Homeland Security


FCC considers state, regional public safety networks

The FCC is considering requests to form a broadband network for first responders rather than waiting for the commission to create a nationwide network.

Coast Guard gets good marks on enterprise architecture

The Coast Guard has made progress on its enterprise architecture efforts, but should finish documentation, planning and get needed resources, the Homeland Security Department's inspector general says.

Passenger screening program to collect more data

U.S. airlines will begin collecting passengers' dates of birth and gender when they make reservations under the Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight program.

DHS expands global trusted traveler program

DHS' international trusted traveler program is expanding to more airports this month.

DHS plans cybersecurity wiki

The Homeland Security Department plans a new wiki that federal cybersecurity centers would use to coordinate efforts and improve situational awareness.

Business groups want Congress to address E-Verify concerns

TechAmerica and others ask lawmakers to deal with their worries about E-Verify.

Rising Star Harold Schliesske

Schliesske stepped into a variety of roles to support the deployment and management of biometric systems in Iraq and other tactical environments. He updated systems at 10 installations in Iraq, and the reduced demand for staff and equipment is expected to save $700,000 a year.

US-CERT director resigns

Mischel Kwon, director of the Homeland Security Department's operational cybersecurity team that handles cyber incident detection, warning and response activities for civilian agencies’ networks, has resigned. She will join RSA in early September.

Rising Star Alma Ritter Cole

Cole led the response to the Adobe Reader JBIG2 vulnerability. His team identified and tracked multiple spear-phishing e-mail messages that attempted to exploit this vulnerability. His team also tackled other zero-day security threats — that is, flaws for which no fixes are available.

IG fears risks to DHS stimulus money

The Homeland Security Department's inspector general has said DHS should work to mitigate risks that may affect its capability to prudently spend, manage and report on $2.8 billion it got in stimulus money, including hundreds of millions for technology.

Rising Star Christina Bapst

Bapst manages the Enterprise Data Management Office, which coordinates the data collected, managed and shared across DHS’ 22 components. Bapst, who also oversees the budget for the Office of Applied Technology, tightened OAT’s acquisition process, with 98 percent of projects now completed on schedule.

Rising Star Anthony Hoang

Hoang smoothed the way for adopting the National Information Exchange Model as a way to improve information sharing across DHS and between the department and its partners in federal, state and local governments. He also persuaded senior executives at DHS and DOD to transition the Maritime Information Exchange Model, a competitor to NIEM, into NIEM.