• 02Jul

    Workplace Fraud found Widespread

    Access Control, Alarms, CCTV, Digital Video, General No Comments

    Workplace Fraud More Widespread Than You Think
    The Chronicle-Herald (06/29/09)

    Workplace fraud involving smaller amounts of money and missing inventory is a common, ongoing problem in Canada, according to a spring survey by KPMG’s forensic practice. This survey has also found that nearly 75 percent of such fraud is carried out by men, with 69 percent of the fraudsters between the ages of 30 and 49. Although workplace fraud can be committed by employees in all areas of a company, most fraudsters are at an age when their financial concerns are greatest and when they have enough experience to carry out a theft. Joyce McGeehan and Sarah Drysdale, both of the forensic accounting group with Grant Thornton LLP in Halifax, have developed a list of suggestions to help companies avoid workplace fraud. For starters, management should inform all employees of the expectations for ethical behavior and maintain a culture of openness within the organization. In addition, an anonymous hotline for whistleblowers can make it easier for employees and customers to alert the management to any problems. Appropriate due diligence should also be conducted on new hires, and managers should be aware of any behavioral changes among existing employees. Finally, fraud risk assessments, whether formal or informal, should be conducted regularly. Whoever performs these assessments should consider that intangible assets such as customer information can be stolen too, McGeehan and Drysdale said.

  • 26Jun

    Going Nuclear

    General No Comments

    Al Qaeda Says It Would Use Pakistani Nuclear Weapons
    Reuters (06/22/09) Ersan, Inal

    Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, al Qaeda’s leader in Afghanistan recently said in an interview with Al Jazeera that if the organization is able to gain control of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, it would use them against the United States. The statement was in response to a question regarding U.S. intentions to seize control over Pakistan’s nuclear weapons if it appeared the country was unable to keep them out of militant hands. When asked about al Qaeda’s future plans, al-Yazid said that the organization would continue “work on the open fronts and also by opening new fronts in a manner that achieves the interests of Islam ad Muslims and by increasing military operations that drain the enemy financially.” Specifically, al-Yazid expressed hope for renewed campaigns in Saudi Arabia following the naming of Abu Basir al-Wahayshi as the new leader for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. However he also said that the organization would be willing to accept a truce with the United States of approximately 10 years if all U.S. troops are withdrawn from Muslim countries and Washington agrees to stop supporting Israel and pro-Western governments of Muslim nations.

  • 19Jun

    Increasing violence INSIDE hospitals!

    Access Control, CCTV, General No Comments

    Many Hospitals Seeing Increase in Violence
    Charleston Daily Mail (WV) (06/16/09) Rivard, Ry

    A number of hospitals have recently seen an uptick in the number violent incidents occurring on their grounds. Among them is Charleston Area Medical Center’s Memorial Hospital in Kanawha City, W.Va., which was the scene of a murder on June 13. Police say a patient in the hospital’s intensive care unit was shot and killed by his estranged wife. Such incidents are difficult to prevent, said Russell Colling, a health care security consultant and the author of the guidebook “Hospital and Healthcare Security.” Colling noted that the increase in violence may be the result of an increase in the number of people coming in and out of hospitals, as well as more lenient rules for visiting hours and the elimination of passes for visitors. Addressing the problem of violence in hospitals is likely to be difficult for a number of reasons, Colling said. For instance, the murder at the Kanawha City hospital would have been difficult to prevent because family members are generally not seen as being a threat to patients, Colling said. He also noted that security measures such as metal detectors are impractical for many hospitals because the devices are expensive and because hospitals typically have a large number of entrances. In addition, walk-through metal detectors have to be staffed around the clock by at least two security guards–a requirement that drives up the cost of using the devices even more, Colling said.

  • 09Jun

    General No Comments

    ackerman_1Counterterrorism Strategies for Corporations: The Ackerman Principles

    June 2009 By Mike Ackerman; Reviewed by Patrick Kane, CPP

    ***** Counterterrorism Strategies for Corporations: The Ackerman Principles. By Mike Ackerman; published by Prometheus Books, www.prometheusbooks.com (Web); 328 pages; $18.95.

    While the title of Counterterrorism Strategies for Corporations indicates a book focused solely on terrorist threats, the author addresses a wide range of problems facing any business operating globally. Mike Ackerman, a longtime player in the kidnap and ransom response and crisis management fields, is well qualified to address these issues.

    Ackerman begins by outlining nine key principles for applying security measures to international business. Most critical, he argues, is to use intelligence in security operations and to run an operation that is proactive rather than reactive. He correctly points out that most risks can be effectively mitigated but not eliminated. Recognizing that reality, business leaders, he notes, must develop some tolerance for risk. In most cases, security threats must not prevent businesses from operating.

    Initial chapters provide an overview of the terrorist threat as it relates to the private sector and cite a number of specific examples of attacks against different sectors. One section deals specifically with kidnapping, which is not surprising given Ackerman’s background. While deliberately avoiding details on negotiation strategies, he provides a good overview of the elements of a kidnapping and how to respond. Ackerman also addresses the threat of street crime, which is the most pervasive and common threat global operations face.

    The author provides useful appendices that contain a number of guidelines and checklists for a variety of security situations. Lacking, however, are an index, a bibliography, and recommendations for further reading. Given the breadth of the subject matter, additional material would serve the reader well.

    Counterterrorism Strategies for Corporations is written in a clear, straightforward style and is interspersed with personal experiences and anecdotes that make it readable. This book is highly recommended for security managers taking on new global responsibilities, but even those with significant experience will find it a good refresher.

    http://www.securitymanagement.com/article/counterterrorism-strategies-corporations-ackerman-principles-005663

  • 29May

    Assessing Witness Credibility in Workplace Investigations

    General No Comments

    Business Management Daily (05/25/09) DiLorenzo, Louis

    Rather than bringing a workplace investigation to a halt, HR investigators can take several practical steps when they meet with contradicting witnesses and evidence. Investigators must recognize their own biases, and maintain a calm, objective mindset when conducting interviews and taking notes, which should reflect observations and not conclusions. Having another investigator present for the interviews can provide assistance and another perspective of witnesses’ accounts. How the witnesses present themselves can help determine the truth of a story, as does comparing the consistency of a witness’s account with those of others. Determining a witness’s truthfulness may be easier when there is a definite chronology of events, with physical evidence such as e-mails, notes, and expense reports. Investigators also need to examine witnesses’ possible motivations, including bad blood between the witness and the accused or complainant based on incidences in the past.

  • 22May

    Handling employee theft

    Access Control, CCTV, Digital Video, General No Comments

    “To Catch a Thief”
    Risk Management (05/09) P. 40 ; Bellinger, G. Michael

    When dealing with a potential embezzlement case, it is not always wise for companies to immediately call the police and fire the employee who is believed to have participated in the theft, since doing so can often result in internal scrutiny and negative publicity, which in turn can hurt employee morale and the company’s reputation. Instead of immediately calling law enforcement and firing the employee suspected of the embezzlement, companies that believe that one or more of their employees may have stolen money from them should immediately launch an investigation into the suspected theft. The investigation should be conducted by outside counsel rather than the company’s general counsel or others. During the investigation process, outside counsel should interview the suspect and try to get them to admit to the theft–something that can be easily done when proper, legal interrogation methods are used. After investigators obtain an admission of guilt from the suspect, they should then try to determine how much money was stolen, how much remains of what was embezzled, and the total value of the assets the employee owns free and clear. Work should then begin on restoring what the company lost. This can involve negotiating with the employee for the return of the stolen assets, as well as negotiations with the suspect’s family members, who may be willing to help make the company whole again. These family members may be willing to help if the company promises not to go public with the theft. Companies may still need to notify police about the theft, particularly in the event their investigation does not result in the closure of the case. Notifying law enforcement is necessary if companies want to make a claim with their insurance company.
    (go to web site)

  • 18May

    What is a Risk Assessment? by Ray Bernard

    General No Comments

    Since most crimes in commercial facilities are directed toward facilities that have too little or no security planning in place, it becomes apparent that good security planning and sound security system design are of critical importance.

    When business, economic, environmental or societal factors change, security planning must be reviewed to ensure that it is sufficient for the new circumstances. Don’t guess - reassess.

    Recognizing the Threats

    Commercial and government offices can be targets for theft and unlawful entry, not to mention worse but less common crimes. External social and environmental factors contribute some threats and exposures; internal personal and work-related factors contribute other threats and exposures. 

    • What possible and likely threats does your facility face? 
    • What are the assets that are subject to threat?
    • What are appropriate asset identification measures?
    • What are appropriate asset protection measures?
    • To reduce risks to personnel what physical measures can be taken?
    • To further reduce risks to personnel what operational measures can be taken?
    • How much will these reduce your target potential?
    • Can changes to facility appearance further reduce your target potential?
    • Are there any ways to “send a message” that your facility is not a safe target for criminal activity?

    Combating the Threats

    No single crime prevention element by itself will shut out crime. The most effective approach is almost always a combination of 
    physical security measures, operational security measures, 
    and education to develop an appropriate security attitude for facility personnel.

    Security measures and programs must be as compatible as possible with intended facility operations to prevent interference with productivity, which is the primary purpose for the facility.

    Security designs and programs must be realistic in terms of budget and operations, while still being effective. 

    What absolutely MUST be done?
    What else should be done that you can afford to have done?

    Don’t let the scope of the task deter you. Don’t let a lack of interest by others dissuade you or postpone your actions if security is at all your responsibility.

    If you are starting with a zero budget, consider that people generally have some awareness of basic security issues. Soliciting their suggestions is free; you may be surprised how many free and low cost suggestions are worth doing. (If they don’t suggest them we can.)

    Important Facts

    Remember these important facts about addressing security issues.

    Almost always:

    1. Doing something is better than doing nothing.
    2. Doing something small now is better than waiting to do something big later.
    3. Sooner or later you will be forgiven inconveniences if you protect people and property from harm.
    4. You may never be forgiven if you don’t protect them.

    Check out Ray’s web site at 

    http://www.go-rbcs.com/

  • 15May

    Is Outsourcing Security a Bad Idea?

    Access Control No Comments

    “To Protect and Serve”
    Wall Street Journal (05/11/09) ; Cheng, Roger

    Outsourcing network security services to a third-party vendor is an attractive option for small business owners who do not possess the resources or know-how to do the job themselves. However, what businesses gain through cost savings they lose in security control and flexibility. Anita Miller hired a third-party vendor to handle network security at her Ideal Image Development Inc. franchise in Scottsdale, Ariz., to meet customer confidentiality standards under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). For $2,000 a month, Qwest Communications International Inc. of Denver provides a firewall for the system and deflects unwanted spam, in addition to detecting for suspicious activity. Qwest’s security services bundle includes a phone line and a high-speed Internet connection. Companies with the expertise to set up firewalls may hire an outside vendor to fill in the security gaps. Fieldglass Inc. Security Manager Jim Krev had this in mind when he hired Verizon Communications Inc. to regularly scan his Chicago-based company’s workforce management software for vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Monthly rates per customer vary between $1.90 for one service and $3.90 for the full package, which includes virus protection and content and spam filtering.
    (go to web site)

  • 15May

    Shoplifting: a growth industry

    CCTV, Digital Video, General No Comments

    “Business Still Booming for One Industry: Shoplifting”
    Washington Times (05/11/09) P. A1 ; Harper, Jennifer

    Statistics released by several organizations show that shoplifting is on the rise across the country. According to the Retail Industry Leaders Association, 61 percent of the nation’s largest retailers and chain stores have seen increases in “opportunistic” shoplifting over the past four months. Another 75 percent of retailers said they had experienced a significant increase in “organized retail crime,” or large-scale shoplifting. In addition, the RILA found that no retailers had experienced declines in shoplifting. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations has reported that shoplifting has risen by 30 percent in the state, while Michigan authorities say shoplifting is up 27 percent in the Great Lakes area. The increase in shoplifting is troublesome because thefts of merchandise and the subsequent sale of these items can be used to fund more serious crimes. According to the RILA, assassination attempts on federal prosecutors and police in Texas were funded by the thefts of more than $1 million in baby formula by gangs. The problem has caught the attention of lawmakers in Washington, including Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) Durbin recently introduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2009, which aims to fight shoplifting. A number of states have also taken action by increasing funding for law enforcement and by making shoplifting a Class 4 felony instead of a misdemeanor.
    (go to web site)

  • 08May

    FAA Hacked

    Access Control, Digital Video, General No Comments

    “FAA’s Air-Traffic Networks Breached by Hackers”
    Wall Street Journal (05/07/09) ; Gorman, Siobhan; Conkey, Christopher

    The U.S. Transportation Department’s inspector general released a report on May 6 that said the U.S.’s civilian air-traffic computer networks had been breached a number of times during the last several years. One of those breaches, which occurred in 2006, forced the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to shut down part of its traffic control systems in Alaska. The report said the shut down occurred after the attack spread from administration networks to air-traffic control systems, although FAA spokesperson Laura Brown maintains the breach only affected the local administrative system that provides flight and weather information to pilots. The report also noted that hackers were able to take over FAA computers in 2008 and use the agency’s networks to steal the passwords of network administrators in Oklahoma. This in turn allowed the hackers to install malicious code and steal 40,000 FAA passwords and other information used to control the administrative network, the report found. The report concluded that the FAA is not well equipped to detect breaches into its computer systems, and that when it does discover intrusions it does not address them quickly enough. Brown said the FAA is currently working on addressing a number of weaknesses in its computer systems, including scanning software for possible vulnerabilities. “The threat of hackers interfering with our air-traffic control systems is not just theoretical; it has already happened,” says Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wisc.), one of the lawmakers who requested the report. “We must regard the strengthening of our air-traffic control security as an urgent matter.”
    (    go to web site)

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