Security Officers Reach Agreement To Raise Total Compensation
Security Officers United in Los Angeles Local 2006 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the nation's largest security officers union, representing 55,000 nationwide, has achieved a tentative agreement on their first union contract. If ratified, the contract will raise total compensation -- wages and health care -- by nearly 40 percent.
"We're all thrilled," says Michael Johnson, a security officer on the bargaining committee. "Finally I can take care of my family like a man, and do for them how I've always dreamed, just to give them opportunities that I never had."
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L.A. Police Want City To Increase Camera Numbers
Some city and police officials in the San Fernando Valley are working to install as many high-tech surveillance cameras as possible to help offset an LAPD they say is stretched too thin.
"We believe that it's going to have a tremendous impact in the streets," says Deputy Chief Michel Moore, the Los Angeles Police Department's commanding officer in the Valley.
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, there are currently 40 to 50 LAPD cameras mounted in the city -- but about 2,000 total cameras police can access, including Department of Transportation cameras at intersections....
Emergency Notification Not Advancing With Technology, Survey Says
CDW Government Inc. (CDW-G), a source of Information Technology (IT) systems to governments and educators, has announced the findings of its survey on local emergency alert systems. The national survey of U.S. residents found that emergency notification capabilities are not evolving with advances in technology and changing information consumption habits. While wireless subscribers in America are at an all-time high and one billion text messages are sent by U.S. residents daily, local governments still relay information largely via television and radio, which require access to electricity that may not be available during emergencies.
"In a crisis situation, the ability to receive information right away, when traditional power sources may be unavailable, is critical," says Jim Grass, CDW-G senior director of state and local sales. "Television, radio and text messaging all have a role to play in disseminating emergency information, but only text messaging 'pushes' information to citizens wherever they are.”...
Super Bowl To Be Patrolled And Watched Carefully
With the high-profile nature of the Super Bowl, police and security agencies in the host cities typically employ the latest technology to ensure the security and safety of those attending the event. Moreover, because of the demands that these large-scale events place on personnel, police agencies need specialized equipment and tools to make each of their officers more productive and efficient.
The Glendale Police Department will be using Segway Personal Transporters (PTs) to provide security services at the Super Bowl. The department will use Segway i2 and x2 police models to patrol the walkways, parking lots and exhibition areas around the stadium. In addition, the police department will also patrol NFL-sponsored events throughout the city during the days leading up to the game. ...
Passport 'Smart' Chips Generate Security Concerns
In a video on YouTube, an explosion in a trashcan, which appears to be wirelessly triggered by a passport equipped with a computer chip, blows away a dummy.
Two caveats: That's not a real passport, and even Kevin Mahaffey, the Los Angeles security consultant who made the video, calls it "a far-out scenario."
It is unlikely that terrorists or others could steal your identity or attack you through the new computer chips in U.S. passports, many experts say. But that hasn't stopped the rumors from ricocheting around the Internet according to reports from The Baltimore Sun....
Unisys Announces Five Security Predictions For 2008
In the rapidly evolving world of corporate and government security, forecasting future risks and trends is essential to planning, preventing and managing risks that could compromise the integrity of an organization's assets. To fulfill this need, Unisys Corp., Philadelphia, has released its five security predictions for 2008.
"Many organizations have a tendency to view security in the rear-view mirror -- scrambling to find a solution to a security problem after it's happened," says Tim Kelleher, vice president, Enterprise Security, Unisys.
"To combat new threats and to cater to the evolving demands of their end-users, IT professionals must convince their organizations to treat security as a core business function - one that anticipates user-demand, predicts future risks and develops workable solutions to potential security events."...
Sending Students Overseas May Require Outside Security Help
The U.S. State Department has had travel warnings for Kenya for years, but that hasn't stopped American colleges from sending students and professors there to study.
So when post-election violence erupted in the African country in recent weeks, some colleges called on the worldwide security firm International SOS, which swooped in to set up evacuation operations for its clients, a growing number of which are from higher education.
As more college students look to study abroad in regions of the world where natural calamities, political strife and unrest are possible, universities are turning to security companies such as International SOS and iJET Intelligent Risk Systems, Annapolis, Md., to help with everything from getting a medical prescription in a foreign country to emergency evacuations, reports The Seattle Times....
Vicon Cameras Will Watch Over Site Of The 2008 Olympics
Vicon Industries Inc., a designer and producer of video surveillance systems, will provide camera domes and pan-and-tilt drives as part of an integrated video surveillance system to be installed at Beijing National Stadium, a venue of the 2008 Olympic Games.
The opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics, as well as some athletic events, will be held at the newly constructed stadium. When completed in March 2008, it will have a seating capacity of 91,000.
Vicon China, headquartered in Hong Kong with offices throughout China, is providing local support for the project....
Active RFID Solutions To Be Used By Miners
VUANCE Ltd., a provider of innovative Radio Frequency Verification Solutions, including active RFID, electronic access control, credentialing and incident response management, has announced that its AAID Active RFID solutions are being implemented by Anglo America's Chilean copper mines to increase safety and productivity.
Recently, a four-month pilot program was launched at Anglo America's El Soldado site in central Chile to provide real-time location information concerning miners inside tunnels. It focused on identifying miners both after normal shift changes and when blasting or emergencies make evacuation necessary to ensure workers safety. ...
Behavior Detection Program Hitting Stride With TSA
Travelers at major airports across the country are being scrutinized by teams of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) behavior-detection officers specially trained to discern the subtlest suspicious behaviors.
TSA officials will not reveal specific behaviors identified by the program -- called SPOT (Screening Passengers by Observation Technique) -- that are considered indicators of possible terrorist intent.
But a central task is to recognize microfacial expressions -- a flash of feelings that in a fraction of a second reflects emotions such as fear, anger, surprise or contempt, says Carl Maccario, who helped start the program for TSA....
ASIS 2008 Brings Tom Brokaw As Keynote Speaker
ASIS International, an organization for security professionals worldwide, has announced that Tom Brokaw, a trusted and respected figure in broadcast journalism, and political consultants James Carville and Mary Matalin, will be keynote speakers at the ASIS International 54th Annual Seminar and Exhibits (ASIS 2008), held in Atlanta, Sept. 15-18, 2008.
In December 2004, Tom Brokaw stepped down after 21 years as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News. He continues to work with NBC, reporting and producing documentaries and providing expertise during breaking news events. Brokaw will give the keynote address on Wednesday, Sept. 17 from 8 to 9 a.m. ...
Mall Shooting Suggests Second Look At 2006 Survey
The shootings last month at Westroads Mall in Omaha, Neb., when a disturbed teen killed eight people and wounded five others before turning the gun on himself, once again raised calls for mall security standards to be reevaluated....
Guide Offered For Obtaining Security Staff Fair Compensation
In partnership with its strategic alliance partner Foushée Group Inc., a compensation consulting and research firm, the Security Executive Council has posted "The Security Leader's Guide to Obtaining Fair Compensation for Staff" at www.securityexecutivecouncil.com/sec/comp.
Knowing what the market is paying for a particular position helps security leaders set their own compensation plans to attract the best talent and keep current staff satisfied. A compensation survey is the best source for this valuable compensation data. ...
Atlanta Airport Streamlining Security With Fast Lanes
More security lanes -- including some that fliers would pay to use -- could be in store for the sometimes clogged security checkpoints at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport over the next few months, reports The Atlanta Journal Consistitution.
Airport officials are reviewing two proposals to provide so-called Lexus fast lanes, which customers -- primarily business fliers -- could use for a fee. Hartsfield-Jackson General Manager Ben DeCosta, meanwhile, in a separate move has ordered his staff to study the feasibility of adding three more security lanes to the 28 that now exist, possibly by summer.
The world's busiest airport sought proposals for the paid security lanes earlier this year, and two companies submitted plans by the deadline this month....
Stadium Security Threat Worries Experts
After more than a decade in counterterrorism, Jim McGee can no longer relax and enjoy watching a sports event.
The fans look like potential victims of terrorism to the former FBI agent turned college instructor. The players are possible targets and the security gaps are easy to detect.
"It's always in the back of my mind, even when I'm watching them on TV," McGee told the Associated Press. "You're kind of looking at things. The thing is if I can sit there or any spectator can sit there, and think, 'Hmmm, that doesn't look right,' that's probably a little bit of a risk there."...
2007 A Record Year In Data Breaches
The loss or theft of personal data such as credit card and Social Security numbers soared to unprecedented levels in 2007, and the trend isn't expected to turn around anytime soon as hackers stay a step ahead of security and laptops disappear with sensitive information, reports the Associated Press.
And while companies, government agencies, schools and other institutions are spending more to protect ever-increasing volumes of data with more sophisticated firewalls and encryption, the investment often is too little too late....
Cisco Issues Inaugural Year-Ending Report on Global Security
In an effort to shed greater light on growing trends involving security threats around the world, Cisco announced the release of its first annual report on the global state of security. The report spotlights the risks and challenges that businesses, government organizations and consumers increasingly face and offers suggestions on guarding against them.
The 2007 Cisco Annual Security Report, released in conjunction with the launch of the company's updated Cisco Security Center site, provides a concise summary of the past year's major issues. It offers predictions for security threats in 2008 and recommendations from Cisco security practitioners, such as Chief Security Officer John Stewart and Vice President of Customer Assurance and Security Programs Dave Goddard. ...
IP Solutions Company Warns of IP Video Delivery Security Threats
As video and streaming video make greater inroads into network computing environments, serious security threats have emerged that require organizations to be extra vigilant, says Joe Gaucher, CTO of Video Furnace, a provider of enterprise-class IP video solutions. He outlined the chief areas of weak security in the majority of IP video solutions recently at the Motion Imagery Standards Board Conference 2007 in Herndon, Va.
"There are many reasons to utilize streaming video in the enterprise, including training, live event broadcasts, real-time news distribution, digital signage and security monitoring, but today's mainstream video and streaming video applications may leave the network wide open to attack," Gaucher said. ...
Holiday Gadgets Raise Endpoint Security Concerns
Centennial Software, a developer of endpoint security and IT asset management solutions, has warned organizations to prepare for an influx of personal IT gadgets on the corporate network when employees return to work after the holiday season. These devices -- such as MP3 players, digital cameras and other mobile devices -- can bring unwanted software onto the network and serve (intentionally or unintentionally) as a tool for the illegal acquisition of corporate data and information.
Centennial recommends IT security professionals implement four simple New Year resolutions that will help mitigate security issues associated with portable storage devices in 2008:...
Companies Moving Toward Smart Card Based Access Control
The access control market provides endless opportunities for smart card applications, although it is still considered an expensive option and less user-friendly compared to some of the available authentication methods. In the next few years, a fall in prices and increased interoperability of smart card-based access control system expect to make access control more attractive in the corporate security sector.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, World Corporate Security (Physical and Logical Access) Market, finds that the market earned revenues of $120.4 million in 2006 and estimates this to reach $235.0 million in 2012....
Report Says Cyber Security Should Be Top Priority For CEOs
CEOs must make cyber security a top priority or their businesses could fall victim to industrial espionage similar to recent cyber attacks on such large companies as Rolls-Royce and Royal Dutch Shell. That's the conclusion the report Cyber Attack: A Risk Management Primer for CEOs and Directors from the British-North American Committee (BNAC) and the Atlantic Council of the United States, a U.S. sponsor of the Committee.
The Internet, for which the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) coordinates addresses, makes possible about $2.8 trillion in global e-commerce annually....
The Security Industry Association Releases 2008 Legislative Agenda
Advocating full federal funding to secure the nation's ports, rails and public transit systems is a top priority on The Security Industry Association's (SIA) 2008 Legislative Agenda. The 12-point plan includes advocacy in a range of new areas including agriculture, trade, education and healthcare.
"Ensuring the safety of our nation's critical infrastructure is the prevailing theme throughout our legislative agenda," says Richard Chace, executive director and CEO, SIA. "SIA will work to secure funds for our ports, hospitals, schools, public transit systems and rails to buy the smartest, most effective security solutions possible."...
Law Enforcement IDs Criminals And Missing With Iris Scans
A growing number of sheriff's departments are using iris scans to identify sex offenders, runaways, abducted children and wandering Alzheimer's patients, reports USA Today.
More than 2,100 departments in 27 states are taking digital pictures of eyes and storing the information in databases that can be searched later to identify a missing person or someone who uses a fake name, says Sean Mullin, president of BI2 Technologies, which sells the devices.
"It's evolving quickly," he says. Most of the sheriffs are doing voluntary iris scans of senior citizens and children....
Survey Says Everyday Behavior Puts Sensitive Information At Risk
RSA, the security division of EMC, has announced the findings of its recent insider threat survey. Conducted by RSA in early November, the person-on-the-street survey polled government and corporate office workers in Boston and Washington, D.C. on their work-related security behaviors and attitudes. The results provide a snapshot of the everyday actions of trusted insiders who have access to sensitive data such as customer information, Social Security numbers, credit card data, company financials and intellectual property.
The results of the survey underscore that the risk posed to data by well- meaning insiders - employees, contractors, suppliers, partners, visitors and consultants who have physical and/or logical access to organizational assets - must be as closely managed as that posed by malicious insiders who deliberately leak sensitive data for personal financial gain or other criminal purposes. ...
Churches See Need For Security After Attacks
When a black-clad gunman walked into New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colo., and started shooting, he was met with the church's first line of defense: a congregant with a concealed weapons permit and a law enforcement background. The woman, an armed volunteer, shot the gunman taking him down, though it was later reported he was killed by his own bullet. New Life's pastor credited her with saving 100 lives, The Associated Press reports.
Churches want to present an open and welcoming image, but in an era of mass-casualty shootings and terrorism threats, the violence at New Life highlights a new emphasis on security. AP reports that some of the nation's estimated 1,200 megachurches -- places where more than 2,000 worshippers gather each week -- have been quietly beefing up security in recent years, even using armed guards to protect the faithful....
