Discuss below in a 175 words each:
1. Critical infrastructure information (CII) is defined as a type of data or information that is representative of a critical infrastructure, or its sector, and is considered sensitive in nature but remains unclassified (Radvanovsky & McDougall, 2013). CII is data about data because it does not contain actual information that has undergone the analysis process. Radvanovsky & McDougall (2013), explains that CII must include one of the following criteria:
1. Relates to information about critical infrastructures or its sectors;
2. Relates to information produced from the operations of those critical infrastructures;
3. Relates to mapping information about locations or directions to any critical infrastructure site, facility, or work area;
4. Relates to information that the government considers protected critical infrastructure information;
5. Relates to any newly found or discovered information about a critical infrastructure that would explain how to disable, dismantle, or destroy, say, a high-energy electrical transmission tower.
One piece of CII that a terrorist might utilize to launch an attack might be the method of access to a critical infrastructure. This CII can provide a terrorist with a means to infiltrate the infrastructure and deploy weapons to injure personnel that run the infrastructure or utilize explosives to destroy the infrastructure. Another piece of CII that a terrorist might utilize in an effort to launch an attack is Personally Identifiable Information (PII) that came from the specific infrastructure. A terrorist might be able to utilize this information to obtain logging credentials and permission to the infrastructure. From that point, a terrorist can launch a cyber attack on the infrastructure causing the infrastructure to be disabled. Lastly, CII that provides information on how to disable, dismantle, or destroy an infrastructure can assist a terrorist launch an attack. By obtaining this CII, a terrorist would have the means to disable, dismantle, or destroy the infrastructure and would only have to obtain the necessary materials to carry out the attack.
2. Critical infrastructure information literally has vital information about the infrastructure asset itself. The book relates five criteria that this information is. I will pick two for example and I pick these two because both seem to have extreme knowledge that could potentially hurt the asset more than help if in the wrongs hands. However, this could be stated with all five criteria. "Relates to mapping information about locations or directions to any critical infrastructure site, facility, or work area. Relates to any newly found or discovered information about a critical infrastructure, such as exploit information and "how-to FAQs" that would explain how to disable, dismantle, or destroy, say, a high-energy electrical transmission tower", (Radvanosky, R.S., & McDougall, A., 2013).
The first asset I will identify is the Corbalis Water Treatment Plant located in Fairfax, Virginia. "The water treatment plant provides potable water to nearly 1.5 million people in northern Virginia" (Fairfax Water, 2017). This plant pumps out 150 million gallons per day and will expand. Then there is the Occoquan Water Treatment Plant. Both of these you can get maps, treatment plant layouts, diagrams, and much more. These treatment facilities could potentially become a terrorist target by poisoning the water or disrupting the facilities all together. This would potentially stop potable water to more than 1.5 million if a coordinated attack on northern Virginia's water systems.
The second asset I will identify is public health. While I hope a coordinated attack would not happen on a hospital or ambulance services. Hospital locations are easily available. These have a large amount of people gathering at one time if the bad guys wanted to make a name for themselves. A lot of people say hospitals would never be hit but now days the potential is there.
The third asset is public transportation. We are already seeing the beginnings of such small pre thought out attacks. Look at New York with the pipe bomb attack the other day that injured three people. This could be the beginning of a new trend for our country and that is suicide attacks on public transportation areas plus other high trafficked areas.
There is enough information that falls into the five criteria that bad people can use to study, pre-coordinate, and recon. Directions, maps, and useful information is there if researched hard enough. The information is there to study all about our critical infrastructure.
3. I think one of the most popular conspiracy theory topics of all time includes the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. As such, when the FOIA request to release previously classified documents was approved, there were more stories and news coverage than one could shake a stick at. One story details how classified files, finally released after 50 years, detail how the CIA and FBI monitored Lee Harvey Oswald before the assassination and how the organizations warned about the assassination attempt beforehand (Mark, 2017). Since thousands of documents were disclosed under this FOIA request, there were various topics ranging from strained U.S. relationships with Fidel Castro to struggles with Russia. The release was mandated under the Freedom of Information act because the information requested was no longer a threat to national security, meaning that the security markings were no longer properly marked and portions could be declassified.
Another interesting FOIA disclosure documented the governments findings when an investigation into unethical practices by a research facility concluded that a Southern Illinois University (SIU) professor conducted unsanctioned clinical trials of a herpes vaccine in the Caribbean islands, citing violations of human rights (Mole, 2017). Many requests for comments were made to the research company and the university professor leading the investigation, however little information was given. It is perfectly understandable that the university and research company would not want to openly disclose or admit to any wrong doings, but the FOIA provided another venue to receive the information. The disclosure of this information is warranted because the information does not satisfy any of the requirements to be an exception to a FOIA request.
4. In November 2016, officers within the Grand Rapids, Michigan police department used what they thought was an unrecorded line to assist a former county assistant prosecutor to avoid a drunk driving charge. After a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit and an appeal, the news organization MLive won the release of conversations during the investigation. In September 2017, five complete recordings without redaction were released indicating that a former Lieutenant guided officers through the investigation in order to clear the assistant prosecutor. An additional 31 calls were released but were redacted to remove citizen's personally identifiable information and topics of a strictly personal nature. (Biolchini, 2017). When looking at the nine exemptions, this does not fit within reason. While Exemption 7 deals with proper handling of law enforcement, it is meant to protect those involved, not protect those who are known to be guilty. In addition, it does not meet the FOIA dual test. "1. If it fits into one of the nine FOIA exemption categories 2. If there is a legitimate government purpose served by withholding the data" (Radvanovsky & McDougall, 2013, p. 217). By using a line that was assumed unrecorded, those involved intentionally avoided normal procedures to protect an individual who had broken the law. Normal procedures when dealing with cases was clearly to use a recorded line for later prosecution or evidence. This was blatant disregard for normal operating procedures to protect a guilty individual.
In an unprecedented move, the Pentagon released sexual assault data for certain U.S. military bases after the River Front Times submitted a FOIA request. Up until the release of this information, the Pentagon had refused media requests for installation specific information concerning sexual assault. The information released showed reports of sexual assault over a four-year period but removed all personally identifiable information to include the nature of the incident, the ranks of those involved, and the genders of those involved (Fitzgerald, 2017).This information is releasable under FOIA because there were specific steps taken to protect the identity of those involved. By responding appropriately, they do not fall under Exemption 6, they do not invade an individual's personal privacy (Radvanovsky & McDougall, 2013, p. 215). Even in a smaller base or post, you are unable to identify who the accused or the accuser is. Through the release of this information, the public and military understand the level of the problem at hand and can take proactive steps in mitigation and educational programs.