DHS Loses Court Case Against Union Pacific – Justice is Done
The decision of U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon – ordering CBP to halt the imposition of fines against the Union Pacific railroad in their long-running dispute over when the railroad becomes responsible for contraband found on their trains –...
DetailsWhither CBP?
In just over two weeks, barring an unanticipated miracle, CBP Commissioner Alan Bersin’s recess appointment will run out. There are many positive things that can be said for how Bersin handled his tenure at CBP. Nevertheless, it does not...
DetailsA Public/Public Partnership – Addressing Water Sector Security
Following the recent attention given to the water sector’s vulnerability to cyber intrusion, there’s been a lot of talk about what went wrong, whose fault it was and why changes need to be made in the sector. However, the...
DetailsWater Security Expert Vance Taylor on Critical Infrastructure Hacking Incidents
Since news broke last week about a suspected cyber attack on an Illinois water utility, media, government and industry have probed the ramifications for U.S. critical infrastructure protection (CIP). Though DHS and FBI later found no attack had occurred,...
DetailsWater System Hacks Show the Dangers of Online Access
A recent cyber attack at a water utility in Illinois has sparked debate over how vulnerable U.S. critical infrastructure is to cyber intrusion. CQ Homeland Security's Rob Margetta interviewed Vance Taylor on what the attack means for water security...
DetailsIn Praise of Nick Nayak and the DHS Office of Procurement Operations
A few weeks back, I wrote an “Open Letter to Nick Nayak” in which I expressed, in some rather direct language, my frustration at attending a DHS Office of Health Affairs Industry Day on the Biowatch Generation 3 technology...
DetailsAspen to the Homeland’s Rescue
When the Aspen Institute does something, they do it exceptionally well. Last week, they announced the formal establishment of the Aspen Homeland Security Group, a reason for optimism about thinking and scholarship on homeland issues. Their membership is literally...
DetailsMr. “Ordinary” – An Unassuming Medal of Honor Hero
With cameras rolling, lights blaring and an intent audience before me, I took to the stage at FEMA’s National Recovery and Resiliency Exercise Conference last Wednesday, ready to rock that crowd. That is until an ordinary-looking 23-year-old guy named...
DetailsDoing Business with DHS: An Open Letter to Nick Nayak
A continuing (and welcomed) theme of some DHS presentations has been the importance of maintaining a dialogue with all Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stakeholders, including the private sector. While the messages have been well received in the audiences...
DetailsHomeland Security Symposium to Focus on Disasters
The world has faced tragic events of late: the Japanese earthquake and tsunami; the tragic bombing and shooting in Oslo, Norway; and post-Hurricane Irene floods along the U.S. East Coast. With these and other ever-present threats to our critical...
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