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"Dangerous Employees: How to Deal With a Potential Threat"
American Medical News (06/25/07) ; Stevens, Larry Though it is rare for disgruntled employees to act violently toward employers and co-workers, Quality America CEO Sheila Dunn says medical practices must be on the lookout for behavioral "red flags." Experts discourage personality profiling because loners, video-game addicts, and people who avoid eye contact--generally singled out as harboring aggression--are not all violent. Instead, Dunn says practices should be concerned when employees no longer exhibit good personal hygiene, cry a lot, miss work often, or get defensive when suggestions are made. Dunn encourages practice managers to talk to the employee, inquiring about any problems and urging him or her to get professional help; but she notes they cannot require the employee to take action unless the behavior is taking a toll on office operations. Experts say practices should take any threats seriously, as violent individuals tend to let someone know what they plan to do before they do it. Practices should provide a means for employees to report threats anonymously and put a doctor--not the practice administrator--in charge of workplace violence oversight. All incidents should be detailed in writing--regardless of whether the employee receives a warning or is terminated--to safeguard against lawsuits.
(go to web site) "McCartney Rocks Record Store"
Australian Broadcasting Corp. News (06/29/07) Former Beatles star Paul McCartney treated 900 of his fans to a free 85-minute concert at a Hollywood record store this week. Security for the event was tight, with fans assigned to designated areas and security guards ensuring that they remained there. Fire marshals also were on hand. Yellow tape was used to section off parts of the store, and concertgoers received blue wristbands to enter the store. "No shoplifting please," McCartney quipped. McCartney is playing a series of informal gigs to promote his new album.
(go to web site) "Paris Hilton's Trash for Sale on eBay"
Washington Post (06/25/07) The operators of the Web site HollywoodStarTrash.com claim to have taken six bags of trash from Paris Hilton's curbside trash can. The operators have posted some of the items in the trash bags--including a used toothbrush, a Hilton-autographed postcard, and a fan letter to Hilton--for sale on eBay. Bidding for the items ends on July 1, but as of June 25 no one had placed a bid for the items. A video at the Web site explains that the site's operators found Hilton's address using a map showing the homes of Hollywood stars. Two men, including one wearing an Uncle Sam mask, snuck into Hilton's neighborhood under the cover of darkness one recent morning and took her garbage. A man on the video who claims to be a lawyer says that stealing the trash is legal so long as the cans are on the street and there is no trespassing. A statement on the Web site indicates that the site operators will eventually target other celebrities' trash and post it on eBay.
(go to web site) "Identity Theft: Advice From the FTC Chairman"
U.S. News & World Report (06/14/07) ; Palmer, Kimberly Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras says most Americans are vulnerable to identity theft and should take steps to protect themselves. The first thing people can do to protect themselves is to watch how they handle their personal information. Majoras says most people are careless when it comes to this, especially online, where account information is often requested. She advises that people refrain from the practice unless they initiate the contact. People should also never throw away bank statements bearing their account information. According to Majoras, bank statements should always be shredded. Consumers should also make a point to routinely check their bank accounts, credit statements, and credit reports for unusual activity. Credit reports should be checked at least once a year. Majoras says Social Security numbers should be given out sparingly. When sought, Majoras says, it is reasonable for people to ask whether it is necessary to give their Social Security information to receive service.
(go to web site) "The Changing Role of Private Security"
Security Technology & Design (05/07) Vol. 17, No. 5, P. 30 Three representatives of the private security industry recently participated in a roundtable discussion about the issues confronting the industry. The members noted that since the Sept. 11 attacks, companies have been seeking out private security companies to create and implement their emergency preparedness plans or help them navigate U.S. Department of Homeland Security rules and regulations. Meanwhile, commercial high-rise buildings have been using private security to help in the areas of reception/concierge, emergency evacuation drills, and training. The security representatives said that the industry is taking steps to increase wages and training for security guards. Efforts are also being made in the areas of recruiting, screening, and placing security employees in appropriate positions. The biggest issue confronting the security industry is the lack of standardization, especially in the areas of training and background checks, panelists said. One of the panelists, Securitas Security Services USA Chairman Don Walker, noted that legislative groups like ASIS International are helping members of the industry improve standards. The convergence of physical and IT security technology has had a tremendous positive impact on the industry, panelists said, and the implementation of security technology has helped increase the overall effectiveness of security personnel.
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"Police Find Bomb in London"
Reuters (UK) (06/29/07) ; Holden, Michael; Baker, Luke Authorities in London have prevented what could have been a major terrorist attack after they discovered and then disabled a nail-packed car bomb that had been parked outside a popular nightclub. The car, a light green Mercedes packed with a large amount of gas cylinders, petrol, and nails, had been left outside the nightclub around 1:00 a.m. Friday, a time when hundreds of people were near the car, according to London anti-terrorism chief Peter Clarke. "It is obvious that if the device had detonated, there could have been significant injury or loss of life," Clarke said. The media questioned whether the car bomb is linked to a bomb discovered in France, but Clarke did not provide details about a potential link. The discovery of the car bomb, which comes shortly before the two-year anniversary of the July 2005 London bombings, occurred by happenstance as an ambulance crew in the area noticed what appeared to be smoke inside the car. U.K. intelligence officials have previously warned that terrorists could target U.K. nightclubs for attack. The discovery of the bomb has prompted increased security levels across the country, including at Parliament and the Wimbledon tennis tournament. Potential suspects include domestic Islamic terrorists and Al Qaeda.
(go to web site) "U.S. Terror Threat Unchanged After London Incident"
CNN.com (06/29/07) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering raising the national terrorism alert level in the United States due to the discovery of the London car bomb, according to one unidentified DHS official. The DHS and FBI are paying close attention to the situation in London, but U.S. officials said there is nothing at the present time that would indicate a threat to the United States. However, the FBI is asking the public to be on the lookout for suspicious activity and to report any such activity to law enforcement. U.S. law enforcement agencies--local, state, and federal--are on alert. CNN reports that the London bomb was a "relatively crude" device composed of a detonator and 52 gallons of fuel.
(go to web site) "EU, US Reach Deal on Air Passenger Data"
Houston Chronicle (06/29/07) ; Sliva, Jan The European Union and United States have reached a "basic political understanding" on the contentious issue of sharing data about air passengers flying between Europe and the United States, and a formal deal could be in place by August, according to EU sources. EU privacy concerns had long been a stumbling block to reaching a deal, but an apparent breakthrough was reached after both sides compromised, with the United States agreeing to receive less data from the EU and the EU agreeing to allow U.S. officials to retain the data longer. EU member countries must first study the language of the proposed deal before ratifying the proposal, EU sources said. The proposed deal calls for the EU to transfer 19 pieces of data to U.S. officials instead of the 34 pieces U.S. officials had been demanding. U.S. officials would retain the data for up to 15 years, although tight restrictions on accessing the data would kick in after seven years. Highly sensitive passenger data--including ethnicity, religion, and political views--will be inaccessible to the United States except in instances where the data could save someone's life. The current interim deal between the two sides is set to expire at the end of July, and U.S. officials warn that the airline industry will be beset by chaos unless a new deal is reached.
(go to web site) "CDC Probes A&M Bioweapons Infections"
Dallas Morning News (06/27/07) ; Ramshaw, Emily Texas A&M University is under investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for neglecting to report instances in which researchers were infected with biological weapons agents last year. While examining universities interested in becoming home to the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, The Sunshine Project watchdog group learned of one researcher who was infected with Brucella in February 2006 and three researchers who were exposed to Q fever two months later; only the Brucella case was reported to the CDC, but the report was not made until this year. Brucella and Q fever are not considered deadly or contagious--sparking hard-to-cure fevers and flu-like symptoms--but The Sunshine Project is concerned about what the unreported cases mean for the bioweapons research industry. Edward Hammond, director of The Sunshine Project, asserted: "The A&M problems, I think, are symptomatic of a larger problem, and that's that we are putting literally thousands and thousands of people behind the wheel of this apparatus to study biological weapons agents. They don't have the experience, and we don't have the proper legislative framework to do it safely." The Department of Homeland Security and the National Institutes of Health gave Texas A&M millions in funding to research vaccines for these biological agents.
(go to web site) "DOD Seeks Builder for Shape-Shifting Military Robot"
Computerworld (06/25/07) ; Songini, Marc L. The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has released a request for proposals for a "Chemical Robot" that is capable of shrinking and radically changing its shape while squeezing through narrow openings. Once through the opening, the robot should then be able to morph back into its normal shape and height, DARPA says. As described, the robot evokes comparisons to the liquid-based evil cyborg from the Terminator 2 movie. Scientists have until July 2 to submit their proposals to DARPA, which has suggested that the robot be composed of gels, fluids, and shape memory materials. The Chemical Robot would be used in battlefield-like situations to "safely and covertly gain access to denied or hostile areas and perform useful tasks," including support for soldiers. DARPA states that the robot should be able to "rapidly traverse arbitrary size/shape openings whose dimensions are much smaller than the robot itself and are not known a-priori." The robot could be modeled after an insect or octopus, DARPA said.
(go to web site) "Flexible and Fearless, Seeking Rescue Work"
New York Times (06/25/07) P. A12 ; Blumenthal, Ralph Texas A&M University's Texas Engineering Extension Service operates a 52-acre "Disaster City" where fire fighters and other emergency responders from across the globe can participate in training exercises. The site was recently the scene of a robotics exercise sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate and the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology. Several varieties of rescue robots participated in the exercise, which included obstacle courses based on mock set-ups of the Oklahoma City bombing, 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and Mexico City earthquake. The robots included a 30-foot, snake-like optic robot that slinks through crevasses and holes while providing images of its discoveries. That robot, produced by university researchers in Japan, is attached to the operator's body, unlike most robots, which are operated via consoles or laptops. One Texas A&M official predicted that robots will soon become a regular part of rescue work.
(go to web site) "Green Bay Packers to Add Security Barrier Around Lambeau Field"
Oshkosh Northwestern (06/26/07) ; Boyd, Sara The Green Bay Packers' historic Lambeau Field stadium is receiving a $1 million security makeover that will include the deployment of a 2.5-foot-high ring of concrete barriers around three of the stadium's four sides. The barriers will be situated some 100 feet from the stadium's exterior walls. The security plan also calls for the deployment of 33 planters and 12 monuments, all of which will feature the logos of the Packers and Lambeau Field. The planters are 2.5 feet tall, 28 feet long, and six feet wide, while the monuments are 12 feet tall and four feet square. A pair of concrete benches, each seven feet long, will abut each of the monuments. On game days, one side of the stadium also will be protected by 29 portable planters. Some planters will be featured in tandem with landscaping. The Packers announced the security project on June 26, and team officials said the project is expected to complete by Aug. 18, the team's first home preseason game.
(go to web site) "EMU Ramps Up Security"
Ann Arbor News (MI) (06/23/07) The president of Eastern Michigan University (EMU) has released a 16-point plan for improving campus security. The university and President John Fallon have come under fire for allegedly attempting to cover up a suspected homicide on campus in December; that incident led to a highly critical June 8 report from an independent law firm. According to the report, investigators suspected right away that the death of student Laura Dickinson was a homicide, but the university announced that no foul play was suspected in her death. The university did not change its position on Dickinson's death until 10 weeks later, after an arrest had been made in the case. The report found that EMU's response to Dickinson's death violated the federal Clery Act; the report also identified a number of campus-security shortcomings and made recommendations for addressing them. On June 22, Fallon released a 16-point security plan based on the report's findings. Among other things, the plan calls for training campus personnel to comply with the Cleary Act; conducting a review of campus safety policies; implementing an official crisis-communications policy and team; and issuing bi-weekly campus-crime reports to students and staff.
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"Can the Internet Be Saved?"
Chronicle of Higher Education (06/29/07) Vol. 53, No. 43, P. A25 ; Fischman, Josh The Internet is bowing under constant pressure from spam, malware, mobile devices, a lack of security, and spotty connections, and the National Science Foundation officially launched the Global Environment for Network Innovations (GENI) project to reinvent the Net in May. The biggest problem with the Internet is security, and at the root of this problem is the lack of authenticated identity and the erroneous assumption that every network insider is to be trusted; Princeton professor Larry L. Peterson thinks one solution is to construct a network that can contain attacks launched by end-users' machines. To effect more reliable data transmission, researchers are investigating the potential of using more programmable routers that communicate with each other, facilitating a more global perspective and allowing operators to split the network into virtual "slices" so management is easier. As for the problem of increasing numbers of mobile devices and the strain this places on the network, researchers are experimenting with ad-hoc networking on facilities that include Internet2 and the National LambdaRail network. The GENI project office is run by BBN Technologies engineer Chip Elliott, who thinks the effort calls for two strategies. "First, if you don't like conventional Internet protocols, try something completely different," he explains. "Second, do it on a large enough scale, with enough users, so that your results actually mean something." Among those involved in the GENI planning process are researchers from MIT, UC Berkeley, USC, and Princeton University, as well as Intel and other industry players.
(go to web site) "Conference Unites Cybersecurity, Justice Officials for First Time"
CQ Weekly (06/25/07) ; Berger, Matthew E. Federal cybersecurity professionals are teaming up this week with U.S. attorneys at the Government Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams Conference to ensure that all individuals battling cybercrime comprehend the battle's investigative and prosecutorial branches. Federal officials admit that by concentrating on obstructing and alleviating attacks, not enough attention has been paid to assessing where the attacks come from, or to holding criminals responsible. Experts concur that modern hackers are sophisticated, often work in synchronized criminal networks, and think they can escape prosecution for cyber-attacks. To increase the number of convictions, first-responders must recognize the tools and data that can assist investigators in pursuing cybercriminals. In addition, administrators must learn how to facilitate network investigations post-attack so as to balance swift response with criminal reporting. Government agencies and private companies can assist investigators while remaining productive by digitally copying their hard drives and networks. Another technique involves employing a duplicate system that can operate while the attacked system is probed for evidence. In addition, the attorneys will be given technology training at the conference to improve their ability to spot weaknesses in systems and infrastructures.
(go to web site) Abstracts Copyright © 2007 Information, Inc. Bethesda, MD | 
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