Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) manages one of the busiest airports in the world, serving about 62 million passengers annually, and is confronting a growing range of security threats stemming from connected mobile devices.
In this fast-changing environment, LAWA’s Chief Information Officer Dominic Nessi plays a central role. Ahead of his appearance at Apps World in San Francisco, he shared insight into his responsibilities and the challenges his department faces.
“Mobile devices are the new frontier for cybersecurity threats,” Nessi says. “We’ve proceeded cautiously, rolling out many mobile applications slowly because there are still many unknowns in the mobile ecosystem.”
His IT operation functions as the technology enabler for the entire organization, adopting a ‘lead by support’ approach. Although the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend is common in many sectors, LAWA has not widely embraced it because it raises numerous unresolved issues.
“There are security concerns,” Nessi explains. “But there are also practical questions. How do you reimburse an employee for using a personal device? Do you provide a stipend, and if so, is that taxable income?”
“I follow those debates closely,” he adds. “Some organizations dove into BYOD and are now pulling back as they discover more complications than anticipated. For now, we control the devices issued for work use.”
Since taking the role five years ago, Nessi has overseen 16 major IT projects, addressing processes and systems that had been waiting years for attention. His department manages IT comprehensively, from mission-critical operational applications to basic paging systems.
“We operate in a fairly complex environment, with nine terminals and numerous construction projects across the airport,” he says. “All of this places technology in a crucial position within airport operations.”
Staff across operations, security, public safety and facilities want mobile capabilities, but they are not always equipped to determine the best ways to deploy technology, secure devices, or define usage policies.
“We stay on top of those issues and work closely with departments to introduce appropriate solutions into LAWA’s IT environment,” Nessi says. “The mobile landscape changes rapidly, and it’s important for the technology group to act as the interface so users don’t have to become technology experts.”
Mobile solutions deliver immediate, practical benefits for airport operations. LAWA’s newest implementation integrates with facilities management systems so maintenance staff can receive work orders on their phones, estimate completion time, report progress and close tasks without returning to a central office.
“If you’re on the airfield assessing pavement conditions on a runway, it’s far more efficient to capture and catalogue those results on a device in real time,” Nessi notes. “That shifts the work from a centralized hub to a distributed model across the airport.”
Rolling out situational awareness software on mobile devices will also help LAWA standardize responses to specific incidents—vital in the highly regulated airport environment.
When a crew encounters an incident, they can launch the app and follow checklists that guide them through the precise steps required by airport procedures. “Integrating situational awareness with our other systems places a suite of essential tools on a single device for employees working in the field.”
LAWA is widely recognized in IT circles for its strong cybersecurity posture, which Nessi considers among the best. Airports face higher stakes than many organizations, and LAWA has intentionally moved cautiously with mobile adoption to guard against primary risks such as data leakage and lost or unsecured devices.
“In the five years I’ve been here, device usage has evolved from mostly cell phones to a mix of cell phones, BlackBerrys, iPhones and iPads,” he says. “We’re taking a measured approach because there are so many variables to consider.”
Nessi looks forward to discussing these topics with peers at Apps World on February 7–8. “My focus is the security space—how organizations secure their apps and devices and what policies they implement for employees,” he says.
For more information about Apps World and attendance details, visit: http://www.apps-world.net/northamerica/