DHS Issues Warning about Hobbyist Drones

DHS Issues Warning about Hobbyist Drones

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Aug 04, 2015

Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a report, warning to law enforcement agencies that recreational drones could be used by adversaries to attack the United States. No known threats were mentioned, but regular reports have revealed small, remote-controlled drones having close calls with commercial flights and firefighting air tankers. In California, for example, recreational drones grounded tankers, preventing them from fighting the fires that are plaguing the state until law enforcement found the owners of the drones and ordered them to land.

The report also mentioned that drones “could be used by adversaries to leverage UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) as part of an attack” and “emerging adversary use of UAS present detection and disruption challenges.”

There have also been a number of international incidents with terrorists and other criminal organizations using drones to support violent activities. For example, ISIS used a UAS to record video footage of an Iraq oil refinery in 2014, using the data to support an assault.

During the past three years, 500 drone encounters have presented themselves at various locations around the United States. Of the 500, 218 have been related to aviation. In this month alone, there have been three already been three drone sightings at JFK airport. One sighting caused a pilot in a personal aircraft to make a sudden swerve when he saw an UAS at approximately 1,000 feet in the air.

Many of the drone encounters have not been and probably won’t be malicious, but it causes pause and thought to potential security vulnerabilities that adversaries could leverage to attack.

Image: Kletr / Shutterstock.com

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Cyber Overconfidence Is Leaving Your Organization Vulnerable

    The increased sophistication of cyber threats pumped by the relentless use of AI and machine learning brings forth record-breaking statistics. Cyberattacks grew 44% YoY in 2024, with a weekly average of 1,673 cyberattacks per organization. While organizations up their security game to help thwart these attacks, a critical question remains: Can employees identify a threat when they come across one? A Confidence Gap survey reveals that 86% of employees feel confident in their ability to identify phishing attempts. But things are not as rosy as they appear; the more significant part of the report finds this confidence misplaced. Read Now

  • Mission 500 Debuts Refreshed Identity Ahead of Security 5K/2K at ISC West

    Mission 500, the security industry’s nonprofit charity dedicated to supporting children in need across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico, has unveiled a refreshed brand identity ahead of ISC West. The charity’s new look includes a modernized logo with refined messaging to reinforce Mission 500’s nearly decade-long commitment to serving the needs of children and families in crisis. Read Now

    • Industry Events

  • Meeting Modern Demands

    Door hardware and access control continue to be at the forefront of innovation within the security industry, continuously evolving to meet the dynamic needs of commercial spaces. Read Now

  • Leveraging IoT and Open Platform VMS for a Connected Future

    The evolution of urban environments is being reshaped by the convergence of Internet of Things (IoT) technology and open platform VMS. As cities worldwide grapple with growing populations and increasing operational complexities, these integrated technologies are emerging as powerful tools for creating more livable, efficient, and secure urban spaces. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.