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July 13, 2006
Mobilizing Information to Prevent Terrorism
Accelerating Development of a Trusted Information Sharing Environment
The Markle Foundation Task Force on National Security in the Information Age today released its third report with recommendations on how to reconcile national security needs with civil liberties requirements. The report offers a new "authorized use" standard for government handling of legally collected information that bases authorization to view information on how the information is going to be used, rather than on the nationality of the subject or the location of collection. The report also proposes a new risk management approach to sharing classified information that balances the risk of leaks of classified information with the security risk that can come from failing to share information with those who need it to understand the threats to national security. Further, the report identifies examples of technology that can be used effectively to provide appropriate oversight and accountability.

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February 9, 2006
Implementing a Trusted Information Sharing Environment
Creating a trusted information sharing environment (ISE) as envisaged by the Markle Task Force on National Security in the Information Age requires that users and the public have confidence in the system. To establish and maintain trust, security, privacy and accountability, the ISE should incorporate Immutable Audit Logs (IALS) as part of its robust security and audit features. This paper explores the technical, policy, and security issues surrounding IALs as well as the potential benefits and drawbacks of using immutable audit logs in the ISE. The paper explains how maintaining tamper-resistant logs of user activity on the network increases security, builds trust among users, ensures compliance with relevant policies and guidelines, improves transparency, and provides the ability to conduct oversight by appropriate stakeholders outside of the system.

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December 2, 2003
Creating a Trusted Information Network for Homeland Security
The Markle Foundation Task Force on National Security
In December 2003, the Task Force released its second report, Creating A Trusted Information Network for Homeland Security. The report concluded that by using currently available technology, the government can set up a network that substantially improves our ability to prevent terrorist attacks and protect civil liberties. It provided details for the necessary elements of a proposed System-wide Homeland Analysis and Resource Exchange (SHARE) Network that would more effectively combat terrorism than our current system, while protecting privacy.

The public's trust in a governmental network that makes use of information about its own people can be achieved only if government-wide guidelines for information sharing and privacy protection are established after open public debates on the issue. The Task Force therefore proposed that the President set the goal of creating such a network, and issue clear government-wide policy guidelines for the collection and use of information about people in the U.S., including private sector information.
Project: Task Force for National Security

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  Download Table of Contents (76K)
  Download Overview (36K)
  Download Part I (352K)
  Download Part II (149K)
  Download Part III (621K)
  Download The Task Force Member Guide (487K)

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October 2002
Protecting America's Freedom in the Information Age
The Markle Foundation Task Force on National Security
In October 2002, the Task Force issued its first report, Protecting America's Freedom in the Information Age, which identified the ability to share information as the most urgent task facing government in protecting the homeland. The report proposed a plan for a distributed IT network to share terrorism-related information among federal, state and local government agencies and the private sector so that threats could be identified and prevented. In addition, the report provided a framework for considering how the government might make most effective use of data residing in the private sector, while preserving liberties and avoiding the imposition of undue costs on businesses. It has had a significant impact on the debate about how to create a national security information system and was helpful to those involved in the creation of the Department of Homeland Security.
Project: Task Force for National Security

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  Download Entire Report (971K)

October, 2002
Olympic Security Review Conference
The Oquirrh Institute
The Oquirrh Institute's report on Olympic-Homeland Security touches on the seven lessons learned by federal, state, and local authorities in preparing and implementing the security plan for the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games. The 2002 Games was the first major public event held in the United States since the September 11th attacks the year before. The report includes thoughts regarding the preparation, integration, mind set, sociology, and execution of the security plan covering the 17 day Olympic event. These lessons provide an insight on how society can prepare for large scale events in the post 9/11 society. Editorials by Peter Ryan, Chief of Police for Whales, England, and Ibrahim Karawan, director of the University of Utah Middle-East Center, are included in the report giving perspective to security from the world viewpoint and understanding the militant Islamic mentality. Project: Olympic-Homeland Security

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