Government Security


NYC City Hall

New York City Considers Legislation To Regulate Facial Recognition Use By Businesses, Property Owners

Lawmakers in the city are not advocating outright bans, but say that regulation is necessary to know how police and business owners are using the software.

training session

First-Of-Its-Kind Program Will Train Health Professionals to Counsel Patients on Gun Violence Prevention

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill awarding millions of dollars in funding to UC Davis, which will teach healthcare providers intervention techniques for patients.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon

Senate Bill Would Impose Steep Fines, Potential Jail Time For Executives Who Violate Data Privacy Rules

Sen. Ron Wyden, a staunch advocate of increased cybersecurity regulations, introduced the legislation as part of an effort to track how companies collect and share customer data.

police officer on motorcycle

Berkeley Becomes Fourth U.S. City to Ban Police Use of Facial Recognition

Two other California cities have already adopted similar policies, and the state has also passed a ban on facial recognition in police body cameras.

baltimore aerial view

Baltimore Considers Deploying Aerial Surveillance Planes to Fight Crime

While the program has substantial public support and funding promised by philanthropists, the police commissioner has expressed doubts about its effectiveness.

border patrol car

Border Patrol May Give Body Cameras To Agents at Certain Checkpoints

Customs and Border Protection is asking vendors to describe their ability to provide body cameras, video management, facial recognition technology and more.

ONVIF Suspends Dahua and Hikvision

ONVIF Suspends Dahua and Hikvision

Hikvision and Dahua Technology has been “suspended,” and effectively expelled, from ONVIF.

California Becomes Third State to Ban Facial Recognition Software in Police Body Cameras

California Becomes Third State to Ban Facial Recognition Software in Police Body Cameras

The measure, which will last until at least 2023, does not ban police from using facial recognition in other types of cameras.



Hikvision, Dahua Technology Among Chinese Companies Added to U.S. Government Blacklist

Hikvision, Dahua Technology Among Chinese Companies Added to U.S. Government Blacklist

The Trump administration has added 28 more Chinese organizations to its entity list, which forbids American companies from selling their products to foreign companies without government permission.

Justice Apologizes For Iowa Court System Authorizing Security Vulnerability Testing That Led To Break-Ins

Justice Apologizes For Iowa Court System Authorizing Security Vulnerability Testing That Led To Break-Ins

At a legislative hearing Friday, court administrators answered questions about their decision to hire “penetration testers” who were arrested for burglary last month.

Attorney General Pressures Facebook To Delay End-To-End Encryption, Citing Child Abuse Concerns

Attorney General Pressures Facebook To Delay End-To-End Encryption, Citing Child Abuse Concerns

Law enforcement are increasingly worried about the possibility of end-to-end encryption, which does not provide police with a way to access communications between potential suspects.

FBI Warns Businesses and Organizations of Rising “High-Impact” Ransomware Threat

FBI Warns Businesses and Organizations of Rising “High-Impact” Ransomware Threat

Even if an organization decides to pay a ransom against the FBI’s advice, they should report the crime to law enforcement, according to the FBI alert.

Microsoft: Iranian Hackers Targeted Email Accounts of Presidential Campaign, U.S. Officials

Microsoft: Iranian Hackers Targeted Email Accounts of Presidential Campaign, U.S. Officials

Over 200 accounts were targeted by the group of hackers, but only four were compromised, according to Microsoft.

France Plans to Become First European Country to Use Facial Recognition for Digital Identity System

France Plans to Become First European Country to Use Facial Recognition for Digital Identity System

The French government plans to introduce a program called Alicem that will require residents to take a selfie video to compare to their passport photo.

FDA Warns Medical Device Manufacturers of “Urgent” Cybersecurity Flaws

FDA Warns Medical Device Manufacturers of “Urgent” Cybersecurity Flaws

Security researchers found 11 significant vulnerabilities in devices that use the IPnet software, though there are no confirmed incidents involving takeovers of the devices.

One Year Before Real ID Deadline, Americans Are Not Prepared For Airport Security Change

One Year Before Real ID Deadline, Americans Are Not Prepared For Airport Security Change

A majority of Americans did not know about the changing ID requirements for boarding planes in a recent survey, and DHS said that only 27 percent of residents have been issued a Real ID.

Government Renews Efforts to Find and Fix Cyber Vulnerabilities in Aviation Systems

Government Renews Efforts to Find and Fix Cyber Vulnerabilities in Aviation Systems

The Department of Homeland Security is refocusing its efforts on cyber threats to aircraft, and the Air Force is sponsoring “hacking villages” to discover hacking vulnerabilities.

Analytics Driven Solutions

Analytics-Driven Solutions

As city streets and sidewalks become progressively more congested, city planners are facing new safety challenges, including distracted pedestrians, a growing numbers of bicyclists on the road and an increase in public transportation.

Selecting the Proper Technology

Back in the day, talking about government security was all the rage. In fact, it was about cameras, software and access control.

Upgrade Access Status

Upgrade Access Status

Valdosta Regional Airport in Valdosta, Georgia offers three daily commercial flights to and from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, along with general aviation.

Are Contractors Ready for DOD’s Cybersecurity Framework?

Are Contractors Ready for DOD’s Cybersecurity Framework?

Contractors will face big changes and tight timelines next year when the Defense Department institutes its new Cyber Maturity Model Certification framework

camera with facial recognition software

Security Industry, Police Groups Urge Congress Not to Ban Facial Recognition Technology

A coalition sent a letter to Congress asking members to consider alternatives to banning facial recognition, including the development of best practices and additional training.

Stop at the Point of Contact

Stop at the Point of Contact

The vast majority of discussions involving security and parking areas focus on protecting people and property from vandalism, theft or violent crimes.

Technology at Risk

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ vote to ban the use of facial recognition technology puts the city at risk of not only falling behind on technological innovation, but returning to what one expert described as archaic processes.

Senate Approves Legislation Dedicated To Assisting Governments, Private Sector With Cyber Attacks

Senate Approves Legislation Dedicated To Assisting Governments, Private Sector With Cyber Attacks

The chamber also approved funding for the Department of Homeland Security’s cyber arm, with $1 billion dedicated solely to cybersecurity.

House Lawmakers Introduce Bill Offering Refunds to Small Companies Moving Away From Huawei Tech

House Lawmakers Introduce Bill Offering Refunds to Small Companies Moving Away From Huawei Tech

The bill is part of an ongoing saga between China-based Huawei and the federal government, which believes Huawei is collaborating with Chinese spying efforts.

 Activists Protest Rollout of ‘Smart Streetlamps’ Across San Diego Due to Surveillance Concerns

Activists Protest Rollout of ‘Smart Streetlamps’ Across San Diego Due to Surveillance Concerns

The mayor says that the only people who should be concerned about the video-enabled streetlamps are people committing “violent crimes on a street corner in full public view.”

U.S. Soldier Arrested For Allegedly Threatening To Attack News Network, Distributing Instructions For Building Explosives

U.S. Soldier Arrested For Allegedly Threatening To Attack News Network, Distributing Instructions For Building Explosives

Jarrett William Smith gave detailed instructions about how to build an explosive device to an undercover FBI agent, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.

Microsoft Now Plans To Offer Free Security Updates to Election Officials Using Windows 7

Microsoft Now Plans To Offer Free Security Updates to Election Officials Using Windows 7

The company originally planned to phase out security patches for Windows 7 in January. Now, Microsoft will continue issuing free updates for election systems around the world.

Senate Committee Allocates $250 Million To Bolster State Election Security

Senate Committee Allocates $250 Million To Bolster State Election Security

The fight over increased funding for election security is far from over, though: The House and Senate still need to agree on a number for the final version of the bill.

Board Approves Detroit Police

Board Approves Detroit Police's Limited Use of Facial Recognition Software

Detroit police will continue to use the software to identify violent crime suspects but are prohibited from using it on live or recorded video.

House Passes Bill Creating Grant Program to Install Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Homes

House Passes Bill Creating Grant Program to Install Carbon Monoxide Alarms in Homes

The bill’s passage, which would give grants to elderly and low-income residents, came after the House of Representatives approved a bill that requires carbon monoxide detectors in public housing.

London Police Partner With Facebook to Prevent Live Streaming of Terrorist and Firearm Attacks

London Police Partner With Facebook to Prevent Live Streaming of Terrorist and Firearm Attacks

The issue gained renewed attention after a mass shooter used Facebook to live stream his murder of over 50 people at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Following Rise in Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes, New York City Plans For Increased Security During High Holy Days

Following Rise in Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes, New York City Plans For Increased Security During High Holy Days

In recent weeks, three Orthodox Jewish men were attacked in New York in potentially bias-related incidents that led to major injuries.

Men Arrested For Breaking Into Iowa Courthouse Were Hired to Conduct Security Testing

Men Arrested For Breaking Into Iowa Courthouse Were Hired to Conduct Security Testing

While the two “penetration testers” were given permission to attempt to break into courthouses, local law enforcement were not informed of the tests. Now, the men are facing charges.

Colorado Becomes First State to Stop Using QR Codes, Barcodes to Count Ballots

Colorado Becomes First State to Stop Using QR Codes, Barcodes to Count Ballots

The state said it would redevelop its vote tallying system so that voting machines no longer print receipts with QR codes, which Secretary of State Jena Griswold says could be hacked.

Treasury Department Implements Sanctions on North Korean Cyber Groups

Treasury Department Implements Sanctions on North Korean Cyber Groups

The department announced the sanctions Friday after it said that North Korean intelligence groups targeted American critical infrastructure, particularly the financial system.

Report: Managed Service Providers Are New Frontier of Ransomware Attacks

Report: Managed Service Providers Are New Frontier of Ransomware Attacks

Hackers are targeting IT service providers as a means of attacking dozens of organizations at once and potentially reaping bigger financial rewards.

California Legislature Votes to Ban Facial Recognition in Police Body Cameras

California Legislature Votes to Ban Facial Recognition in Police Body Cameras

While the bill would ban facial recognition software from body cameras, law enforcement are not banned from using it in other cameras.

Aspen Police Department to Equip Officers with Body Cameras

Aspen Police Department to Equip Officers with Body Cameras

The police department will fund the body cameras through its savings account.

SIA, ALAS and CANASA Urge Congress to Approve United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

In a Sept. 9 letter to Congress, the trilateral coalition highlighted the growth and change in the security industry and the renegotiated policy’s updates to reflect the current state of the market.

facial recognition woman

Survey: Americans Trust Law Enforcement More Than Private Companies To Use Facial Recognition ‘Responsibly’

Fifty-six of American adults say they trust law enforcement agencies to use the tech responsibly, but attitudes varied widely across demographic groups.

TSA Sets Up

TSA Sets Up 'Innovation Checkpoint' at Las Vegas Airport To Test Security Tech

Among the technology being tested at a TSA checkpoint in Vegas: computed tomography machines, credential authentication technology for faster ID checks and a new body scanner.

British Court Rules in Favor of Police In Unprecedented Facial Recognition Case

British Court Rules in Favor of Police In Unprecedented Facial Recognition Case

Deciding on one of the first cases ever to consider the legality of live facial recognition, a British court found that police use of the tool did not violate privacy laws or human rights.

Nashville Police To Roll Out Body Cameras For Entire Department in Coming Weeks

Nashville Police To Roll Out Body Cameras For Entire Department in Coming Weeks

The department faced outcries of support for mandatory body cameras and dashcams after two black men were killed by police officers within two years.

New Texas Gun Laws Expanding Rights to Carry Went Into Effect One Day After Odessa Shooting

New Texas Gun Laws Expanding Rights to Carry Went Into Effect One Day After Odessa Shooting

The laws allow Texans to carry guns into houses of worship unless explicitly banned and clear gunowners to carry firearms on their person for a full week after a natural disaster is declared.

Democratic National Committee Rejects Plans To Hold ‘Virtual Caucuses’ in Iowa and Nevada, Citing Security Concerns

Democratic National Committee Rejects Plans To Hold ‘Virtual Caucuses’ in Iowa and Nevada, Citing Security Concerns

Facing criticism over low voter turnout and barriers to caucusing, party officials planned for remote caucuses in 2020. But the national Democratic Party said the methods would expose the process to high cybersecurity risks.

Connecting Mass Notification

Connecting Mass Notification

The Internet of Things continues to grow, offering new possibilities for organizations to communicate messages and automate processes. This can be especially helpful when dealing with safety issues.

Thinking Smarter About Smart City Security

Thinking Smarter About Smart City Security

The world is quickly urbanizing, and people are flocking from suburbs and rural areas to cities more than ever before.

voting booth in 2016

Government Officials Worry That Ransomware Attacks Could Derail 2020 Elections

The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to launch an education program on the potential of ransomware attacks targeting voter databases, some of which were compromised by Russian hackers in 2016.

ring doorbell camera

Doorbell Camera Company Ring Has Partnered With Over 400 Police Departments

Law enforcement agencies who have partnered with Amazon-owned Ring can request videos from residents and interact with users on its app, Neighbors.

using facebook app on phone

All Facebook Pages For Governments, First Responders Will Now Have Access to Incident Alert Tool

With local alerts, Facebook pages can send notifications to residents about threats, including weather warnings and active shooter situations, and boost the posts in users’ news feeds.

plane flying from boston airport

Harvard Freshman’s Deportation Indicates Impact of Intensified Border Security Policy

Ismail Ajjawi, a Palestinian 17-year-old from Lebanon, said he was denied entry to the United States because a border agent found ‘people posting political points of view that oppose the U.S.’ on his social media feeds.

cyber attack written on newspaper

Report: Insurance Companies Are Exacerbating Rise in Ransomware Attacks

A ProPublica investigation found that the decision by insurers to pay hackers instead of encouraging victims to recover files by themselves is helping fuel a surge in ransomware.

department of homeland security flag

Federal Cybersecurity Agency Prioritizes Addressing Chinese Threats, Improving Election Security

The leader of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, which works within DHS, is concerned primarily with risk management, Chinese threats to supply chains and election security.

toronto police

Ontario Plans to Spend $3 Million on Expanding Toronto's Police Surveillance Camera System

The announcement came as Toronto experiences a wave of gun violence, some of which has been blamed on gang turf wars.

department of justice

Justice Department Indicts 80 People in Massive Online Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

Two Nigerian citizens are accused of leading a massive fraud scheme that transferred at least $6 million in fraudulently-obtained funds, much of whom was taken from elderly people.

tree of life synagogue

Homeland Security Committee Meets to Discuss Prevention of Violence Against Religious Organizations

In Jackson, Mississippi, the acting DHS secretary met with religious leaders and lawmakers to discuss ways that the department is acting to protect faith institutions targeted for violence.

Police car siren and cop

Over Course of Three Days, Law Enforcement Thwarts Three Men Threatening to Commit Mass Shootings

Authorities in Ohio, Connecticut and Florida arrested three men who expressed interest in mass shootings, including one who targeted a Jewish community center.

huawei

Huawei Has Another 90 Days To Do Business With American Companies

The Trump administration has granted a 90-day extension for American firms to find alternatives to the Chinese telecommunications corporation.

Featured

  • IoT Saves the Day

    IoT Saves the Day

    Today, creating a safe environment across schools, hotels, office buildings, housing complexes and other facilities has become a necessity. There are so many dangers lurking in buildings of all sizes and shapes from fire hazards, vaping issues, chemical/air quality issues, intruders and so much more. Read Now

  • One Pane, Less Pain

    One Pane, Less Pain

    Just because a solution is built on an open-standards platform doesn’t ensure that all the vendors’ systems will work together as promised. Some features may not be supported, or not supported to their fullest potential. Read Now

  • Revamping Wrigley Field

    Revamping Wrigley Field

    When talking about baseball in the United States, it’s hard not to think of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field. With a history spanning more than 100 years, the Chicago Cubs are one of the most recognized teams in professional sports. Read Now

  • Enhancing Situational Awareness

    Enhancing Situational Awareness

    In an era marked by technological advancements and increasing security concerns, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into video surveillance systems has revolutionized situational awareness and critical infrastructure protection. Read Now

New Products

  • XS4 Original+

    XS4 Original+

    The SALTO XS4 Original+ design is based on the same proven housing and mechanical mechanisms of the XS4 Original. The XS4 Original+, however, is embedded with SALTO’s BLUEnet real-time functionality and SVN-Flex capability that enables SALTO stand-alone smart XS4 Original+ locks to update user credentials directly at the door. Compatible with the array of SALTO platform solutions including SALTO Space data-on-card, SALTO KS Keys as a Service cloud-based access solution, and SALTO’s JustIn Mobile technology for digital keys. The XS4 Original+ also includes RFID Mifare DESFire, Bluetooth LE and NFC technology functionality. 3

  • VideoEdge 2U High Capacity Network Video Recorder

    VideoEdge 2U High Capacity Network Video Recorder

    Johnson Controls announces a powerful recording solution to meet demanding requirements with its VideoEdge 2U High Capacity Network Video Recorder. This solution combines the powerful capabilities of victor with the intelligence of VideoEdge NVRs, fueled by Tyco Artificial Intelligence, for video management that provides actionable insights to save time, money and lives. 3

  • FlexPower® Global™ Series (FPG) from LifeSafety Power

    FlexPower® Global™ Series (FPG) from LifeSafety Power

    The FlexPower® Global™ Series (FPG) from LifeSafety Power—designed to provide DC power for access control systems in international applications—is now PSE listed for Japan and compatible with the country’s 100VAC applications. 3