Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Homeland Security Faces Privacy, Tech Hurdles

    By
    Dennis Fisher
    -
    December 11, 2002
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      NEW YORK—The federal governments effort to integrate 22 different organizations into the new Department of Homeland Security faces major technological, privacy and security hurdles, a Bush administration official said Wednesday.

      The construction of the new department is being slowed by a lack of interoperability among agencies systems and the complex task of deciding how the department will consolidate, handle and secure sensitive data, said Robert Shepherd, the Office of Homeland Securitys director of information integration, who gave the keynote speech at the Infosecurity show here.

      “We need to be very careful on how we define appropriate information and appropriate people,” Shepherd said. “The privacy implications [of the integration] are enormous. We dont want to become a case study in business schools on how not to do this.”

      Private citizens and corporations are justified in wondering whether all of the sensitive data theyve shared with one agency will suddenly become available to other groups within Homeland Security, Shepherd said. But, officials have made the protection of such data a major priority during the integration effort.

      “We want to balance the homeland security concerns with the privacy concerns,” he said.

      Shepherd and his team are aiming to have the departments headquarters up and running by the end of February. But with nearly two dozen individual agencies bringing hundreds of separate databases to the organization, the integration effort is proving a daunting task.

      “Most of the major data sources were putting together cant talk to each other. Interoperability is a big issue,” Shepherd said. “The databases arent mutually accessible. If theres a Customs officer checking someone or a police officer who needs to find out whether someone theyve stopped is on a watch list, they need that information immediately. Getting it a day or three days later makes it almost useless.”

      Even after the department is operational, the process of integrating the various systems and databases will continue unabated.

      “This is going to be a process thats continuous and never ending,” Shepherd said.

      Dennis Fisher

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×