| | 
"Security Guard Prayed for Divine Guidance Before Shooting Gunman"
ABC News (12/10/07) ; Kohler, Judith Jeanne Assam, a volunteer security guard at the New Life Church in Colorado, said that she prayed for divine guidance before shooting 24-year-old gunman Matthew Murray. Murray shot and killed two people in the parking lot after a midday ceremony at the Colorado Springs church, then entered into the building. As he walked down a church hallway carrying an assault rifle, Assam took cover and prayed while other churchgoers ran in the opposite direction. Assam, who had previously served as a police officer, then shot Murray several times, though police believe that a self-inflicted gunshot wound may have actually caused of Murray's death. Forensic evidence linked a gun found at the New Life Church with shell casings left behind earlier that day at a Denver-area missionary training school, where two other people were shot and killed.
(go to web site) "How to Use the Police to Prevent Workplace Violence"
Security Director's Report (01/07) Vol. 2008, No. 1, Police can help corporate security directors prevent violent workplace incidents if both parties coordinate effectively and have a good relationship. Although law enforcement can serve as a valuable resource, they can also harm a situation if they are called too early. "If you wait to call law enforcement when there is trouble, it's already too late," said Intel investigative programs and events manager Tim Garcia. "But there can also be problems from involving police, including loss of control." In order to avoid this situation, Intel involved law enforcement in creating a plan for dealing with an active shooter incident. By coordinating incident response in advance, corporate security can make sure both parties have the same agenda. It is important to assess the police approach to violent individuals, as corporate security should enhance protection at facilities located in a region where local police lacks the necessary training and response ability. It is also important for corporate security to create behavioral threat assessments and share them with police in order to be ready for any violent situation. Police can also develop drills or exercises with local corporations and attend their workplace violence program. By exchanging information and developing a procedure in advance, corporate security directors can build a valuable relationship with police and more effectively respond to violence in the workplace.
(go to web site) "Show No Fear"
Security Management (12/07) Vol. 51, No. 12, P. 54 ; McCaffery, Kevin An organizational plan for responding to threats in the workplace is important, but it is also critical to teach employees how to handle such an event to ensure their safety. When presented with a possibly threatening individual, it is important for one to maintain control. This begins immediately after the threat, when acting in a calm and professional manner denies the fear response that the aggressor is hoping to provoke, which diminishes the force of their threat. A hostage negotiator recommends an eight step process to defuse threatening situations, beginning with identification if the two parties have no met before. In dealing with a threatening person, it is important to let them communicate what they are upset about while limiting the amount of venting. After hearing the problem, it is wise to restate their problem in different words, avoiding aggressive terms. Once the problem is confirmed, it is necessary to tell the aggressor what they should do. The best way to do this is to begin with a series of two or three questions that they will answer "yes" to, then stating a fact before making a request. It is important to carefully explaining the positive and negative options, which will hopefully help the threat realize what they have to lose if they do not cooperate. If the aggressor still does not cooperate after hearing these options, the negotiator recommends giving them one last opportunity to defuse the situation. This is the fourth time they are being asked to cooperate, and if they do not agree, then it is time to call in management or security. This plan can help defuse many potentially dangerous situations, but the negotiator makes a point to emphasize that the average employee is not a hostage negotiator, and should call help if they personally feel threatened.
(go to web site) "Security: Police Officer's Training Ground"
Gazette (Montreal) (12/12/07) ; Morton, Brian The private security industry is promoting itself as a "training ground" for prospective employees who one day hope to work for the police force. With most guards starting at a salary between $11 and $16 an hour, it is difficult for security companies to attract qualified candidates. "We want people who like responsibility and use it as a stepping stone to becoming a police officer, law school or the fire department," said Michael Jagger, president of Canadian security firm Provident. "We don't want a brute squad. We want smart people with common sense." Provident, which has over 6,000 customers in Vancouver, actively tries to help its employees get jobs with the police agency. Most applicants are between 20 years old and 30 years old, and still have to make a decision on a future career. Although most security guards will leave, some stay and move up to managerial positions that pay more. Another Canadian security company is targeting returning soldiers as prospective employees, guaranteeing a job to any soldier who lost their job when they were called up to active duty.
(go to web site) "The Human Factor"
Security Products (12/07) Vol. 11, No. 12, P. 36 ; Cordivari, Rich Digital technology is an invaluable resource with unlimited potential for training and equipping workers in all fields, and should be tailored to work with the everyday needs of today's security officers. Security, outside the corporate field, is primarily based on human interaction; correspondingly, digital resources are best used alongside classroom instruction. Resources are available to assist security managers in a variety of key areas, including assessment, compliance, productivity, and career mobility. Many trainees are eager to engage with interactive digital technologies that are familiar, challenging, and easy to update, while executives reduce risk by using electronic records systems that can track the performance of all employees. Human resource departments can also capitalize on electronic learning, or E-learning, programs as a more flexible way to train officers who work during daytime hours. Lastly, avatar-based virtual world training enables trainees to participate in "what-if" scenarios within a simulated 3-D client site.
(go to web site) "1 Suspect Arrested in Bus Stop Shooting"
Yahoo! News (12/13/07) ; Ritter, Ken Denver police arrested 18-year-old Nicco Tatum Wednesday in relation to a bus stop shooting in North Las Vegas. Authorities said that Tatum was arrested after they received a tip that he planned to board a bus to Chicago. Six people were wounded during a shooting Tuesday afternoon at a bus stop near Mojave High School. 18-year-old Alejandro Rios was upgraded from critical to serious condition Wednesday, while another victim remains hospitalized. Four others were released after receiving treatment for minor wounds. Police believe that the shooting resulted from a fight over a girl that occurred earlier Tuesday at the high school. It is expected that Tatum will be charged with six counts of attempted murder and six counts of battery with a deadly weapon. Police are still searching for a second suspect.
(go to web site) 
"2 Somali Pirates Arrested in Hijacking"
Associated Press (12/13/07) ; Hassan, Mohamed Olad Two Somali pirates were arrested Thursday for their role in the hijacking of a Japanese tanker, but police said that they are still looking for as many as 12 more pirates. The Golden Nori was seized by pirates on Oct. 28 while transporting approximately 10,000 tons of benzene, a highly explosive substance. Earlier this week, a Kenyan official said that the pirates demanded a $1 million payment in exchange for the safe release of the crew. One pirate, who spoke with the Associated Press while in hiding, said that a ransom payment had been made. The 22 crew members were released Wednesday and officials are back in control of the ship. Somali pirates have hijacked over 24 ships this year, including merchant vessels, aid ships, and a cruise liner. With the Somali government's resources being used to fight an Islamic insurgency, the U.S. Navy leads patrols in the region. Naval officials said that no ships are currently being held by pirates for the first time in over a year.
(go to web site) "Algeria Blasts Reverberate Abroad"
Wall Street Journal (12/12/07) P. A8 ; Fam, Mariam; Chazan, Guy Two truck bombs exploded in Algiers Tuesday, killing 26 people and injuring 177 people. The bombs were detonated outside the United Nations offices and the Constitutional Council, a national government building. U.N. officials said that at least 10 U.N. employees were killed in the attack. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the bombings, which they said were perpetrated by suicide bombers. Earlier this year, the group bombed the office of the Algerian prime minister. The recent attacks could threaten the country's hopes of positioning itself as an important energy supplier in Europe and Northern Africa. Algeria has the eighth-largest gas reserve in the world and supplies the European Union with 18 percent of its natural gas. In addition to expanding its oil and gas production, large-scale infrastructure projects are planned, including a gas pipeline connecting Nigeria to Europe, which would turn Algeria into an important hub for gas production. Although foreign businesses came back to Algeria after the insurgency of the 1990s ended, the recent attacks against Westerners has companies rethinking their approach in Algeria. Several companies have recalled expatriates from Algeria, while some workers have chosen to stay in the country but have sent their families away.
(go to web site) "General Killed in Bomb Attack in Lebanon"
New York Times (12/13/07) ; Worth, Robert F.; Bakri, Nada Lebanon's army, long considered a non-violent entity in the politically contentious country, experienced a blow on the morning of Dec. 12, 2007, when Brig. Gen. Francois al-Hajj was killed by a 77-pound car bomb. The country's political leaders are shocked by the assassination, as General Hajj was a likely successor to the current army chief General Michel Suleiman. On top of that, Lebanon's army has resisted in-fighting and factions in the midst of political turmoil with Syria. Those close to General Hajj believe his murder could be related to disputes between the parliamentary majority and the opposition over General Suleiman's successor as top army chief. Since the bomb exploded early in the morning as General Hajj drove through Baabda on his way to the Defense Ministry, investigators believe an insider with extensive knowledge of the general's actions was involved in the assassination.
(go to web site) "Three Car Bombs Kill at Least 46 in Iraq"
Washington Post (12/12/07) P. A29 ; Raghavan, Sudarsan A recent terrorist attack in the southern province of Maysan highlights, for many Iraqis, how far the country is from lasting peace. On Wednesday, Dec. 12, three car bombs detonated on Diljah Street, a major shopping district in the city of Amarah, killing 46 people and injuring 149, by police estimates. The attack is the first of its kind in Amarah since the breakout of violence upon the initial occupation of Iraq in 2003, and though no group has claimed responsibility, citizens believe Shiite in-fighting is behind the incident. "We hope that these explosions will be the first and the last. We do not want to be like Baghdad," said one shop owner in the city. Since many Iraqis consider the southern provinces to be safer than Baghdad and other war-torn cities, the bombings were a shock and a disruption to the country's tenuous calm.
(go to web site) "Innovative Surveillance"
Security Technology & Design (11/07) Vol. 17, No. 11, P. 79 As violent crime rises across America's cities, Baltimore uncovered a pilot video surveillance program in London that it later applied to its nicer, downtown areas through the Baltimore CityWatch Program. Trained security and CCTV staff monitor the images from over 400 cameras throughout Baltimore and five of its public housing projects at the Atrium Control Center. Many of the permanent DVTel PTZ camera and temporary PODSS cameras are atop light poles and provide around-the-clock surveillance via images and video, with much of the staff focused on the West Side's cameras. The project selected the DVTel Intelligent Security Operations Center platform and the Network Video Management System for the project, leaving maintenance to the Mayor's Office of Information Technology and allowing the system to archive up to 30 days of activity. There also are five police monitoring stations that receive video and image data from easily deployable, in-box cameras wirelessly. Suspicious activity is at the top of the list for staff members, who dispatch police to the scene and brief the officers on the events. The program boasts significant improvements, with a great number of arrests made based upon video surveillance. The city could increase the training for its officers to include video surveillance within the CityWatch program, particularly as it expands to other sections of the city, including Cherry Hill and the Southwest District.
(go to web site) 
"'We're All at Risk' of Attack, Cyber Chief Says"
Technology Daily (12/11/07) ; Viana, Liza Porteus Greg Garcia, the Homeland Security assistant secretary, spoke to the New York City Metro InfraGard Alliance on Tuesday regarding the importance of cybersecurity. InfraGard is an alliance between the private sector, the FBI, and local law enforcement striving to safeguard key infrastructures, including technology systems. Garcia pointed out that over 85 percent of the nation's critical infrastructures are owned and operated by private industry, which "means the federal government cannot address these cyber threats alone." Though roughly $6 trillion passes through the U.S. financial system on a daily basis, major companies continue to leave their networks vulnerable to data theft and infiltration. The federal government depends on organizations such as InfraGard and information-sharing centers to drive industry to take cyber safety measures. The collaborations are becoming increasingly valuable as hackers grow more sophisticated and as the market for cybercrime surges. On the government end, the Homeland Security Department's Einstein network scans systems for intrusions or irregularities and distributes threat data within hours. Currently, 13 agencies use Einstein, but Garcia urges all agencies to participate. Garcia also advises industry to take into consideration the physical threats, such as a pandemic flu outbreak, that could impact networks, and to incorporate such scenarios into their contingency network plans. In March 2008, the department will administer Cyber Storm II, an exercise to rehearse synchronized responses to simulated strings of cyberattacks involving all levels of industry and government.
(go to web site) "Enemies at the Firewall"
Time (12/17/07) Vol. 170, No. 25, P. 56 ; Elegant, Simon Security experts believe the Chinese military is recruiting hackers to steal defense information and launch cyber attacks. The Chinese could use these hackers to offset America's technological advantage, knocking out power generators and banking infrastructure. Hackers operating out of China previously attacked U.S. interests after the 1999 bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade and the 2001 collision between a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. surveillance plane. Earlier this year, a computer system at the Pentagon was breached by an attack from China, though defense officials said that no classified data was stolen. The German and British governments also reported attacks originating in China. China's State Council Information Office denies the allegations that the government is involved, claiming the accusations are "groundless" and "irresponsible." However, studies by an Internet-security company showed one Chinese hacker team created 35 programs that were used to steal thousands of U.S. government documents by taking advantage of security flaws in Microsoft Office. This team receives $271 a month from an unidentified benefactor, which experts believe to be the Chinese army. Chinese newspapers report the military identifies the best hackers by hosting competitions with large cash prizes, then hires those hackers to attack foreign computer networks.
(go to web site) "Government IT Security: Better Than Some, But Could Use Work"
Government Computer News (12/11/07) ; Jackson, William Government employees have a higher degree of security awareness than people who work in private industry, according to a recent study by RSA Security. The study found that 92 percent of government employees had received security training, compared to 69 percent of private sector employees. The survey--which was conducted anonymously to try to ensure honest answers--also found that government workers are less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as frequently conducting business remotely over a VPN or Web access, frequently conducting business over a wireless network from a public hot spot, and carrying sensitive information home on a mobile device. However, government workers were found to be more likely to email work material to a home address than their private-sector counterparts. The report concluded that securing IT systems and the data they contain requires more than security tools and policies. It noted that organizations need to measure and track actual insider behavior against established policy, instead of simply establishing security policies.
(go to web site) "New Threats Call for a Fresh Approach"
Financial Times Digital Business (12/05/07) P. 2 ; Kendra, Tom In today's world, security should no longer strive to abolish risk entirely, writes Symantec's Tom Kendra. Instead, a new approach to security should concentrate on identifying the most dangerous risks and establishing a system for eradicating those. This new type of security, which Kendra calls Security 2.0, is akin to Web 2.0 in that it provides new methods for improving productivity and boosting revenue. Security 2.0 builds on Security 1.0--in which IT departments worked to lock things down to keep hackers out--by enlarging protection to safeguard the data itself. To do so, IT departments must work with businesses to establish where the data resides, what information is sensitive, who is authorized to access data and who needs access to data, and how to balance accessibility with security. Each year, nearly 70 percent of companies suffer six losses of confidential data, according to a report from the IT Policy Compliance Group. However, no one piece of technology can address data loss; rather, process vulnerabilities must be understood and personnel must be trained. In Security 2.0, security parameters should automatically adjust depending on whether a user is linking to a network from an airport kiosk or from inside the firewall. Reputation-based security is already gaining ground in the form of new anti-spam solutions and technologies such as whitelisting. Moreover, companies must consider business policy first, and then adopt the technology to automate the necessary controls, Kendra says.
(go to web site) Abstracts Copyright © 2007 Information, Inc. Bethesda, MD |
No comments:
Post a Comment