Archive for Physical Security
Author: Dave Lewis
April 6, 2008 at 9:44 am · Filed under Off Topic, Physical Security
From CNN:
Charlton Heston, who won the 1959 best actor Oscar as the chariot-racing “Ben-Hur” and portrayed Moses, Michelangelo, El Cid and other figures in movie epics of the ’50s and ’60s, has died. He was 84.
The actor died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said.
Powers declined to comment on the cause of death or provide further details.
“Charlton Heston was seen by the world as larger than life. He was known for his chiseled jaw, broad shoulders and resonating voice, and, of course, for the roles he played,” Heston’s family said in a statement. “No one could ask for a fuller life than his. No man could have given more to his family, to his profession, and to his country.”
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Author: Dave Lewis
March 28, 2008 at 11:36 am · Filed under Data Security, ID Theft, Physical Security
Well, we get word (thx Chris) that the Georgia state department of human resources suffered a data theft last week. Apparently an external hard drive with the personal information of former and current employees stored on it was stolen “by an unauthorized person”. They did not release the number of affect but, just to put it in perspective there are currently 19,000 employees with DHR.
From Atlanta Journal Constitution:
The agency sent letters to all employees affected by the security breach, urging them to review all credit and other financial records.
DHR officials said there is no evidence the information is being used fraudulently, and the theft remains under investigation.
The incident alarmed employees and former employees.
“On the personal side, I’m concerned that they had this kind of breach,” said Jed Nitzberg, a former DHR spokesman.
He added, “I’ve already been in touch with one company about buying fraud monitoring and information protection services as an extra precaution because of this. I’m worried this could come back to cause real damage months from now.”
Gov. Sonny Perdue said through a spokesman that the theft heightens concerns about computer security in state government.
“The governor is not happy about where the government is on this,” said spokesman Bert Brantley.
To say nothing of the fact that they are running Netscape Enterprise 6.0 as their web server.
Read on.
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Author: Dave Lewis
March 26, 2008 at 3:27 pm · Filed under Biometrics, Physical Security
The DHS now wants all 10 digits for foreign arrivals. Two fingerprints are apparently not sufficient anymore. Not too long until the probings begin I guess.
From the NY Times:
“This felt like, What else do you want from me?” Mr. Docx continued. “Pretty soon it’ll be a full naked body scan, with my irises and my DNA profile. It makes the honest visitor to America, of which 99.9999 percent coming through here are, feel unwelcome so you guys can catch the 0.0001 percent of people who are a problem.”
Mr. Docx and Mr. Hughes were among the first foreign travelers to undergo the Department of Homeland Security’s new 10-finger screening process, unveiled for the news media on Tuesday.
The system is being tested at nine other major airports in the United States and has been under some form of testing since 2004. It will be reviewed for final approval in December.
The previous Homeland Security system involved the recording of only the left and right index fingers.
If the new system passes muster, it will eventually be introduced almost everywhere there is a Customs officer — some 311 land, air and sea entry points, including those along the Mexico and Canada borders where visitors enter on foot or by automobile.
Officials said that the system would apply to the 80 percent of foreign nationals who are required to carry visas and are between the ages of 14 and 79. Diplomats and a few others are exempt.
I’m all for catching the bad guys. But I have to wonder, at what cost?
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Author: Dave Lewis
March 6, 2008 at 12:52 pm · Filed under Airline Security, Physical Security
Um, whoops? In the last 5 years 122 FAA badges have been “lost or stolen” according to this NBC 5 report. In short, if you have one of these you have a back stage pass to an airport.
From NBC5i (Dallas):
Dozens of federal inspector credentials giving access to airports have gone missing, an NBC 5 investigation revealed.
According to the investigation, 122 Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector badges have been stolen or lost in the past five years. The credentials are one of the few forms of identification that give complete and unfettered access to airport facilities, including the cockpits of planes in flight.
“The FAA badge is probably of all the badges just as dangerous if not more so than any other,” aviation expert Denny Kelly said.
Kelly, a former commercial pilot and a private investigator, said the badge can give a person free access to nearly every secure area of an airport.
“The FAA badge allows you not only on one airline, plus getting through security, it allows you to get on any airline, any airplane, anyplace,” he said.
The FAA said it is concerned but insisted the public is not in danger. The agency is taking an aggressive stance to prevent the loss of those badges in the future, the FAA said.
The agency refused NBC 5’s request for an on-camera interview. Over the phone, a spokesman could not guarantee that FAA badge holders always go through security checkpoints.
An aggressive stance eh? Hmm. Like this?
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Author: Dave Lewis
February 11, 2008 at 9:05 am · Filed under Military, Physical Security, Politics
I firmly believe that every Monday needs a little bit of levity. It turns out that the cowardly men of the ruling junta in Burma have issued a compete ban on the latest Rambo flick. Why? They fear the Rambo.
From Bangkok Post:
In the movie, ageing war veteran John Rambo, played by Stallone, ventures into Burma to rescue a group of Christian aid workers who were kidnapped by a ruthless local infantry unit.
“Rambo acted very cruelly, but his cruelty is nothing compared to that of the military junta,” a Burmese student in Thailand was quoted by Reuters.
In Rangoon, local people said Burmese have gone crazy over lines from the film such as
* When you’re pushed, killing’s as easy as breathing.
* Burma’s a warzone.
* Rambo: Are you bringing in any weapons?
Aid worker: Of course not.
Rambo: You’re not changin’ anything.
The tagline of the blood and guts movie is: “Live for nothing, die for something.”
Stallone’s movie specifically focuses on the Karen near the Thai border. The Karen and other groups have suffered half a million cases of forced relocation and thousands more have been imprisoned, tortured or killed by the military dictators.
Stallone would enjoy an opportunity to meet face to face with the military leaders. Trust me, that’s a meeting we’d all enjoy especially if he’s in character.
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Tags: Rambo, Burma Fears Rambo, Sylvester Stallone
Author: Dave Lewis
January 16, 2008 at 7:31 pm · Filed under Physical Security
Looking to make a bag of money? With the Olympics fast approaching the RCMP is looking for their man a security contractor that can deliver a physical security perimeter for the 2010 Olympics.
From the Canadian Press:
The Mounties’ Integrated Security Unit is seeking bidders that can supply and install intrusion detection systems around 25 buildings and other sites being used for the games.
Stretching around competition venues, the athletes’ accommodations and media centres, the system would cover about 40 kilometres.
The technology will include sensors and video cameras connected through a closed system to alert security personnel about unauthorized entries into any of the sites.
Begin your schmoozing in, 3, 2, 1. Good luck.
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Tags: Physical Security, Electronic Security Perimeter, RCMP, Mountie’s Integrated Security Unit
Author: Dave Lewis
January 10, 2008 at 8:12 am · Filed under Airline Security, Physical Security
A security company named Clear has thrown down the gauntlet and I (along with many others) really hopes that someone picks it up. Why? The challenge is simple. Make security checks at airports easier. For that, you can pocket yourself a cool half million.
Here are the criteria:
* Achieves acceptance by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for deployment at Clear lanes as providing the same or better security than the current Registered Traveler checkpoint process.
* Reduces inconvenience by, for example, allowing for no divesting of shoes, outer garments, or any other item approved for carry-on aboard a US commercial flight, and thereby achieves an increase in throughput of 15% or more.
* Is compact enough to be deployed at security checkpoints in at least three Clear airports.
* Can be operated at a cost (including capital costs amortized over five years) of less than 25 cents per passenger screened when working at full capacity.
Read on and good luck.
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Tags: Airport Security, Airline Security, Half Million, Prize Money
Author: Dave Lewis
January 9, 2008 at 10:36 am · Filed under Physical Security
Doing physical security audits is a piece of my past and it still interests me to this day. I had a great time breaching offices and data centers with nothing more than a smile and some balloons. Everyone loves balloons. RSA recently did a survey of some govies in the US and here is the results of their survey.
- 32% said they had held a secured door open for someone they didn’t recognize.
- 34% had forgotten their access key and been let in by someone they didn’t know.
- 41% had noticed someone they didn’t recognize working in an empty office in their area of the building.
- 63% had asked for identification from or otherwise reported the stranger they observed
Read on.
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Tags: RSA Survey, Physical Security
Author: Dave Lewis
January 8, 2008 at 7:45 am · Filed under Physical Security
The height of absurdity. Now, you can listen to your mp3 collection…on the holster for your leopard print taser???
From CBC:
Taser wants to make it easy for people to integrate its C2 “personal protector” stun guns into their lives, company spokesman Peter Holran said.
“If people buy the C2 Taser and leave it in a drawer or under a shelf, it does them no good when they need it,” Holran said.
I have to admit. I’m at a loss for words this time.
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Tags: Taser, Taser C2, Personal Security, Leopard Print Taser
Author: Dave Lewis
December 28, 2007 at 8:18 am · Filed under Physical Security, Security Mgmt, Threats
As the Olympics approach in Beijing the Chinese are diligently preparing for the event. One aspect of it that can never be overlooked is the security of the event. Not only the physical as the world witnessed at the games in Munich in 1972 but, also from a network security aspect. There really is a lack of appreciation by the public with regards to the amount of work that goes into setting up for an event of this magnitude. I have noticed that there has been little press on this angle so far. There are a lot of multinational companies getting into the mix selling physical security solutions. I can only imagine sales folks are jumping in with both feet on the software side as well.
From Herald Tribune:
In preparation for the Beijing Olympics and a series of other international events, some American companies are helping the Chinese government design and install one of the most comprehensive high-tech public surveillance systems in the world.
When told of the companies’ transactions, critics of China’s human rights record said the work violated the spirit of a sanctions law Congress passed after the Tiananmen Square killings.
The Commerce Department, however, says the sophisticated systems being installed, by companies like Honeywell, General Electric, United Technologies and I.B.M., do not run afoul of the ban on providing China with “crime control or detection instruments or equipment.” But the department has just opened a 45-day review of its policies on the sale of crime-control gear to China.
The network security will be of paramount importance as well. Especially when you take into account some of the folks who have recently moved into the neighbourhood.
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Tags: Olympic Security, Beijing Olympics, Beijing Olympic Security, China Olympics
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