Government


tsa checkpoint

TSA Faces Record-Low Numbers of Travelers, Coronavirus Outbreak Among Employees

More than 370 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 as TSA security screeners experience nearly empty airports due to the pandemic.

baltimore downtown

Lawsuit Blocks Baltimore From Launching Surveillance Plane Program to Investigate Crimes

Activists and ACLU lawyers succeeded in stopping a six-month trial run of an aerial surveillance program funded by private philanthropists.

fbi front

FBI Warns Financial Institutions To Beware of Coronavirus-Related Scams

Business email compromise attacks continue to be effective, tricking victims into transferring funds to fraudulent accounts.

david zolet

CentralSquare Names 30-Year Gov Tech Veteran David Zolet as Chief Executive Officer

Zolet brings decades of proven expertise to lead one of the largest public safety and public administration software companies

baltimore aerial

Baltimore Approves Six-Month Aerial Surveillance Program To Address Violent Crime

Three private surveillance planes will take images of Baltimore neighborhoods to be used in criminal investigations, an effort that will be studied to see if it lowers the crime rate.

washington capitol

Washington State Adopts Legislation Regulating, Restricting Facial Recognition Use

The law, which will go into effect next year, will require law enforcement to use facial recognition software only to investigate serious crimes and issue public accountability reports.

Department of Homeland Security Plans to Use Facial Recognition to Track Transnational Gang Activity

The request for proposals for a “gang intelligence application” reflect the agency’s growing ambitions in using facial recognition and other new tech to identify and arrest criminals.

TSA ID checkpoint

DHS Delays Real ID Deadline Until 2021 Due to Coronavirus Crisis

While the extension will provide another 18 months for Americans to obtain the new driver’s licenses, some officials believe the deadline will have to be extended again.



alarm response center

Security Industry Groups Call For Alarm Response, Security Services to Be Classified as “Essential” During Coronavirus Pandemic

SIA, ESA and TMA have penned a letter to public safety officials calling for governments to exempt alarm response centers and companies that serve them from shelter-in-place orders.

justice department

Justice Department Takes First Legal Action Against Coronavirus Scam Websites

A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order to have a website selling fake vaccine kits shut down immediately.

HHS website

Cyber Attack Hits Department of Health and Human Services Amid Government Coronavirus Response

HHS officials said no personal data was accessed and the attack was not successful. But it could be a sign of things to come during the coronavirus pandemic.

Attorney General Directs Department of Justice to Crack Down on Coronavirus Scammers, Cyber Criminals

In a memo to attorney’s offices across the country, William Barr said that federal law enforcement should prioritize investigating and prosecuting crimes related to the pandemic.

tsa bins

Travelers Can Take Larger Bottles of Hand Sanitizer In Carry-On Luggage, TSA Announces

In response to the growing concerns around the spread of coronavirus in the U.S., the Transportation Security Administration said that passengers can bring hand sanitizer containers up to 12 ounces in size.

department of homeland security flag

ACLU Files Lawsuit Against DHS To Turn Over Records on Facial Recognition Use at Airports

After the DHS did not respond to a January request for documents on how it is deploying facial recognition, the ACLU is now seeking legal recourse.

drone in field

Trump Administration Preparing Executive Order to Ban Use of Foreign-Made Drones by Government Agencies

Chinese manufacturer DJI, which accounts for about 70 percent of the global drone market, stands to lose the most from a ban, which is based on national security concerns.

chicago subway

Lawmakers Warn Cities to Stop Contracting Chinese Companies To Build Transit Systems

Despite concerns about Chinese manufacturers having access to U.S. transportation data, cities continue to move ahead with plans to partner with state-owned companies.

Despite Technical Issues, DHS Claims Victory on Super Tuesday With No Foreign Hacking Attempts

There was no significant increase in disinformation campaigns or hacking attempts like there were in 2016, according to top Homeland Security officials.

Galileo Delivers

ERDC enlisted the services of M3 Technology Group, an audio-visual integrator based in Nashville, Tennessee, to create a unique audio-visual experience not seen in other government facilities.

Policy Bill Includes Cyber Investments

Data on OTAs and prototypes. The House proposed an annual reporting requirement on how the Defense Department is using OTAs.

Featured

  • Maximizing Your Security Budget This Year

    7 Ways You Can Secure a High-Traffic Commercial Security Gate  

    Your commercial security gate is one of your most powerful tools to keep thieves off your property. Without a security gate, your commercial perimeter security plan is all for nothing. Read Now

  • Cloud and Hybrid Adoption on the Rise

    The physical security industry is experiencing a time of great transformation. Cloud connectivity is accelerating, and more organizations are choosing to blend on-premises and cloud-based solutions. This transformation is affecting all aspects of security, including access control. In the Genetec annual State of Physical Security Survey, it was access control that topped the list of new technologies end-users planned to focus on in 2024. Read Now

  • New Report Says Vulnerability Exploitation Boom Threatens Cybersecurity

    Verizon Business recently released the findings of its 17th-annual Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), which analyzed a record-high 30,458 security incidents and 10,626 confirmed breaches in 2023—a two-fold increase over 2022. Read Now

  • In The Clouds

    Video data storage in the cloud was a novel concept when Dean Drako founded Eagle Eye Networks back in 2012. While cloud was being used for almost all other business systems at that time, the physical security industry took a cautious and measured approach to cloud adoption. Read Now

Webinars

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols. 3

  • 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

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3