2015 CSSS Agenda and Registration Info

Yesterday DHS updated the 2015 Chemical Sector Security Summit (CSSS) web page to include a link to registration and agenda information. As I mentioned in an earlier post the CSSS will be held on July 21^st thru 23^rd in Alexandria, VA. It will be held at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center and for the first time portions of the CSSS will be webcast for those not able to attend in person.

The preliminary agenda shows a host of potentially interesting topics. They include:

∙ Cybersecurity and Industrial Control Systems;

∙ Port Security – U.S. Coast Guard;

∙ What to Expect During a CFATS Inspection;

∙ Alternative Security Programs (ASPs) and Expedited Approval Program (EAP) Site Security Plan (SSP);

∙ Site Security Plans (SSP) and Compliance Inspections Trends; and

∙ Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Legal Background and Enforcement

Two sessions will be webcast over the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). Registration is required, but no special vetting or secure connections are required. The two sessions currently planned to be available will both be webcast on Wednesday:

∙ Keynote Address; and

∙ Infrastructure Security Compliance Division (ISCD) Regulatory Update

I would have like to have seen more sessions broadcast, but the second one will be one of the more important sessions of the Summit so I can’t really complain too much. Maybe if there is an extensive early sign up, NPPD will consider adding more sessions. I have already signed up for the web cast. Unless of course, someone wants to sponsor my attendance in Alexandria.

CIPAC Annual Meeting October 6th

Today the DHS Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council (CIPAC) published a notice in the Federal Register (76 FR 55693) announcing that their Plenary Meeting will be held on October 6^th, 2011 in Washington, DC. No agenda is currently available, with the Notice explaining that the Council “will meet to discuss issues relevant to the protection and resilience of critical infrastructure”.

While the meeting is open to the public, participation in the discussions will be limited to Council members, DHS officials and invited personnel. There will be a limited period available at the end of the meeting for public comments of up to 3 minutes on first come basis. Personnel wishing to make on-topic comments during that period need to register that intention at the meeting location.

Written comments may be submitted at any time before or after the meeting. Comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal (www.Regulations.gov; Docket #  DHS-2011-0055).

As I have commented about any number of DHS public discussions, I think that DHS and CIPAC would be better served if public meetings like this were available as a webinar-type internet broadcast. Complaints by a number of public advocacy groups like Greenpeace that CIPAC gives industry ‘undue influence’ on the operations and policies of DHS would certainly be diminished if the public deliberations of this group were truly made public.

NOTE: A copy of this blog post will be submitted as a comment on this Docket.

Security System Webcast

I got my weekly email from SecurityDirectorNews.com updating me on news from that site. Included in the email was a brief advertisement for a free webcast that will discuss a new trend in security systems, a unified security platform. This is the integration of automated access control and video surveillance systems. The Genetec sponsored webcast will be on November 18th at 1:00 PM EST. What really caught my attention was the presence of John Honovich on the panel that will be discussing the developments in this area. Long time readers of this blog will be well familiar with John’s name from my frequently mentioning it as a source of information on video surveillance systems. Webcasts like this are frequently nothing more than infomercials, but with John on the panel I am convinced that this is more likely to be a real information exchange. According to the webcast registration page the discussion will cover:

“Where access and CCTV integration is headed “The benefits of a unified security platform for vendors, integrators and end users “The enabling networking and IT technologies that make unification possible”

Security managers at high-risk chemical facilities that employ, or are considering employing, an automated access control system should probably watch this web cast. It should provide some valuable information that could impact the design of that system.