The Transportation Security Administration has several programs for sharing security information, but the availability and quality of information needs improvement, according to a Nov. 21 Government Accountability Office report (.pdf).

The Homeland Security Information Sharing Network Critical Sectors portal is the designated mechanism through which TSA provides security-related information for critical infrastructure sectors and includes specific subportals for individual modes of transportation. But when GAO report authors interviewed 266 transportation stakeholders, 43 percent of rail stakeholders, 28 percent of highway stakeholders and 72 percent of aviation stakeholders had never heard of HSIN-CS.

TSA also disseminates an annual modal threat assessment, which provides an overview of threats to each transportation mode, but 48 percent of the stakeholders surveyed by GAO did not receive in 2010 the assessment, or any security assessments from TSA.

Even when those working in rail, highway and aviation did receive a variety of TSA's security information sharing products, many told GAO they were not satisfied with the "actionability" of the information.

In the comment section of the survey stakeholders from each of the sectors said they wanted analysis of trends, and information on practices and probability that would allow them to adjust their security measures as appropriate, say report authors.

Some TSA information sharing tools could be more user-friendly as well, says the GAO. For example, only 21 percent of survey respondents had logged on to HSIN-CS and said they were satisfied with the mechanism. Many HSIN-CS users found it difficult to locate information and GAO suggests that improving search functionality could increase user satisfaction.

Security information sharing is falling short because TSA has not defined and documented the roles and responsibilities for managing information-sharing programs, finds GAO. For example, officials at TSA's office of intelligence told auditors they consider TSA's transportation sector network management offices to be "key conduits for providing security-related information directly to stakeholders." But when GAO spoke with officials from these offices, they were unsure of their roles.

Officials have been using the current Transportation Security Information Sharing Plan for guidance but it does not outline how TSA should communicate security-related information to stakeholders. GAO recommends TSA clarify security information sharing responsibilities and improve the accessibility, quality and usability of its information sharing products. TSA concurred with GAO recommendations.

For more:
- see GAO-12-44 (.pdf)
- see the e-supplement to the report

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