IEEE Internet Computing theme issue on Homeland Security, Nov/Dec 2004. http://www.computer.org/internet/call4ppr.htm Submissions due 1 April 2004 "Homeland security" is a major concern for governments worldwide, which must protect their populations and the critical infrastructures that support them, including power systems, communications, government and military functions, and food and water supplies. In this special issue, we seek contributions describing the role of Internet and information technologies in homeland security, both as an infrastructure to be protected and as a tool for enabling the defense of other critical infrastructures. On one hand, information technology can be used for mitigating risk and enabling effective responses to disasters of natural or human origin. However, its suitability for this role is plagued by questions ranging from dependability concerns to the risks that some technologies -- surveillance, profiling, information aggregation, and so on -- pose to privacy and civil liberties. On the other hand, information technology is itself an infrastructure to be protected. This includes not only the Internet infrastructure but also the complex systems that control critical infrastructure such as energy, transportation, and manufacturing. While control systems have traditionally been proprietary and closed, the trend toward the use of standard computer and networking technologies coupled with the use of more open networks for communication makes these systems increasingly vulnerable to catastrophic attacks and failures. We invite researchers and information technologists to submit original articles on the use of Internet and information technologies for homeland security and on the protection of critical technology assets. Of particular interest are articles that describe technology within the context of an actual deployment or initiative in homeland security. Indeed, articles focusing on these larger initiatives or the policy debates surrounding them are also welcome, provided that they offer a strong technology component. Articles detailing technology without a compelling application to homeland security are discouraged. Commercial advertisements will be rejected. Relevant topics include, but are not limited to: Identification, authentication, biometrics, and access control; Survivable/rapidly deployable emergency command and control infrastructure; Risk assessment and recovery planning; Sensor network based early-warning systems; Surveillance, data aggregation, and mining technologies and associated privacy issues; Controlled sharing of sensitive information among organizations; Information and cybersecurity; High-availability, resilient, and survivable infrastructure design; and Detection and response to vulnerabilities and attacks on the Internet and on IT components in critical infrastructure. Further details can be found at: http://www.computer.org/internet/call4ppr.htm