New DHS Cybersecurity Command to Protect U.S. from Cyber Attacks

New DHS Cybersecurity Command to Protect U.S. from Cyber Attacks

Homeland Security has created a new command to help aid the U.S. in cybersecurity efforts.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Aug 03, 2018

In an effort to prevent and thwart cyberattacks, the United States Department of Homeland Security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced the creation of a new National Risk Management Center to help protect the nation's critical infrastructure.

The center's goal of protecting banking, communication and energy sectors was outlined at the National Cybersecurity Summit in New York this week.

Given the rise in cyber threats against the United States, Nielsen wanted to create a place where private companies can get assistance if they're experiencing a cyberattack. By creating a central authority where a company experiencing a cyberattack can seek the government's help early on, the center hopes to be able to learn about the attack to help protect others in the same sector or industry from becoming victims.

"An attack on a sing tech company can rapidly spiral into a crisis affecting the financial sector, energy systems and health care," Nielsen said. "Our goal is to simplify the process, to provide a single point of access to the full range of government activities to defend against cyber threats."

DHS will begin by conducting a number of 90-day "sprints" to identify key priorities and needs. The center will eventually run simulations and cross-sector analyses to identify threats and points of weaknesses in the U.S. infrastructure. The vision is to have the center be an emergency response team for public and private organizations undergoing cybersecurity threats.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • The Business Case for Video Analytics: Understanding the Real ROI

    For security professionals who may be hesitant to invest in video analytics, now's the time to reconsider. In a newly released Omdia report commissioned by BriefCam (now Milestone Systems), the research firm uncovered a compelling story: more than 85% of North American and European organizations that use video analytics achieve a return on investment within just one year. The study, which surveyed 140 end users across multiple industries, demonstrates that security technology is no longer just for security — it's a cross-organizational tool that delivers measurable business value far beyond traditional safety applications. Read Now

  • Survey: 54% of Organizations Cite Technical Debt as Top Hurdle to Identity System Modernization

    Modernizing identity systems is proving difficult for organizations due to two key challenges: decades of accumulated Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical debt and the complexity of managing access across multiple identity providers (IDPs). These findings come from the new Strata Identity-commissioned report, State of Multi-Cloud Identity: Insights and Trends for 2025. The report, based on survey data from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), highlights trends and challenges in securing cloud environments. The CSA is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Read Now

  • Study: Only 35 Percent of Companies Include Cybersecurity Teams When Implementing AI

    Only 35 percent of cybersecurity professionals or teams are involved in the development of policy governing the use of AI technology in their enterprise, and nearly half (45 percent) report no involvement in the development, onboarding, or implementation of AI solutions, according to the recently released 2024 State of Cybersecurity survey report from ISACA, a global professional association advancing trust in technology. Read Now

  • New Report Series Highlights E-Commerce Threats, Fraud Against Retailers

    Trustwave, a cybersecurity and managed security services provider, recently released a series of reports detailing the threats facing the retail sector, marking the second year of its ongoing research into these critical security issues. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises. 3

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3