Homeland Security: DHS's Progress and Challenges in Key Areas of Maritime, Aviation, and Cybersecurity Page: 2 of 25
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' GAO
Accountability Integrity* Reliability
Highlights
Highlights of GAO-10-106, Statement
Before the Committee on Commerce,
Science and Transportation, U.S. Senate
Why GAO Did This Study
Securing the nation's
transportation and information
systems is a primary responsibility
of the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS). Within DHS, the
Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) is
responsible for securing all
transportation modes; U.S.
Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) is responsible for cargo
container security; the U.S. Coast
Guard is responsible for protecting
the maritime environment; and the
National Protection and Programs
Directorate is responsible for the
cybersecurity of critical
infrastructure. This statement
focuses on the progress and
challenges DHS faces in key areas
of maritime, aviation, and
cybersecurity. It is based on GAO
products issued from June 2004
through November 2009, as well as
ongoing work on air cargo security.
GAO reviewed relevant documents;
interviewed cognizant agency
officials; and observed operations
at 12 airports, chosen by size and
other factors. The results are not
generalizable to all airports.
GAO is not making
recommendations in this
statement; however, GAO has made
prior recommendations to DHS to,
among other things, analyze the
feasibility of scanning U.S.-bound
cargo containers and more fully
protect computer-reliant critical
infrastructures. DHS generally
agreed with these
recommendations. DHS provided
technical comments on this
statement, which GAO
incorporated as appropriate.
View GAO-10-106 or key components.
For more information, contact Cathleen
Berrick at (202) 512-8777 or
berrickc@gao.gov.HOMELAND SECURITY
DHS's Progress and Challenges in Key Areas of
Maritime, Aviation, and CybersecurityWhat GAO Found
DHS has made progress in enhancing security in the maritime sector, but key
challenges remain. For example, as part of a statutory requirement to scan 100
percent of U.S.-bound container cargo by July 2012, CBP has implemented the
Secure Freight Initiative at select foreign ports. However, CBP does not have a
plan for fully implementing the 100 percent scanning requirement by July 2012
because it questions the feasibility, although it has not performed a feasibility
analysis of the requirement. Rather, CBP has planned two new initiatives to
further strengthen the security of container cargo, but these initiatives will not
achieve 100 percent scanning. Further, TSA, the Coast Guard, and the
maritime industry took a number of steps to enroll over 93 percent of the
estimated 1.2 million users in the Transportation Worker Identification
Credential (TWIC) program (designed to help control access to maritime
vessels and facilities) by the April 15, 2009 compliance deadline, but they
experienced challenges resulting in delays and in ensuring the successful
execution of the TWIC pilot. While DHS and the Coast Guard have developed
a strategy and programs to reduce the risks posed by small vessels, they face
ongoing resource and technology challenges in tracking small vessels and
preventing attacks by such vessels.
In the aviation sector, TSA has made progress in meeting the statutory
mandate to screen 100 percent of air cargo transported on passenger aircraft
by August 2010 and in taking steps to strengthen airport security, but TSA
continues to face challenges. TSA's efforts include developing a system to
allow screening responsibilities to be shared across the domestic air cargo
supply chain, among other steps. Despite these efforts, TSA and the industry
face a number of challenges including the voluntary nature of the program,
and ensuring that approved technologies are effective with air cargo. TSA also
does not expect to meet the mandated 100 percent screening deadline as it
applies to air cargo transported into the U.S., in part due to existing screening
exemptions for this type of cargo and challenges in harmonizing security
standards with other nations. GAO is reviewing these issues as part of its
ongoing work and will issue a final report next year. In addition, TSA has
taken a variety of actions to strengthen airport security by, among other
things, implementing a worker screening program; however, TSA still faces
challenges in this area.
DHS has made progress in strengthening cybersecurity, such as addressing
some lessons learned from a cyber attack exercise, but further actions are
warranted. Since 2005, GAO has reported that DHS has not fully satisfied its
key responsibilities for protecting the nation's computer-reliant critical
infrastructures and has made related recommendations to DHS, such as
bolstering cyber analysis and warning capabilities and strengthening its
capabilities to recover from Internet disruptions. DHS has since developed
and implemented certain capabilities to satisfy aspects of its responsibilities,
but it has not fully implemented GAO's recommendations and, thus, more
action is needed to address the risk to critical cybersecurity infrastructure.United States Government Accountability Office
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United States. Government Accountability Office. Homeland Security: DHS's Progress and Challenges in Key Areas of Maritime, Aviation, and Cybersecurity, text, December 2, 2009; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc299670/m1/2/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.