to those faced today by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Speed to Mission - Strategic Communications
National-level mission programs require strategic deployment of flexible, agile, and mobile support teams for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to support its employees and stakeholders. Major public events such as the Super Bowl and the Boston Marathon are complex events that need an intense focus on security and information sharing early in their planning phase.
Bridging Hometown and Homeland Security: The State Homeland Security Advisor
This winter, fifteen states are swearing in new governors, bringing new leadership to the governors’ offices and their cabinets. Governors rarely campaign on homeland security issues. Yet, if a governor mismanages a disaster, it will be their only legacy.
Speed to Mission – The New Way of Doing Business at DHS
A ‘big bang’ approach to homeland security projects – where projects take multiple years, have huge scope, cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and are prone to failure – are a thing of the past.
Cybersecurity: Don’t Forget the Management Fundamentals
Advances in tooling, education, and job training provide organizations with the opportunity to advance their own cybersecurity programs. If not impenetrable, they are at least harder to breach and therefore a less attractive target than the next organization. It may be tempting to assume new tools solve problems and erase or lessen the need to understand management fundamentals as they apply to cybersecurity. Instead, it is vital to consider how effective cybersecurity depends on management fundamentals, especially on sound resource allocation.
Upgrading Cyber-Physical Systems for National Security
A defining feature of the United States in the 21st century is the level of interconnectivity between persons, corporations, and government agencies. From banking to social media, the vast majority of the American people are online. Using a smartphone it is possible to track weather forecasts collecting data from government-owned satellites, and to check the arrival and departure times of commercial flights using air traffic control networks. This is all possible due to our advanced critical infrastructure and the key systems that control them.