March 2009
Features
By John Whiteman
Acts of terrorism can be carried out in many forms and at various locations around the world. Those who pose the most risk are individuals or groups that breach secured areas of critical infrastructure facilities, such as seaports and airports, government buildings or power and chemical plants.
By Harry Hartnup
Identity theft and credit card fraud are the fastest growing crimes in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission reports that one in six Americans will be a victim of identity theft this year and that identity theft has been the No. 1 consumer complaint for the last four years.
By Rich Anderson
For many businesses wanting to transition from analog to digital networks, the numbers seem daunting. Although they want to migrate to an IP video solution, can they afford to do so?
By Scott Schnell
Harsens Island is a remote island town with a population of less than 2,000, located 25 miles northeast of downtown Detroit. Each summer, Harsens Island is transformed into a vibrant vacation destination with bustling shops, bed-and-breakfast hotels and restaurants. During the winter, the island all but shuts down, save for the essential businesses and stores that remain open for the island’s full-time residents.
By Allison Armstrong
With every successful breach of Internet security, we learn the same lesson: there is no silver-bullet solution to prevent online fraud. Attackers are relentless innovators, single-minded in the pursuit of a breach. Security professionals have long understood that any single factor—like a password—can be spoofed. Even security tokens, considered by some to be 100 percent reliable, can in fact be passed around, phished, lost or stolen.
By Del V. Salvi
The action is fast, and the stakes are high. Fortunes are won or lost on the turn of a card or a roll of the dice. It’s where the rush of adrenaline meets the hope of beating the mathematical odds. And it’s the perfect application for IP video surveillance using powerful megapixel cameras.
By Ed Nichols
In the electronic security business, technological advancements continue to play a key role in moving the industry forward. As companies continue to collaborate and develop technological advancements, without the ongoing exchange that takes place within the security distribution channel, there would be industry stagnation— an undesired effect given today’s economic outlook.
By Robert Hahn
Less than eight years ago, anthrax letters killed five people, sickened many others and disrupted mail operations nationwide. Despite large investments in time and treasure, suspicious white powder continues to bedevil security executives and mail center managers worldwide.
By Doron Shalom
Traditionally, aviation security checkpoints have focused on searching for metallic items and explosives using walk-through metal detectors and X-ray technology. However, as terrorists become more sophisticated, the need for better explosive-detection technologies that can detect an increasing variety of threats, including improvised explosives materials such as triacetonetriperoxide, is emerging.
By Apryl Erickson
The potential for catastrophic injury in the petrochemical industry makes safety training and credentialing of employees imperative. Coordinating this process for a variety of industries, including many in the petrochemical fields of southern Alabama, is Training Solutions for Construction and Industry.
By Ksenia Coffman
Out of sight never means “out of mind” for security professionals. But how do you provide security at remote locations without deploying foot patrols 24/7 or burying fiber to extend surveillance reach? Many organizations tasked with ensuring public safety and securing critical infrastructure are increasingly turning to wireless security and surveillance to cover remote areas without breaking the bank.
By Keith Jentoft
Even before the economic crisis, security directors or property managers could rarely afford to purchase the surveillance system they wanted. What began as a search for 10 cameras seen in a James Bond film resulted in 15 generic IP cameras and a few DVRs. They bought what they could afford, and in the worsening economy, the surveillance budget only gets tighter while the need grows.
By Barry Keepence
IP-CCTV systems are not just a cheaper and more flexible alternative to traditional analog systems— they have opened up new opportunities for security that are simply not possible with the old technology. They are changing the way the security industry implements CCTV surveillance and have spawned a new concept—mega video solutions.
By Willem Ryan, Bob Banerjee
Spread throughout the United States are 325 ports of entry that require surveillance and protection. Every year, Customs and Border Protection processes nearly a half billion people, along with 130 million vehicles and another 20 million cargo containers. Based on a five-year plan developed by CBP, the organization is working with federal, state, local, tribal and other entities to secure borders.
By Kurt Stoll
Security directors face large problems in large facilities. Officials at airports, seaports, industrial facilities and other large installations deal with a unique set of security problems. They also have a unique set of limitations. They must protect against a variety of security threats, many of which are unknown, and they must address these issues with limited manpower. They also are dealing with creative enemies who are always adapting and enhancing their sly methods.
By Fredrik Nilsson
To diminish high school mischief, the Taos Municipal School District’s technology coordinator and network administrator began lobbying for surveillance cameras in Taos High School in New Mexico. The building also is used by the University of New Mexico for evening classes, which added afterhours security as another area of concern.
Departments
By Security Products Staff
It has been a busy year at Panasonic System Solutions Co.; a year in which the company has established a new vision, new leadership and a renewed focus on its position as a system solutions provider. Along with its emphasis on high-performance offerings for IP, analog and hybrid video applications, innovative imaging performance technologies and integration with new and legacy systems, Panasonic has sharpened its edge in providing broader customer-driven system solutions.
By Ralph C Jensen
Read a good book lately? Kick off your shoes and pour yourself a glass of your favorite drink— I’ve got a book that I think you’ll find interesting.
By Keith Hopwood
PoE technology is poised to revolutionize security system design with its innovative solutions.
By Brad J. Wilson
Today’s school security directors are plagued with many of the same challenges faced by local law enforcement departments—drug sales, weapons possession, theft, vandalism, arson and gang violence.
By Security Products Staff
The unsung hero of the security industry may well be the smoke detector. System Sensor recently launched a new product designed to save lives. But one of its most interesting aspects is the ability of the housing to convert from a rectangle to square shape, all based on need. We wanted to know more, so we sat down with product manager Andy Kuester to learn more about InnovairFlex.
By Megan Weadock
With millions of U.S. jobs lost since last year at this time, the country seems to have resigned itself to hunkering down for the recession.
By Sherleen Mahoney
Even the most vigilant commuter can’t thwart an unprovoked, violent attack from a deranged person.