Survey on TSA's Transportation Security Information Sharing Efforts

U.S. Government Accountability Office

Contents

• General Questions
• Questions about Transportation Security Related Products
• Transportation Security Related Information Reports
• Modal Threat Assessments
• Information provided during transportation security related unclassified or classified TSA brie fings
• Transportation Security Related Posters
• Encounter Reviews
• General Questions About Transportation Security Related Information Products
• Access to Classified Information
• Mechanisms used to Disseminate Transportation Security Related Products
• Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN)
• TSA E-mail Alerts
• TSA's Aviation Web Board
• General Questions About Transportation Security Related Information Mechanisms
• Questions About TSA Obtaining Stakeholder Feedback and Responsiveness
• Improvements to Transportation Security Information Sharing
• Completion
• Thank You

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General Questions

1. Which of the following best describes your organization as a whole rather than any one division or department within the larger organization?

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1. Short Line or Regional Railroad

2. Class I Railroad

3. Amtrak

4. Airport (security coordinator)

5. Passenger Air Carrier

6. Air Cargo Carrier

7. Highway or motor carrier

8. Public transportation agency

9. Hazardous liquid pipeline operator

10. Natural gas pipeline operator

11. Liquified natural gas operator

12. Other

Q1a. Other - Open-ended question

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Questions about Transportation Security Related Products

The following questions pertain to TSA transportation security related products or briefings that you received during calendar year 2013 to date.

For this survey, the term security related information refers to:
• Information regarding security measures related to classified or non-classified intelligence;
• Details on various security threats, including potential vulnerabilities and consequences of terrorist threats or attacks; cyber and technical threats; or suspicious activity pertaining to a specific entity or industry;
• Recommendations on security measures an entity should take to protect its people and resources from a terrorist attack, threat, or other security incident including U.S. and international security practices and lessons learned.

These may be products that your organization receives from TSA and other sources or that are made available for your organization to obtain through TSA mechanisms such as Web portals. You will have an opportunity to comment on the mechanisms TSA uses to distribute its security related products later on in this survey.

We will ask you about each of the following types of TSA products separately:
• Transportation security related information reports
• Modal threat assessments
• Information provided during transportation security related unclassified or classified TSA briefings
• Transportation security related posters
• Encounter reviews

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Transportation Security Related Information Reports

2. Transportation security related information reports provide information or analysis on specific issues, topics, or suspicious activities, or provide situational awareness of an ongoing or recent event. These reports are distributed by TSA through E-mail and other mechanisms. Examples include Transportation Intelligence Notes (TIN), formerly referred to as the Transportation Intelligence Gazette (TIG), and the Global and Regional Intelligence Digest (GRID). These reports are for informational purposes and DO NOT include TSA information that pertains to government rules and regulations.

Click here to see pictures of examples of some of TSA's transportation security related information reports: _____ _____ _____.

During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive or obtain at least one transportation security related information report? (Please consult other staff if necessary to answer this question and the questions below for your organization.)

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A. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive or obtain at least one transportation security related information report from any of the following sources?

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a. Directly from TSA

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b. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA

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c. From a source other than TSA or DHS

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Q2Ab. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA - Open-ended question

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Q2Ac. From a source other than TSA or DHS - Open-ended question

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B. How satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with the following aspects of the transportation security related information reports it received or obtained during calendar year 2013 to date?

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a. Timeliness (i.e., the degree to which you received the information within the time it was needed)

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b. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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c. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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d. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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e. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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C. If you have any comments you would like to add about TSA's transportation security related information reports please type them in the box below.

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Modal Threat Assessments

3. The TSA's Office of Intelligence provides assessments of threats for your organization's transportation mode (aviation, freight and passenger rail, mass transit, pipelines, and highways), including key actors and possible tactics and targets. These documents are not individual assessments of a specific organization or geographic region. Rather, these documents are developed for each transportation mode as well as specific industries such as Passenger Air Carriers and include incidents of interest and suspicious activities targeting transportation systems in the United States and overseas. These documents are produced at the classified and unclassified levels. Modal threat assessments are distributed through E-Mail and other mechanisms.

Examples of assessments include, among others:
• Annual Modal Threat Assessments (Aviation, Freight Rail, Mass Transit, Pipelines, and Highways) which provide in-depth analysis of potential threats,
• Air Cargo Vulnerability Assessments which identify and evaluate the risks to the air cargo supply chain,
• Rail Corridor Reviews which determine the vulnerabilities and potential consequences that toxic inhalation hazard (TIH) cars pose in major areas, and
• Tactics, Techniques and Procedures Assessments which analyze how violent extremists, typically overseas, attack transportation modes in order to discern impacts to the U.S. transportation environment.

Click here to see pictures of examples of some of TSA's threat assessments: _____ _____.

During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive or obtain a copy of a modal threat assessment? Please consult other staff to answer this question and the questions below for your organization.

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A. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive or obtain a copy of a modal threat assessment from any of the following sources?

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a. Directly from TSA

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b. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA

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c. From a source other than TSA or DHS

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Q3Ab. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA - Open-ended question

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Q3Ac. From a source other than TSA or DHS - Open-ended question

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B. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the following aspects of the modal threat assessments that your organization received or obtained in calendar year 2013 to date?

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a. Timeliness (i.e., the degree to which you received the information within the time it was needed)

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b. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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c. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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d. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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e. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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C. If you have any comments you would like to add about modal threat assessments please type them in the box below.

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Information provided during transportation security related unclassified or classified TSA briefings

4. TSA may share transportation security related information, including details on threats, vulnerabilities, and suspicious activities with transportation stakeholders during unclassified or classified briefings. These briefings may be provided to individual security professionals, public and private stakeholders, local and regional groups, or entire industries at forums such as trainings, workshops, and conferences. These briefings may also be conducted at TSA headquarters, at other secure locations, over a secure phone line, or via video or teleconference.



During calendar year 2013 to date, did a security official from your organization attend at least one transportation security related TSA briefing? (Please consult other staff to answer this question and the questions below for your organization.)

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A. During calendar year 2013 to date, on average, how frequently did a security official from your organization attend unclassified or classified TSA briefings?

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Q4. Other frequency - Open-ended question

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B. How satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with the following aspects of the unclassified and classified TSA briefings attended during calendar year 2013 to date?

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a. Timeliness (i.e., the degree to which you received the information within the time it was needed)

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b. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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c. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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d. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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e. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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C. If you have any comments you would like to add about the TSA briefings please type them in the box below.

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Transportation Security Related Posters

5. Posters are one-page unclassified graphical products focusing on a single topic or issues. Posters are developed primarily for transportation security officers and can cover a variety of topics, including concealment techniques, and tactics, techniques, and procedures that may be encountered on the front lines of transportation security. These posters are distributed by TSA through email and other mechanisms.

Click here to see pictures of examples of some of TSA's transportation security related posters: _____ _____.

During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive or obtain a copy of a transportation security related poster? (Please consult other staff to answer this question and the questions below for your organization.)

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A. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive or obtain a copy of a transportation security related poster from any of the following sources?

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a. Directly from TSA

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b. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA

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c. From a source other than TSA or DHS

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Q5Ab. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA - Open-ended question

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Q5Ac. From a source other than TSA or DHS - Open-ended question

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B. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the following aspects of the transportation security related posters that your organization received or obtained in calendar year 2013 to date?

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a. Timeliness (i.e., the degree to which you received the information within the time it was needed)

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b. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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c. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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d. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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e. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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C. If you have any comments you would like to add about transportation security related posters, please type them in the box below.

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Encounter Reviews

6. Is your organization a passenger air carrier?

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Encounter reviews are intelligence-based, analytical products related to select Terrorist Watch List encounters or events of particular concern or focus regarding air travel of known or suspected terrorists. Pictured below is an example of an encounter review. These products are intended for passenger air carriers.

Click here to see a picture of an example of a TSA encounter review: _____.

A. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive or obtain a copy of an encounter review? (Please consult other staff to answer this question and the questions below for your organization.)

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B. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive or obtain a copy of an encounter review from any of the following sources?

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a. Directly from TSA

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b. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA

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c. From a source other than TSA or DHS

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Q6Bb. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA - Open-ended question

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Q6Bc. From a source other than TSA or DHS - Open-ended question

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C. How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the following aspects of the encounter reviews that your organization received or obtained in calendar year 2013 to date?

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a. Timeliness (i.e., the degree to which you received the information within the time it was needed)

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b. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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c. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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d. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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e. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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D. If you have any comments you would like to add about encounter reviews please type them in the box below.

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General Questions About Transportation Security Related Information Products

7. Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the following aspects of the TSA transportation security related products (reports, assessments, briefings, posters, and reviews) previously mentioned in this questionnaire that your organization received or obtained during calendar year 2013 to date?

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a. Timeliness (i.e., the degree to which you received the information within the time it was needed)

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b. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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c. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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d. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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e. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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8. Overall how satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with the TSA transportation security related products (reports, assessments, briefings, posters, and reviews) previously mentioned in this questionnaire that your organization received or obtained during calendar year 2013 to date?

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A. If you have any comments you would like to add about your organization's overall satisfaction or dissatisfaction with TSA's transportation security related products (reports, assessments, briefings, posters, and reviews), please type them in the box below.

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9. Overall, would your organization prefer that TSA share transportation security related information with your organization more frequently, less frequently, or as frequently as it has during calendar year 2013 to date?

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A. If you have any comments you would like to add about the frequency with which TSA shares information with your organization, please type them in the box below.

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10. In calendar years 2012 and 2013 to date, for what purposes has your organization used the transportation security related information that it received from TSA (for instance, to enhance situational awareness, make adjustments to security policies, help prioritize security measures, or to respond to a specific threat)?

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11. What, if anything, should TSA do to improve its transportation security related information products (reports, assessments, briefings, posters, and reviews)?

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12. Please use the space below to provide any additional comments about TSA's transportation security related information products.

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Access to Classified Information

13. The following questions will ask about your organization's experiences receiving classified information from TSA. A formal security clearance, granted by a U.S. government agency, is required to handle classified documents, access classified data, or attend classified briefings. Classified information is information to which access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of persons and is labeled as "Confidential", "Secret", or "Top Secret." Information that does not include one of those labels is not classified information. Additionally, information that is labeled "Sensitive Security Information (SSI)" "for official use only", "business-sensitive", or "sensitive but unclassified" is not classified information.

At any time during calendar year 2013 to date, did at least one member of your organization have a "Confidential", "Secret", or "Top Secret" security clearance granted by a U.S. government agency? (Please consult other staff if necessary to answer this question and the questions below for your organization.)

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A. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive or obtain any classified transportation security related information products (reports, assessments, briefings, or reviews) from TSA?

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14. During calendar year 2013 to date, did TSA deny your organization access to a specific transportation security related information product or briefing because the security personnel at your organization did not have the appropriate security clearance?

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15. Please use the space below to provide any additional comments about security clearances and experiences receiving or obtaining classified transportation security related information products or briefings from TSA.

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Mechanisms used to Disseminate Transportation Security Related Products

The next series of questions focuses on the mechanisms TSA uses to distribute its security related products.

We will ask you about each of these TSA mechanisms separately:
• The Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN)
• TSA E-Mail Alerts
• Aviation Web Board

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Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN)

16. HSIN is a web-based platform operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to facilitate Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU) information sharing and collaboration between federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector entities.

Click here to see examples of screenshots of some of the pages on HSIN: _____.



Prior to receiving this survey, had at least one person at your organization that is responsible for receiving or obtaining TSA's transportation security related information, including you, heard of HSIN? (Please consult other staff if necessary to answer this question and the questions below for your organization.)

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A. During calendar year 2013 to date, did at least one person at your organization who is responsible for receiving or obtaining TSA's transportation security related information have the necessary user ID and password to log on to HSIN?

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B. How satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with its ability to log on to HSIN during calendar year 2013 to date?

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C. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization log on to at least one part of HSIN?

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D. During calendar year 2013 to date, which part(s) of HSIN, if any, did your organization log on to?

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1. Critical Infrastructure (HSIN-CI)

2. TSA Intell on HSIN (formerly referred to as TS-ISAC)

3. Freight Rail Portal

4. Highway and Motor Carrier Portal

5. Oil and Natural Gas Portal

6. Public Transit

7. Other Portal (please describe in the box below)

8. Don't know

Q16Da. Other Portal - Openend

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E. How satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with its ability to locate transportation security related information on HSIN during calendar year 2013 to date?

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F. How satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with the following aspects of the security related information on HSIN during calendar year 2013 to date?

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a. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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b. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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c. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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d. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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G. If you have any comments you would like to add about HSIN please type them in the box below.

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TSA E-mail Alerts

17. As a part of its information sharing efforts, TSA's Office of Intelligence and Analysis TSA's Office of Security Policy and Industry Engagement occasionally disseminate E-mails to transportation organizations that include "unclassified", and "Sensitive But Unclassified" security related information. This TSA mechanism is intended to provide transportation stakeholders with information such as suspicious incident and situational awareness reports. Note: These email alerts contain security related information and are NOT simply notifications that new information is available on a website.

During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive at least one TSA E-mail alert? (Please consult other staff if necessary to answer this question and the questions below for your organization.)

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A. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization receive at least one TSA E-mail alert from any of the following sources?

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a. Directly from TSA

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b. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA

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c. From a source other than TSA or DHS

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Q17Ab. From an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) other than TSA - Open-ended question

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Q17Ac. From a source other than TSA or DHS - Open-ended question

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B. How satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with the following aspects of the security related information in the TSA E-mail alerts that your organization received in calendar year 2013 to date?

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a. Timeliness (i.e., the degree to which you received the information within the time it was needed)

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b. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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c. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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d. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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e. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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C. If you have any comments you would like to add about TSA E-mail alerts please type them in the box below.

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TSA's Aviation Web Board

18. TSA's Aviation Web Board is a web site that is devoted to aviation security related information. Access to the Aviation Web Board can only be obtained through TSA.

Is your organization part of the aviation transportation mode (including passenger air carriers, air cargo carriers, or airports)?

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A. During calendar year 2013 to date, did at least one person at your organization who is responsible for receiving or obtaining TSA's transportation security related information have the necessary user ID and password to log on to TSA's Aviation Web Board?

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a. How satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with its ability to log on to TSA's Aviation Web Board during calendar year 2013 to date?

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B. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization log on to at least one part of TSA's Aviation Web Board? Select one option below.

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C. How satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with its ability to locate transportation security related information on TSA's Aviation Web Board during calendar year 2013 to date?

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D. How satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with the following aspects of the transportation security related information on TSA's Aviation Web Board during calendar year 2013 to date?

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a. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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b. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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c. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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d. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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E. If you have any comments you would like to add about TSA's Aviation Web Board please type them in the box below.

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General Questions About Transportation Security Related Information Mechanisms

19. Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied is your organization with all the MECHANISMS (HSIN, E-mail, and Web Board) previously mentioned in this questionnaire through which your organization received or obtained transportation security related information in calendar year 2013 to date?

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20. What, if anything, should TSA do to improve the information sharing MECHANISMS (HSIN, E-mail, and Web Board) previously discussed in this survey that your organization used to receive or obtain transportation security related information?

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21. Please use the space below to provide any additional comments about these MECHANISMS.

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Questions About TSA Obtaining Stakeholder Feedback and Responsiveness

22. During calendar year 2013 to date, did your organization provide feedback to TSA on its efforts to share security related information in any of the following ways (excluding any regulatory reporting requirements)?

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a. TSA survey(s) contained in transportation security related information products

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b. Email(s) (other than those containing the survey(s) contained in transportation security related information products)

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c. Phone call(s)

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d. Regularly scheduled meetings (such as Sector Coordinating Council meetings)

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e. Other

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Q22Ea. Other feedback mechanism - Open-ended question

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23. If you have any comments you would like to add about the experiences of your organization in providing TSA feedback, please type them in the box below.

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24. Overall, how satisfied are you with TSA's responsiveness to your transportation security related information needs?

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Improvements to Transportation Security Information Sharing

25. Overall, thinking about calendar years 2012 and 2013 to date, how much have the following aspects of the TSA transportation security related information (reports, assessments, briefings, posters, and reviews) previously mentioned in this questionnaire that your organization received or obtained (through the products or mechanisms discussed in this survey) improved or declined?

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a. Timeliness (i.e., the degree to which you received the information within the time it was needed)

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b. Relevance (i.e., the degree to which the information was applicable to your organization)

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c. Completeness (i.e., the degree to which the information contained all the necessary details)

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d. Actionability (i.e., the degree to which the information enabled you to make adjustments to your security measures, if such a change was warranted)

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e. Accuracy (i.e., the degree to which the information was correct)

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26. Overall, how confident are you that TSA provides your organization with the transportation security related information it needs?

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27. What, if anything, should TSA do to improve information sharing with your organization?

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28. Please use the space below to provide any further comments your organization may have on transportation security related information sharing.

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29. Who is the primary person responsible for completing this questionnaire?

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a. Name

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b. Title

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c. Organization

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d. Phone

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e. E-mail

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Completion

30. Please check one of the options below. Clicking on "Completed" indicates that your answers are official and final.

Your answers will not be used unless you have done this.

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Thank You

Thank you for your participation!

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You may view and print your completed survey by clicking on the Summary link in the menu to the left.

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