Hi-Tech-Consulting

Anchorage Daily News (02/26/08) ; Hopkins, Kyle

Officials in Anchorage, Alaska, are pushing to have armed guards at City Hall and all Assembly meetings. The city’s three-year contract with Securitas Security Services USA expires at the end of may, and deputy city manager Heather Handyside said that the new contract will call for an armed guard to be stationed at City Hall. The city assembly has also proposed a resolution to have armed guards at all of their meetings. New state laws allow people to carry concealed weapons in many public buildings. Officials cited a recent shooting at a city council meeting in Kirkwood, Mo., as evidence that armed guards are needed. In that incident, two police officers and three city officials were shot at a meeting, which was protected by a single unarmed security guard.
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“Human Error Tops the List of Security Threats”
CIO (02/05/08) ; Daniel, Diann

Most companies cite human error as their prime security concern, reveals a Deloitte survey. Human error was ranked by 75 percent of media, technology, and telecommunications businesses surveyed as the culprit for security vulnerabilities. Over 90 percent attributed on-the-job misconduct as another factor hampering security controls, while about one-third credited third parties with security failures. The survey also found that management executives are not usually notified about security issues and most companies still designate their IT sectors with being accountable for protecting information security. Almost half of the respondents stated that flawed operations and technology weakened overall security. “A prerequisite for effective information security is the implementation of a proactive information security strategy that is closely linked to the company’s overall business strategy, business requirements, and key business drivers,” says Deloitte’s Rena Mears. Deloitte advises companies to incorporate security initiatives into their overall business plans and that continual security training and evaluation should be implemented.
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“Glass Bunker in the Sky”
Christian Science Monitor (02/04/08) P. 20 ; Bruinius, Harry

As four large towers begin to take shape at Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, architects must balance post-9/11 safety with art, commerce and community interests. The first building to go up at the World Trade Center site is a veritable showcase of “terrorproof” technologies. Dubbed 7 WTC, the 52-story office structure is already being lauded as the world’s safest building because of its innovative architecture and redundant security features. Indeed, 7 WTC features a sealed, hardened concrete core. Herb Hauser, president of Midtown Technologies, observes, “This means that the structure around the core can do down, or be on fire, or be invested with a biological or chemical problem, but the actual core itself will be protected.” Beyond the core, 7 WTC has an array of other features. Its skin is made almost entirely of glass, and its foundation is designed like a diamond parallelogram so that the overall structure gives off a crystalline appearance. The glazing process incorporates new bomb-resistant technologies into the glass that eliminate flying shards and even shield the building from an explosion by deflecting a blast’s energy. The majority of 7 WTC’s windows are double-paned, laminated, and layered with a new plastic polymer. Meanwhile, the windows closest to the lobby are reinforced with inner cables that would absorb a blast and snap right back like a rubber band.
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“Tech Researchers Find Cards Vulnerable”
Associated Press (01/28/08) ; Lewan, Todd

Johns Hopkins University researchers, led by computer science professor Avi Rubin, discovered that it is possible to intercept the RFID signals associated with contactless credit cards, leaving cardholders vulnerable to identity theft and fraud. Though the ExxonMobil Speedpass is encrypted, the researchers broke the key fob’s encryption. They were able to pump gas and charge it to the cardholder’s account using cloned data stored on a laptop. ExxonMobil insists that cloned data has never been used to make Speedpass purchases and the company has not altered the technology. To safeguard against hackers, Rubin says the key fobs should be wrapped in aluminum foil.
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“Fear of Parking”
Security Management (02/08) Vol. 52, No. 2, P. 52 ; Atlas, Randy I.

Numerous crimes take place nationwide at parking facilities, so it is important that parking garages follow the concepts of CPTED, or crime prevention through environmental design. This includes enhancing natural surveillance so that users can see wider and farther. Natural access control should be highlighted by defining spaces, and legitimate users should be encouraged to display territorial behaviors. Under CPTED, parking areas should be managed and maintained in compliance with industry standards of care. To boost parking lot security, a vulnerability evaluation should be conducted of a facility’s landscaping, lighting, stairwells, elevators, surveillance system, access control equipment, and signage. Unwanted pedestrian activity should be deterred by using ground-level metal screening and other barriers. Approved pedestrian entrances should be free from obstructions to encourage legitimate use, and stairwells and elevators should be centrally located and visible from the attendant’s position. CCTV cameras should be covered by dark polycarbonate domes and integrated with panic-button call boxes. CCTV cameras should be installed in areas with constant lighting, both sunlight and artificial light. Metal halide lighting is preferred among CPTED practitioners because of its long life and its ability to accurately render the colors of cars, clothing, and people.
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