CBP Highlights Technology Progress, Link to Mission Accomplishment
Having the right technology in place is critical to protecting the border and safeguarding against the entry of illicit goods into the United States.
Now, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released its annual review on its technology advancements.
The news is contained in CBP’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT) “Year in Review Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.”
“Building on a robust foundation, OIT has put strategy into action and positioned itself as a trusted partner on the forefront of daily mission operations, executing our vision to deliver world-class, secure, and reliable IT services and capabilities anywhere, anytime, for authorized users on any approved device at the speed of CBP’s 24/7 mission,” wrote CBP Chief Information Officer (CIO) Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia in the forward to the report.
The report noted that CBP OIT successfully supported 63,843 employees around the country in FY 2023, resolved over 800,000 service tickets with a customer satisfaction rate of over 90 percent, blocked 2.1 billion cybersecurity network intrusion attempts, implemented more than 43 million security patches, and handled 110 million emails per month.
Six Focus Areas
In the report, CBP OIT also reviewed accomplishments in six focus areas:
· Mission Applications- Delivering reliable and scalable technology to provide operational support for CBP passenger and immigration management systems, as well as the expanding of digital immigration processing.
· Mission Infrastructure- Migrating 77 percent of CBP’s overall application portfolio to the cloud, exceeding the FY 2023 goal of 70 percent, as well as expanding satellite connections in remote areas.
· Trusted Partnerships- Fostering meaningful engagement and collaboration between internal and external mission stakeholders both in and out of government. CBP says the initiatives allowed for sharing and collaboration on data, cybersecurity, securing travel and trade, and innovative technology solutions.
· Mission Cybersecurity- Proactive management of cyber risks, coordinating cyber information sharing, and providing an agile, effective, and cost-efficient approach to cybersecurity that aligns to the evolving cyber threat environment.
· Enterprise IT Governance- Publishing the IT Strategy 2023-2027 and the establishment of the IT policy program to “help CBP to achieve new heights of IT excellence and delivery in years to come.”
· CIO Business Operations- Fostering a culture built around shared values and receiving recognition for efforts to improve the customer experience.
The report also highlighted how CBP executed on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) broader focus areas which include cohesion; compliance; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI); customer experience; cybersecurity; and the Southwest Border Technology Integration Program.
FY 2024 Goals
Looking ahead, CBP OIT plans to build on the successes of FY 2023. That includes a focus on transparency and the ability to achieve mission outcomes “faster, better, more affordably and more securely.”
“In FY 2024, OIT will strive to deliver enterprise services and applications at the speed of mission. OIT will use the tools its developed to keep modernizing, enhancing cybersecurity, increasing network connectivity, and support ongoing innovations to keep pace with evolving mission needs,” the report stated.