HSM 497: Homeland Security Activities on Cyber Security & Privacy

This report, prepared for HSM 497, examines the effectiveness of Homeland Security's activities and programs in providing cyber security and privacy protection to the US population. The research begins with a hypothesis regarding the contributions of Homeland Security, followed by an identification of key research variables: Homeland Security's activities and programs (independent variable), Cyber Security (dependent variable), and Privacy protection (dependent variable). The report analyzes the impact of Homeland Security's actions on cyber security and privacy, referencing scholarly sources like Deflem & McDonough (2015), Mondale, Stein & Fisher (2015), Kessler & Ramsay (2013), Kettl (2013), and White (2016). The analysis explores the surveillance practices post-9/11, the role of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and the importance of cyber security education. It also considers the stresses on the system due to American politics and the potential for civil liberties violations. The report concludes by emphasizing the strengths and positives of Homeland Security, which outweigh the risks. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the topic, offering valuable insights into the complex relationship between Homeland Security, cyber security, and privacy protection in the United States.

Running head: HSM 497 HOMELAND SECURITY & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
HSM 497 Homeland Security & Emergency Management
Name of student
Name of University
Author note

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HSM 497 HOMELAND SECURITY & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
How are the Homeland Security’s Activities and Programs providing Cyber Security
and Privacy Protection to the US population?
The research hypothesis represents for and against the statement that has been made
regarding the Homeland Security’s Activities and Programs contributing to the Cyber
Security and protection of privacy to the population in United States. The three most
important variables of the research are Homeland security’s activities and programs, Cyber
Security and Privacy protection.
Research variable 1: Homeland security’s activities and programs- This is the Independent
variable, because the cyber security and privacy protection are managed by the Homeland
security, on which these two aspects are dependent upon. The Homeland Security is
associated with the management of security of nation from the various kinds of threats that
are faced and made sure to prevent any loss of data and information of people in US and
provide protection to avoid cybercrimes too.
Research variable 2: Cyber Security- Dependent variable, because the cyber security
techniques against cyber related crimes are undertaken by the homeland security on which
the research variable is dependent upon (Deflem & McDonough, 2015). The transactions
done online often is exposed to potential risks and threats, which should be overcome with
the measures undertaken by Homeland security, US.
Research variable 3: Privacy protection- The protection of privacy is also dependent
variable because of its dependence on the independent arable, i.e., the Homeland security.
Often the information about people are lost and this creates hacking personal accounts and
using their identity for other purposes too. The Homeland security has made sure to protect
the privacy of people and ensured successful information protection too (Mondale, Stein &
Fisher, 2015).

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HSM 497 HOMELAND SECURITY & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Source: Deflem, M., & McDonough, S. (2015). The fear of counterterrorism:
surveillance and civil liberties since 9/11. Society, 52(1), 70-79
After the 9/11 incident, Homeland Security has maintained strict security for ensuring
that any kinds of terrorism activities are prevented by managing surveillance and monitoring
any activities that might result in harmful actions. As stated by Deflem & McDonough
(2015), counterterrorism manages various practices, military tactics and strategies that are
implemented by the Government for combating terrorism and ensure maintaining a peaceful
community all over US (Deflem & McDonough, 2015).
Source: Mondale, W. F., Stein, R. A., & Fisher, C. (2015). No Longer a Neutral
Magistrate: The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in the Wake of the War on
Terror. Minn. L. Rev., 100, 2251.
According to Mondale, Stein & Fisher (2015), The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Court has gained authority over the intelligence community to form intelligence policy and
created requests for surveillance warrants too against the suspected people. The Homeland
Security has worked with this Intelligence community to combat against cybercrimes
(Mondale, Stein & Fisher, 2015).
Source: Kessler, G. C., & Ramsay, J. (2013). Paradigms for cyber security education in
a homeland security program. Journal of Homeland Security Education, 2, 35.
As stated by Kessler & Ramsay (2013), educational facilities are parted to individuals
regarding the cyber security solutions to ensure that the Homeland Security workers achieve
the desired skills and knowledge to work as a coordinated task force dealing with
cybercrimes and protecting privacy. With higher education, the cyber security professionals
have defended the networks and infrastructure and even trained young individuals to become
a part of the Homeland Security (Kessler & Ramsay, 2013).

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HSM 497 HOMELAND SECURITY & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Source: Kettl, D. F. (2013). System under stress: Homeland security and American
politics. Sage.
Kettl (2013) stated that the entire system has been under stress and it has been
influenced with the complexities arising from American politics and Homeland security
complexities. American Politics also have affected the entire system and created stress among
the cyber security policies, thus contributed to the lack of skills and knowledge management
among individuals. Stress has also resulted due to American politics and Homeland security,
which has further contributed to the cybercrimes where the identity of persons are disclosed
and used for wrong purposes. The civil liberties have influenced the violation of rules and
reflected the culture, followed by counterterrorism activities and surveillance (Kettl, 2013).
There were allegations of violating the civil liberties after 9/11 and there was no such proper
justification related to the surveillance practices, rather it was viewed as a manifestation of
cultural issues that violated the privacy rights and personal liberties too.
Source: White, J. R. (2016). Terrorism and homeland security. Cengage Learning.
The privacy of information, also stated as the information privacy or data protection
has been managed by the Homeland Security with the purpose of keeping the information and
data related to clients safe and secure all throughout. Homeland Security monitors each of the
activities and ensures that the Internet activities are checked to prevent any unauthorised
access to information (White, 2016). Various sets of guidelines and rules were enacted to
keep information secure and even the social networks are monitored to combat the issues
from where the data and information might get lost.
Though the impact of Homeland Security is seen as mostly positive, still there have
been few issues and risks that have emerged, like the case of 9/11 and few other terrorist
activities. From one of the article, it could also be seen the system was in stress and due to
American politics, which further contributed to the poor management of surveillance

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HSM 497 HOMELAND SECURITY & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
activities and poor skills and knowledge among the Homeland Security workers in US (Seo et
al., 2014). Thus, it could be understood that the strengths and positives of Homeland security
overweigh the entire issues and risks that could be the cause of certain terrorism activities,
which could hinder the information security and affect the cyber security too.

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HSM 497 HOMELAND SECURITY & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
References
Deflem, M., & McDonough, S. (2015). The fear of counterterrorism: surveillance and civil
liberties since 9/11. Society, 52(1), 70-79.
Kessler, G. C., & Ramsay, J. (2013). Paradigms for cybersecurity education in a homeland
security program. Journal of Homeland Security Education, 2, 35.
Kettl, D. F. (2013). System under stress: Homeland security and American politics. Sage.
Mondale, W. F., Stein, R. A., & Fisher, C. (2015). No Longer a Neutral Magistrate: The
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in the Wake of the War on Terror. Minn. L.
Rev., 100, 2251.
Seo, S. H., Gupta, A., Sallam, A. M., Bertino, E., & Yim, K. (2014). Detecting mobile
malware threats to homeland security through static analysis. Journal of Network and
Computer Applications, 38, 43-53.
White, J. R. (2016). Terrorism and homeland security. Cengage Learning.