Department of Energy Security Initiatives
To further strengthen security enhancements that were instituted after the 9/11 attacks, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham has launched major security initiatives to bolster protections for the Department’s sensitive information and facilities housing special nuclear material and to heighten the effectiveness of the protective forces who guard the Department’s strategic defense installations, possibly creating a federalized contingent of elite military-style units to protect high-priority sites.
Enhancing Protective Forces
Elite Force for a Critical Mission: Because of the critical national-security implications of protecting nuclear weapons installations, Secretary Abraham will consider the possible creation of a specialized security unit to guard high-priority facilities, with training and capabilities similar to the military’s special forces units.
Possible Federalization: Secretary Abraham discussed the potential of federalizing DOE security forces, many of which currently are contractors, to streamline operations and maximize accountability. “Because the stakes are so high,” he said, “everything is on the table,” including the possibilities of common contract language for security-force labor contracts across the DOE complex or establishing “a special, elite federal force” to protect the most sensitive installations.
Improved Standards and Training: Acknowledging the advantages of more uniformity in training and staffing standards for DOE security forces – particularly when they must move among the Department’s multiple locations – Secretary Abraham has directed the development of new programs aimed at more-consistent training programs. In addition, he has directed the Office of Independent Oversight to increase the frequency of “force-on-force” exercises to test threat readiness. These tests simulate terrorist attacks against a target and are designed to stress the capabilities, and grade the protective force response, at each facility.
Recruitment and Retention: To help achieve “a common standard of excellence throughout our protective forces,” Secretary Abraham cited the implementation of new initiatives associated with recruiting and training the best possible candidates for DOE security jobs, developing their skill levels and career paths and increasing employee retention rates. The initiatives include faster background checks for employee security clearances and an intern program to help recruit “highly qualified technical personnel in the areas of cyber security, nuclear material control and physical security.”
Consolidating Nuclear Material
Newer High-Security Facilities: Reducing the number of facilities that require the highest level of protection is one of the surest ways to increase the security of national assets. Secretary Abraham has therefore proposed consolidating special nuclear material – the type used for weapons and other sensitive applications – into fewer sites. The Department is discussing the shipment and storage of special nuclear material with congressional delegations and state and local officials as part of its initiative to reduce the number and size of the high-security installations needed to house this critical material. Specific actions will include:
- Permanently removing all Category I and II special nuclear material – the most sensitive classifications of such material – from Technical Area 18 at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
- Using computer simulations to replace nuclear-defense experiments currently conducted at the Sandia Pulse Reactor, allowing the New Mexico facility to remove the reactor’s fuel and ship it to a permanent storage area within three years.
- Expediting construction of a Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee, allowing the on-site consolidation of nuclear materials stored there.
- Considering whether essential defense-related work now being performed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory could be relocated, allowing the removal of special nuclear material from the California facility.
Protecting Sensitive Information
Expanded Performance Testing: Secretary Abraham has directed the Department’s Office of Security and Safety Performance Assurance to expand its performance testing of DOE information systems, including unannounced scanning and penetration testing of certain information systems to help “identify our actual and potential vulnerabilities to existing and emerging cyber threats” and strengthen internal system securities. The program uses the latest equipment and anti-hacking techniques and includes drills conducted as surprise attacks by special DOE teams posing as malicious computer hackers.
Keyless Security Environment: Citing past problems with lost keys and key cards at some DOE installations, Secretary Abraham announced his intention to “do away with the use of mechanical keys as an important part of our protection system,” and replace them with sophisticated new technologies that could include biometric devices to grant access only to authorized personnel. A DOE initiative will “research and identify suitable technology alternatives that will enable the Department to transition, in phases over the next five years, to a keyless security environment, where access is not afforded by any physical item or object that can be lost or stolen.”
Disk-free Computer Environment: Citing past problems with computer disks and hard drives containing classified information, Secretary Abraham has proposed “an initiative to move to diskless workstations for classified computing” so that in five years desktop weapons design functions can be performed in a diskless environment. At that point, no insider would be able to transport classified data in electronic form outside the site on physical media.”
Cyber Security Enhancement Initiative: In an age of increasing threats to computerized information systems, Secretary Abraham has launched a Cyber Security Enhancement Initiative to help “protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all our information systems to assure that we can continue to perform our missions even while under cyber attack.” The initiative, to be implemented within the next year, will:
- Ensure instant dissemination of cyber threat information throughout the Department,
- Deploy expanded intrusion detection systems to guard against potential cyber attacks,
- Develop policies and procedures to guard against exposing DOE systems to internet threats,
- Improve cyber security awareness and training, and
- Enhance the security of on-line information.
Ensuring Effectiveness
Revising Threat Assessments: Noting the numerous changes instituted following the 9/11 attacks, Secretary Abraham has directed the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration and the Directors of the Office of Security and Safety Assurance and the Office of Intelligence to perform regular reviews of DOE security standards and procedures – including annual reviews of the Design Basis Threat, which assesses DOE facilities’ potential vulnerabilities to terrorism -- to ensure “a modern, efficient, effective guard force able to meet 21st century threats.” Stressing the importance of understanding potential threats, the Secretary has directed these top Energy Department officials to re-examine current security assessments, including the Design Basis Threat, and the intelligence data supporting them “in light of recent events and report back to me in 90 days” on any needed revisions.
Changing Management Culture: To ensure the security establishment functions effectively, Secretary Abraham called for “a change in our management culture” to constructively accept, analyze and respond to criticisms and concerns from outside the Department as well as from employees – who should be confident about raising questions or concerns without fear of retribution.
