Cloud-based framework for information sharing in emergency situations

Since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we are witnessing the attempt of a relevant change in the way the U.S. intelligence community shares classified data across government. Indeed, as recommended by the 9/11 Commission, a more widely information sharing across agencies is needed, to make analysts able to integrate data acquired by different agencies and extract from them relevant knowledge. This recommendation has been the trigger for the shift from the Need-to-Know to the Need-to-Share culture, whose benefits are now well recognized in several security domains, ranging from homeland security to intelligence support for military forces. As an example, as reported by Air Force Major General David M. Edgington, Joint Forces Command’s chief of staff, “Sharing information with coalition forces helps U.S. troops by relieving some of their burden from the fight”. If on the one hand Need-to-share brings relevant benefits to the intelligence community, on the other hand this wide availability of classified information might give opportunity for massive leaks as recently happened in the WikiLeaks case. As such, as reported by the current Director of National Intelligence, retired Air Force Lieutenant General James R. Clapper Jr., it is emerging the need “to find the best balance between adequate sharing and effective information security”. The main objective of this project is to investigate a framework for ensuring this balance in case of emergency situations. Starting from the assumption that the “ultimate goal of intelligence is to provide accurate analysis in a timely manner”, we aim at developing an information sharing environment able to deliver the right information to the right people at the right time.