U.S. Customs and Border Patrol's Role in Information Security - Essay Example

Running head: U.S. CBP’s Role in Information Security U.S. CBP’s Role in Information Security Introduction Any association which relies on information systems and computer networks for carrying out the duties it is responsible for has to place a major importance on information security. This importance becomes more when considered in context of government agencies, since they are responsible for the maintenance of public’s trust. Due to such a phenomenal development in computer interconnectivity along with such a major rise in the usage of the internet there have been great alterations in the manner the government, the country and the majority of the globe conducts their duties and communicates. Nevertheless, without there being appropriate security measures, there is a danger of the systems being misused by people and certain communities who have spiteful intentions of intruding and making use of the access for acquiring sensitive data, committing wrong, disrupting functions, or launching attacks in opposition to the other computer systems and network. Such a concern is not there without any reason. It is an issue of worry because of the remarkable rise in the incidents related to security, the easiness with which hacking devices can be obtained and used, the gradual progress that is occurring in regard to the complexity plus efficiency of attack technology, and the terrible cautions that are being given regarding the novel and increasingly hazardous attacks which may be there in the future. Overview of the US-VISIT Program Since a long time the Congress has identified that there is a requirement of a border security system which would gather data regarding the overseas citizens coming in and out of the United States and which would also recognize the persons who are overstaying their visits. In 1996 there was the implementation of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) (Newton, 2008) in the United States which was one of the legislative attempts for the creation of an entry exit control mechanism which were to be used for recording and matching entries and exits of the overseas citizens who travelled to the United States. One of the requirements of this act is to see that there is integration by the entry exit system of the foreign entries and exit data that is recorded in the databases of the Department of Justice and State Department. Following the attacks of 9/11 there have been more laws addressing the usage of biometric technology within a foreign arrival departure control mechanism. For instance, there is the USA Patriot Act (Scheppler, 2005) which authorizes that such a mechanism should have the ability of interfacing with other law enforcement associations, and also that the system makes use of biometric technology and files which are tamper-resistant. Other than this, there is a requirement by the Aviation and Transport Security Act for the airplanes to electronically transfer apparent data for each of the intercontinental flight passengers and the crew members to the Commissioner of Customs prior to the plane landing at an airport in the United States. Additionally, there is the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act which has the requirement of using biometrics in the files for traveling and this act expands the passenger entry apparent needs in the Aviation and Transportation Security Act to the ships as well as to the air and sea exits. Goals and Purpose and Information Systems Supporting the US-VISIT Program The US-VISIT agenda aims at enhancing the safety that is provided to the nationals and the visitors of United States, facilitating lawful travelling as well as trade, ensuring that the US immigration mechanism is honest, and to make sure that there is protection of the confidentiality of the tourists coming to US. There are several of the main US-VISIT operations of which one is gathering, preserving, and sharing data on particular overseas citizens who arrive in and exit from the US. Other functions include recognizing those overseas nationals who violate the agreement terms in relation to their entrance in the country, who may have the eligibility to obtain, increase, or modify their current immigration type, or the ones who should receive apprehension or should be arrested by authorities. Also, the program aims at finding out about the fake travel records, verify their identity, and determine traveler permissibility by means of biometrics; and also at providing facilitation to the sharing and organization of data in the immigration and border management group. The implementation of US-VISIT program is by means of a “system-of-system” wherein the composition of the program is various mechanisms which can be employed for capturing and storing data about the traveler. The data about the traveler which is gathered by US-VISIT comprises of data like air, land, and sea port of entrance permissibility information, commercial passenger and crew information, visa application information, and travel records (passport and visa) information. The data that is gathered consists of that individual’s full name, date of birth, ethnicity, the country that issued his travel document and also its number and kind, the picture of the person and his finger prints. Weaknesses Even though there has been an implementation of information security controls which have been planned for safeguarding the US-VISIT information, its mechanisms that support the US-VISIT certainly consists of major defects in availability controls and the other controls that have been planned for the protection of discretion, honesty, and accessibility of the personal data. There has been an implementation of many significant controls by the CBP, for example the encrypting of information transferred among the customer and interface servers, organizing interruption exposure software, and conducting regular support processes which harmonize the storage space network at some information base with its distant support area. Additionally, it had the control of the physical availability mechanisms at the land and sea ports of entry and efficiently made secure certain of the personal sites and computer devices. Nevertheless, there was not a constant implementation of efficient availability controls and other such controls like the distribution of responsibilities and pattern guarantee for mechanisms which support US-VISIT. A major cause behind such defects was that the CBP had not at all times maintained efficiency when implementing the major program activities of the department’s information security program for systems which supported the US-VISIT agenda. Resultantly, there was rising danger existing about the unauthorized persons compromising mechanisms which support US-VISIT. Conclusion According to the report by US GAO, there were several weaknesses found in the US-VISIT program with regard to the information security control. Due to this the sensitive data, which included the personal information, was placed at a lot of risk and could be accessed by the criminals and the unauthorized, and this could lead to unnoticed revelation and alteration, mishandling, and devastation, which could make the program functions to become disrupted, or at least at a risk of being disrupted. The report exhibited the fact that there were plenty of defects in “identification and authentication controls, authorization controls, boundary protection measures, physical security, use of cryptography, audit and monitoring practices, segregation of duties, and configuration assurance controls exposed CBP’s mainframe computer, network infrastructure, servers, and workstations to insider and external threats” (US GAO, 2007: 34). Although there is advancement to be seen in the way CBP has implemented the department’s information security program, there has been a lack of proper measures being taken for the ensuring of discretion, honesty, and the accessibility of data and information systems which support the program of US-VISIT. Due to this there may have been a disclosure or modification of information by persons who are not authorized and this needs to be checked. References Newton, L. (2008). Illegal, Alien, or Immigrant: The Politics of Immigration Reform. New York: NYU Press. Scheppler, B. (2005). The USA PATRIOT Act: Antiterror Legislation in Response to 9/11 (Library of American Laws and Legal. New York: Rosen Central. United States Government Accountability Office. (2007). INFORMATION SECURITY: Homeland Security Needs to Immediately Address Significant Weaknesses in Systems Supporting the US-VISIT Program. Washington, DC: United States Government Accountability Office. Read More