April 18, 2014
|
A Unique Approach to Strengthening
|
 |
Homeland Security Solutions - from left: Donald T. Beery, Director, Bradley C. Schreiber, President, Michael A. Edberg, Vice President, Mark A. Tanner, Director |
To help mitigate this problem, he developed the Business Emergency Management Operations Center (BEMOC) model. A BEMOC is a brick-and-mortar and virtual public-private partnership organization established to address the needs of both the public and private sectors before, during and after a disaster. This unique entity is designed to eliminate the problem of “exchanging business cards during a crisis” and create an ongoing relationship between emergency and intelligence-gathering managers and businesses and volunteer organizations.
Last year, Schreiber was hired by the Washington, D.C. government to stand up the District’s first BEMOC. As compared to other business emergency operation centers, Schreiber believes the District’s BEMOC is the most open model. It is capable of including all the businesses within the 68 square miles of the District and can work seamlessly with the National Business Operations Center at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The strength of this model is the philosophy that the private sector is a stakeholder, not just a merchant, during a crisis and that everyone is better able to work together during all types of emergencies. As a result, the business community can work in a more proactive, independent capacity, as well as in conjunction with government entities.
There have and continue to be examples of where BEMOCs would have helped tremendously during and after a crisis. During the Atlanta ice storm which crippled roadways, the information flowing from a BEMOC may have significantly reduced the traffic problems the area experienced. Similarly, following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, information as to the whereabouts of the Tsarnaev brothers could have been collected more quickly.
Schreiber strongly believes that organizations need to have a base model to prepare for the next disaster and make them more resilient—the true measure of how quickly entities can recover from a disaster. Fortunately, the U.S. government sees the need for strengthening private sector resiliency and is allocating the funds to ensure that the privatepublic sector model is the way of the future. The Government Accounting Office (GAO) reported that, “From fiscal years 2002 through 2012, the Congress appropriated about $39 billion to a variety of DHS preparedness grant programs to enhance the capabilities of state and local governments to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks and other disasters. DHS allocated more than $21.3 billion through four of the largest preparedness programs—the Port Security Grant Program, the State Homeland Security Program, the Transit Security Grant Program, and the Urban Areas Security Initiative.”
Supporting this effort, HSS is taking the matter at hand, having launched its own BEMOC program. HSS’ unique BEMOC model is designed to work as a high impact, low cost solutions which can be established by the public sector using Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant monies (http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1916-25045-3112/fy13_ hsgp_private_final.pdf) or by the private sector. HSS hopes that, as part of its mission, it can go out and discuss the value of public-private partnerships related to disasters—nature and other—introducing resilience into the community through the establishment of BEMOCs, finding creative solutions for future disasters rather than simply throwing money at them after the fact, such as happened with Hurricane Sandy. In a rather refreshing twist from the usual federal-level mandate, the HSS team believes—based on their analysis and experience—that this happens best at the county level.
“Cybersecurity”
Tanner, a co-chair of the FBI’s Infragard Cybersecurity Special Interest Group (Cyber SIG) for the Infragard National Capital Region agreed with Schreiber’s assessment of working at the local level. He emphasized that the FBI has already learned the value of working with local law enforcement and community business leaders, building local relationships throughout their Infragard Program. FBI fundamentals in major cases are often a result of local level actions—classic block and tackle.
Schreiber, Tanner and their team members believe that cybersecurity challenges, too, would be more effectively addressed through public-private sector solutions. Cybersecurity policy and technology is continuing to figure itself out both at the national and local levels. What is the best method for addressing the threat? What is the challenge for the government? Is it criminal, civil or military? And, how do we ensure levels of protection?
In the current threat scenario, threats evolve over time explained Schreiber. “Due diligence in planning and understanding threats and vulnerabilities are critical to building safeguards for external and insider threat assessment.” He believes that all businesses are at potential risk from a cyber or homeland security threat and that our critical infrastructure is especially vulnerable to threats posed by the lack of standards and oversight when dealing with third-party contractors. Schreiber noted that all “mom and pop” shops are vulnerable and stymied by the questions: What does it cost? What can I do? How do I implement intrusion detection services, cloud-based services, etc?
Schreiber’s team at HSS believes that one possible solution might be to help develop a package that makes sense for the small and medium-sized business (SMB) community—including reasonably priced cybersecurity operations center offerings and best practice models for policies and procedures—which are supported with new national efforts that include tax incentives, insurance premium requirements, etc.—in short, a carrot and stick approach. Given the risk posed by cyber threats, Schreiber suggests we need to do far more than we are currently.
In summary, what is required to assist SMBs in dealing with the current cybersecurity threat scenario? HSS believes that more intense education and costeffective solutions are required before society gets to the point where it will unify and take action to deal with the cyber threat. According to Symantec’s “2013 Norton Report,” cybercrime costs the global economy $113 billion. That comes to $298 per victim; a 50% spike from 2012.
“Assisting SMBs”
HSS is also helping SMBs that are developing products or solutions which address cyber and other threats to the homeland security enterprise. Toward this goal, the company has rolled out a unique Market Analysis Program (M.A.P.). The program utilizes a national team of current and former infrastructure experts and federal, state and local first responders—the end-users of these products or services—to do the analysis and determine the true value of the offering in the homeland security. Also differentiating HSS’ program from other market analysis offerings is its proprietary M.A.P. Matrix™ process enabling the firm’s analyst to gain an unprecedented view of the market.
The M.A.P. involves actual end-users evaluating an offering from multiple angles and, as appropriate, all sectors to generate the most accurate market intelligence available. Edberg sees HSS’ wide spectrum of its end-user analysts as a valuable filter for SMBs to use in self-analysis prior to pursuing investment capital. This is also of value to the venture capital, private equity and angel investors, as well as law firms and integrators working alongside technology firms. By looking at an SMB’s product and service, analyzed by all sectors of the national infrastructure as potential homeland or cybersecurity solutions, HSS may uncover other applications presenting broader market than these businesses or their financial backers may have previously considered. Additionally, HSS can serve homeland security needs by helping SMBs better understand other vital areas such as the grant and contract proposal processes, legal and regulatory compliance and price points.
Tanner noted that, “SMBs also need assistance in understanding price points, particularly as government budgets are not what they were after 9/11. HSS uses its in-house operations, policy and financial/budget expertise to develop a realistic approach in helping a company market and sell a product or service.” It is this broader lens that reflects the critical value-add in the relationship with HSS consulting.
Through yet another of its offerings, its Financial and Technology Support Services, HSS hopes to serve as the facilitator for SMBs in mitigating risk, keeping costs down, and teaching them how to commercialize, and how to build relationships.
Another unique aspect of the firm’s mission is the ability to assist international companies seeking access to the U.S. homeland/national security space. Beery works with incubators across international markets in the Pacific Rim, Finland, Sweden, Canada and Israel. As part of its own marketing, HSS is actively involved in connecting with and serving as advisors and mentors to regional Technology Councils, incubators, Chambers of Commerce, and academia.
Summarizing the driving force behind Homeland Security Solutions’ mission, Schreiber noted that, “Whether it is ensuring that the best technologies are brought to market for our nation’s critical infrastructure, driving the greater resiliency of businesses and communities to better withstand natural or manmade disasters, or supporting our public sector with plans and operational support to facilitate their missions, we are here to help. All of us have spent the majority of our careers working to make our nation safer. Through HSS, we are doing everything we can to have a positive and lasting impact on the homeland security enterprise.”