Government


AOptix Technologies Appoints Earl Charles as CFO

Charles' responsibilities will include corporate finance, financings, mergers and acquisitions, and infrastructure planning to see AOptix through the company’s fastest and most exciting growth phase to date.

IBM Implements Cloud-Computing Model for NATO

NATO's Allied Command Transformation (ACT) has selected IBM for a strategic technology project to gain experience with emerging information technologies to improve data center efficiency and increase data sharing by its 28 member nations.

OSI Systems' Rapiscan Wins $7M in U.S. Government Orders

The security division will service and maintain inspection platforms related to transportation.

Chicago PD Continues To Expand Video Surveillance Network

Mountain Secure Systems, a provider of ruggedized electronics and wireless network solutions, shipped additional SpeedLAN 9200 outdoor wireless routers this month to Avrio RMS Group, who will use them to expand coverage for the Chicago Police Department’s video surveillance system in the 4.9 GHz public safety band.

Financial Services Sector Signs Cybersecurity Research Agreement With NIST, DHS

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has joined in a new public-private partnership to spur cybersecurity innovation in the financial services sector.

Hikvision Named General Contractor for $800M Program in Chongqing

The company expects to set up more than half a million video surveillance points in the city.

State Government Of Ohio Expands Encrypted E-Mail

Zix Corp. recently announced that it will offer secure e-mail to an additional 10,000 state government employees in a new contract with Ohio.

DARPA Awards $4.3 Million To Develop Biological, Chemical Threat Detector

A new class of sensors able to detect multiple biological and chemical threats simultaneously with unprecedented performance may soon be within reach thanks to the establishment of a multi-million dollar research center led by Georgia Institute of Technology engineers.



Research: Increasing Threats, Federal Resource Shortages Drive $13 Billion Investment In Cybersecurity

Driven by a 445 percent increase in cybersecurity incidents since 2006, the shortage of qualified security professionals, and an increasingly complex and interconnected technology environment, INPUT forecasts federal investment in information security to increase to $13.3 billion by 2015 at a compound annual growth rate of 9.1 percent, nearly twice the rate of overall federal IT spending.

New Guidance Released For First Responders Collecting Suspected Biothreat Agents

Suspicious packages and powders have triggered more than 30,000 responses by U.S. law enforcement agencies across the country since 2001. These events are expensive, time-consuming and potentially dangerous. To help first responders at all levels of government deal safely and more effectively with suspected biothreat agents, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and a broad team of federal, state and local agencies and other organizations worked together to update an existing standard for sample collection and develop overall guidance for when to collect a sample and how to coordinate with other agencies and organizations.

Experts: Proposed National Air Cargo Screening Bill Seen As Early Warning For Transportation Planners

ComSec International LLC, an independent provider of cargo screening services and consultation, recently has started advising shippers, carriers, freight forwarders and other companies involved in supply chain management to begin tentative planning for new federal air cargo screening requirements.

School Security Expert Details Benefits of District-level Management

Pairing IP video technology and school-to-school video network is essential for administrators to reap operational as well as security benefits.

Chemical Security Through Streamlined System Communication

Since 2007, chemical facilities across the country have been regulated by federal rules developed by the Department of Homeland Security. Although the value of these regulations is debated, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee earlier this year unanimously approved bipartisan legislation offered by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) that government officials say is critical to securing chemical facilities across the country.

SteelCloud Expands Support to the Department of Defense

New STIG360 support offering is designed to keep agencies in compliance with DISA mandates.

Two Airline Union Presidents Tell Pilots to Steer Clear of Body Scanners

Mike Cleary, president of U.S. Airline Pilots Association, recently wrote a letter to members saying that TSA has not provided “credible specifications for radiation emitted by the machines.”

Cleanup Site Gets Tagged

Over the last four years, Axcess International has been providing Washington Closure Hanford with a MicroWireless tagging system that continues to increase worker safety and efficiency while reducing time on task and the cost of operations.

Bomb precursor chemicals

Japan to Test Hitachi Explosive-sensing Device at Train Station

In conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, the government is further testing the bomb detector and checking for false positives.

Unisys to Help Secure US Borders Under Integration Project

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection contract, worth up to an estimated $129 million, builds upon successful Unisys work on the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Dallas Police Department Uses Wireless Video Surveillance Network To Help Reduce Crime

In addition to serving as host city for ASIS 2010, Dallas also provides a great testament to how security technologies can help law enforcement improve public safety and enhance emergency preparedness. A wireless surveillance system in Dallas watches over various parts of the ASIS host city, supplying the Dallas Police Department real-time video from many areas throughout throughout the city.

Communication links

Boston Police and Orange County, Calif., Form COPLINK Network

i2's COPLINK makes information sharing possible across 3,000 miles.

Featured

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • 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.”