Janet Napolitano

Why We Need A Cyber Doctrine Now

By

We’ve heard national security leaders at the highest levels say it repeatedly: we are not prepared for cyber war.

Gen. Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency and commander of U.S. Cyber Command, made it clear when he rated America’s readiness for addressing a catastrophic cyber attack “three on a scale of ten.” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has discussed the imminent threats of a breach that “shuts down part of the nation’s infrastructure in such a fashion that it results in a loss of life.” And Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has often been quoted saying that a large-scale attack on our critical infrastructure could wreak havoc on a scale “equivalent to Pearl Harbor.” Keep reading →

 /  Published November 27, 2012 at 9:00 AM

Cyber Order Puts DHS In Charge Of Oversight, Sets Deadlines

By


The Obama administration is getting ready to change the way the government handles cybersecurity.

The White House has drafted an executive order, a draft of which is currently circulating among federal agencies for approval, mirroring cyber legislation that recently failed to get through a Senate vote. Among other things, the order shunts much of the enforcement and management of cybersecurity issues to federal agencies. We understand that, contrary to some earlier news reports, the classified portion of the order does not contain significant new authorities but details those already existing. Keep reading →

 /  Published November 20, 2012 at 12:15 PM

Has DHS Task Force On Cyber Skills Rushed to Judgment?

By


The DHS Task Force on Cyber Skills released a much-anticipated report last month on the state of the cyber workforce within the Department of Homeland Security.

Commissioned in June 2012 by Secretary Janet Napolitano, a group of government and industry leaders was tasked with “identifying the best ways DHS can foster the development of a national security workforce capable of meeting current and future cybersecurity challenges.” The group was also charged with “outlining how DHS can improve its capability to recruit and retain that sophisticated cybersecurity talent.” Keep reading →

 /  Published November 2, 2012 at 10:01 AM

Cybersecurity Act Of 2012 Challenged on Capitol Hill; McCain To Draft Alternative

By

Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) on Thursday ripped into the authors and supporters of the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 for what he called “legislative bullying,” suggesting that democrats are attempting to push a flawed bill through the Senate without input from those that oppose the bill.

During a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, McCain sent an unexpected shot across the bow of committee chairman Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), stating that a lack of transparency in the legislative process that led to the drafting of the bill has now forced him and at least seven other Republicans to begin work on “an alternative” cybersecurity bill that they plan to introduce before the end of the month. Keep reading →

 /  Published February 16, 2012 at 5:54 PM

Technology To Boost Illegal Immigrant Investigations

By

Proposed increases in federal technology spending aren’t just for back office operations; they’re also expected to help the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency track down illegal immigrants, weed out illegal job applicants and intercept would be terrorists.

Those are just some of the places where hikes in information technology spending in President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2013 budget would be directed, if approved by Congress. Keep reading →

 /  Published February 16, 2012 at 9:19 AM

Battle Lines Being Drawn Over Cybersecurity Legislation

By

Just two days after introducing the controversial Cybersecurity Act of 2012, Senate lawmakers on Thursday plan to hold a hearing on the legislation, raising concerns that what some are calling a flawed piece of legislation may be on the fast-track for approval by the end of March.

The bill would grant the Department of Homeland Security vast new regulatory authorities over select portions of the nation’s critical infrastructure – everything from the national electric grid to transportation, water and financial services, among others. Keep reading →

 /  Published February 15, 2012 at 4:41 PM

DHS Secretary Unveils New National Strategy For Supply Chain Security

By

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano unveiled the Obama administration’s latest “National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security” today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
_________________________________________________
This story was updated Jan. 26 to reflect additional expert comments. For more news and insights on innovations at work in government, please sign up for the AOL Gov newsletter. For the quickest updates, follow us on Twitter @AOLgov.
_________________________________________________

“We must continue to strengthen global supply chains to ensure that they operate effectively in time of crisis; recover quickly from disruptions; and facilitate international trade and travel,” said Secretary Napolitano in a statement released today by DHS. Keep reading →

 /  Published January 25, 2012 at 3:02 PM

DHS Pushes Partnerships, But Management Concerns Linger

By

Since the failed response to hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Department of Homeland Security has been fighting a pitched battle to restore the American people’s faith and confidence that it can prepare for, manage and respond to disasters and terrorist attacks like an integrated, effective, well-managed enterprise.

The department’s latest effort came on Aug. 3 when it brought out Secretary Janet Napolitano, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Craig Fugate, and former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge for a round of keynote speeches promoting public-private partnerships at an event hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. Keep reading →

 /  Published August 9, 2011 at 2:00 PM