Homeland Security CJ 355 Unit 6 Professor David R. Thompson

What Is Risk Assessment?

A Report That Shows An Organization’s Vulnerabilities And The Estimated Cost Of Recovery In The Event Of Damage. It Also Summarizes Defensive Measures And Associated Costs Based On The Amount Of The Risk The Organization Is Willing To Accept (The Risk Tolerance)

DHS Defines Threat Assessment As A Systematic Effort To Identify And Evaluate Existing Or Potential Terrorist Threats To A Jurisdiction And Its Target Assets. Due To The Difficulty In Accurately Assessing Terrorist Capabilities, Intentions, And Tactics, Threat Assessments May Yield Only General Information About Potential Risks

Identifying The Threats Natural Hazard Or Disasters  Flood  Wind  Earthquakes (seismic)  Hurricanes  Tornados Human Caused Hazards  Hazmat Leak  Nuclear Accident  Transportation Accident  Criminal Activity

Terrorism Or Terrorist Activity  Vehicle Bombs  Suicide Bombs  Hand Placed Or Thrown Bombs  Covert Entries  Mail Bombs  Airborne Contamination  C.B.R. Agents

The Most Common Weapon Of Terrorism Is The Bomb

Technology  Cyberterrosim  Biological Agents  Chemical/Radiological

Cyber terrorism  Use Of Computers To Attack Technological Targets  Physical Attacks On Computer Networks  Computer Hacking With A Body Count (Grossman, 1999)  The Ways Terrorists Might Use Computers And Information Networks (Council On Foreign Relations, 2004)

Examples Of Cyber terrorism  Defacement Of Websites  Computer Virus  Bogus Computer Chips  Trojan Horses  Back Doors  Overloading An Electrical System  The Internet Is A Command And Control System

Biological Agents  Bacterial Or Viral  Natural Poisons  Viruses  Bacteria  Plagues

Most Threatening Biological Agents  Small Pox  Anthrax  Plague  Botulism  Tularemia And Hemorrhagic Fever

Examples Of Biological Attacks  1984 Oregon Religious Group Spreads Bacteria In Local Salad Bars To Influence An Election  2001 Anthrax Sent Via U.S. Mail

Chemical And Radiological  Radiation  Nerve Agents  Blood Agents  Chocking Agents  Blistering Agents

Chemical / Radiological Effects  Loss Of Bodily Fluids / Functions  Burns  Respiratory Failure  Death

Most Threatening  Dirty Bomb (Conventional Explosive Used To Spread Chemical Or Radioactive)  Nuclear Bomb

Critical Infrastructure  Agriculture And Food  Public Health And Health Care  Drinking Water  Wastewater Treatment System  Energy  Banking And Finance  National Monuments And Icons  Defense Industrial Base

Critical Infrastructure Continued  Information Technology  Chemical  Transportation Systems  Emergency Services  Postal And Shipping  Dams  Government Facilities  Commercial Facilities  Nuclear

What Is The Possibility Or Likelihood Of An Attack? 1. Is It A Tempting Target Based On The Goals And Motivations Of The Group? 2. Does The Group Have The Capability To Carry Out The Attack?

Risk = Threat x Vulnerability x Criticality

Risk Is Defined As The Extent To Which An Asset Is Exposed To A Hazard Or Danger

Threat Times Vulnerability Represents The Probability Of An Unwanted Event Occurring, And Criticality Equals The Consequence Of Loss Or Damage To The Critical Infrastructure Or Key Asset

Discussion Of The 911 Attacks

Questions