Outside of the classrooms and general sessions, the ASIS 2011 exhibit floor will be abuzz with activity around some of the most innovative security products and services the industry has to offer. The challenge for many will be in navigating the more than 700 exhibits across 230,000+ square feet to find the best solutions.
It’s no secret that our computer hard drives contain a lot of things we’d rather keep secret. Because the information security field is my home turf, I’m troubled by some of the loose talk I hear about how to destroy used drives. There is a whole lot of bad advice online, especially.
There are a number of aspects of 'conventional wisdom' in the realm of physical security that just don't add up, that smack of having their origins in "the salesman made me do it," which under close scrutiny turn out to be absolutely backwards or even dangerous.
Remember back when we were kids and heard the fire alarm bell in school? On cue, we lined up in an orderly manner and dutifully marched out of the classroom single file, no talking, and keep your hands to yourself. The super loud fire alarm bell and the discipline of the fire drill was all that we needed to know to be safe. How times have changed!
When it comes to preventing the loss and theft of mobile assets within the enterprise, there is no one-stop-shop security solution. However, the need has never been greater as mobile devices become more prevalent and hold more sensitive data.
Multi-building campuses such as universities, research facilities, convention centers, hospitals and others face unique problems in implementing a total physical security solution.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority in California provides public transportation for more than 140,000 passengers a day. The VTA has approximately 1,700 employees supporting three bus divisions and a light rail division. The transportation system consists of about 600 low-floor buses that service 326 square miles of urbanized area daily and a light rail system which operates more than 100 low-floor light rail vehicles across 42.2 miles of rail.
A Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) workplace violence survey found that more than 50% of the respondents were concerned that workplace violence might occur at their organization. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of 564 work-related homicides occurred each year in the United States from 2004 to 2008.
“Observe and report” security officers have gained popularity with private security firms over the past five years. These officers, when faced with danger or a need for physical intervention, are supposed to radio the police or authorities trained to handle dangerous situations. They do not intervene.
The ability to design and install a truly comprehensive, long-term security solution for your organization depends on the technology of more than one manufacturer.