Methods and systems for assessing security risks

• US 20060167728A1
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HNTB Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: HNTB Corporation (HNTB Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Marros, Robert J., Morrison, Douglas Wayne, Herman, Glen Arthur, Siegel, Jeffrey L., Quandel, Charles H., Moore, W. Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

The assessment of security risks associated with linear corridors, such as transportation corridors and utilities corridors, is provided. Initially, a site is selected for evaluation. Survey data and context sensitive information, such as demographic information, environmental information, corridor asset information, and the like, is collected for the site. Linear corridors are identified within the data, and critical assets within each linear corridor are also identified. Security risks associated with linear corridors may then be assessed using the survey data and context sensitive information. In addition, mitigation strategies, response strategies, and recovery strategies may be developed for the security risks assessed for the linear corridors.

Claims

1. A method of assessing security risks comprising:

selecting a site for evaluation;

surveying the site, wherein surveying the site includes collecting survey data of the site;

gathering information about an area around the site;

combining the collected survey data with the information gathered about the area around the site; and

assessing the security risks of the site using the combined collected survey data with the information gathered about the area around the site.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the survey data is collected from an aircraft using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising obtaining for selected portions of the site at least one of a digital image and video.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information gathered about the area around the site includes information selected from a group comprising:

demographic information, transportation information, environmental information and corridor asset information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording results of the assessment of the security risks.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising assessing at least one of a mitigation strategy, response strategy, and recovery strategy associated with the site using the combined collected survey data with the information gathered about the area around the site.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the security risks of the site includes performing at least one of a subjective assessment of the security risks and an objective assessment of the security risks.

8. A method of assessing security risks associated with at least one linear corridor, the method comprising:

selecting at least one linear corridor for evaluation;

surveying the at least one linear corridor, wherein surveying the at least one linear corridor includes collecting survey data of the at least one linear corridor;

gathering context sensitive information associated with the at least one linear corridor;

combining the survey data and context sensitive information; and

assessing security risks of the at least one linear corridor using the combined survey data and context sensitive information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising identifying one or more assets along the at least one linear corridor.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising associating at least a portion of the survey data and at least a portion of the context sensitive information with at least one of the one or more assets along the at least one linear corridor.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein assessing security risks of the at least one linear corridor comprises assessing security risk of at least one of the one or more assets along the at least one linear corridor.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein assessing security risks of the at least one linear corridor comprises determining risk levels along the at least one linear corridor.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the linear corridor comprises at least one of a transportation corridor and a utilities corridor.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the linear corridor comprises at least one of a rail corridor, roadway corridor, waterway corridor, an electricity corridor, and a gas corridor.

15. A method, implementable at least in part in a computing environment, for assessing security risks associated with a linear corridor, the method comprising:

accessing information associated with the linear corridor, wherein the information comprises combined survey data and context sensitive information associated with the linear corridor;

presenting the information associated with the linear corridor in a user interface, thereby allowing a user to view the linear corridor in the context of the information; and

assessing the security risks associated with the linear corridor using the combined survey data and context sensitive information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the information associated with the linear corridor further comprises real-time data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the information associated with the linear corridor further comprises digital images of selected portions of the linear corridor.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the survey data comprises data collected from an aircraft using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the context sensitive information includes information selected from a group comprising:

demographic information, transportation information, environmental information and corridor asset information.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein assessing the security risks associated with the linear corridor comprises:

receiving user provided risk assessment information; and

storing the risk assessment information.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein assessing the security risks associated with the linear corridor comprises performing an objective risk assessment of the linear corridor.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising developing at least one of a mitigation strategy, a response strategy, and a recovery strategy.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising communicating information associated with at least one of a mitigation strategy, a response strategy, and a recovery strategy to an emergency responder network.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein accessing information associated with the linear corridor includes accessing information associated with one or more critical assets of the linear corridor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein presenting the information associated with the linear corridor in a user interface includes presenting the information associated with the one or more critical assets, thereby allowing a user to view the one or more critical assets in context of the information associated with the one or more critical assets.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein assessing the security risks associated with the linear corridor comprises assessing the security risks associated with the one or more critical assets.

27. One or more computer-readable media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for performing the method of claim 15.

28. One or more computer-readable media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for providing one or more user interfaces facilitating the assessment of security risks for one or more linear corridors, the one or more user interfaces comprising:

a navigation window configured to present geospatial data for an area associated with one or more linear corridors, wherein the navigation window is further configured to allow a user to navigate the area; and

an attributes area configured to present information associated with the area presented in the navigation window; and

wherein at least one of the navigation window and attributes area are further configured to present risk assessment information associated with the one or more linear corridors.