DOD Approves Dell Android Tablet For Use
Posted on November 4th, 2011
Via Blueforce Crawler 2.0 and Information Week: The Department of Defense (DOD) has approved the use of Dell’s Android-based mobile OS on its networks, paving the way for widespread use of Android-based smartphones and tablets throughout the military. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has published a Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) for the Dell Android mobile platform, according to a Dell blog post by Joe Ayers, an executive with Dell’s government business.
New Terror Report Warns of Insider Threat to Utilities and Critical Infrastructure
Posted on July 21st, 2011
ABC News is reporting that sabotage by an insider at a major utility facility, including a chemical or oil refinery, could provide al Qaeda with its best opportunity for the kind of massive Sept. 11 anniversary attack Osama bin Laden was planning, according to U.S. officials.
A new intelligence report from the Department of Homeland Security issued Tuesday, titled Insider Threat to Utilities, warns “violent extremists have, in fact, obtained insider positions,” and that “outsiders have attempted to solicit utility-sector employees” for damaging physical and cyber attacks.
In the materials recovered after the Navy SEAL operation that killed Osama bin Laden in May, officials found evidence bin Laden sought to repeat the carnage of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on or around its ten year anniversary.
“The only way you can actually kill the large scale number of Americans that [bin Laden] literally was calculating was through the use of this critical infrastructure,” Chad Sweet, former DHS chief of staff and co-founder of the Chertoff Group, told ABC News”.
DHS: Imported Gadgets Possibly Include Malicious Software
Posted on July 12th, 2011
Via PC Magazine: Very interesting story on embedded software arriving on our shores coded into integrated circuits and firmware. Another example of the need for end-to-end application layer encryption with support for encrypted at-test data. A Homeland Security official confirmed last week that tech components imported from overseas, many of which end up in some of the most popular American gadgets, are often infected with malicious software. “This is one of the most complicated and difficult challenges that we have,” Greg Schaffer, acting deputy undersecretary at DHS’ National Protection and Programs Directorate, said during a Thursday hearing.
Schaffer was responding to questions from Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah, chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations. “Clearly, supply chain risk management is an issue that the administration is focused on,” Schaffer said when asked how the U.S. was battling this problem. When pressed for details, Schaffer was reluctant to expand except to say, “I am aware that there have been instances where that has happened.”
“The range of issues goes to the fact that there are foreign components in many U.S. manufactured devices,” Schaffer continued. “There is a task force that DHS and DOD co-chair to look at these issues with goals to identify short-term mitigation strategies and to also make sure that we have capability for maintaining U.S. manufacturing capability over the long term.”
Telecom Engine: Verizon and Blueforce deliver information mobility for national security teams through M2M
Posted on July 4th, 2011
[SinglePic not found]June 9, 2011 via Telecom Engine: Last Thursday Verizon Wireless (Basking Ridge, N.J.) and Blueforce Development Corporation (Salem, Mass.) announced a partnership to deliver information mobility and advanced situational awareness for human-to-human and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) interactions using Verizon Wireless’ network and services.
“The nature of national security is changing. Now its small units striking at the same time who wish to do harm,” said Mike Helfrich, CEO of Blueforce Development. “It’s about mobility.”
According to Blueforce, using Blueforce Tactical (BTAC), a smartphone can be turned into an unattended ground sensor or a gyroscope/accelerometer. The smartphone can track pixilation on cameras, or determine if a firefighter in a burning building is standing up or lying down motionless.
The smartphones can be person-attached or unattended sensors that simultaneously permit secure information exchange between wireless devices and networks, according to Blueforce.
It can also be utilized in quick-reaction scenarios including force/hostage rescue; medical instances on the battlefield; unattended chemical/biological (CBRNE) sensor normalization; critical infrastructure protection; border protection and disaster response. Sensor normalization and sensor sharing between users and machine systems has included chemical, explosive, motion, seismic, accelerometer/gyroscope, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and a variety of thermal and day camera systems. Life safety sensors have included heart rate, respiration, body temperature and pulse oximetry.
“There is a tremendous value to having data at any given time,” said Gene Haffner, federal accounts manager at Verizon Wireless. “M2M is a true force multiplier and now its customizable to minimize loses and predict risk before they happen.”