Critical Infrastructure
The protection of the nation's critical infrastructure -- which might include an electricity plant, a nuclear power plant, the nation's power grid, a water treatment facility and other vital elements of the economy -- often entails video surveillance using CCTV, perimeter protection as well as high-tech steps to safeguard a facility's SCADA control system.
FCC hopes for $10 billion from 700MHz auction January 24th
December 14th, 2007
The Federal Communications Commission has announced the date, January 24, 2008, and the bidding procedures for a massive auction of more than a thousand broadcast licenses in the 700 MHz band expected to yield more than $10 billion to Uncle Sam. This includes a portion of that spectrum reserved specifically for public safety purposes which is expected to sell for at least $1.3 billion.
Idaho National Lab offers cyber software for licensing
December 14th, 2007
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory has developed software that would enable the operator of a critical infrastructure plant to assess the cyber vulnerability of the plant’s industrial control systems. It would now like help in bringing its software to the commercial marketplace.
DHS poses five technical challenges to small businesses
December 12th, 2007
Small business entrepreneurs: Put on your thinking caps.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program run by the science and technology directorate of DHS is looking for creative ways to…
• identify a deceitful terrorist by seeing if the pupils in his eyes are dilating suspiciously;
• detect chemical, biological or explosive threats with miniature sensors that can communicate data via cell phones or wireless personal devices;
• graphically depict complex, long-term terrorist threats and U.S. vulnerabilities in easy-to-understand and visually appealing ways;
• gather samples of explosives from the exterior of a vehicle in order to detect a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED);
• develop a "smart sensor system" that can acquire and process data from all kinds of imaging, environmental, nuclear, chemical or biological sensors quicker and more intelligently than existing systems.
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ICE seeks outbound phone service vendor for its detainees
December 5th, 2007
The Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) directorate within DHS is planning to release a Request For Proposal in the near future for an outbound telephone service that will enable about 30,000 detainees in ICE detention facilities across the U.S. to phone consulates, immigration courts, pro bono lawyers and other approved parties, at no cost to the U.S. Government.
The real-world impact of the new chemical security regs
November 26th, 2007
After all the politicians have finished speaking about the urgent need for greater security at chemical plants. And after all the interest groups have finished their lobbying efforts. And after the legislation has been written, marked up, passed by Congress and signed by the President. And after the implementing regulations have been issued and then revised by the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS Initiates Chemical Security Regulations
November 21st, 2007
On November 20, 2007 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published "Appendix A," the final installment to the chemical security regulatory program, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), in the Federal Register. Promulgation signifies the department’s intent to commence full implementation of the CFATS program, thus initiating the first "new" security-specific regulation for critical infrastructure and key resources.
Uninterrupted power at the Cheney’s official residence
November 20th, 2007
Sure, we all know about Vice President Dick Cheney’s heart disease and the electronic pacemaker he wears, but GSN nevertheless found it curious that the U.S. Secret Service plans to award a contract to Lee Technologies Inc. for maintenance of the "generator and uninterrupted power supply systems" at the veep’s official residence at the Naval Observatory on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, DC.
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Rail security brings up the rear in Amtrak authorization legislation
October 29th, 2007
The reauthorization of Amtrak may be the locomotive for legislation chugging through the Senate this week, while a section of the same bill devoted specifically to rail security seems to be the caboose.
