Swimming in data

The Homeland Security Department's Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate shares information with many federal, state and local government agencies. But the amount of information passing to and from the directorate is enough to overwhelm analysts, according to officials. That could be improved by plans to teach everyone involved in the process how to determine what information should be shared for analysis.

On an average day, directorate analysts will:

Receive and review 500 cybersecurity reports from Internet security firms, government organizations, private companies and foreign governments.

Review more than 1,000 pieces of information from the intelligence community and law enforcement agencies.

Distribute four information bulletins or warnings about vulnerability assessments, risk reduction and protective measures.