Security Management Web Highlights for April 2009

Web Highlights April 2009 HOME | THE MAGAZINE | NEWS | BEYOND PRINT | MARKETPLACE | EVENTS | FORUM | CONTACT US SUBSCRIBE ADVERTISE READER SERVICE CARD MARKETPLACE   HEADLINE NEWS Fusion Centers Should Be Dismantled, Expert Says Apr 02, 2009 - A constitutional and international lawyer told lawmakers yesterday that the United States should dismantle state-run intelligence fusion centers, which have grown dramatically since 9-11 with the assistance of the federal government. FEMA Launches New Private Sector Website Apr 01, 2009 - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has launched a new Website serving the private sector, part of a broader effort to enlist private organizations' help in emergency management and to bolster business resilience nationwide. DHS to Deploy More Cameras at Northern Border Apr 01, 2009 - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will expand the use of security cameras on the northern border with Canada to reduce the chances terrorists, illegal aliens, or contraband will slip over the northern border into the United States undetected, USA Today reports. Border Sheriffs Say Federal Government Must Do More to Secure Border Mar 31, 2009 - Law enforcement officers from border states criticized the federal government's response to border security issues at a hearing today, as officials outlined how federal personnel and resources are being used to respond to the various, and often violent, crimes associated with Mexican drug cartels. DHS Releases Worm Detection Tool Mar 31, 2009 - The Department of Homeland Security has released a free detection tool for federal and state agencies and private-sector partners that will scan their networks for the Conflicker/Downadup worm, a malicious piece of software that has infected millions of computers worldwide but has yet to be activated.   HOT DOCUMENTS Commercial Vehicle Security: Risk-Based Approach Needed to Secure the Commercial Vehicle Sector: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has failed to develop and complete comprehensive risk assessments on the trucking and bus industries' vulnerability to terrorism as mandated by both a presidential directive and federal law, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports. Countering Online Radicalization: A Strategy for Action: The idea that the Internet plays a disproportionate role in extremist radicalization is seriously flawed, according to a new report from the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence. Highway Infrastructure: Federal Efforts to Strengthen Security Should Be Better Coordinated and Targeted on the Nation's Most Critical Highway Infrastructure: The federal agencies charged with protecting the nation's highway systems have failed to adequately coordinate risk analysis efforts, share risk data, and catalog and measure mitigation measures, the Government Accountability Office Reports Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak of February 5-6, 2008: Misperceptions, a false sense of security, and nowhere safe to shelter helped create the deadliest tornado event since the mid-1980s, according to a report from the National Weather Service Film Piracy, Organized Crime, and Terrorism: Film piracy by organized crime is flourishing worldwide, with some of the proceeds possibly financing terrorism, according to a new report from the RAND Corp. and financed by the Motion Picture Association   FROM THE PRINT EDITION 1. April Podcast 2. Protecting Hotels 3. Convergence 4. Campus Watch 5. Guarding Colorado 6. Securing Credit Cards 7. Read All About It 8. Question of the Month 1. April Podcast Join Assistant Editor Laura Spadanuta as she interviews authors and staff editors on their stories in April's Security Management. The conversations include the do's and don'ts in collecting business intelligence, how private security is helping fight modern-day piracy on the high seas, the latest word from the courts on sexual harassment lawsuits, how credit card processing companies are working to better secure credit card users' personal information, and the struggle to counter tactics from the increasingly violent animal-rights movement. @ Listen in at Security Management's Podcasts page 2. Cover Feature: Protecting Hotels Hotels are the consummate soft targets—they must remain open and hospitable while keeping guests safe. The recent attacks on hotels in Mumbai demonstrated hotels' vulnerabilities, but they also revealed important security lapses that could have been avoided. For example, trained staff might have recognized suspicious behaviors and discouraged surveillance by would-be attackers. Independent intelligence assessments might have evaded the incident, and better crisis management plans, including better communication with law enforcement, could have ended it sooner. @ Read about lessons learned from Mumbai and ways to protect lodgings in "Ensuring an Uneventful Stay" by Assistant Editor Laura Spadanuta. The ASIS Council on Hospitality, Entertainment, and Tourism (HEaT) is formulating best practices for protecting soft targets. If you are interested in participating or submitting suggestions, please contact Chairman Alan W. Zajic or Vice Chair Mitchell R. Fenton, CPP. 3. Convergence Although it seems logical to combine IT security and physical/operational security, agreeing on the goal doesn't always make it easier to get there. The two groups might not really understand each other's culture, functions, goals, or capabilities. Different organizations approach convergence from different angles and demonstrate that there are many different models that don't include one group swallowing the other one. @ For "Challenges of Coming Together," Associate Editor Ann Longmore-Etheridge spoke with three convergence visionaries who sit on the ASIS Board: Timothy L. Williams, CPP, director of global security for Caterpillar; Raymond T. O'Hara, CPP, senior vice president at Andrews International; and Dave N. Tyson, CPP, senior director of information security operations for eBay, Inc. 4. Campus Watch When Chicago's DePaul University had problems with vandalism, false alarm pulls, and even some incidents of arson, security decided to expand surveillance camera coverage to common areas, hallways, and dormitory entrances. The university wanted a standalone IP-camera system that was server-based and would use the university's intranet. It would have to accept the migration of existing analog cameras and handle future expansions, and its management and retrieval software had to be user-friendly. @ Find out how the university selected its new system in "Security's Way of Wisdom" by Associate Editor Ann Longmore-Etheridge. 5. Guarding Colorado Wildfires, blizzards, tornadoes, floods, the Democratic National Convention, and ecoterrorism—Major General Mason C. Whitney deals with them all as part of his job as the director of the Colorado Governor's Office of Homeland Security. As one of the architects of Colorado's homeland security program, he recommended a strategy focused on target capabilities and capabilities-based emergency planning. When the planning was complete, he was tapped by the governor to stay on as director. @ Assistant Editor Joe Straw spoke with Major General Whitney for April's "Homeland Security." Read the complete interview online. Other homeland security topics this month include private plane regulations and cybersecurity for utilities. 6. Securing Credit Cards When a major breach of a credit card database occurred a few months ago, the company was reportedly compliant with the credit card industry's Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which is designed to prevent such problems. Questions were raised about whether the standard is set high enough to achieve a meaningful level of security. Some experts believe that PCI gives organizations excellent guidelines, but that its oversight process is flawed. @ Learn about the standard and its application in "Technofile" by Associate Editor John Wagley. 7. Read All About It Street cops love it. Crooks resisting capture hate it. Plaintiff's attorneys, Amnesty International, and the American Civil Liberties Union think it is evil, but attorneys who defend officers know jurors go easy on its use. The stun gun, or Taser, offers an alternative tool to police and security personnel, but sometimes it can be implicated when a suspect dies. Howard E. Williams takes a closer look at such deaths in the book Taser Electronic Control Devices and Sudden In-Custody Death: Separating Evidence From Conjecture. @ Dr. Steve Albrecht, CPP, PHR, a workplace violence expert and former policeman, reviews this book in the April edition of Security Management. Other reviewers examine books on travel safety, terrorism, and computer security. 8. Online Discussion Forum - Question of the Month Visit the Forums on SM Online to share information and experiences with your peers. Here's a question recently posed by one visitor: I am trying to find any federal standards for video recording systems where the video may be used as evidence. Are there any federal standards as to content, format, and period of recordings to be retained? @ Register and participate in the Forums. It's free! Because you are a valued subscriber to Security Management magazine, we would like to welcome you to the Security Management Online Product Information Service. You can instantly request product and service information from our April 2009 issue. Select one or more categories of interest to view the advertisements and product announcements for the selected categories. Request more information about products and services using our reader service Web site. Also New Online: Find links to the latest security reports and other resources through "Beyond Print." Check for breaking news. See Marketplace for the latest products and services. And if you need a local supplier, check out the ASIS Security Industry Buyers Guide Online. Get the latest info on events and training programs. Link to www.asisonline.org, ASIS's Web page, for more industry events, workshops, and resources. And much more... Don't forget to go to www.securitymanagement.com on a daily basis to get the latest news from "Today's Headlines." Subscribe to the print edition to get even more valuable advice. This month features articles about: Fighting pirates with private security Stalking and cyberstalking How to protect animal researchers Casing the competition Click here to subscribe. We welcome comments on content from the Web site or the print magazine, as well as suggestions regarding topics for future coverage. Send e-mail to: Sherry Harowitz Editor Security Management sharowitz@asisonline.org Thank you for signing up to receive the SM Online E-News, an informal periodic alert to make you aware of breaking security news and upcoming monthly features that you can read by going to SM Online. (You will only receive this alert if you requested it. If you wish to leave the list, see the instructions at the end.) This mail is never sent unsolicited. You have subscribed to receive this information. 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