Our Thursday morning started with two representatives from U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Office of Port and Facility Compliance (CG-FAC). Mr. Charles Blackmore discussed cyber security topics, while Ms. Betty McMennemy discussed trends in compliance actions, the importance of the Facility Security Assessment, and TWIC.

Mr. Blackmore noted that recent cyber NVIC was driven in part by the 2018 National Cyber Security Plan, which noted the importance of the maritime sector and the need for further action. In addition to NVIC 01-20, the Coast Guard has developed a cyber security job aid for their inspectors to use during inspections, and is hiring maritime cyber security personnel across the service to improve expertise and capability at the field level.

He also explained the enforcement timeline. Facilities must complete their cyber security assessments and submit amendments on or before their next audit date beginning this October. Mr. Blackmore emphasized that both the industry and the Coast Guard are in a learning stage at this point, and that he would not expect rigorous enforcement action as long as facilities are operating in good faith.

A key point, and one that S&A loudly echoes, is that the cyber NVIC presents an opportunity for the FSO, IT personnel, and OT personnel, to work together to develop an effective security program that addresses both cyber and physical risks.

Ms. Betty McMenemy has been at HQ since the beginning of the MTSA program and she is an enthusiastic proponent for both the Coast Guard and the regulated industry. She told us that nationwide, there are approximately 2,600 MTSA regulated facilities that are required to maintain an FSP, along with an additional 400 facilities that are exempt due to their remote location or other factors.

For 2020, Coast Guard data shows that most deficiencies were in the following 5 categories:

• Access control (signs, unmonitored gates)
• Restricted Areas
• Drill and Exercise requirements (missing drills or exercises)
• Record Keeping
• Amendments and audits

Among other issues, Ms. McMenemy made two points that I think are keystone issues for an effective security program. The first is to be sure to conduct a thoughtful and well informed Facility Security Assessment. Facilities can’t devise effective mitigation measures without understanding their risk, so make sure that FSA really reflects your reality. The Coast Guard is revising FSA guidance in an upcoming NVIC, so we look forward to that chance to improve our processes.

The second point she made, in the context of keeping up with drill and exercise requirements, is that “a crisis isn’t the time to do training”. This is another area where S&A adds an enthusiastic foot stomp, and is why we include drills, exercises, and training during our audit visits. We want you to succeed during Coast Guard compliance inspections AND in actual security incidents.

Our next speaker was Detective Raul Rivas, Orlando SWAT (retired). Detective Rivas was one of many courageous law enforcement officers who responded to the Pulse nightclub shooting. He shared body camera footage, photographs, and other first-hand accounts of that terrible event.

I can’t begin to capture the force of his testimony in this blog, but I’ll offer a few take-aways that should be applicable to FSOs and facility operators:

The responding officers were not familiar with the club layout and construction. Obtaining that knowledge in the midst of the response was challenging. FSOs should consider inviting police and firefighters to visit and train at their facility so that they aren’t seeing it for the first time in a crisis.

Detective Rivas also pointed out the difficulty of advancing into active gun fire, even for trained law enforcement officers. While we don’t expect FSOs and other facility personnel to take such extraordinary action, his message was to train realistically, because anything less won’t really prepare you for a crisis.

Detective Rivas concluded with an account of the various post-incident services provided to the first responders. Counseling programs like Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) are vital to ensuring people can recover from traumatic events. FSOs can work with their Human Resources departments to review their Employee Assistance Programs and identify other resources. While this type of planning is not normally part of an FSP, we at S&A encourage facility operators to develop supporting plans to promote business continuity and care for their fellow workers.

While security often gravitates to hardware issues such as gates, barriers, and alarms, smart FSOs understand that human performance is the key to any organization.

With that in mind, Thursday afternoon began with Spencer Byrum, CEO of HRS Consulting. HRS focuses helping companies become High Reliability Organizations. Mr. Byrum introduced the idea of operating in a VUCA-T environment (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity-Threats), a concept that FSOs can certainly relate to.

He addressed critical human factors such as communications, multi-tasking, risk assessment, and fatigue. With colorful real world accounts backed by solid research he helped us all understand how to build reliable, resilient organizations while improving our own personal performance.

Next came our own Brian Kelly with a series he called “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”. As we conduct our audits and assessments, we often come across security systems and practices that can either be examples to follow (the good), or pitfalls to avoid (the bad and the ugly). There were plenty of the “good” – specialized fences to close gaps by railbeds, or on piers, inward facing signs reminding personnel to follow security practices.

Unfortunately there were also “bad” and even “ugly” examples. Some of these were cases where facility employees propped open gates or otherwise deliberately disabled or evaded security systems. In others, fences or gates were in such disrepair that we were able to easily get through them. The good news is that all of those failures can be turned around with a little attention, maintenance, and training.

The final segment of the Symposium was the Cyber Security Panel, facilitated by John “There is no such thing as air gapped” Felker.

John opened with some of the day’s cyber news, including a new breach involving SolarWinds and 400,000 spoofed e-mails coming from a tug boat company in the U.S. The panel included a brief demonstration of how using a $45 dollar device a person can scan for open networks or those with weak passwords.

The major themes from the cyber panel included:

The Coast Guard, CISA, State agencies, and other reputable sources have a wide range of free tools, training, and resources to help companies identify their vulnerabilities and reduce their cyber risks.

All companies should participate in information sharing organizations such as an ISAC, or at least closely follow information put out by CISA. Coast Guard regulations require organizations to report certain types of cyber incidents. While companies are often to report cyber breaches for many reasons, sharing those reports will in the long run improve security. Besides, everyone gets hacked, pretending otherwise is not helping anyone. John Felker reminded us that standard anti-malware systems typically only block about 26% of known malware.

Because cyber incidents are so common, and so difficult to prevent, organizations should have cyber response/recovery plans. These plans should include on-call experts who are already familiar with your network, and checklists and procedures a company can use to validate that an infected system is purged and safe to reconnect.

Finally, response and recovery plans should be exercised, just like any other plans.

After our FSO and Refresher courses ended, we packed up our equipment and moved down the hall, filling a large conference room for the kick-off for the Symposium proper. After introductions from Ed, our first event was the Captain of the Port Panel. After our FSO and Refresher courses ended, we packed up our equipment and moved down the hall, filling a large conference room for the kick-off for the Symposium proper. After introductions from Ed, our first event was the Captain of the Port Panel.

We had three distinguished panelists: Captain Kelly Denning, Deputy Sector Commander, CAPT Eric King, currently the head of training for the Coast Guard and the prior Captain of the Port at Sector San Juan, and Captain Ryan Rhodes the Captain of the Port, Sector Lower Mississippi River in Memphis TN. The Captains thanked the FSOs for their work in protecting the nation’s maritime security. Hot topics for the panel were cyber security, Area Maritime Security Committees, and drones. Participation in AMSCs enables FSOs to work together and take advantage of shared resources. For example, use of drone detecting technology has helped authorities in the New Orleans area to locate drone operators and respond to complaints from facility operators. This in turn helped support a new State law that increases the penalties for illegal drone operations.

Cyber security was another hot topic, and both panelists and participants commented that the recent emphasis on cyber security is drawing physical security and cyber security personnel together. A challenge in the cyber domain is understanding when a cyber breach of security or suspicious activity must be reported to the Coast Guard. The discussion helped everyone understand that this issue is not as clear cut as it is for physical security events. On the issue of TWIC, Captain Denning encouraged any facilities that are considering redesignating their Secure areas, to do so as early as possible. Captain Denning also stated that any such request include an FSA and proposed FSP amendment that indicates that the change would not result in increased risk of a TSI. Based on the energy level and pace of discussion, it is clear that the rest of the symposium will be lively!

“This is not a theoretical class on facility security”

The stars were quite literally out this afternoon as both Admiral Carl Schultz, Commandant of the Coast Guard, and Rear Admiral Richard Timme, Commander Eighth District Commander, joined our Symposium. Admiral Schultz did so via a recorded address to Facility Security Officers. Both Admirals emphasized the importance of Maritime Security and the role that FSOs and other industry personnel play in keeping the Marine Transportation System safe, secure, and resilient, Although security classification restrictions kept Rear Admiral Timme from providing details, he made it clear that serious threats continue to exist in the Gulf region and elsewhere. One of his strongest statements was that “This is not a theoretical class on facility security”. That is a truth that every FSO should take to heart, and it reflects the reason we at S&A do everything we can to equip FSO’s to succeed.

Admiral Timme also discussed trends in the maritime domain, including larger, more complex ships, growing trade volume, and the fact that the United States is now an energy exporter. Significant marine casualties, such as the capsizing of the car carrier Golden Ray near Savannah in 2019 and the more recent grounding of the container ship Ever Given in the Suez Canal demonstrate supply chain risks and the need for FSOs and others in the port community to cooperate in Area Maritime Security Committees and similar forums. The Admiral noted that for those large scale events, the first question from authorities is often “is this a cyber event?” Facility operators need to “know their network” so they will be able to determine if that might be the case, or demonstrate to others that cyber was not a factor.

We were particularly pleased that Admiral Timme took the time to recognize S&A client Trade Point Atlantic as the recipient of the 2020 Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis Award for Excellence in Maritime Security.
Rear Admiral Richard Timme, capped the day and began his remarks by recognizing Tradepoint Atlantic, a long time S&A client, as recipient of the Admiral Bennis award for excellence in facility security.
A common theme among both Admirals was the growing complexities of the MTS and the importance of the MTS to the nation’s supply chain. Cyber risks, drones, new port and vessel technologies innovative fuel and energy sources. All of these and more are factors that industry and the Coast Guard must work together on to manage. Our Symposium is one way in which we are able to do just that.

Afternoon, Day 2 – The Seebald & Associates FSO Course includes an Exercise. Phase One of the exercise began the afternoon of Day 1. The FSO Course participants were fully engaged in Phase Two. The exercise includes designing a facility with security as the focus, drafting a Facility Security Assessment and writing a Facility Security Plan.

This group exercise is designed to reinforce the material covered in class and to incorporate and apply the requirements of 33 CFR 105 that an FSO must know and be able to perform.

Each group was fully engaged and energetic in applying the regulatory information they recently learned.

Keeping it Fresh.

Nineteen new arrivals showed up on day two of the S&A FSO Course and Security Symposium. These were seasoned FSOs, here to learn and contribute at the FSO Refresher Course. Our FSO Refresher course helps FSOs and senior executives stay sharp.

Our new participants represented over 400 years of experience, and this is what makes the Refresher Course so valuable. While S&A instructors provided an overview of threats, emerging Coast Guard policies, and related issues, the students all had their own stories of security incidents, best practices, and other “nuggets of knowledge” that others could benefit from. In some cases, the students used Post-it notes to share some of their suggestions.

The students in Refresher courses tend to be rather vocal, and today’s class was no exception. While S&A Master Instructor Brian Kelly started with a planned agenda, the contribution from students often dominated the discussions. Emerging threats and technologies were a popular topic. One of the participants promised to share a video of a drone using a flame thrower, which we all look forward to seeing at a future course.

Of course the class is also discussing new requirements, including cyber security, a review of MTSA fundamentals, and trends in Coast Guard compliance actions. The networking lunch, which Ed Seebald so kindly provided, included yet more discussions on practical matters such as security camera vendors, and how effective the access control and credentialing solution, MAGNAR FortifiD, has been with existing customers.

Stay tuned, tomorrow the classes end and the Symposium begins with special guest speakers, Captain of the Port Panel, and more…

Afternoon, Day 1 in the heart of New Orleans French Quarter – During an energetic networking lunch, the diverse maritime industry participants engaged with and learned more about each other as well as getting to know their Seebald Associates. After which, the afternoon session kicked off with a video and discussion on high reliability security procedures that prevent and deter security incidents; an environment we all desire to promote and nurture!

The expert team of the Seebald Associates provided snippets of insight and experiences to enhance the training experience, while Joe Hester kept the learning lively and fun! Digging into domestic and international law, the Code of Federal Regulations and Coast Guard policies is a tough act after lunch, but there was not a sleepy eye in crowd due to the dynamic and interactive master-level teaching techniques used to convey the dry, but necessary knowledge an FSO must be trained in. Well, honestly, a “cup of joe” also helped keep the 70 eye lids open!

By the way, the beignets were consumed in short order! Blogging from the heart of the French Quarter… ‘Restez en Scurit!’ – Stay Safe and Secure!

The Seebald & Associates Facility Security Officer (FSO) Course and Security Symposium kicked off this morning in New Orleans with the largest class to date. After coffee and beignets, 35 students settled in to begin their FSO course, led by S&A Instructor Joe Hester. The students included several active duty Coast Guard personnel as well as people from various segments from the port facility industry, including petrochemical manufacturing, energy, passenger facilities, and dry cargo. The students represent many years of experience in addressing facility risks, and Joe encouraged them to mix, mingle, and share their perspectives during the class.

Our fearless leader, Ed Seebald, provided opening remarks. For those of you who know Ed, you won’t be surprised to hear that Ed told some “sea stories” and was both the source and the target of some good-natured kidding. Ed also gave the group a little of his own background, which I’ll add to: Ed and his brother founded S&A shortly after 9-11. His devotion to helping companies develop meaningful security programs is borne from a sense of patriotism that all of us at S&A share.

When Ed (finally) yielded the stage, Joe Hester began the course in earnest, introducing an alphabet soup of terms like MTSA, SOLAS, ISPS, CFR, and SSI. The class took a pre-test to evaluate everyone’s comfort level with these terms and other fundamentals.

Typically these pre-tests score only about 50%, but this is only day one. We know from years of experience that by the end of the class the students will be well equipped to lead and manage their security responsibilities. And if they have developed a taste for beignets and coffee, it isn’t our fault.

Recently one of our clients notified us of problems they were having getting timely TWIC renewals for their workforce. We reached out to Captain Brad Clare, the U.S. Coast Guard MTSA program director for port facilities at Coast Guard Headquarters, who in turn reached out to his TSA counterpart to determine the extent of the issue.

The root of the problem is a substantial increase in applicants which is overwhelming enrollment centers. TSA provided the following report:

TSA is experiencing a surge in enrollments across all vetted populations in the National Transportation System to include aviation, maritime and surface populations. Beginning December 2020, TWIC® enrollments exceeded forecasts on a monthly basis. In March 2021, TSA recorded the highest single monthly enrollment total since 2017. TSA is prioritizing adjudication resources to adjudicate cases in a timely manner.

TSA encourages all applicants to enroll or renew at least 60 days before they require a TSA security threat assessment. While most applicants (~55 percent) are approved within 48 hours, the processing of certain applications requires review by a TSA adjudicator, and these cases are averaging 30 days for eligible applicants to receive a TWIC®. Applicants should use the Check My Service Status capability on Universal Enroll to check their status.

So this is a great time to remind your workforce to check their TWIC status and apply early if their TWIC is soon to expire.

Captain Clare also offered that the Coast Guard has issued several COVID related TWIC policies that provide some flexibility, and that facilities that find themselves in a bind should work with their local Captain of the Port. Seebald & Associates can help facilitate any such communication.

Position: Security Director & Facility Security Officer

Tradepoint Atlantic, LLC., the largest and most strategically important multi-modal industrial tract on the eastern seaboard, is seeking a Security Director & Facility Security Officer to join its Corporate Team headquartered in Sparrows Point, MD. The position will report to the SVP, Facilities Management. The Security Director & Facility Security Officer key task is to maintain security controls for the 3300 acre site, its occupants, employees, vendors, tenants and visitors.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversees security organization of the facility, including maritime, general vessel and facility operations and conditions.

• Emergency preparedness, response, and contingency planning.

• Ensures compliance with all federal, state, and local requirements, including knowledge of applicable laws (Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA), Security and Accountability For Every (SAFE) Port Act), regulations (33 CFR 101, 105), and agency guidance (Coast Guard NVICs, policies, MARSEC directives)

• Proper protection and handling for Sensitive Security Information and security-related communications.

• Ensure notification to law enforcement and facility personnel and other emergency responders for security or safety matters within the facility property.

• Security equipment and systems knowledge and operation.

• Positive control of all accountable items in compliance with contractual security obligations.

• Provide oversight and guidance to assigned third-party security workforce.

• Interact with senior management, contract field managers, stevedoring operations, tenant managers and public emergency officials/personnel as applicable.

• Participate in facility security audits, assessments, and planning.

• Maintain security knowledge through ongoing training and education.

• Implement and maintain the Facility Security Plan and standard operating procedures.

• Control access to protected areas and facilitate visitor requests for incoming personnel.

• Support the Tradepoint Atlantic acquisition process as needed.

• Ensure compliance with cyber and information systems security requirements.

• Assist and adhere to security measures required to safeguard personnel and prevent unauthorized access to equipment, facilities, and materials.

Education & Experience:

• Fulfillment of all Facility Security Officer (FSO) requirements in 33 CFR 105.205

• Completed USCG approved FSO training and certification within the last two years, or must complete USCG approved FSO training/certification within three months of employment.

• BS/BA degree in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice/Criminal Law, Homeland Security, Business Administration) preferred; equivalent work experience in a related career or Military Occupational Specialty may be considered in lieu of a degree.

• Minimum two years of FSO experience at an MTSA regulated facility preferred; equivalent work experience in a related career or Military Occupational Specialty may be considered in lieu of FSO experience.

• Port/Terminal/Marine operating systems experience preferred.

• Must possess a valid driver’s license and ability to obtain and maintain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential.

• Problem solving and decision-making skills.

• Computer skills using Microsoft Office products.

• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal skills.

Working Conditions

Must be able to work outside, exposed to all weather conditions, including heat, cold, wind, and rain. Standing and walking will be required throughout the course of a normal day. The wearing of personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, shoes, a safety vest and a hard hat will be required. Required to observe all safety and health requirements for maritime operations.

Hours

Normal working hours are Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with exceptions made for activities related directly to vessel operations. Exceptions may include extended shifts, days, evenings and nights.

How to Apply

Send resume and cover letter to edward@seebald.com

Tradepoint Atlantic LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for all positions without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, marital status, ethnicity, alienage, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

www.tradepointatlantic.com

Job Posting by MAGNAR

www.magnar.com

Postion Title: Technical Product Manager

Location: Audubon, NJ

Duration: Full-Time

To Apply: Please submit your cover letter and resume to hr@magnar.com

Who we are:

At Magnar, we are passionate about helping improve the safety and security of the United States. Our mission is to develop and deliver innovative technologies that improve the security, safety, and operational efficiencies of facilities within our nation’s critical infrastructure. We accomplish this through a collaborative, agile, and fast-paced team environment that reflects our values of excellence, innovation, integrity, and active/respectful listening.

What we’re looking for:

Our next Technical Product Manager is a data-driven, strategic team leader, who understands customer requirements and can effectively translate them into innovative solutions that fully satisfy those requirements. You must be capable of product discovery, feasibility, development, and deployment planning; communicating with diverse stakeholder groups; optimization of internal and external resources; project management; systems engineering; and strategic coordination with a cross-functional leadership team. As a member of Magnar’s leadership team, you will help define corporate strategy and planning. Your responsibilities will include execution of corporate and departmental plans, new product development, roadmapping, and product lifecycle management, along with management of related vendors and systems.

Responsibilities:

• Work with the leadership team to align corporate and departmental strategy, planning, and execution

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on new product ideation, discovery, feasibility, development, and deployment planning across web and mobile applications

• Manage development projects to ensure that they are completed on time and within budget

• Be the end-to-end owner of the product life cycle; identify the customer experience, manage the business case, identify value propositions, build out the product requirements, etc.

• Turn high-level project objectives and customer, regulatory, and best-practice requirements into a comprehensive set of system requirements

• Work closely with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders to prioritize product features on the product roadmap

• Systems integration and management

• Successfully manage stakeholder feedback and expectations

• Communicate development updates with the leadership team

• Oversee Quality Assurance

• Develop & document requirements, specifications and use cases for new product features

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or Computer Engineering, with a minimum of 5-years experience in a related field

• Project management experience (PMP certification is a plus)

• Familiarity/experience with agile methodologies

• Familiarity/experience with Android software development

• Familiarity/experience with Android-based hardware

• Familiarity/experience with web application development

• Familiarity/experience with Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems

• Understanding of cyber security optimization/analysis is a plus

• An ability to work with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, along with the ability to translate between the two

• Ability to be a customer-facing technical resource

• Experience with data-driven decision making

• Ability to effectively prioritize and deliver results under pressure

• Ability to creatively problem-solve

• Great people skills, and a proven track record of building relationships at all levels of the organization

Total Compensation:

• Highly Competitive Salary

• Performance-based bonuses

• Health and Dental Insurance

• 3% 401k company Match

• Vacation, Personal, Sick and Holiday Pay

The Coast Guard continues to monitor the maritime impact from the ongoing Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) cyber incident in the United States, as previously reported in Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB): 25-20. For more details, please see the Joint Statement by the recently established Cyber Unified Coordination Group (UCG) composed of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and National Security Agency.

This incident will require a sustained and dedicated effort to remediate. The UCG believes that the APT actor’s compromise of the SolarWinds Orion supply chain affected approximately 18,000 public and private sector customers and that the actor targeted a much smaller subset of that group with follow-on activity. CISA continues efforts to identify and confirm initial access vectors and identify any changes to the APT’s tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). Please continue to refer to CISA Alert AA20- 352A: Advanced Persistent Threat Compromise of Government Agencies, Critical Infrastructure, and Private Sector Organizations. A comprehensive repository of CISA resources related to this incident is available at https://www.cisa.gov/supply-chain-compromise. CISA will update these resources as new information is discovered.

Even if you do not own SolarWinds Orion, you may be impacted as your third-party networks, services, and vendors may use SolarWinds Orion. It is critical that the Coast Guard understands the potential risks of this APT actor on marine transportation system networks and supply chain connections.

Reporting malicious cyber activity enhances maritime domain awareness and allows us all to be better postured to prevent and respond to cyber incidents that could disrupt commerce or jeopardize national security. Any owner or operator of a Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)-regulated facility or vessel that relies on SolarWinds software for a system that serves or supports a critical security function per its security plan shall, in accordance with 33 CFR 101.305(b) and CG-5P Policy Letter No. 08-16, Section 3.A.i, report a breach of security if:

• They have downloaded the trojanized SolarWinds Orion plug-in (see FBI Private Industry Notification 20201222-001 https://www.ic3.gov/Media/News/2020/201229.pdf); or
• They note any system with a critical security function displaying any signs of compromise, including those that may have not originated from the SolarWinds Orion compromise but utilize similar TTPs (see CISA Alert AA20-352A).

This release has been issued for public information and notification purposes only.

CISA recommends utilizing three open-source tools—including a CISA-developed tool, Sparrow—to help in detecting and remediating malicious activity connected to this incident. Specifically, Sparrow was created to detect possible compromised accounts and applications in the Azure/Microsoft 365 environment. For guidance on all three tools, see CISA AA21-008A: Detecting Post-Compromise Threat Activity in Microsoft Cloud Environments.

Any potential threat to the physical security or cybersecurity of your vessel or facility should be taken seriously. Any Breach of Security or Suspicious Activity resulting from Cyber Security Incidents for MTSA-regulated vessels or facilities shall be reported to the National Response Center at 1-800-424- 8802. If you have any version of SolarWinds Orion but are unsure if you are at risk, or for any other questions regarding cyber threats or potential compromises, consider also contacting the Coast Guard Cyber Command 24×7 watch at 202-372-2904 or CyberWatch@uscg.mil.

Richard V. Timme, RDML, U. S. Coast Guard, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy sends