• U.S. working closely with U.K. to secure 2012 Olympics

    Yesterday U.S. and U.K. officials met in Washington, D.C. to discuss security plans for the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games in London; the United States will have more than 500 federal agents on hand at the event and is working closely with British authorities

  • Internal e-mails reveal FBI confused by Secure Communities

    Recently released government e-mails indicate that the FBI had strong doubts about Secure Communities, a controversial DHS immigration program; officials worried that the misunderstanding over whether or not cities and states could actually opt out of the program would lead to a rift between local and federal law enforcement agencies

  • DHS warns terrorists targeting buses

    In a recent Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security bulletin, officials warned state and local authorities that terrorists are increasingly targeting bus networks; John Pistole, the head of the TSA, explained that bus networks are attractive targets for attacks because of their “accessibility” and their “open architecture”

  • Drones and privacy

    With civilian unmanned surveillance drones now capable of listening in on cell phone conversations, monitoring Wi-Fi traffic, seeing into backyards and windows not visible from the street, and tracking a person’s movement privacy advocates are concerned that the rapid advances in technology could violate privacy rights

  • Plan to protect Houston from the next big hurricane

    To protect Houston and Galveston from future hurricanes, experts recommends building a floodgate across the Houston Ship Channel, adding new levees to protect densely populated areas on Galveston Island and the developed west side of Galveston Bay; the team also recommends creating a 130-mile-long coastal recreation area to sustainably use wetlands that act as a natural flood barrier

  • DARPA to boost cyber research spending by 50 percent

    Last week, the head of the Department of Defense’s advanced research arm announced that the agency would increase cyber research spending by 50 percent over the next five years to develop both defensive and offensive capabilities

  • Budget cuts force Nevada to reconsider security priorities

    Next fiscal year Nevada will be forced to adapt to a 47 percent cut in DHS funding. To prepare for this new financial reality, Nevada governor Brian Sandoval has called for a reassessment of the state’s homeland security priorities

  • $4.1 Million in DHS grants awarded in Kentucky

    Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear announced last Thursday that 125 projects will receive approximately $4.1 million in grants courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security

  • FTC forces Facbook to change privacy policies

    It appears that it will not be too long before Facebook could be forced to get users’ consent every time it wants to make private data available to other members. This will be the result of an agreement Facebook has reached with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over criticism of the social network’s questionable private data policies.

  • Good ratings for TV drama "Homeland"

    The first six episodes of “Homeland,” the Showtime series focusing on the U.S. fight against terrorism ten years after the 9/11 attacks, have been pulling very good ratings. The series is based on an Israeli drama called “Kidnapped.”

  • New Jersey first responders prohibited from taking crash scene photos

    New Jersey lawmakers are currently considering a bill that would make it illegal for first responders to take pictures or videos of an accident and distribute them without the permission of the victim’s family; under the proposed law, any first responder who circulates an accident photo or video without permission could face as much as eighteen months in jail or a $10,000 fine

  • Training mission showcases Israeli counterterrorism techniques

    A group of U.S. law enforcement officials recently concluded a weeklong training seminar on the methods Israel uses to prevent and respond to terrorism

  • Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak on Iran, U.S., and war

    Israeli analysts note that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have been pushing for a military action against Iran, but that they were thwarted by senior officials in the Israeli national security establishment; with these officials retiring, it appears that Netanyahu and Barak may get their way; On Tuesday, Barak gave a wide-ranging interview to Kol Israel radio station, in which he addressed this and other Iran-related issues

  • Majority of Americans willing to use biometric scanners

    A recent survey revealed that a majority of Americans are willing to provide their biometric data at airport security checkpoints, during banking transactions, and when receiving government benefits or other services

  • Americans anxious about identity theft

    Americans will go to great lengths to avoid identity theft, and many say they would take legal action against government or private organizations that compromise their personal data; more than half of surveyed Americans are willing to provide biometric data to secure their identities