Government Security


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.

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.

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.



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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

texas capitol building

Ransomware Attacks Hit 23 Texas Towns, Prompting Statewide Response

The state suspects that the attack, which took place Friday morning and targeted small local governments, was coordinated by “one single threat actor.”

Philadelphia police logo

Standoff With Gunman In Philadelphia Ends With Six Police Officers Shot

After six officers suffered non-life threatening injuries, the city’s mayor is calling for tougher gun control policies to help law enforcement keep firearms out of the wrong hands.

San Diego Police Expand Use of Streetlamp Camera System To Catch Violent Criminals

San Diego Police Expand Use of Streetlamp Camera System To Catch Violent Criminals

The department has used video footage from the 3,200-camera system in over 140 cases in the past year, calling the program “game changing.”

Massachusetts Nurses Push For Law To Protect Them From Patient Violence

Massachusetts Nurses Push For Law To Protect Them From Patient Violence

The proposed measure would require hospitals and other employers to implement workplace violence prevention programs.

St. Louis County Police Department To Become Largest In Missouri With Mandatory Body Cameras

St. Louis County Police Department To Become Largest In Missouri With Mandatory Body Cameras

By April, the county police department will outfit nearly 700 officers with cameras. But the city’s department of 1,300 does not have a parallel program in the works.

DHS Warns of ‘Tragedy-Related Scams’ After El Paso and Dayton Shootings

DHS Warns of ‘Tragedy-Related Scams’ After El Paso and Dayton Shootings

A Homeland Security agency and the FBI’s El Paso office are cautioning Americans to watch out for malicious "charity" emails and phone call scams.

cisco systems

Cisco Agrees to Pay Over $8 Million For Selling Video Surveillance System with Technical Flaws

Experts believe Cisco’s payout to a whistleblower could set a precedent for future lawsuits against vendors who sell products with security vulnerabilities.

el paso police

Two Mass Shootings in El Paso and Dayton Claim Over 30 Lives In Less Than 24 Hours

Communities are calling for legislative action, particularly after it was revealed that one shooting was motivated by white supremacist ideology.

At Least Four People Killed in Shootings at Festivals in California and New York

At Least Four People Killed in Shootings at Festivals in California and New York

The Gilroy, California police chief credited his department’s robust security operation with stopping the shooter in his tracks.

voter line

Senate Committee Releases Bipartisan Report on Election Security Threats

The report comes as Senate Republicans move to block election security legislation, arguing that election officials have already fixed the security issues they experienced in 2016.

public housing new york

Lawmakers Seek to Ban Biometric Recognition Technology in Public Housing

The legislation, which would ban facial recognition entry systems, would be the first to address what technology landlords can impose on residents.

camera drone

How Police Forces Are Using Drones to Keep Officers Out of The Line of Fire

California law enforcement is praising the use of drones and high-definition video surveillance to track suspects and strategize police responses.

william barr

Attorney General Revives Feud With Tech Companies Over 'Warrant Proof' Encryption

Security experts and lawmakers say that creating a “backdoor” to unlock devices and messages would make those products vulnerable to hackers.

amazon building

Orlando Police Department Ends Facial Recognition Pilot Program With Amazon

The city was never able to get the software, Rekognition, to consistently work with its video surveillance cameras over the course of 15 months.

highway video cameras

Illinois Law Creates Camera Program To Investigate Expressway Shootings in Chicago

Following a rise in expressway violence, law enforcement will add about 35 cameras to look into shootings that are notoriously difficult to solve.

baltimore city hall

After Fired Employee Easily Gains Access, Baltimore Increases Security at Municipal Buildings

Since a May breach, the city has added security personnel at several buildings and plans to increase employee awareness of how to report suspicious activity.

police vest

Massachusetts Lawmakers Debate Proposal to Create Statewide Rules for Police Body Cameras

The proposal includes a controversial measure that would exempt police footage from being accessed and released through public records laws.

people using voting machines

Use of Aging Software on Voting Machines Raises Cybersecurity Concerns

Lawmakers are concerned about the use of out-of-date software on voting systems across the United States, but no new legislation has been passed in both chambers.

maryland capitol building

Sensitive Information of Over 1.4 Million Students 'Improperly Stored' by Maryland Government

A state audit found that the personal information of over 1 million students and more than 200,000 teachers was at risk of identity theft.

capitol hill

House Passes Two Bills Aimed at Improving Cybersecurity for Small Businesses

Both measures, which aim to improve the Small Business Administration and resources for business owners, were adopted with bipartisan support.

FTC’s $5 Billion Fine On Facebook Should Serve As ‘Warning’ For Companies Concerned About Data Security

FTC’s $5 Billion Fine On Facebook Should Serve As ‘Warning’ For Companies Concerned About Data Security

While the penalty will have little effect on Facebook’s bottom line, the massive fine could be indicative of the commission’s willingness to punish companies for data security issues.

Pentagon aerial shot

Following Court Decision, Amazon and Microsoft Set to Compete Over Military’s Cloud Computing Contract

The $10 billion JEDI project has been rife with controversy, but the Pentagon still hopes to seal the deal with one of the companies next month.

Federal Election Commission

Cybersecurity Company Can Offer Discounted Services to Campaigns, FEC Rules

A California-based company has been given the OK to offer its services to campaigns for a discounted rate ⁠— as long as that rate is the same for other clients.

tsa security airport line

TSA Screened Record Number of Travelers During July Fourth Weekend

The agency said it screened over 11.9 million passengers and crew as well as over 8 million checked bags during the holiday travel period.

Committee on small business sign

Senators Introduce Bill to Help Small Businesses Improve Cybersecurity Protections

The legislation would require the Department of Homeland Security to develop educational resources for business owners and train counselors on higher-level cybersecurity information.

British Airways plane

British Airways Hit With Record $229 Million Fine After 2018 Hack

The airline, along with Mariott International, is facing harsher penalties for not properly protecting customers’ personal data prior to cyberattacks.

power towers

Senate Passes Bill To Explore ‘Analog’ Solutions to Securing America’s Energy Grid

If the Securing Energy Infrastructure Act is signed into law, it will create a working group tasked with isolating the energy grid from attacks using “manual procedures.”

Featured

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

  • Access Control Technology

    As we move swiftly toward the end of 2024, the security industry is looking at the trends in play, what might be on the horizon, and how they will impact business opportunities and projections. Read Now

Webinars

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure. 3