Information Sharing Is a Crucial Element of Homeland Security

At the February 24, 2004, RSA Conference in San Francisco, California, Booz Allen Hamilton Vice President Rich Wilhelm outlined six elements that are crucial to improving the nation's information-sharing efforts in the interest of national security.

Business Case for Information Sharing

Wilhelm believes that the current national dialogue about information sharing technology and trusted submission systems needs to change and that the government must make a compelling business case for information sharing in order to convince and influence companies to begin cooperating with competitors to safeguard the privately held infrastructures they rely upon. He added that the right mix of government policies, regulations, and incentives must be achieved for companies to invest in information sharing and security measures to defend against the threat of terrorism.

Strategy First, Technology Second

A series of questions must be answered before an information-sharing concept can be developed. As part of the overall strategy planning process, the near-term focus should be on determining what information should be shared, why that information should be shared, and who should be sharing it. "A successful information sharing network does not start with technology," he said. "It starts with strategy. The strategy must drive the technology, not the other way around."

Accepting Trade-Offs

Acknowledging that trade offs may be necessary is the third crucial element in improving the nation's information-sharing efforts. The ultimate goal of preventing terrorist attacks should be kept in the forefront of discussions when the interests of national security, privacy, and economic vitality collide over the issue of information sharing. "If we keep holding on to the fiction that everyone can have it all, then we can't discuss trade-offs, no one will give up anything, and we will never have the information network we need for our homeland defense," Wilhelm said.

Changing the Culture to Promote Trust

The cultural issues that impede information sharing among different government agencies and the private sector must be addressed. "A system of information sharing can't be scaled up if it depends on trusting people we know," Wilhelm explained. "We have to find ways to trust people we don't know." By promoting trust, large volumes of information can be shared among dissimilar organizations and people who don't know each other.

Lastly, Wilhelm called upon the Bush Administration to sponsor a White House initiative to build a national information-sharing concept to prevent terrorist attacks, make our infrastructure more resilient, and enable a better response to a terrorist event.

story posted March 24, 2004