Introduction to Homeland Security and Defense

Introduction

The Department of homeland security and defense plays a critical for the federal government of the United States. The sole purpose of establishing the agency is to ensure that the US and its citizens are safe. Risk management is a complicated matter that has to be handled by strategic planning and implementation of a proper approach to security. Matters will always arise even when they are least expected, and it is the role of homeland security to protect the US from such setbacks if any. Cyber security is also an important matter that the Department of homeland security monitors (Pernik, Wojtkowiak & Verschoor-Kirss, 2016). The paper aims to examine the role of risk management within the homeland security enterprise and at the same time, seek an in-depth analysis of the role played by cyber security in its operations.

Role of Risk Management

Risk management plays a crucial role in ensuring that imminent threats are prevented from happening. The Department of Homeland Security controls the risk management process, which plays various roles in ensuring safety for Americans. The risk management team has to organize tasks within the enterprise and ensure that proper remedies are put in place to mitigate risks. The first and most crucial role played by the risk management is the identification and definition of the context. Before devising a remedy, the enterprise needs to define the context involved for a better understanding and intervention measures. Defining context helps realize the goals and objectives of the enterprise and whether activities are in line. Goals that are clearly defined for a business can be achievable and can make the firm assess its position considering the set goals. Defining the context of risk involves outlining a timeframe for the process, making critical decisions, understanding policies and measures in place, and importantly, mission space for the operation.

The risk management in an enterprise helps the Department of Homeland Security and defense prepare the country for an imminent attack (Doty, 2015). Upon defining a specific context, the risk management must devise strategic measures to ensure that the risk is put under control. The role of risk management is not to eliminate risks within the society but works hard to ensure that it is put under control. Risks cannot be eliminated, and governments must understand that they have to control them. Risks can affect a country and result in the deaths of individuals or criminality in the end. Poor risk management infrastructure within an organization can derail the efficiency of the process (Norman, 2016). An institution should always be ready for such risks that are always unforeseen. The risk management defines a context, identifies a possible threat, and prepares an institution on how to deal with the challenge in advance. The risk management within the enterprise is responsible for preparations that are necessary for mitigating possible risks.

The risk management team is obliged to ensure that a potential risk is analyzed and its expected damage assessed. Before devising a strategy to handle a particular risk, it is only fair that a thorough assessment of the risk is done to determine possible outcomes. The weight of the outcome is key in determining the approach that the organization can use to control the risk. For instance, when circumstances are compelling, the risk management has to ensure that a comprehensive approach is used to address the risk (McCollum, Brown, O’Shea, Reith, Rabulan & Melrose, 2015). Assessment and analysis of such risks can be done to ensure a methodology to address the matter is devised, data is gathered, and verification of the data collected is done. Homeland Security has numerous methodologies that are already designed for the mitigation of risks. The most crucial factor is the risk management to identify and define risks correctly. The next step is to assess the outcomes of the analyzed data during the process. As such, risk management plays a vital role in ensuring that potential risks are analyzed and evaluated for proper intervention strategies.

Risk management within an enterprise helps to develop alternative strategies to risk mitigation within an institution. Potential risks can be human-made, natural or technology related, and the Department of Homeland Security must explore options that can help in mitigation of the same risk. Risk management can assess options that are available for a better solution within the enterprise. As such, risk management helps the Homeland security provide alternative options after a thorough analysis.

Role of Cyber Security

Cybersecurity is essential for an organization as it ensures the protection of computer hardware, software, and other connections from disruptions. Data theft is a matter that has elicited mixed reactions among people, and homeland security must protect US citizens from such happenings. It is crucial to examine the role that cybersecurity plays within the homeland security enterprise for a better understanding. The first and most crucial role that cybersecurity plays is ensuring that infrastructure within the enterprise is safe. It is the role of cyber security to prevent hardware damage within their place of operation. Any measure that the organization takes in a bid to protect the country from malicious attacks can be termed as cybersecurity. Attacks on the enterprise can paralyze operations, hence the need always to keep hardware protected. It is the role of cybersecurity to offer protection to hardware and software equipment for the enterprise.

Data theft has been rampant over the last few years all over the world. Within the Homeland security enterprise, cybersecurity ensures that data is protected from theft and limits the accessibility of the same information from unauthorized hands. For instance, a data theft that has ever occurred before in the US history ended being fatal. Information regarding credit cards of clients was stolen and resulted in massive financial theft for the country. Many people are becoming more sensitive to data loss, as it can be costly. As such, cybersecurity ensures that the information stored is not leaked to a third party. Privacy of information on both social media and other platforms has made man alert as they need to protect their data. Failure for a risk management team to enhance proper infrastructure to promote cybersecurity might prove costly for any organization or government. Cybersecurity ensures the protection of data that is stored by the team for better response and decision making.

Cybersecurity also ensures that information sharing, training, and exercises are carried out flawlessly. Information sharing, especially on the internet, can be risky and unsafe for many. It is the role of cybersecurity within the homeland security enterprise to ensure the protection of the same data. Also, the DHS has to ensure that people are trained on the essence of keeping their data safe. Creating awareness on the importance of information safety can help reduce theft that is controllable (White, 2016). The DHS has a role in ensuring that the society is sensitized on matters to do with information sharing and use, especially on social media.

Cybersecurity contributes to the overall national protection against threats from outsiders. For instance, critical information on the coordination of the government operations can only be kept safe through proper cybersecurity measures by the DHS. In essence, the Homeland Department must ensure that cyberattacks on the US government are prevented from happening. Cybersecurity helps the risk management team to control attacks aimed at paralyzing operations or that are related to data theft (Directorate, 2016). Both the federal and state governments benefit greatly from established cybersecurity measures as they contribute to national safety.

Conclusion

To sum it up, risk management plays a crucial role in ensuring that safety is enhanced all the time within the United States. Risk management ensures identification of risks, the definition of a context, analyzes the risks, and assesses the possible outcomes of the risk. Equally, risk management will ensure that a mitigation strategy is arrived at after a successful decision making. Alternative approaches to the handling of various potential risks are highly dependent on the methodology options available for the risk management team. In essence, the management ensures that risks can be identified and handled within the DHS enterprise. The paper notes with concern the role that cybersecurity can play for any organization in the world. Notably, all enterprises in the world are obliged to ensure safety for their hardware, software, and sharing of crucial information. Cybersecurity is crucial in ensuring that information stored is protected from getting to unauthorized hand. Moreover, cybersecurity contributes significantly to the protection of critical national infrastructure.

References

Directorate, D. H. S. (2016). Department of Homeland Security. He is a Profes.

Doty, P. (2015). US homeland security and risk assessment. Government Information Quarterly, 32(3), 342-352.

McCollum, R., Brown, D., O’Shea, S. B., Reith, W., Rabulan, J., & Melrose, G. (2015). Multidimensional Risk Analysis: MRISK.

Norman, T. L. (2016). Risk analysis and security countermeasure selection. CRC press.

Pernik, P., Wojtkowiak, J., & Verschoor-Kirss, A. (2016). National cyber security organisation: United States. NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence: Tallinn.

White, J. (2016). Cyber Threats and Cyber Security: National Security Issues, Policy and Strategies. Global Security Studies, 7(4).