Joint Counter-Terror Intelligence and Cyber Move

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The US has been enhancing its anti-terrorist coordination measures with its allies. An agreement was recently signed by the US Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Kirstjen Nielsen and her counterparts from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand (allied as an intelligence alliance called the “Five Eyes” nations) to broaden information sharing on actual and suspected terrorists,

“The Secretary and her counterparts signed a statement of intent to expand information sharing on known and suspected terrorists so that all five countries can better detect and disrupt terrorist travel,” according to the DHS announcement.

She and her counterparts also agreed to establish a new “Aviation Security 5” working group to confront evolving security threats to the aviation sector; to strengthen connectivity between cyber centers to enable shared 24/7 monitoring of nefarious cyber activity; to coordinate and consider joint attribution and response activities in the event of a cyber attack or foreign interference incident; and to strengthen efforts to counter human trafficking including by securing US supply chains from goods made by forced labor.

Ministers issued a Joint Statement on Countering the Illicit Use of Online Spaces, which outlines the expectations for industry action to counter online child sexual exploitation and terrorist content.

The Ministers, along with Attorneys General from partner nations, issued a joint Statement of Principles on Access to Evidence and Encryption, which outlines a framework for engaging industry on the benefits and challenges of encryption.