Interagency Security Committee

The Interagency Security Committee (ISC) is a collaborative organization that provides leadership to the nonmilitary federal community supporting physical security programs that are comprehensive and risk based.
Creation of the ISC
On October 19, 1995, six months after the Oklahoma City bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, President Clinton issued Executive Order 12977, creating the ISC to address continuing government-wide security for federal facilities.
Mission
- The ISC collaboratively establishes policies, monitors compliance, and enhances the security and protection of federal facilities.
Vision
- Federal facilities, the people who work at them, and those that visit are safe and secure throughout the country.
Leadership
Leadership for the ISC is provided by the chair (the Department's Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security), the Chief, ISC, and eight standing subcommittees.
- Steering Subcommittee
- Standards Subcommittee
- Best Practices Subcommittee
- Convergence Subcommittee
- Training Subcommittee
- Design-Basis Threat Subcommittee
- Countermeasures Subcommittee
- Compliance Subcommittee
Membership
The ISC consists of 21 primary members designated by EO 12977 and, to date, 46 associate members that have subsequently petitioned to join. The ISC provides coordinated interagency solutions to problems, which cannot be solved by individual departments and agencies alone.
View ISC Primary & Associate Members
Subcommittees
ISC subcommittees identify long- and short-term priorities and oversee strategic initiatives. Current subcommittees include the following:
- Steering Subcommittee: Provides input to the chair and/or the program director on priorities, project plans, and the operational impact of proposed initiatives to the security of Federal facilities.
- Standards Subcommittee: The focal point for coordination of all ISC standards.
- Best Practices Subcommittee: Evaluates technology solutions, develops a process and guidance on best practices to deliver lessons learned and shared information, and maintains a clearinghouse of information for Federal security programs to full ISC membership.
- Convergence Subcommittee: Develops mechanisms to support Federal agencies' integration of information management controls with security programs.
- Training Subcommittee: Oversees and supports the development and delivery of training of the ISC Standards and Security Specialist Competencies.
- Design-Basis Threat Subcommittee: Provides annual updates to the Design-Basis Threat (DBT) report.
- Countermeasures Subcommittee: Oversees the development of security criteria, degree of applicability, and associated countermeasures necessary to match the undesirable events as identified in the Design-Basis Threat (DBT) report.
- Compliance Subcommittee: Ensure compliance with established standards and oversee the implementation of appropriate security measures in federal facilities.
Working Groups
Working groups produce the ISC’s standards and best practices. Working groups are task-based and address a wide range of current and potential risks.
Authorities and Superseded Products
Contact
Interagency Security Committee
Department of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528
Attn: Chief, Interagency Security Committee
Email: ISC.DHS.GOV@hq.dhs.gov