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"Congress Looks to Rein in Security Contractors"
Wilmington Star News (09/20/07) A shooting incident in Iraq involving Blackwater security contractors has prompted the proposal of new legislation regarding federal oversight of private security companies. U.S. Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) has sponsored two bills that would require U.S. security contractors to comply with federal codes, and would obligate government officials to be transparent about the cost and duties of private contractors. Iraqi officials are asking that the contractors involved in the shooting, which witnesses say was unprovoked, be tried in an Iraqi court and claim that U.S. private contractors have breached other laws in the past. Price says this is the "first time the Iraqi government has taken such strong actions against U.S. contract personnel" and hopes the new legislation will restore credibility to private American forces in the country.
(go to web site) "Ericsson Threatened by Al-Qaeda in Iraq"
Cellular-News (09/16/07) A religious cartoon published in a Swedish newspaper last month likening Muhammad to a dog incited a terrorist threat against several Swedish companies, including telecoms company Ericsson. Nerikes Allehanda cartoonist Lars Vilks and editor Ulf Johansson were both threatened by the man claiming to be the Iraqi head of al-Qaeda, Sheikh Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, who offered $100,000 and $50,000 bounties, respectively, for their deaths. Another Swedish paper, Dagens Nyheter, published the cartoon, and offered this statement in response to the threats: "We live in a country where freedom of expression is not dictated by fundamentalists, nor by governments." Al-Baghdadi also warned of an "economic blow" to Swiss companies Scania, Volvo, Ikea, and Electrolux if the government did not issue an apology for denigrating Muhammad.
(go to web site) "The Murder of a CEO"
Wall Street Journal (09/15/07) P. A1 ; Crawford, David A new investigation by journalists and German officials is raising questions about a series of murders that took place in East Germany in the 1970s and 1980s, including that of Deutsche Bank CEO Alfred Herrhausen. According to officials, archived documents indicate a strong connection between the Red Army Faction, the group which claimed responsibility for the 1989 murder, and the Stasi, East Germany's secret police. Herrhausen's murder, which occurred when his limousine crossed an infrared beam that triggered explosives planted on the pavement, confounded police, who found no forensic evidence on the scene and obtained solid alibis from all ten Red Army Faction members arrested in the incident. Police state they are now exploring the Stasi's involvement because no other leads have panned out, but believe they're on the right track since Stasi involvement with other European leftist factions has been verified. Records found in Wartin, the headquarters of the Stasi's "Minister Working Group/Special Operations," or AGM/S, list some of the department's duties as the kidnapping and murdering of prominent people in West Germany and "intimidating anti-communist opinion leaders." Furthermore, documents were found addressed to Stasi officers that listed various terrorist strategies, including using the tactics of other prominent groups so authorities would not seek a second set of suspects. German prosecutors are still investigating connections and have yet to conclusively tie the Stasi to Herrhausen's murder.
(go to web site) "Bomb Wounds 9, Including 3 Foreigners in Algeria"
Reuters (09/21/07) In an apparent suicide attack, nine people, including three foreigners working for a French company building a local dam, have been injured in the Bouira area of Algeria. A bomb is said to have exploded near a police convoy accompanying the foreign workers, two of whom are French and the other Italian. This is the first reported attack on foreigners in Algeria since March, when three Algerians and a Russian were killed during an attack on a bus carrying workers for a Russian pipeline construction firm.
(go to web site) "Disaster-Plan Study Finds Firms Less Prepared Than They Think"
Wall Street Journal (09/18/07) P. B3 ; Worthen, Ben A recent Forrester Research Inc. survey of companies with over 1,000 workers indicates just 48 percent have backup data centers, and those centers are close to primary facilities. A little over one-quarter of the firms surveyed do not have a backup data center at all. Despite increases in natural disaster losses and other events, companies are still unprepared for disaster, notes Forrester Research Analyst Stephanie Balaouras. She also notes that some other firms reported that their backup facilities are across the street from the primary data center for their firms. Without a solid disaster recovery and backup data plan in place, these firms are unlikely to recover from a regional disaster unless they practice their disaster recovery plans more often and move their backup facilities outside their current regions. Nearly one-quarter of the firms surveyed do not practice their recovery response plans, and the 40 percent that do only test them once annually.
(go to web site) "Congress to Revisit Security On Board Cruises"
Miami Herald (09/18/07) ; Brannigan, Martha Crime aboard cruise ships--and the cruise industry's handling of the problem--has become a focus of criticism in Congress, where Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) has sponsored a resolution saying that "perpetrators of sexual violence and other violent crimes on cruise ships are rarely brought to justice in light of jurisdictional uncertainties" and a lack of law enforcement officials. A hearing on the issue set for Sept. 19 followed an earlier hearing in March, where the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced standardized procedures for reporting serious crimes to the Coast Guard and FBI, even when not required. According to Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who says that the cruise industry reported about 200 crimes between April and August, "The cruise industry is worried about its image and the victims' groups are worried about making sure these ships are safe and people are taken care of when something happens." The voluntary agreement calls on CLIA lines to call the closest FBI office as early as possible to report serious crimes, but critics say that the voluntary agreement is meant to avoid mandatory regulation. International Cruise Victims President Kendall Carver has been pushing for more ideas, such as subjecting crew members to background checks, stocking rape kits on ships, and providing passengers with security bracelets. Meanwhile, CLIA in August held a meeting with cruise-ship crime victims, which left out media representatives and lawyers in an effort to avoid "inhibit[ing] the kind of openness that we all need for this process to achieve our common goals," according to a letter of invitation from CLIA President Terry Dale.
(go to web site) "OJ Simpson Faces Break-in Charges"
BBC News (09/17/07) Former National Football League star OJ Simpson has been charged with two counts of robbery using a deadly weapon after allegedly breaking into a hotel room in a Las Vegas casino last week. Simpson was accused of taking part in a break-in on a sport memorabilia dealer's room at the Palace Station Casino. In addition to the counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, which carry a maximum sentence of 30 years, Simpson was charged with burglary with a firearm, assault with a deadly weapon, and conspiracy to commit a crime. Simpson claims that he was trying to take back items that were stolen from him, and that his reputation following the 1995 trial for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman prevented him from seeking police assistance. The break-in came on the same day as Simpson's controversial book "If I Did It," which hypothetically plots out how Simpson could have committed the murder of his ex-wife and her friend, was released. The police are also holding 46-year-old Walter Alexander as a suspect and are looking for four other potential suspects.
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"Car Bomb in Lebanon Kills Lawmaker"
Los Angeles Times (09/20/07) ; Rafei, Raed A prominent Christian lawmaker was killed in Lebanon on the afternoon of Sept. 18, in an assassination authorities say was politically motivated. Antoine Ghanem, a member of the U.S.-supported parliamentary majority, was killed immediately when a car strapped with over 44 pounds of explosives detonated close to the politician's car during rush hour traffic. The Bush administration, as well as many Lebanese legislators, believe Syria is responsible for the attack, which marks the sixth assassination of an anti-Syrian legislator in 2 1/2 years. "The enemies of Lebanon want to block the presidential election because they want to kill Lebanon," said Saad Hariri, Lebanon's parliamentary majority leader, in a public television address. Hariri, whose own father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, was assassinated in February of 2005 for apparent political reasons, believes Syria may have responded to a recent attack on its country by Israel, involving weapons for the Lebanese Hezbollah faction. Lawmakers are uncertain if the presidential election will be held on Sept. 25 as scheduled due to Ghanem's death.
(go to web site) "12 Towns' Schools Close Over Bomb Threat"
Associated Press (09/20/07) Investigators found no bombs in any of the northern New Jersey schools searched this week after Emerson's mayor received a letter warning that several schools would be "blown out" on Sept. 20 at 11:30 a.m. Police officers searched over 60 schools in the regions surrounding Emerson, including Oradell, River Edge, Closter, and Demarest, among others, after receiving the threat on Sept. 19. "It's important that we respond appropriately to any threat to our schools or students," said Emerson Police Chief Michael Saudino, as over 14,000 students had classes cancelled all day Thursday while investigators searched schools using bomb-sniffing dogs. A suspect has not been named, though authorities are tracking down clues to find the letter's author.
(go to web site) "Should Teachers Be Allowed to Pack a Gun?"
Christian Science Monitor (09/18/07) ; Knickerbocker, Brad An Oregon high school teacher will challenge the state court in September over a firearm ban on school campuses. The teacher, "Jane Doe," is a licensed firearm carrier and plans to argue in court that keeping a concealed weapon in the classroom is a necessary freedom. Gun-rights advocates and some state legislators in Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia--among others--believe bans on weapons in schools could hamper efforts to protect teachers and students alike, and several state legislatures are working on legislation to lift those bans. In Jane Doe's case, a restraining order against a violent ex-husband, warranted the need for the ban on firearms to be lifted to ensure the teacher's protection. Though Oregon's law forbids individual school districts from enforcing gun laws respective to their schools, lawmakers doubt Doe's petition will be granted. Thirty-seven states within the National Conference of State Legislatures prohibit guns in schools, and most law-enforcement groups and administrators agree with gun bans, as did the state panel researching the Virginia Tech shootings earlier this year. "If numerous people had been rushing around with handguns…the possibility of accidental or mistaken shootings would have increased significantly," the panel stated. Currently, Utah is the only state allowing students and faculty at colleges and universities to carry concealed weapons.
(go to web site) "US Homeland Security Chief Promotes Anti-Bomb Training for Local Police"
Jerusalem Post (09/20/07) In light of recent terrorist bombings in London, Glasgow, and other cities, the Department of Homeland Security has begun training security officials in major U.S. cities on bomb-making tactics employed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries. In a news conference in Philadelphia on Sept. 20, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff stated the point of the training is to give officials knowledge of tools that terrorists use overseas in order to prevent a domestic attack. Department officials also created a Web site allowing officers to post and view information procured from overseas law enforcement sources.
(go to web site) "Superfast Firefighting Required for New Jets"
USA Today (09/16/07) ; Copeland, Larry Most major airports in the United States have an Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting team, which are training to meet Federal Aviation Administration regulations that require a fire truck to be able to reach the most distant runway within three minutes. The three minute deadline is enforced because of the composite materials that aircraft frames are built from, which perform differently in a fire than the old aluminum frames. The new composite frame emits hydrogen cyanide when it burns, which turns into hydrochloric acid when it interacts with water on the skin or in the lungs. With near-collisions on airport runways on the rise for the second year in a row, fire fighters must be more prepared than ever to quickly make it to the scene of an accident. However, it is more difficult for them to do so because of increased airport security, such as additional fences, which can serve as obstacles for rescue workers. "Access is our biggest issue," says Atlanta Fire Chief Harold Miller. Several airport teams have been using an $800,000 vehicle called the Striker, which is able to drive through fences at high speeds and quickly penetrate the shell of a burning plane with its nozzle. In Atlanta, the Striker is such an important tool for fire fighters that flights would be grounded if two of the 10 available trucks were out of commission.
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"Cyberthreats Outpace Security Measures, Says McAfee CEO"
InformationWeek (09/18/07) ; Martin, Richard Government officials and corporate executives persist in underestimating the risks of modern cyber vulnerabilities, says new McAfee CEO David DeWalt. Cyber-crime has grown into a $105 billion business, with $40 billion in data losses affecting companies and individuals worldwide each year. However, law enforcement's capacity to punish cybercriminals has not kept pace with the proliferation of cyber-crime, according to DeWalt. Over the next few years, DeWalt expects to see five major trends transform the security industry. Currently, product integration is difficult with so many security vendors currently on the market, and in response DeWalt foresees industry consolidation. This vendor consolidation will also bring about "unified threat management," enabling IT managers to track devices and systems through a single platform or console. Second, the federal government has tried to protect sensitive data with an increasing number of compliance requirements, but DeWalt agrees with many corporate executives that the oversight has become overly stringent, and may be costing American companies their competitive edge. A shift in security protection from corporate networks' perimeter to the data layer is DeWalt's third prediction. Such a move would focus on distinguishing which data can and cannot leave networks and devices, an important step considering that nearly three-quarters of all data losses are brought about by insiders. DeWalt's final predictions involve the rise of server virtualization and new platforms such as voice-over-IP systems, all of which will engender new security risks.
(go to web site) "Assessing the Countless Corporate Security Threats"
Network World (09/17/07) Vol. 24, No. 36, P. 1 ; Garretson, Cara Security industry executives and experts met at the recent Security Standard conference in Chicago to discuss security threats facing businesses today. Among the threats discussed were external threats such as malware or a data breach caused by intruders. Although recent survey results show that external threats such as these account for more security events at an organization than insiders, attendees at the conference nonetheless paid a great deal of attention to data leakage perpetrated by insiders. During the conference, Nick Selby, senior analyst and director of The 451 Group's enterprise security practice, said software vendors should stop saying they are going to fix the data-leak problem and instead concentrate on mistake avoidance and compliance. Selby noted that 98 percent of leaked data is the result of "stupidity or accident." Meanwhile, analyst Steve Hunt said IT security professionals should also consider threats that do not pertain to their network such as dumpster diving if they hope to prevent data from falling into the wrong hands.
(go to web site) "Assessing and Protecting Your Corporate Network"
eWeek (09/11/07) ; Prince, Brian In order to establish a strong data security framework organizations must first understand what data they care most about, says RSA's Christopher Parkerson. Parkerson says that organizations must then find out where this data resides, determine what policies are needed to protect it, and implement effective enterprise-wide controls for consistent enforcement. But in order to effectively implement proper controls, organizations must first develop a well-executed data identification and classification process--something that many fail to do. According to a recent survey by Forrester Research, 37 percent of organizations admitted to not having a data classification policy. In addition to these steps, security professionals say organizations should establish metrics to measure the effectiveness of their security tools, policies, and procedures. IT security professionals beginning a job at a new company should start by looking at any previous security audits and talking to the heads of the company's business units to see what their policies and concerns are. Overall, organizations should take a holistic approach to security and view technology as just one part. This holistic approach should include education and technology, as well as IT security policies that align with business security policies, says Forrester Research analyst Khalid Kark.
(go to web site) Abstracts Copyright © 2007 Information, Inc. Bethesda, MD | 
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