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Back to Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Connection - It's Not About the Terrorists

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Connection - It's Not About the Terrorists by University of Colorado System

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About the Course

Welcome to Course 1 in CS4950, Homeland Security and Cybersecruity. In this course we examine the origins of homeland security and its connection with cybersecurity. Homeland security is about safeguarding the United States from domestic catastrophic destruction. Catastrophic destruction comes in two forms: natural and man-made. For most of history the man-made variety came in the form of warfare and required the combined resources of a nation state. All that changed March 20th, 1995. On that date, members of a quasi-religious cult in Japan attacked the Tokyo subway system using Sarin gas. It was the first deployment of a weapon of mass destruction my a non-state actor. The power of destruction once reserved to nation states was now available to small groups, even individuals. The incident was a wake up call for governments around the world. Defense establishments designed to keep rogue states in check were practically useless against non-state actors. Overnight, the number of potential enemies multiplied a hundred, maybe even a thousand-fold. In response to the Tokyo Subway Attacks, the United States took measures to protect itself from WMD attack by non-state actors. Those measures were still being enacted when the nation was attacked on 9/11. On September 11, 2001, nineteen hijackers inflicted as much damage as the Imperial Japanese Navy on December 7, 1941. The investigating 9/11 Commission noted the attacks for their "surpassing disproportion". The hijackers had achieved WMD effects without using WMD. They did this by subverting the nation's transportation infrastructure, turning passenger jets into guided missiles. Again, the security implications were profound. Non-state actors seeking to inflict domestic catastrophic destruction did not need to import, fabricate, or acquire WMD as the nation was surrounded by the means of its own destruction in the form of critical infrastructure. The vulnerability of critical infrastructure had not gone unnoticed. Again, in response to the Tokyo Subway attacks, which themselves had been an attack on Japanese infrastructure, President Clinton in 1996 commissioned a panel to investigate the threat to United States' infrastructure. The panel replied in 1997 that there was no immediate threat to US infrastructure, but they were concerned with the growing risk of cyber attack. The same cyber physical systems that fueled the explosive growth of the Internet were being incorporated into Industrial Control Systems that underpinned much of the nation's critical infrastructure. The panel noted that the knowledge and skills necessary to mount a cyber attack on the nation's infrastructure was growing. As a result of this observation, President Clinton in 1998 ordered the protection of US critical infrastructure, especially from cyber attack. Following 9/11, critical infrastructure protection and cybersecurity were designated core missions in the 2002 Homeland Security Act establishing the new Department of Homeland Security. They remain core missions to this day, but many don't see the connection. The connection is this: cybersecurity is essential to critical infrastructure protection, which is essential to homeland security, which is about safeguarding the United States from domestic catastrophic destruction. I look forward to working with you in the coming lessons. Best wishes and good luck! Course 1: Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Connection Course 2: Cybersecurity Policy for Water and Electricity Infrastructures Course 3: Cybersecurity Policy for Aviation and Internet Infrastructures Course 4: Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Future...

Top reviews

FF

Feb 11, 2023

Very informative and challenging course. There are many quizez and discussions to help faciliate original thinking. For readings, I would recommend specifying which pages to read to avoid confusion.

AB

Oct 17, 2017

Thank You Mr. Richard White for making a hard course seems easy and enlighten us specially about the "it's all about the terrorist" notion people have when it comes to Homeland Security.

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51 - 75 of 100 Reviews for Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Connection - It's Not About the Terrorists

By Rodrigo S

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Jan 9, 2021

Very efficient and focused course.

By Mohamed Z

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Aug 14, 2017

wander full content and instructor

By OTAVIO L R M

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Nov 24, 2017

excellent and innovative approach

By David I

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Oct 11, 2020

Worth every second of my time.

By Isheca B

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Jul 11, 2025

It was great, I learnt a lot.

By Bridget B

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Jun 2, 2020

Very clear and well written.

By Omirzak K

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Apr 28, 2020

It's really cool and useful!

By Ronnie P

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Oct 27, 2019

Great course and instructor

By Cem G W

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Sep 28, 2017

I really liked this course.

By Kostiantyn G

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Mar 11, 2018

Very interesting course.

By Winston A W

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Dec 8, 2020

Excellent, thank you.

By JOSE M

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Aug 2, 2020

Me ha gustado mucho

By Km H

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Feb 5, 2022

wounderful course

By DeAnna N B

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Aug 1, 2017

Excellent course!

By HHT

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Jul 21, 2021

Amazing course.

By MOHAMMED K

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May 8, 2020

Grat explaining

By Dr. S D A

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Aug 26, 2020

Amazing Course

By Abhishek S

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May 16, 2021

Excellent!

By Iqbal U K

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Sep 23, 2020

Very Good!

By Ankit G

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May 24, 2020

GOOD FACTS

By Djeri M

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Jan 31, 2019

Excellent

By Deepak P A R

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Dec 1, 2018

Excellent

By MR. J C

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Jan 9, 2018

very good

By Zeeshan-ul-hassan U

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Aug 18, 2017

Awesome

By C J

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Mar 23, 2022

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