Miami Investment Firm Aims To Build Security Empire
Trivest Partners, a Miami-based private equity firm, has decided to build "one of the largest privately held security businesses in the United States," reports The Miami Herald.
According to the story, security guards have a "tremendous" advantage as business opportunities: the positions cannot be outsourced.
''With the advent of Homeland security, this appears to be an important part of our society for many years to come,'' says Trivest partner Jamie E. Elias. "It is not susceptible to outsourcing trends. It is not going to China or India because customers want the physical presence of a security guard walking the premises.''...
Multi-Faceted Approach Works Best Against School Violence
Violence has shaken many schools across the country. More than two dozen school shootings have occurred since the school year began; yet there is hope. Communities are banding together to protect their children. Schools are working on many fronts to curb aggression and keep students out of harm's way.
There is no magic answer to keeping violence out of schools. It requires a multi-faceted effort from administrators, staff, parents and students. Available strategies include peer mediation and conflict resolution training, video analytics in school "hot spots," and teaching students how to use the Internet safely.
Numerous methods are available for defusing conflicts before they erupt....
Network Security Is Top of Mind For Executives
Network security is regarded by executives as the single most important attribute of their network, according to the results of a global survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for AT&T.
The research reveals that 52 percent of executives now believe that having a converged network gives their companies better defense against IT security breaches.
Furthermore, nearly 70 percent feel that IP helps ensure business continuity following an emergency....
Fired Wal-Mart Security Technician Tells Of Spying Operation
Wal-Mart's security efforts were thrust into the spotlight when a fired technician alleged he had been part of a large surveillance operation that spied on company workers, critics, vendors and consultants, reports the Associated Press.
The company has defended its security practices.
Wal-Mart has declined to comment on specific allegations made by 19-year veteran Bruce Gabbard to a Wall Street Journal article published April 4. The company reiterated that it had fired Gabbard, 44, and his supervisor in March for violating company policy by recording phone calls and intercepting pager messages....
Atlanta CNN Center Security Reviewed
Security at the Atlanta CNN Center tourist attraction is being reviewed after a man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend there April 3 was apparently able to bring a gun inside undetected, the Associated Press reports.
The complex houses the network news channel's headquarters.
Metal detectors were installed at entrances to CNN Center after the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks, but they were later removed after the threat level diminished.
"Whenever an incident does happen, we develop lessons learned and we will be doing that over the next few weeks, both short-term and long-term," says Alec Fraser, whose duties as president of Turner Properties include overseeing CNN Center security....
Voice-Over-IP Can Complicate Schools' Enhanced 911 Systems
Schools should have accurate, location-specific enhanced 911 (E911) systems on campus. Regardless of any legal liability or regulatory reasons that may compel these systems, safety concerns are more than enough to justify them.
Now, with the availability of IP-enabled telephone networks, education institutions are on the cusp of a revolution in the way campus E911 programs are managed, according to an article in the February 2007 issue of American School & University, a sister publication.
Colleges and universities, with sprawling campuses and many on- and off-campus buildings networked back through the primary PBX switch, present particular challenges for 911 systems. Often, the remote sites need to route to a public safety answering point (PSAP) other than the main PSAP, compounding the difficulty of determining the exact location of an emergency caller....
Shopping Centers Present Intractable Security Challenges
Shopping centers remain among the most readily accessible targets for both terrorists and garden-variety criminals, recent industry studies confirm.
Since 1998, more than 60 attacks have taken place at shopping centers around the world, according to "Reducing Terrorism Risk at Shopping Centers," a report produced by the RAND Corp., a non-profit think tank headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif.
Last December, the FBI arrested a man for allegedly planning to set off grenades at the 783,167-square-foot CherryVale Mall in Rockford, Ill....
Experts Agree That Encyption Is Key to Enterprise Data Security
A new survey of information security executives indicates that enterprise encryption is vital for the protection of sensitive data.
Enterprise encryption is defined as the persistent encryption of sensitive data stored on any device within an enterprise, including servers, storage devices, desktop computers, POS systems and mobile devices, such as laptop computers and USB drives.
BitArmor Systems Inc., Pittsburgh, an enterprise encryption vendor, conducted the survey among attendees at MIS Training Institute's 2007 InfoSec World Conference and Expo in Orlando held March 19-21....
ASTM Committee Seeks Participation in School Preparedness Guide
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International Committee E54 on Homeland Security Applications invites interested parties to participate in the development of a proposed new standard, WK8908, Guide for School Preparedness and All-Hazard Response.
The proposed guide will cover concepts, principles and best practices for integrated emergency management programs concerning preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response and recovery for schools and school districts. The guide will facilitate the preparation for, mitigation against, response to and recovery from a natural or man-caused incident.
The types of situations that will be addressed in WK8908 include all hazards, such as school shootings, hazardous material threats, natural disasters and other risks....
Database Helps Security Executives Benchmark Their Operations
Many security executives track and measure every possible element of their security program.
Management may be impressed, or they may ask: "Are these numbers good or bad? Are they too high, too low or right on? Are we paying too much to achieve them or not enough to be where we should be?"
Answers to these questions are elusive. There have never been standard metrics, and security results have generally not been shared.
That is, until now. ...
New Product Showcase Winners Announced at ISC West
The Videofied VIA-Pro Intrusion Alarm from RSIalarm Inc. White Bear Lake, Minn., was named "Best of NPS" at the Security Industry Association's 2007 New Product Showcase (NPS) held last week in conjunction with the ISC West Show in Las Vegas.
The product is a wireless intrusion alarm reporting and video verification system that includes supervised two-way wireless integrated PIR/zero lux cameras, alarm points and keypads that communicate via encrypted spread spectrum RF. It can also communicate wirelessly to the monitoring station via cellular GPRS. The system's control/communicator/transceiver operates on batteries for up to four years and does not require AC power. ...
Fifth Annual Security Investment Conference Highlights Security Growth
Members of the investment community and leaders in the security industry gathered at the fifth annual Security Growth Conference in early March to hear about promising middle-market business opportunities in the fast-growing security sector.
During the two-day, invitation-only conference, C--level executives from nearly 50 middle-market security industry firms, including companies such as 3VR Security, Westec Interactive, Kastle Systems, Sonitrol, ActivIdentity, BroadWare, Global Options Group and CoreStreet, presented their businesses to senior executives of the largest global security companies and members of the financial community. ...
Alan Bell to Present Keynote Address at Expo Seguridad Mexico 2007
International terrorism expert Alan Bell will present this year's keynote address, "Urban Security -- After the Paradigms Have Changed," at Expo Seguridad Mexico, taking place April 24 through 26 in Mexico City.
Alan Bell is president of Globe Risk Holdings, Toronto, an internationally renowned security-consulting firm. An expert in international terrorism, Bell's career spans more than 22 years of Special Forces experience, including 12 years with Britain's elite commando unit, the Special Air Service (SAS), recognized as the world's foremost Special Forces unit. Bell has participated in counterterrorist operations worldwide and will offer a unique perspective on the subject of urban security....
Networking/IP To Drive Video Surveillance Market Growth
The video surveillance industry is expanding rapidly due to rising security needs combined with a spate of technological innovations -- including the migration to digital, fully networked systems, according to market-research firm iSuppli Corp., El Segundo, Calif.
"With the emergence of networked Internet Protocol (IP) video surveillance cameras and IP video servers, along with the rising use of Digital Video Recorders (DVRs), video surveillance is moving beyond traditional security and into new applications such as transportation, retail, government and home networking," says Mark Kirstein, vice president of multimedia content and services at iSuppli. "This expansion is being helped considerably by the idea of networked video surveillance, which allows for greater flexibility, field upgradeability, increased automation and more intelligence to be incorporated into the overall system.
...
Banks Could Increase Profitability With Stronger Security Measures
Consumers would take advantage of more online banking services if banks provided stronger identity protection, suggests TriCipher, a Los Gatos, Calif.-based provider of authentication solutions to protect against fraud and identity theft....
Smart Card Alliance To Address Effects Of HSPD-12 at ISC
The impact of the federal government's Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) on identity management systems and physical access control will be the focus of the Smart Card Alliance's presence at this week's ISC West Conference, taking place Wednesday through Friday at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas
Members of the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council will present a panel discussion titled "Migration of Physical Access Control Systems Based on the Impact of Government HSPD-12" on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon.
The panelists include Bob Gilson, Department of Defense (DoD) Manpower Data Center (DMDC) Access Card Office; Patrick Hearn, Oberthur Card Systems; Dwayne Pfeiffer, Northrop Grumman Corp.; Roger Roehr, Tyco Fire & Security; and Lars Suneborn, Hirsch Electronics....
University Offers Degree In Biometric Security
Davenport University, a 141-year-old school in Grand Rapids, Mich., now offers two- and four-year biometric security degree programs, according to The Associated Press...
Protecting Trade Secrets Is A Growing Trend
Corporate America is going to increasingly greater lengths to protect its secrets, according to an Associated Press report.
For example, Wal-Mart's recently disclosed that an employee tapped both phone conversations and text messages in an effort to eavesdrop....
Most Computer Attacks Originate In U.S.
According to a new report, the United States generates more malicious computer activity than any other country, and sophisticated hackers around the world are working in highly efficient crime rings, according to the Associated Press.
Researchers at Cupertino, Calif.-based Symantec Corp. found that about a third of all computer attacks worldwide in the second half of 2006 originated from machines in the United States. That makes the United States the most fertile breeding ground for threats such as spam, phishing and malicious code, surpassing runners-up China, which generates 10 percent of attacks, and Germany, which generates 7 percent....
Companies Work Together To Improve Rail Safety and Security
Union Pacific Railroad and The Dow Chemical Company have announced a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) reinforcing the companies' long history of working together to improve safety and security in chemical transportation.
The goals outlined in the MOC are consistent with the principles and practices of Responsible Care, which drives continuous improvement in the safe and secure manufacture, distribution and use of chemical products.
...
Keynotes announced for RFID World 2007
Kevin Ashton, vice president of ThingMagic, and Robert Willett, chief executive officer of Best Buy Intl., will be presenting the opening day keynote addresses at the 5th Annual RFID World on March 27 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Dallas....
AMAG hosts Security Engineering Symposium
AMAG Technology, Torrance, Calif., a G4Tec company, recently hosted its 6th annual Security Engineering Symposium at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Nigel, Calif.
Approximately 75 security engineers and consultants attended the event, where AMAG's business partners from Axis Communications, Bioscrypt, Fargo, HID, NEC/Team 1, IR, Vidient, and Zenitel presented their latest technology and insight on the industry....
Nightclub security mandates enacted in New York, Boston
The New York City Council has passed measures that require security cameras at nightclub doors and make it easier to shut down businesses that sell fake identifications.
The new measures came after the abduction of graduate student Imette St. Guillen, a Boston native, who was raped and killed last February. An unlicensed bouncer at a Manhattan bar where she had been drinking was charged in her death....
Risk is key to calculating ROI on data security
The adage that "you can't prove a negative" is often quoted during any discussion on the return on investment (ROI) of data security solutions. The idea is that the best possible ROI on security is "absolutely nothing" -- no hack attacks, no virus infestations, no exposed data, no employee malfeasance.
But companies are no longer content to accept "nothing" as a valid statistic, according to a study conducted by Protegrity, a provider of data security management solutions. In fact, many companies want to accurately quantify their return on data security investments (RODSI)....
Infant abduction back in the spotlight
A woman accused of snatching a newborn from a Texas hospital in the middle of the night and hiding her 100 miles away in New Mexico was being held in Texas on Monday to face a kidnapping charge.
Rayshaun Parson, 21, was extradited from New Mexico to Texas after she alledgedly posed as a medical worker and took "Baby Mychael" from her mother's hospital early Saturday. Parson reportedly walked out of the hospital with the infant hidden in her purse, police said. Police found 4-day-old Mychael Darthard-Dawodu on Sunday in Clovis, N.M., a day after she was taken from Lubbock's Covenant Lakeside Hospital.
Although hospitals already have measures in place to prevent baby abductions, incidents like the one in Lubbock have caused hospitals to think twice about security....
