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Singapore is reportedly developing a wearable device that may be issued to every resident as a way to facilitate contact tracing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The move, however, has elicited concerns from the public about the lack of privacy associated with contact tracing devices. 

Security awareness training is no longer a “nice-to-have” for organizations. End users have become a critical component of effective security postures. Employees must have a strong understanding of cybersecurity best practices and learn how to detect and defend against targeted attacks. This shift in priority is needed to address an ongoing trend in the larger threat landscape. Cybercriminals have moved away from complicated, time-consuming technical exploits to concentrate on end users, a large and frequently vulnerable attack surface. Small or large, nearly every attack now begins in the same way: by relentlessly targeting people through email, social networks, and/or cloud and mobile applications.

Convincing C-suite executives to approve budgets for security system upgrades may be difficult in the best of times. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting financial upheaval it caused may make selling new projects more challenging for security directors. While security may not be a daily topic of discussion among C-suite members, they understand the need to provide and maintain a safe and secure environment for corporate employees and visitors. But they don’t see security in terms of a camera brand or access card technology. They view security in terms of risk management and mitigation strategies. Addressing those concerns in any project plan will increase its chances of it winning approval.

The Internet of Things (IoT) continues to be a driving force behind smart buildings, with the ability to optimize all areas of building operations – from HVAC to surveillance, offering massive potential for facility owners and system integrators to create added value for customers. While goals such as reducing energy consumption and space utilization are still priorities, building owners and operators are searching for solutions to help make workspaces and common areas safe and useable, abiding by new health and safety guidelines. Security professionals are also searching for ways to leverage and augment their technology infrastructure to contribute to the overall safety of their facility, beyond the traditional capabilities of access control and surveillance.

A new Kansas emergency bill passed earlier this week includes the COVID-19 Contact Tracing Privacy Act, which aims to protect the privacy of persons whose information is collected through contact tracing and the confidentiality of contact data. 

A veto-proof majority of Minneapolis, Minn. City Council members announced their commitment to disband the city’s police department and invest in community-led public safety measures, according to a report by The Appeal. 

In a Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 report filed with Congress last week, the White House says the number of cybersecurity incidents recorded at US federal agencies in 2019 went down by 8 percent.

There has been a 400 percent increase in attempted hacks since February 2020 coinciding with a period when the maritime industry turned to greater use of technology and working from home due to the Coronavirus pandemic, according to Israeli cybersecurity specialist Naval Dome. 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Neil Chatterjee announced the selection of Mittal Desai to serve as the Commission’s Chief Information Officer, effective June 7, 2020. Desai currently is a Senior Advisor and Risk Analyst in FERC’s Office of the Executive Director.