Category: Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security is the third largest Cabinet agency with the missions of protecting the country against another terrorist attack, responding to threats and hazards, ensuring safe and secure borders, welcoming lawful immigrants and visitors, and promoting the free-flow of commerce.
Over the years, accomplishing mission success has presented many challenges to DHS managers and employees. For example, there have been organizational challenges including questionable leadership decisions and capabilities, organizational failures, overwhelmed response and communications systems, and inadequate statutory authorities.
Future DHS management challenges will likely include counterterrorism, catastrophic disaster response and recovery, cyber security, technology infusion and acquisition, financial management, infrastructure protection, border security, and transportation security.
Select the top three major management challenges facing the Department of Homeland Security in the next 10 years. How should DHS plan to address these challenges, and support with examples and provide recommendations and possible solutions?
Required:
There are no right or wrong answers but you must support your response with critical thinking, relevant examples, and cited sources.
Post a substantive initial response (300 words minimum not including citations) to the initial discussion question.
Each reply post must be a minimum of 100 words not including citations.
Your posts must be based on factual academic information (not personal opinion) supported with citations to at least two (2) academic references in addition to the course materials. This is to demonstrate that you read and understood the assigned readings and all prior postings by the instructor and other students.
Please use the correct APA format in citing any source material you use. Refer to the APA Manual link posted in the Discussion area.

Prepare a 2-page essay on the types of hazards for which your community is most vulnerable. Investigate your community’s comprehensive plan, if any, to learn whether the natural hazards your community is most susceptible to are discussed in the comprehensive plan and whether steps are taken in the plan to deal with that hazard. Similarly, look at the website of your state’s emergency management agency to learn whether it sorts out the types of hazards for which your state is most vulnerable. Depending on what you learn about your community and state recognition of the most common hazards, comment on how you would plan, alert residents to the greatest areas of vulnerability, and other actions you find necessary.

utilize an event a person would typically attend where you observe resources that may be associated with a planned event. For example; I just attended a fair where, I observed police officers on fixed posts, police officers patrolling on golf carts, firefightersmedical staff staging with golf carts and ambulances, bomb squad vehicle staging, a child lost and found section, a law enforcement communication vehicle platform, cellular trailers, and so on.
Try to give examples of some things you would add and try to think ahead. For example, think of issues such as if lots of people gather in a specific location. It is easy to think about having emergency workers on the scene in case something happens, but what about thinking ahead to bring in cell phone tower trailers to allow for all of the additional cell phone traffic that would overload the tower(s) in the area and could negatively affect communications.

utilize an event a person would typically attend where you observe resources that may be associated with a planned event. For example; I just attended a fair where, I observed police officers on fixed posts, police officers patrolling on golf carts, firefightersmedical staff staging with golf carts and ambulances, bomb squad vehicle staging, a child lost and found section, a law enforcement communication vehicle platform, cellular trailers, and so on.
Try to give examples of some things you would add and try to think ahead. For example, think of issues such as if lots of people gather in a specific location. It is easy to think about having emergency workers on the scene in case something happens, but what about thinking ahead to bring in cell phone tower trailers to allow for all of the additional cell phone traffic that would overload the tower(s) in the area and could negatively affect communications.

Have chemical attacks conducted in the past by such groups as the Japanese terrorist group Aum Shinrikyo or the Syrian government in the past half-decade had a significant effect on counterterrorism preparedness against chemical weapons domestically in the United States? Why or Why not? Do you feel the more recent chemical attacks by the Russian government against their former spy in the UK and political opponents will have an impact on chemical weapon preparedness here in the United States? Why or why not?

Note: This is a section in the paper. No need for an introduction. Go straight to the point. Use in-text citation in Chicago format and as much as possible (NOT the one does superscriipt). Use one or all of the following sources below. Only use scholarly sources with weblink. The general flow of the paper is Russian misinformation/disinformation on right-wing groups in the U.S. and Europe.
1) Destabilization of social cohesion
2) Amplification of racial and ethnic divides
3) Promotion of religious intolerance
4) Encouragement of political violence
Bennett, Lance W., and Steven Livingston. 2018. “The Disinformation Order: Disruptive Communication and the Decline of Democratic Institutions.” European Journal of Communications 33, No 2 122 – 139. . Berkowitz, Peter. 2019. “Conservatism and the People.” City Journal. http://www.peterberkowitz.com/articles/ConservatismAndThePeople.pdf. Chua, Shenyi, Gisella Joma, Artur Lischenko, Jessica Lobo, Lukas Mejia, and Makenzi Taylor. 2020. “Responding to Violent Extremism in Western Balkans.” Center for Global Affairs School of Professional Studies (New York University). https://www.sps.nyu.edu/content/dam/sps/academics/departments/center-for-global-affairs/pdfs/NYU_Report_on_Western_Balkans.pdf. Douglass, John Aubrey. 2021. Neo-Nationalism and Universities: Populists, Autocrats, and the Future of Higher Education. Johns Hopkins University Press. https://muse.jhu.edu/book/85165/pdf. Emily, Fowler. 2021. “(Dis)Information Warfare: The 2016 Election, Russian Hackers, and U.S. Democratic Precarity.” 68. https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/26515/Final_Thesis-FowlerE.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. European Comission. 2021. “Shaping Europe’s Future: Open Internet.” quoted in Georgetown University Law Center Global Law Scholars. 2022. “Law and Disinformation in the Digital Age.” (Georgetown University) 280. https://www.law.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Law-and-Disinformation-in-the-Digital-Age.pdf. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/open-internet. Georgetown University Law Center Global Law Scholars. 2022. “Law and Disinformation in the Digital Age.” (Georgetown University) 280. https://www.law.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Law-and-Disinformation-in-the-Digital-Age.pdf. Ghosh, Dipayan, and Ben Scott. 2018. “Digital deceit: the technologies behind precision propaganda on the internet.” Havard Kennedy School. https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/dipayan/files/digital-deceit-final-v3.pdf. Ivaldi, Gilles, and Emilia Zankina. 2023. “The Impacts of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine on Right-Wing Populism in Europe.” European Center for Populism Studies. https://shs.hal.science/halshs-04024156/document. Johnson, Darin EW. 2019. “Russian election interference and race-baiting.” 191. https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/d8-rxg0-y420/download. Karlsen, G.H. 2019. “Divide and Rule: Ten Lessons about Russian Political Influence Activities in Europe.” 1–14., Palgrave Communications 5 (1):. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-019-0227-8. Kopilow, Melissa M. 2022. “Disinformation Targeting Democracy: Violent Effects of Russia’s Active Measures Campaigns In France, Germany, And The United States.” Naval Postgraduate School. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1185009.pdf. Korta, Samantha M. 2018. “Fake News, Conspiracy Theories, and Lies: An Information Laundering Model for Homeland Security.” (Naval Postgradute School) 153. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1052689.pdf. Krekó, Péter. 2022. “Russian influence in Hungary.” (ING2 Committee Hearing). https://www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/256493/OJ%20item%204_peter_kreko_ing2_hearing_20221027_speaking_points.pdf. Liang, Christina Schori, and Matthew John Cross. 2020. White Crusade: How to Prevent Right-Wing Extremists from Exploiting the Internet. Geneva Centre for Security Policy – GCSP. https://dam.gcsp.ch/files/doc/white-crusade-how-to-prevent-right-wing-extremists-from-exploiting-the-internet. March, Luke. 2023. “Putin: populist, anti-populist, or pseudo-populist?” Journal Of Political Ideologies (University of Edinburgh). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/13569317.2023.2250744?needAccess=true. McGeehan, Timothy P. 2018. “Countering Russian Disinformation .” (U.S. Army War College) 11. https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2850&context=parameters. McGowan, Bethany S, Hannah Matthew, Sofia Badcock, Katelyn Biggs, Lara Chuppe, Christina Galiatsatos, and Jannine Huby. 2022. “Identifying Dis/Misinformation on Social Media: A Policy Report for the Diplomacy Lab Strategies for Identifying Mis/Disinformation Project.” https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1276&context=lib_fsdocs. Melzer, Ralf, and Sebastian Serafin. 2013. Right-Wing In Europe Extremism Country Analyses, Counterstrategies And Labor-Market Oriented Exit Strategies. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/dialog/10031.pdf. Merriam-Webster. n.d. Disinformation. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disinformation. Nabozhniak, O., O. Tsekhanovska, A. Castagna, D. Khutkyy, and A. Melenchuk. 2023. Revealing Russian influence in Europe: Insights from Germany, France, Italy and Ukraine. Institute of Innovative Governance. Revealing Russian influence in Europe: Insights from Germany, France, Italy and Ukraine. Pauli, Carol. 2017. “Fake News, No News, and the Needs of Local Communities.” Howard LJ. https://scholarship.law.tamu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2317&context=facscholar. Shekhovtsov, Anton. 2018. “Russia and the European Far Right.” (School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London ). https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10047343/1/Shekhovtsov_ID_thesis.pdf. Simpson, P.A., and H. Druxes. 2015. Digital media strategies of the far right in Europe and the United States (1st ed.). The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/apus/detail.action?docID=2051665. Stahl, Bernd Carsten. 2006. “On the difference or equality of information, misinformation, and disinformation: A critical research perspective.” https://inform.nu/Articles/Vol9/v9p083-096Stahl65.pdf. Turanskyi, Mykola. 2018. “The impact of pro-russian public organizations and parties on the annexation of the Crimea by the Russian Federation.” UR Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences. Accessed 2018. https://journals.ur.edu.pl/index.php/jhss/article/download/230/215. Weiss, Andrew S. 2020. “With Friends Like These: The Kremlin’s Far-Right and Populist Connections in Italy and Austria.” (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) 26. https://carnegieendowment.org/files/Weiss-Austria__Italy-FINAL.pdf. Zakem, Vera, Bill Rosenau, and Danielle Johnson. 2017. “Shining a Light on the Western Balkans Internal Vulnerabilities and Malign Influence from Russia, Terrorism, and Transnational Organized Crime.” Defense Technical Information Center. The Center for Naval Analyses. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1035185.pdf.

Compose a 1-page well documented paper that proposes your plan on the paper. Submit by Sunday of week 2 for my review and acceptance. Your proposal should be based on the following scenario.
Heavy Metal Engineering (HME), a manufacturing organization that creates metal shell casings for very high-end washer and dryer products has suppliers and customers world-wide, as well as world-wide offices. HME the US Corporate office in NY hires you as a professional Information Assurance consultant.
HME is looking to receive some significant third party funding for an international joint venture but was told they would be denied because they do not have any kind of Information Assurance plan to keep all data assets secure. You are required to create a comprehensive IA strategy that includes the following:
A detailed overview of what Information Assurance entails covering all the basics for an IA strategy (what will be protected and from what)
A plan or strategy for IA implementation including a framework
A complete risk mitigation strategy that completely outlines your plans to mitigate risks associated with operating in the 21st century workplace.
Select an accrediting body to ensure IA is not only a process but a part of organizational culture going forward
An incident response and disaster recovery plan in the event of intrusion and disaster
All sections should be clearly labeled and a separate section in each area specifically for justifications of your selection/proposal.
Your thoughts must be solidified with viable sources consistent with graduate level work. No more than 2 sources may be used with ND or no author. Scholarly and Peer reviewed sources are expected to be used throughout the bulk of this paper.

Technology developed rapidly when the internet become more accessible to all in the mid-1990s. Yet, there was little legal guidance or policy in place to ensure fairness and prevent misuse.
Review and explain your understanding of the CYBERSECURITY INFORMATION SHARING ACT, and the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act.
Each of you may have a different perspective in understanding and explaining these acts. That is, the legal studies student may be focused on the legal aspect of these statutes. In contrast, the STEM or Cybersecurity student might be more adept at examining the technological points set forth in these ACTS. That’s perfectly fine.
This is a good opportunity to learn from and share knowledge with your classmates. Be sure to review the posts of others to gain a unique understanding of the purpose of each act, how they factor into cyber-related investigations (if at all), and discuss whether they address any ethical requirements (legal, criminal, civil, technical, etc.). If such ethical concerns are lacking, set forth and justify at least two proposed ethical inclusions for the statutes. Be sure to explain your new ethical rules and why they are necessary, such as what challenges they could solve.
All Responsive Posts: Play devil’s advocate by providing logical arguments that oppose those presented in another student’s initial post.

As the demand for systems and applications continue to grow, organizations are striving to get things correct the first time as barriers are high and alternatives are plentiful. Review the elements systems engineering discussed in Chapter 2 and select the most critical element and one you see commonly overlooked.
Please also respond to post A and B
A)The development stage and launching of the system are elements, from my own personal experience on submarines, which are overlooked. CANES is an enterprise information system consisting of computing hardware, software, and network services (e.g., phone, email, chat, video teleconferencing, web hosting, file transfer, computational resources, storage, and network configuration and monitoring). CANES will replace legacy networks on ships, submarines, and shore sites. (DOT&E, 2016, pg.1) This system replaced the antiquated IT systems onboard all ships, submarines and shore sites. The major contractors involved with this system are: Northrop Grumman, BAE systems, Serco, and DRS Laurel Technologies. All these contractors had to collectively work together to develop this system however there were things they did not take into account and during the launching stage there were issues.
Naval Sea Systems Command (NSSC) integrates contractor with ship to install the system. Naval Sea Underwater Warfare Command is a branch of NSSC and is the entity that integrates contractor to submarines. A major goal of the Undersea Warfare Chief Technology Officer and staff are to maintain their fingers on the pulse of the future technology needs of the warfighter and match them to innovators in government, industry, academia and internationally that can address these needs. (NSSC, n.d., para.4) In theory this should enable a flawless execution of system development and launch however, there are some items that tend to be overlooked.
For one, the development of this system did not account for a continual disconnection of communications. With this it disrupts processes, certificates expire and those in charge of the shore based websites delete accounts if the ship is not connected to the system after 45 days. Thus, with my job we are continually working through these errors. Next, during the rollout process or system launch the contractors in charge of the install do not train ships force adequately and so there is a lack of knowledge during the initial operation. Ships force is given an initial training of the system however, it is not adequate when it comes to troubleshooting methods and processes. I believe the launching of the system is the most critical because this is where the developers can get the most feedback to improve the system. Every cyber system has its flaws and I believe in the Navy this is where we are lacking.
B) In the field of systems engineering there are components that play a crucial role in successfully creating and implementing complex systems. It is challenging to pinpoint one important element as the significance of specific components varies depending on the nature of the system and project goals. However one aspect that is often overlooked but holds importance is the effective management of requirements.
Effective management of requirements plays a vital role in systems engineering. It acts as a guiding light directing the projects path with precision to ensure that all stakeholders have an comprehensive understanding of the systems purpose, features and limitations (Fundamentals of Systems Engineering: Requirements Definition, n.d.). The meticulous handling of requirements involves collecting, documenting and validating every nonfunctional requirement.
Through examination and refinement of requirements initial phase provides a defined roadmap for the entire project lifecycle. It serves as protection against scope creep, misunderstandings, and costly deviations. By maintaining control over requirements in a manner effective requirements management acts as a guardian to keep the project on track within budget.
This meticulous requirements management has far-reaching effects. It not only improves project productivity by providing a clear and unambiguous framework for activity, but it also has a significant influence on the general success and quality of complex systems. It is like an architect’s meticulous plan in that it ensures that every part of the project flows in unison with the original idea, resulting in systems that accomplish their goals while maintaining the highest levels of quality and efficiency.

Write a two-page summary of an article on an aspect of emergency management. You may pick a focus either on a disaster type (natural hazard, public health, technological) or phase of emergency management (mitigation or prevention, preparedness, response, or recovery). **PLEASE FOCUS ON MITIGATION
Select your article from one of the following Journals:
The ASPEP Journal (American Society of Professional Emergency Planners)
The Australian Journal of Emergency Management
Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal (UK)
Disaster Recovery Journal (for Business Continuity Planners)
Disasters: The Journal of Disaster Studies, Policy and Management
Environmental Hazards: Human and Policy Dimensions
Homeland Protection Professional
International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters (International Research Committee on Disasters, American Sociological Association)
Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management (The Netherlands)
Journal of Emergency Management
Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (electronic)
Natural Hazards: An International Journal of Hazards Research & Prevention
Natural Hazards Review (Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado)