Top Stories


Counterfeit Perfume Seizures Total $51 Million

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized imports of counterfeit perfume valued at nearly $51 million during fiscal year 2011.

Secretary Napolitano Announces Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Request

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano recently unveiled the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget request of $39.5 billion in net discretionary funding.

Report: Biometric ID Card For U.S. Workers Could Cost $40 Billion

A mandatory biometric employment verification card for all U.S. workers could cost at least $40 billion, infringe on Americans’ civil liberties and fail to stop the employment of undocumented immigrants, according to a new report. Hard to BELIEVE: The High Cost of a Biometric Identity Card finds that a biometric ID card would not only have a hefty initial price tag, but it will also cost $3 billion in ongoing annual expenditures.



MasterCard Combats Online Fraud

MasterCard Worldwide connects users through global payments and technology, but the company is now taking a proactive approach to online fraud by teaming up with Silver Tail Systems. The web session intelligence provider willl focus on leveraging and creating innovative solutions to help combat online fraud at MasterCard.

Port of Tacoma Selects AMAG Technology's Symmetry Homeland Security Management System

The Port of Tacoma will heighten security thanks to a new partnership with AMAG Technology.

TSA Pre Pilot Expands to Busiest U.S. Airports

TSA Pre ✓Expands to Busiest U.S. Airports

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John S. Pistole recently announced the expansion of TSA Pre✓ to...

Cybercriminals Target Broad Range of Victims in January

January saw malware attacks targeting a wide range of potential victims, including gamers looking for a Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 game crack, small business owners concerned about the reputation of their business, and government organizations receiving spoofed messages from the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT).

Students Design Virtual I.D. Badge to Combat Online Hackers

A student entrepreneurial team at the University of Utah believes it has come up with a winning business plan for a virtual ID badge that operates off of any mobile device. The team, calling itself EMRID Technologies, developed a product that could be used in place of other common electronic ID badges used by hospitals, defense companies or other firms where securing data is of the utmost importance.

Critical Infrastructures Built to Withstand Almost Anything

In an ideal world, every tunnel, train terminal, and critical building would be built like a fortress to withstand any emergency. But in the real world, construction costs matter and engineers "build to code." While Americans can take comfort that their critical infrastructure meets minimum codes for safety, when terror—or nature—hits especially hard, minimum codes provide minimal comfort.

Antennaless RFID Tags Developed at NDSU Solve Problem of Tracking Metal and Liquids

Tracking and identifying metal objects can prove difficult for some radio frequency identification (RFID) systems. A patent-pending technology developed by a research team at the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at North Dakota State University, Fargo, could solve these RFID tracking problems. The antennaless RFID tag developed at CNSE could help companies track products as varied as barrels of oil to metal cargo containers.

The Value of an Urban Blast Tool

Thanks to lightning-fast software from the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), if a truck bomb was discovered in Lower Manhattan we will now be able to predict the likely damage patterns in the surrounding areas, and prioritize the first responders’ activities long before the bomb’s acoustic shockwave ricocheted out at the speed of sound.

Greater Congressional Oversight Will Improve CFATS Implementation

Greater Congressional Oversight Will Improve CFATS Implementation

As a key congressional panel examined the implementation of the nation’s chemical security rules, the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA) expressed its support for stronger federal oversight...

Michigan Man Arrested for Illegally Streaming Live Sporting Events Over the Internet

Yonjo Quiroa, 28, of Comstock Park, Mich., was arrested Wed., Feb. 1, charged with criminal copyright infringement related to a website operation that illegally streamed live sporting event telecasts and pay-per-view events via Internet.

DHS Partners with NFL for Super Bowl XLVI

“Our partnership with the NFL on the “If You See Something, Say Something” public awareness campaign during the Super Bowl is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the safety of every employee, player and fan.”

HFES Offers Tips on Improving Website Password Practices

In an upcoming article from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), human factors/ergonomics researchers identify impediments to efficient password creation and provide design strategies for enhancing the user experience.

First Receivers Staying on Top of Their Game

There are first responders, of course, those who arrive first on the scene of an incident and who play a critical role in emergencies involving injuries and casualties, but, there are also first receivers who primarily operate in hospitals. These professionals are increasingly expected to be well versed in other public safety domains in preparation for disastrous events.

Stereo Cameras Detect Pedestrians from Within a Car

Researchers have developed a system that locates pedestrians in front of the vehicle using artificial vision.

An Emergency Network for Natural Disasters

Engineering researchers at the University of Arkansas are developing an emergency communications network that will maintain operation during natural disasters and provide critical warnings and geographic information to people affected by the disasters. The researchers are honing and testing the system now and expect to deploy a pilot network at the end of 2012.

Featured

  • AI to Help Resolve Non-Emergency Calls Across Utah and Decrease 911 Caller Wait Times

    The Utah Communications Authority (UCA), which oversees the state’s next generation 911 technology services, recently announced that public safety answering points (PSAPs) throughout the state plan to implement Motorola Solutions’ Virtual Response technology to automate the receipt and resolution of 10-digit non-emergency line calls in Utah with the help of AI. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Local Governments Face Surge in Ransomware Attacks with Minimal Resources

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, recently released new research highlighting the critical cybersecurity challenges facing state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. The report details how government organizations have become prime targets for cybercriminals while simultaneously facing severe resource constraints. Read Now

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • 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.