Tuesday, January 25, 2011

DHS Releases Revised SVA Instructions

Posted by Roberts Law Group, PLLC at 12:54 PM 1 comments
DHS recently released a revised Security Vulnerability Assessment (SVA) Instructions document entitled “CSAT Security Vulnerability Assessment Application Instructions.” The revised January 2011 SVA Instructions replaces the previous June 2008 SVA Instructions and offers additional guidance for completing the CSAT SVA. Note that this revision applies only to the SVA Instructions; the actual SVA Questions remain unchanged.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Congressional Research Service Issues CFATS Report

Posted by Roberts Law Group, PLLC at 4:17 PM 0 comments
In December 2010, the Congressional Research Service released Chemical Facility Security: Reauthorization, Policy Issues, and Options for Congress. The report provides an overview of the CFATS statute and regulation, recent legislative activity, and a discussion of various policy issues surrounding the CFATS program, including inherently safer technology, preemption, and regulatory harmonization.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

TSA Releases Revised Pipeline Security Guidelines

Posted by Roberts Law Group, PLLC at 12:59 PM 0 comments
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has released revised Pipeline Security Guidelines. The Guidelines were developed through a public-private partnership that included among others, industry and government members of the Pipeline Sector and Government Coordinating Councils as well as industry association representatives.

The Guidelines also include a HSAS Threat Level Protective Measures Supplement that contains “…a series of progressive security measures to reduce vulnerabilities to pipeline systems and facilities during periods of heightened threat conditions….” Though the Guidelines and Supplement supersede the 2002 DOT Pipeline Security Guidelines, note that both documents are merely guidance and do not impose any mandatory requirements.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

DOD and Army To Use TWIC for Authentication

Posted by Roberts Law Group, PLLC at 10:41 AM 0 comments
This week the Department of Defense (DOD) issued a brief notice announcing that as of October 1, 2011, it will require all commercial users of its transportation systems and applications to use a commercial PKI certificate or a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) to access those systems and applications.

This initiative to enhance customer identification security and provide a stronger and more secure authentication process for accessing DOD information systems is the first instance in which TWICs will be utilized beyond their intended purpose—to gain unescorted access to Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)-regulated facilities.