Question

surf the internet for information about the Department of Homeland security. Examine the available information, and comment on the role of information technologies in the department.

Answer 1

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a cabinet department of the U.S. federal government with responsibilities in public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terrorism, border security, immigration and customs, cyber security, and disaster prevention and management. It was created in November 2002 in response to 9/11 and began operations the following year. It is the youngest U.S. cabinet department.

Agency overview
Formed	November 25, 2002
Jurisdiction	United States
Headquarters	St. Elizabeths West Campus, Washington, D.C., U.S. 38.854715°N 76.999952°W
Employees	240,000 (2018)
Annual budget	$51.672 billion (FY 2020)
Agency executives	Chad Wolf, Acting Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, Acting Deputy Secretary
Child agencies	United States Citizenship and Immigration Services U.S. Customs and Border Protection Federal Emergency Management Agency U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Transportation Security Administration United States Coast Guard (during times of peace) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency United States Secret Service Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Federal Protective Service Citizenship & Immigration Services Ombudsmen Domestic Nuclear Detection Office Management Directorate Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Office of General Counsel Office of Health Affairs Office of Intelligence & Analysis Office of Legislative Affairs Office of Operations Coordination Office of Partnership & Engagement Office of Policy Office of Public Affairs Office of the Inspector General Privacy Office Science & Technology Directorate
Website	www.dhs.gov

In fiscal year 2018, it was allocated a net discretionary budget of $47.716 billion. With more than 240,000 employees, DHS is the third largest Cabinet department, after the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Homeland security policy is coordinated at the White House by the Homeland Security Council. Other agencies with significant homeland security responsibilities include the Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, and Energy.

Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned on April 7, 2019, effective April 10. By law (6 U.S.C. §113(g)), Undersecretary for Management Claire Grady was to become the acting Secretary of Homeland Security. On April 7, President Donald J. Trump designated the current U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan as acting Secretary; that had lingering questions of legality resolved after Trump forced Grady to resign on April 9. McAleenan then named David Pekoske, who currently also serves as the TSA Administrator, as the acting Deputy Secretary. On November 13, 2019, Chad Wolf became the Acting Secretary and named Ken Cuccinelli as the Acting Deputy Secretary

Role of IT in the dept. :-

The following sections outline SSA, SCC, GCC, and shared responsibilities.
6.3.1 Sector-Specific Agency
NCSD has responsibility for working with public and private IT Sector security partners to promote not only the physical,
human, and cyber elements of the infrastructure but also the cyber security of all infrastructure sectors as consumers of IT.
NCSD responsibilities are as follows:
• Coordinate development and drive implementation of the IT SSP:
– Coordinate efforts to compose and maintain the IT SSP;
– Support implementation of the collaboratively developed risk assessment approach for the IT Sector;
– Coordinate efforts to determine protective measures for the IT Sector;
– Identify R&D requirements and conduct R&D in concert with other government entities, the private sector, and other
security partners;
– Ensure public and private sector security partners are engaged, as early as possible, in the development and revision of the
SSP and in planning other CI/KR protection initiatives;
– Encourage and promote participation in the IT GCC, IT SCC, and IT-ISAC; and
– Support the IT-ISAC as the operational information-sharing mechanism for the private sector.
• Engage with IT Sector security partners:
– Identify relevant public and private sector security partners that have a role in securing the IT Sector;
– Develop a plan for regular engagement between NCSD and the public and private IT Sector security partners;–

— Promote security awareness within the IT Sector;

– Communicate timely, analytical, and useable information, including threat and warning information, specific to the infra-
structure and public and private IT Sector security partners;
– Identify incentives for the private sector to undertake voluntary efforts to improve security (physical, cyber, and human)
and implement the SSP;
– Encourage the use of risk transfer mechanisms, such as contractual arrangements that expand the use of state-of-the-art
security practices through market mechanisms; and
– Develop a business case for continuing investment in securing the IT Sector.
• Engage with other government entities:
– Work with the intelligence and law enforcement communities to enhance the collection, assessment, and distribution of
cyber-related intelligence to IT Sector security partners;
– Solicit input from government entities on IT Sector CI/KR protection-related efforts;
– Work with US-CERT to provide cyber alerts, response assistance, and information on remediation measures to public and
private sector security partners; and
– Interact with other SSAs and sectors to identify unique dependencies, interdependencies, relationships, and partnerships
across sectors.
6.3.2 IT Sector Coordinating Council36
The IT SCC’s responsibilities are as follows:
• Develop and drive implementation of the IT SSP:
– Participate in the development, review, and enhancement of the IT SSP;
– Support the identification and risk assessment of critical IT Sector functions;
– Collaborate with NCSD and other public IT Sector security partners to identify current and future protective program needs;
– Encourage and share advances in security resulting from R&D; and
– Use the IT-ISAC as the focal point for operational information sharing with the private sector.
• Engage with IT public sector security partners to promote CI/KR protection:
– Identify relevant public sector security partners that have a role in securing the IT Sector; and
– Promote security awareness within the IT Sector.
6.3.3 IT Government Coordinating Council37
The IT GCC has responsibility for coordination of strategies, activities, policy, and communications across government entities
with a role in securing the IT Sector. The IT GCC’s responsibilities are as follows:
• Develop and facilitate implementation of the IT SSP:
– Lead efforts to develop, review, enhance, and maintain the IT SSP;

– Support the identification and risk assessment of critical IT Sector functions;
– Collaborate with private IT Sector security partners to identify current and future IT Sector protective program needs; and
– Encourage and share advances in security resulting from R&D.
• Engage with IT private sector security partners to promote CI/KR protection:
– Identify relevant private sector security partners that have a role in the security of the IT Sector;
– Participate in the sector partnership model to coordinate with IT Sector security partners;
– Use available communication tools (e.g., HSIN-CS, Web site, and telephone hotline) to exchange information with the
private sector in relation to the IT Sector; and
– Promote security awareness within the IT Sector.
6.3.4 Shared Cross-Sector Cyber Security Responsibilities
Various critical IT Sector functions are consumed by other critical infrastructure sectors and by Federal, State, and local govern-
ments. The IT Sector provides the ability to secure IT products and services; however, each sector is individually responsible
for the day-to-day operational security of its cyber systems. The IT Sector has an understanding of not only how its products
and services are used by consumers, but also an understanding of the security challenges that other sectors face as they use
their cyber infrastructure. Public and private IT Sector security partners leverage this expertise to assist other CI/KR sectors and
governments in addressing cyber security.

*all these information was taken from Internet

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