What can you afford NOT to do on IT security? - Network World

What can you afford NOT to do on IT security? - Network World: "Even in an economy gone sour, a growing number of government and industry regulations impose security compliance costs that there is simply no getting away from. For instance, new data-protection laws in states such as Massachusetts, Connecticut and Nevada require companies to use data encryption tools and implement other security controls to safeguard the personal information of state residents.
Similarly, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, created by the major credit card companies, requires all businesses that accept credit and debit transactions to adopt a broad set of data protection controls. And the federal HIPAA law includes data security and privacy rules for health care providers in order to protect patient information."

Retired Marine, State Trooper Missing In Idaho - Boston News Story - WCVB Boston - Memorial Service

Ronald Gray Memorial Service - A Celebration of Ron's Life will be held on September 26th. Information regarding the memorial services and hotel arrangements can be found on http://www.findrongray.com/?p=92#more-92

Retired Marine, State Trooper Missing In Idaho - Boston News Story - WCVB Boston: "BOSTON -- Relatives fear officials aren't doing enough to find a war and state police veteran who disappeared during a hunting trip in Idaho.

Ronald Gray, of North Brookfield, disappeared 12 days ago while on a hunting trip in the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho."

....it isn't unusual for me not to hear from Ronnie for a couple of months, but today I said to myself, why haven't I heard from Ronnie. I tried calling his cell phone, but it was disconnected. I said this can't be good, I called the home phone and left a message. I then called ret. Sgt Bobby Anderson down in Florida and he confirmed my sinking feeling that I had, that something had happened. Ronnie has been missing and last seen on 9-19-08 in Idaho and no one knows anything. This is a very, very sad day. 12-17-08 Lv

FBI CIO - Chad Fulgham

For Immediate ReleaseDecember 8, 2008

http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel08/fulgham120808.htm
Washington D.C.FBI National Press Office(202) 324-3691
Chad Fulgham Named Chief Information Officer
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III today announced the appointment of Chad Fulgham as the Bureau’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), responsible for directing the organization’s overall information technology (IT) efforts.
“In today’s global environment, information technology remains key to how the FBI conducts its business—capturing information that can be instantly retrieved and shared as we build our investigations, providing the means to collaborate across distances, and keeping our information secure,” Mueller said, noting that Fulgham’s extensive experience working with multi-national corporations and cutting edge technology fit well with the Bureau’s IT needs.
Before being hired by the FBI, Fulgham worked in the Information Technology Division of Lehman Brothers, where he served as a senior vice president in various capacities over the past four years. In addition to being credited with the transformation of much of its technological infrastructure, he was responsible for performing organizational needs assessments, developing policy and instituting IT strategies, managing budgets, directing products and services selection, and overseeing technology operations. He will have many of the same responsibilities at the FBI.
Previously, he carried out many aspects of computer security and information risk management for IBM, JPMorgan Chase, and Arthur Andersen. He is a member of three Microsoft Advisory Boards and serves on the Financial Services Industry Advisory Boards for both AT&T and Verizon.
A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Fulgham spent five years in the Navy where he also worked with information security, network management, and communications, ending his tour of duty at Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.Fulgham replaces Zal Azmi, who left the FBI last October to enter private industry.

City gets 'crime-detecting' CCTV

City gets 'crime-detecting' CCTV: "Anti-social behaviour has become a familiar site in some towns and cities across the country. Anti-social behaviour has become a familiar site in some towns and cities across the country."


What technology is deployed in NYC and DC?
What are the 7 cities in the US that are deploying this technology?
The last I heard this technology existed in a lab at a University in CA, looking for a funding source to launch it into the commercial marketplace. IBM is close but no news has been released on just where they are deployed....unless they finally got Chicago to launch it.

Taj Mahal Hotel - India November 27, 2008

It was August of 2001 when I traveled to Mumbai and stayed at the lovely Taj Mahal Hotel. The terrorist attacks of November 2008 serve as a reminder that it is critical to remain vigilant with our efforts to secure our nations infrastructure, our homeland, our citizens. Trust but VERIFY... is the motto I now live by. I ate at the Golden Dragon and drank at the Harbour Bar. I recall arriving late in the evening into the grand lobby of the TAJ, a woman from behind the desk wisked me up to my room where she checked me in "in room". This I later learned was for my safety.


This story is told of a family that survived the attacks in Mumbai.... courage and heroism ring loudly from the experiences they share.


American freed at TAJ Mumbai narrates his story Subject: American Freed At TAJ (Mumbai) narrates his story Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 10:12:08 +0530 Heroes At The Taj Michael Pollack 12.01.08, 7:40 PM ET My story begins innocuously, with a dinner reservation in a world-class hotel. It ends 12 hours later after the Indian army freed us.
My point is not to sensationalize events. It is to express my gratitude and pay tribute to the staff of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, who sacrificed their lives so that we could survive. They, along with the Indian army, are the true heroes that emerged from this tragedy.

My wife, Anjali, and I were married in the Taj's Crystal Ballroom. Her parents were married there, too, and so were Shiv and Reshma, the couple with whom we had dinner plans. In fact, my wife and Reshma, both Bombay girls, grew up hanging out and partying the night away there and at the Oberoi Hotel, another terrorist target.
The four of us arrived at the Taj around 9:30 p.m. for dinner at the Golden Dragon, one of the better Chinese restaurants in Mumbai. We were a little early, and our table wasn't ready. So we walked next door to the Harbor Bar and had barely begun to enjoy our beers when the host told us our table was ready. We decided to stay and finish our drinks.
Thirty seconds later, we heard what sounded like a heavy tray smashing to the ground. This was followed by 20 or 30 similar sounds and then absolute silence. We crouched behind a table just feet away from what we now knew were gunmen. Terrorists had stormed the lobby and were firing indiscriminately.

We tried to break the glass window in front of us with a chair, but it wouldn't budge. The Harbour Bar's hostess, who had remained at her post, motioned to us that it was safe to make a run for the stairwell. She mentioned, in passing, that there was a dead body right outside in the corridor. We believe this courageous woman was murdered after we ran away. (We later learned that minutes after we climbed the stairs, terrorists came into the Harbour Bar, shot everyone who was there and executed those next door at the Golden Dragon. The staff there was equally brave, locking their patrons into a basement wine cellar to protect them. But the terrorists managed to break through and lob in grenades that killed everyone in the basement.)

We took refuge in the small office of the kitchen of another restaurant, Wasabi, on the second floor. Its chef and staff served the four of us food and drink and even apologized for the inconvenience we were suffering.

Through text messaging, e-mail on BlackBerrys and a small TV in the office, we realized the full extent of the terrorist attack on Mumbai. We figured we were in a secure place for the moment. There was also no way out. At around 11:30 p.m., the kitchen went silent. We took a massive wooden table and pushed it up against the door, turned off all the lights and hid. All of the kitchen workers remained outside; not one staff member had run.

The terrorists repeatedly slammed against our door. We heard them ask the chef in Hindi if anyone was inside the office. He responded calmly: "No one is in there. It's empty." That is the second time the Taj staff saved our lives.

After about 20 minutes, other staff members escorted us down a corridor to an area called The Chambers, a members-only area of the hotel. There were about 250 people in six rooms. Inside, the staff was serving sandwiches and alcohol. People were nervous, but cautiously optimistic. We were told The Chambers was the safest place we could be because the army was now guarding its two entrances and the streets were still dangerous. There had been attacks at a major railway station and a hospital.
But then, a member of parliament phoned into a live newscast and let the world know that hundreds of people--including CEOs, foreigners and members of parliament--were "secure and safe in The Chambers together." Adding to the escalating tension and chaos was the fact that, via text and cellphone, we knew that the dome of the Taj was on fire and that it could move downward.

At around 2 a.m., the staff attempted an evacuation. We all lined up to head down a dark fire escape exit. But after five minutes, grenade blasts and automatic weapon fire pierced the air. A mad stampede ensued to get out of the stairwell and take cover back inside The Chambers.

After that near-miss, my wife and I decided we should hide in different rooms. While we hoped to be together at the end, our primary obligation was to our children. We wanted to keep one parent alive. Because I am American and my wife is Indian, and news reports said the terrorists were targeting U.S. and U.K. nationals, I believed I would further endanger her life if we were together in a hostage situation.

So when we ran back to The Chambers I hid in a toilet stall with a floor-to-ceiling door and my wife stayed with our friends, who fled to a large room across the hall.
For the next seven hours, I lay in the fetal position, keeping in touch with Anjali via BlackBerry. I was joined in the stall by Joe, a Nigerian national with a U.S. green card. I managed to get in touch with the FBI, and several agents gave me status updates throughout the night.

I cannot even begin to explain the level of adrenaline running through my system at this point. It was this hyper-aware state where every sound, every smell, every piece of information was ultra-acute, analyzed and processed so that we could make the best decisions and maximize the odds of survival.

Was the fire above us life-threatening? What floor was it on? Were the commandos near us, or were they terrorists? Why is it so quiet? Did the commandos survive? If the terrorists come into the bathroom and to the door, when they fire in, how can I make my body as small as possible? If Joe gets killed before me in this situation, how can I throw his body on mine to barricade the door? If the Indian commandos liberate the rest in the other room, how will they know where I am? Do the terrorists have suicide vests? Will the roof stand? How can I make sure the FBI knows where Anjali and I are? When is it safe to stand up and attempt to urinate?

Meanwhile, Anjali and the others were across the corridor in a mass of people lying on the floor and clinging to each other. People barely moved for seven hours, and for the last three hours they felt it was too unsafe to even text. While I was tucked behind a couple walls of marble and granite in my toilet stall, she was feet from bullets flying back and forth. After our failed evacuation, most of the people in the fire escape stairwell and many staff members who attempted to protect the guests were shot and killed.

The 10 minutes around 2:30 a.m. were the most frightening. Rather than the back-and-forth of gunfire, we just heard single, punctuated shots. We later learned that the terrorists went along a different corridor of The Chambers, room by room, and systematically executed everyone: women, elderly, Muslims, Hindus, foreigners. A group huddled next to Anjali was devout Bori Muslims who would have been slaughtered just like everyone else, had the terrorists gone into their room. Everyone was in deep prayer and most, Anjali included, had accepted that their lives were likely over. It was terrorism in its purest form. No one was spared.

The next five hours were filled with the sounds of an intense grenade/gun battle between the Indian commandos and the terrorists. It was fought in darkness; each side was trying to outflank the other. By the time dawn broke, the commandos had successfully secured our corridor. A young commando led out the people packed into Anjali's room. When one woman asked whether it was safe to leave, the commando replied: "Don't worry, you have nothing to fear. The first bullets have to go through me." The corridor was laced with broken glass and bullet casings. Every table was turned over or destroyed. The ceilings and walls were littered with hundreds of bullet holes. Blood stains were everywhere, though, fortunately, there were no dead bodies to be seen.

A few minutes after Anjali had vacated, Joe and I peeked out of our stall. We saw multiple commandos and smiled widely. I had lost my right shoe while sprinting to the toilet so I grabbed a sheet from the floor, wrapped it around my foot and proceeded to walk over the debris to the hotel lobby.

Anjali and I embraced for the first time in seven hours in the Taj's ground floor entrance. I didn't know whether she was dead or injured because we hadn't been able to text for the past three hours. I wanted to take a picture of us on my BlackBerry, but Anjali wanted us to get out of there before doing anything. She was right--our ordeal wasn't completely over. A large bus pulled up in front of the Taj to collect us and, just about as it was fully loaded, gunfire erupted again. The terrorists were still alive and firing automatic weapons at the bus. Anjali was the last to get on the bus, and she eventually escaped in our friend's car. I ducked under some concrete barriers for cover and wound up the subject of photos that were later splashed across the media. Shortly thereafter, an ambulance came and drove a few of us to safety. An hour later, Anjali and I were again reunited at her parents' home. Our Thanksgiving had just gained a lot more meaning.
Some may say our survival was due to random luck, others might credit divine intervention. But 72 hours removed from these events, I can assure you only one thing: Far fewer people would have survived if it weren't for the extreme selflessness shown by the Taj staff, who organized us, catered to us and then, in the end, literally died for us.
They complemented the extreme bravery and courage of the Indian commandos, who, in a pitch-black setting and unfamiliar, tightly packed terrain, valiantly held the terrorists at bay.

It is also amazing that, out of our entire group, not one person screamed or panicked. There was an eerie but quiet calm that pervaded--one more thing that got us all out alive. Even people in adjacent rooms, who were being executed, kept silent. It is much easier to destroy than to build, yet somehow humanity has managed to build far more than it has ever destroyed. Likewise, in a period of crisis, it is much easier to find faults and failings rather than to celebrate the good deeds. It is now time to commemorate our heroes. Michael Pollack is a general partner of Glenhill Capital, a firm he co-founded in 2001

Wal-Mart Assailed on Death - WSJ.com

Wal-Mart Assailed on Death - WSJ.com: "Wal-Mart Stores Inc. should have had better crowd control to prevent the death of a worker who was trampled the day after Thanksgiving amid the bargain-hunting frenzy whipped up by the sales known as door-busters, according to local police and a lawyer for the worker's family."

NYPD to Upgrade 911 System: Top News Stories at Officer.com

NYPD to Upgrade 911 System: Top News Stories at Officer.com: "The city plans to upgrade its 911 system after a six-year, multimillion-dollar delay.
The NYPD recently signed a $73 million contract with Alabama-based Intergraph Corp. for a state-of-the-art emergency dispatch system that can instantly compile location and caller histories, create maps, and locate the appropriate units to respond.
'It integrates everything available and sends it straight to the dispatchers in a much more user-friendly way,' said NYPD Deputy Chief Charles Dowd, commander of the communications division. 'It's automatic. It's faster.'"

What The Data Miners Are Digging Up About You

ABC News: What The Data Miners Are Digging Up About You: "In today's technological world we leave electronic traces wherever we go, whether shopping online or on the high street, at work or at play. That data is the raw material for a new industry of number crunchers trying to explain and influence human behaviour, as Stephen Baker explains in his new book The Numerati."

BBC NEWS | South Asia | India considers anti-terror body

BBC NEWS South Asia India considers anti-terror body: "Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has opened cross-party talks on setting up a federal agency of investigation after the Mumbai attacks.Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has opened cross-party talks on setting up a federal agency of investigation after the Mumbai attacks."

2 AMERICANS KILLED IN MUMBAI ATTACKS - New York Post

2 AMERICANS KILLED IN MUMBAI ATTACKS - New York Post: "FABER, Va. - A meditation group in Virginia says a father and his 13-year-old daughter were killed in Mumbai's terrorist attacks. The Synchronicity Foundation says four more of its members on a trip to India were also injured when Islamic terrorists attacked a cafe in the Indian port city Wednesday night. Spokeswoman Bobbie Garvey says 58-year-old Alan Scherr and his daughter Naomi were identified by colleagues. The U.S. State Department has not yet confirmed any deaths of American victims, but colleagues and family members have given reports about some of the injured and missing.
Two Tennessee women were among the four people injured from the Synchronicity Foundation, which studies holistic meditation."

Early Departures at the Bureau

Early Departures at the Bureau: "Joseph Demarest and Joe Billy. Demarest headed the New York office’s counter-terrorism division, one of the Bureau’s most vital jobs. He oversaw top secret investigations and ran the Joint Terrorist Task Force [JTTF] of 350 or so FBI agents and NYPD detectives."

InfraGard National Members Alliance

Laurie Venditti is appointed to the National Board of InfraGard Members Alliance as VP of Regional Communications.

InfraGard began as a collaborative effort 1996 between the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Cleveland Field Office and SMEs from local industry and academia. This effort was designed to harness private sector expertise for investigative efforts in the cyber and physical security arenas. Due to its immediate success, the program quickly expanded to other FBI Field Offices – leading the FBI to assign national program responsibility of InfraGard to FBI Headquarters in Washington DC and local program responsibility to each of the FBI’s 56 field offices. In 2003, the private sector members of InfraGard formed the “InfraGard National Members Alliance” (INMA).

The InfraGard National Members Alliance’s (INMA) mission is to provide a trusted forum for the exchange of knowledge, experience and information related to the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure from both physical and cyber threats. The INMA is a non-profit Delaware LLC with 501(c)3 status. The INMA LLC is comprised of 86 separate 501(c)3 InfraGard Member Alliances (IMAs) that represent over 26,000 InfraGard Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) nationwide. A Board of Directors comprised of the following Directors and Officers serve as the leadership of the INMA.

InfraGard Members: "Welcome and congratulations for taking the first step to building a safer and more secure Country by joining a tremendous organization with over 26,000 members in 86 chapters, representing all 18 sectors of our Nation’s critical infrastructures. These are selfless men and women who choose to volunteer their time, their knowledge, and their experience to make a difference through collaboration, the sharing of best practices and building relationship based on trust to protect critical infrastructure from physical and cyber threats. If you are already a member, thank you! If not, what are you waiting for?

Dr. Kathleen L. Kiernan
Chairman of the Board
InfraGard National Members Alliance"

InfraGard Members - INFRAGARD NATIONAL MEMBERS ALLIANCE AND iKEEP SAFE ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF A PARENT RESOURCE CD TO HELP ALL PARENTS TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM ONLINE THREATS - Articles

InfraGard Members - INFRAGARD NATIONAL MEMBERS ALLIANCE AND iKEEP SAFE ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF A PARENT RESOURCE CD TO HELP ALL PARENTS TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM ONLINE THREATS - Articles: "(Washington, DC) – In recognition of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA) and the Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKSC) announced today the creation of a Parent Resource CD to help parents keep their children safe from the growing threat of Internet predators. The CD will be released by the end of November.

The CD includes a message from the FBI encouraging parents to take action to protect their children on the Internet. A tutorial for parents walks them through the steps to ensure that their children are protected from dangerous sites and that home computers are secured by safety measures such as firewalls."

Investigating Terrorism Tips Video - CBSNews.com

Investigating Terrorism Tips Video - CBSNews.com: "New York's Joint Terrorism Task Force, JTTF, is a highly secretive facility where officers investigate tips on terrorism daily. Bob Orr interviews Tom Nicpon FBI ASAC NYC Field Office.
June 20, 2008"

Tracking Terror Video - CBSNews.com

Tracking Terror Video - CBSNews.com: "Tracking Terror
Only On The Web: David Martin spoke to NCTC Director Admiral Scott Redd about the U.S. government's antiterrorism apparatus and how it deals with potential threats.
September 6, 2006"

Searching For Terrorists Video - CBSNews.com

Searching For Terrorists Video - CBSNews.com: "Searching For Terrorists
As al Qaeda strengthens, FBI officials are looking for any clues that might tip off a possible attack against the U.S. during the summer months. Bob Orr has the story.
July 13, 2007"

Target Targets Criminals Video - CBSNews.com

Target Targets Criminals Video - CBSNews.com: "Target Targets Criminals
The U.S. retail company Target has turned to the forensics field, a la 'CSI.' As Priya David reports, Target's security division has aided the FBI and other officials with solving gruesome crimes.
October 5, 2008"

The Associated Press: US cracks down on Islamic charity

The Associated Press: US cracks down on Islamic charity: "WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration acted Wednesday against an Islamic charity suspected of helping to bankroll Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that the United States considers an international terrorist organization.
The Treasury Department's action against the Union of Good means that any bank accounts or other financial assets belonging to the charity found in the United States will be frozen. Americans also are barred from making donations to the group, which the U.S. government alleged was created by leaders of Hamas to transfer money to Hamas.
'Terrorist groups such as Hamas continue to exploit charities to radicalize vulnerable communities and cultivate support for their violent activities,' said Stuart Levey, the Treasury Department's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence."

Obama Team Faces Major Task in Justice Dept. Overhaul - washingtonpost.com

Obama Team Faces Major Task in Justice Dept. Overhaul - washingtonpost.com
Obama Team Faces Major Task in Justice Dept. OverhaulGoal Is to Restore Confidence in Law Enforcement Actions
By Carrie Johnson Washington Post Thursday, November 13, 2008; A02
As a transition team for the Obama administration begins work on a Justice Department overhaul, the key question is where to begin… Although retired federal judge Michael B. Mukasey, who took charge of the department in the winter, has drawn praise for limiting contacts between White House officials and prosecutors, and for firmly rejecting the role of politics in law enforcement, restoring public confidence in the department's law enforcement actions will be central, lawmakers and former government officials say… Topping the list of concerns is the Office of Legal Counsel, a once-obscure operation whose advice guides some of the government's most sensitive and controversial policies, from domestic wiretapping to the appropriateness of handing out public funding to religious groups… David Ogden, a chief of the department's civil division in the Clinton years, will lead the transition effort. Thomas J. Perrelli, who was a counselor to Attorney General Janet Reno and a classmate of Obama's at Harvard Law School , will serve as a deputy

Top Two Officials In U.S. Intelligence Expect to Lose Jobs - washingtonpost.com

Top Two Officials In U.S. Intelligence Expect to Lose Jobs - washingtonpost.com: "The nation's top two intelligence officers expect to be replaced by President-elect Barack Obama early in his administration, according to senior intelligence officials." A number of influential congressional Democrats oppose keeping Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell and CIA Director Michael V. Hayden in their posts because both have publicly supported controversial Bush administration policies on interrogation and telephone surveillance. One Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee said there is a "consensus" view on the matter.

Big Brother's new software - Network World

Big Brother's new software - Network World: "Any way you look at it, video surveillance technology is becoming more sophisticated.
A recent report by ABI Research projects that revenue generated from surveillance software will more than triple from $245 million this year to $900 million-plus in 2013. Technological breakthroughs have added several more capabilities to surveillance cameras in recent years, from face-recognition software to cameras designed to mesh with radio-frequency identification tags. Added to this, ABI Vice President and Research Director Stan Schatt says that the advent of Wi-Fi has made it possible to place wireless cameras just about anywhere while still being able to send footage back to a central location."

We're Watching, How Chicago Authorities Keep An Eye On The City - CBS News

9-2006
We're Watching, How Chicago Authorities Keep An Eye On The City - CBS News: "Chicago has had a head start over most cities – in 1995, Mayor Daley had a vision of putting police, fire and emergency responders into one building. The project cost $217 million.

'I said, just build me something that we know is gonna last. And, basically technology would change. It was controversial. Someone said it was a waste of money,' Daley says. 'And unfortunately, when 9/11 came, 'You're a genius.''

It is considered state of the art. But there are still large holes in this 'virtual shield.'"

STRIKE ON VERIZON HORIZON - New York Post

STRIKE ON VERIZON HORIZON - New York Post: "Thousands of Verizon workers took to the streets yesterday as a warning shot to company officials ahead of a threatened strike that would cause major disruptions along the East Coast.
About 5,000 employees of the communications giant rallied outside the company's Financial District headquarters - demanding a contract that protects their current health-care benefits and union jobs.
About 65,000 technicians, operators and sales reps could walk off the job as early as Aug. 3."

TERROR THREAT IS IN THE CARDS - New York Post

TERROR THREAT IS IN THE CARDS - New York Post: "NYPD detectives are investigating a chilling new terror threat - a series of cards from a 'New York Jihad' that look like birthday-party invitations but warn of bombs in lower Manhattan this summer, The Post has learned.
The cards were mailed last week to the homes of seven city residents, including former Fox News television producer Kelley Vick and a person in the 26th Police Precinct, which covers West Harlem, according to Vick and police sources."

A New Fashion Catches On in Paris - Cheap Bicycle Rentals - NYTimes.com

A New Fashion Catches On in Paris - Cheap Bicycle Rentals - NYTimes.com: "About 20,600 Vélib’ bicycles are in service here, with more than 1,450 self-service rental stations. The stations are only some 300 yards apart, and there are four times as many as there are subway stations, even in a city so well served by its metro system."

MSU Researcher Creates System Matching Tattoos to Suspects: Top News Stories at Officer.com

MSU Researcher Creates System Matching Tattoos to Suspects: Top News Stories at Officer.com: "A Michigan State University researcher has created an automatic image retrieval system, whereby law enforcement agencies will be able to match scars, marks and tattoos to identify suspects and victims (see also Michigan State University)."

ACLU files lawsuit to challenge surveillance law - Network World

ACLU files lawsuit to challenge surveillance law - Network World: "The new law, approved by the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, allows the U.S. National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies to conduct surveillance of a wide range of people 'reasonably believed' to be outside the U.S. The law also will likely require a U.S. court to dismiss more than 40 lawsuits that have been filed against telecommunication carriers that allegedly participated in the NSA program before there was court oversight of the surveillance.
The FISA Amendments Act still allows broad, untargeted surveillance, including spying on U.S. residents who are talking with people overseas, said Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU National Security Project."

CCTV camera identifies people by race - Network World

CCTV camera identifies people by race - Network World: "Males, 25, a mechanical engineer who recently graduated with a master's degree from London's Royal College of Art, wrote the software for a camera that determines a person's race."

Is public CCTV effective? @ The Latest for Security Executives SecurityInfoWatch.com

http://www.securityinfowatch.com/online/The-Latest-for-Security-Executives/Is-public-CCTV-effective/16559SIW305: "While we continue to spend more on public CCTV systems, the debate on CCTV effectiveness has reached a polarizing and inconclusive standoff. On the one side, you have a number of studies and leading thinkers who cleary contend that CCTV systems are ineffective. On the other, you have numerous municipalities who are weekly green-lighting new CCTV projects."

Salute the Sky - Fly Over Tributes

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80924c91
Friday, July 4, 2008 11:08 AM
In honor of Independence Day, NFL Films takes a look at the always exciting pregame flyby.

A suburban housewife's 911 Call to Action - Shannen Rossmiller

Rossmiller developed her remarkable talent for chatting up terrorists after September 11, when she started going into online forums and cajoling valuable information from other visitors. She has passed along numerous case files to federal authorities. Her information has led US forces abroad to locate Taliban cells in Afghanistan, discover a renegade stinger-missile merchant in Pakistan, and help another foreign government identify a ring of potential suicide bombers. She has also assisted in nabbing two domestic would-be terrorists and seen them both convicted of felonies: National guardsman Ryan Anderson received five concurrent life sentences, and Michael Reynolds, convicted in July and awaiting sentencing, faces a similar fate. Timothy Fuhrman, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City office, says Rossmiller was “instrumental in the successful outcome of those cases.”http://sfcmac.wordpress.com/2007/10/30/one-of-the-best-counter-terrorist-agents-is-a-suburban-housewife/

Crime analyst helps find patterns of criminals to prevent violence

Two charts related to gang violence and a poster with common gang markings cover the slate-colored walls of one of the offices at the Oklahoma City Police Department
http://newsok.com/crime-analyst-helps-find-patterns-of-criminals-to-prevent-violence/article/3263409/

ioimage video analytics help reduce thefts by 75 percent at Chilean fish farms

ioimage video analytics help reduce thefts by 75 percent at Chilean fish farms
The second largest producer of farmed salmon after Norway, Chile experiences up to $2 million a year in theft of salmon and salmon eggs. With 28 salmon pools and a total perimeter of 8,000 square meters, Trusal runs one of the country’s major fish farms and was suffering significant losses from intruders, fishing boats and predators. ioimage has announced today that Trusal S.A. has implemented ioimage video analytics to protect its salmon pools in Puerto Montt from threats approaching from sea and land. Since installing ioimage’s video analytics, thefts have been reduced by 75 percent and manpower by 30 percent.Several logistical issues had to be taken into consideration in selecting an effective security system that would also minimize the incidence of false alarms. “The layout of the sprawling property makes a perimeter fence unfeasible,” said partner and installer Andres Dieterich, Project Manager of Technology & Systems. “The solution had to be capable of detecting intrusion by boats and unauthorized persons, while differentiating between marine predators and harmless small animals entering the perimeter.” Since surveillance was to be carried out over both land and sea, variable environmental factors such as precipitation and wind velocity needed to be addressed as well.“ioimage offered the only solution that could deal with all of these problems with a single installation,” said Dieterich. “It gives us a high level of security in a complex setting with an exceptionally low false alarm rate. Some salmon farms utilize radar technology, which is ineffective without video verification. The ioimage system has reduced the need for operator attention to a monitor, enabling security staff to attend to other functions. In addition, installation was easy and the service has been excellent.”

Dolmabahçe Palace Deploys Agent Vi’s Video Analytics Software to Protect Rare Artwork, Other Priceless Items

Dolmabahçe Palace Deploys Agent Vi’s Video Analytics Software to Protect Rare Artwork, Other Priceless Items: "Agent Vi’s video analytics software enables facilities such as the Dolmabahçe Palace to detect, track and analyze specific activities captured by video and allows security cameras to become active eyes that automatically report specific behaviors of interest, in real-time and with extreme accuracy. Deploying Agent Vi’s software on existing cameras, the Dolmabahçe Palace has added motion, non-motion, theft, and loitering detection capabilities to its security system. This installation of Agent Vi’s software on more than 100 cameras at the complex, marks the first commercial deployment of Agent Vi’s software on Axis Communications cameras, allowing unprecedented flexibility in setting up rules to best meet the Palace’s needs.

Cernium Continues Growth; Completes Move to Northern Virginia

Cernium Continues Growth; Completes Move to Northern Virginia: "Cernium develops intelligent video products for use in a variety of applications, including industrial, government and campus security. The company’s product suite includes Perceptrak®, a software application integrated with Milestone Systems’ XProtect™ Enterprise IP video management platform; Cernium High Density Analytics Server™ (HDAS), an analytics-only software solution for large-scale, enterprise-wide video surveillance installations; Cernium Edge™, advanced video analytics for digital signal processors; and ExitSentry®, the industry-leading airport exit lane monitoring solution. Cernium develops intelligent video products for use in a variety of applications, including industrial, government and campus security. The company’s product suite includes Perceptrak®, a software application integrated with Milestone Systems’ XProtect™ Enterprise IP video management platform; Cernium High Density Analytics Server™ (HDAS), an analytics-only software solution for large-scale, enterprise-wide video surveillance installations; Cernium Edge™, advanced video analytics for digital signal processors; and ExitSentry®, the industry-leading airport exit lane monitoring solution."

ioimage Intelligent Video Appliances Slash Crime Rate at Japanese Condominium Complex

ioimage Intelligent Video Appliances Slash Crime Rate at Japanese Condominium Complex: "The customer, which manages some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and hospitality-related businesses, selected the CIEFFE portfolio of interoperable encoders, standard resolution and megapixel cameras, video analytics and advanced video management software as the backbone of its phased security deployment. The initial implementation includes more than 160 IP cameras and integrated video management software. The solution was chosen for its exceptional video quality, and sophisticated video monitoring and event handling functionality, which meets the demanding performance requirements of the operator. Its flexible architecture enables future expansion and allows the customer to ultimately deploy an integrated IP video surveillance network across all of its properties worldwide. The customer, which manages some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and hospitality-related businesses, selected the CIEFFE portfolio of interoperable encoders, standard resolution and megapixel cameras, video analytics and advanced video management software as the backbone of its phased security deployment. The initial implementation includes more than 160 IP cameras and integrated video management software. The solution was chosen for its exceptional video quality, and sophisticated video monitoring and event handling functionality, which meets the demanding performance requirements of the operator. Its flexible architecture enables future expansion and allows the customer to ultimately deploy an integrated IP video surveillance network across all of its properties worldwide."

Watch This Space: Video Surveillance Software Revenue to Grow Fourfold by 2013

Watch This Space: Video Surveillance Software Revenue to Grow Fourfold by 2013: "A new study from the firm forecasts a nearly fourfold increase in revenue from video surveillance software between now and the end of 2013, rising from about $245 million to more than $900 million.

In fact, surveillance software has a myriad uses. The homeland security applications are self-evident, but it is also starting to be used in marketing, to identify customer's 'eyeball connections' with products and analyze their retail behavior. In a retail environment it can also analyze customer traffic patterns, helping to improve store layouts. ABI Research expects the retail market segment to grow exponentially. Casinos are also using it to keep staff from restricted areas."

BBC NEWS | UK | England | Hampshire | CCTV cameras 'taught to listen'

BBC NEWS UK England Hampshire CCTV cameras 'taught to listen': "Crimes would be captured on camera faster and response times improved."

Wireless outdoor surveillance camera, outdoor wireless security cameras

Wireless outdoor surveillance camera, outdoor wireless security cameras

PC World - Business Center: Web's Designer Praises Online Collaboration

PC World - Business Center: Web's Designer Praises Online Collaboration: "The challenge of the Web is to build a system that enables people to creatively solve problems that they couldn't solve on their own, said Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and director of the World Wide Web Consortium.
Speaking Wednesday at the 'Future of the Web Debate,' at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Tetherless World Research Constellation, Berners-Lee said one of the Web's key challenges is what he calls 'connective creativity.'"

DHS: Fact Sheet: Fiscal Year 2008 Preparedness Grants

DHS: Fact Sheet: Fiscal Year 2008 Preparedness Grants: "Release Date: February 1, 2008
In Fiscal Year 2008, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will award more than $3 billion in grants to states, territories, urban areas, and transportation authorities under 14 programs to bolster national preparedness capabilities and protect critical infrastructure. Fiscal year 2008 grant programs provide $376.3 million over last year to enhance the nation's ability to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. This includes the Department's two largest grant programs: the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) totaling $1.69 billion and the Infrastructure Protection Program (IPP) totaling $852.4 million."

Researchers Create Facial Recognition System Breakthrough

Researchers Create Facial Recognition System Breakthrough: "The Herald
via NewsEdge Corporation
January 29th, 2008 - Airport security checks could be transformed by enhancements in face recognition technology, being developed by Scottish researchers.
A team from Glasgow University have shown they can double the accuracy of computerised face recognition, by inputting an 'average image' of a face, created by combining a number of photographs."

Top Stories - Department of Homeland Security Goes Virtual With Training

Top Stories - Department of Homeland Security Goes Virtual With Training: "BRUNSWICK, GA -- Last year, more than 50,000 federal agents and police officers went to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, or FLETC, in Brunswick, Georgia, for training.

A part of that training now includes a state of the art simulation lab worth more than five million dollars.

The lab is made up of more than 40,000 square feet of ground breaking equipment."

Gavin White presents to Video Volunteers in NY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAPMkOoS_ZI

CIA: Cyberattack caused multiple-city blackout | Tech News on ZDNet

CIA: Cyberattack caused multiple-city blackout Tech News on ZDNet: "A cyberattack has caused a power blackout in multiple cities outside the United States, the CIA has warned.
The SANS Institute, a computer-security training body, reported the CIA's disclosure on Friday. CIA senior analyst Tom Donahue told a SANS Institute conference on Wednesday in New Orleans that the CIA had evidence of successful cyberattacks against critical national infrastructures outside the United States.
'We have information that cyberattacks have been used to disrupt power equipment in several regions outside the U.S.,' Donahue said. 'In at least one case, the disruption caused a power outage affecting multiple cities.'"

Energy’s zooming cybersecurity attack rate calls for management reforms auditors say

Energy’s zooming cybersecurity attack rate calls for management reforms auditors say: "Inspector General Gregory Friedman hopes to lock down security on the Energy Department's interconnected computer networks, after auditors called 132 security breaches serious enough to report to law enforcement in fiscal 2006 — 22 percent more than in the prior year.

The department's 69 organizations support as many as eight separate intrusion and analysis groups, which do not use a common incident-reporting format and do not always retain crucial information about cyberattacks, the IG said in a report released today. Some sites opt out of monitoring their networks or even disable the sensor equipment."

Fight over, all together now against terrorism - Las Vegas Sun

Fight over, all together now against terrorism - Las Vegas Sun: "With months of acrimony behind them, Gov. Jim Gibbons and local law enforcement officials are coming together this week to embrace a new cooperative approach to fighting terrorism on the home front."

DoCoMo Labs USA :: Communications :: Interview 2

DoCoMo Labs USA :: Communications :: Interview 2: "Serendipity and Signal Processing............. .. ............ .............. .............. Aesthetic Scientist interview with Sean Ramprashad, Ph.D., Senior Research Engineer, Media Lab, DoCoMo USA Labs"

Wireless Meltdown - Government Technology

Wireless Meltdown - Government Technology: "When Philadelphia announced its ambitious 'Digital Inclusion' plan for a citywide municipal Wi-Fi program in 2005, cities across the country took notice. Philadelphia was planning to become the first metropolitan city with a citywide Wi-Fi network covering 135 square miles. It claimed the network would benefit citizens, business, schools and community organizations."

Westchester County, N.Y., Named One of World's Most Intelligent Communities - Government Technology

Westchester County, N.Y., Named One of World's Most Intelligent Communities - Government Technology: "Westchester County, N.Y., has been named one of the Top Seven Intelligent Communities of the Year by The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), a non-profit international think tank that focuses on job creation and economic development in the broadband economy."

Columbia-based Islamic charity faces new terrorism charges

Columbia-based Islamic charity faces new terrorism charges: "A federal grand jury returned new terrorism-related charges today against members of a former Columbia-based Islamic charity, including a former U.S. congressman from Michigan."

More public cameras seen as way to focus on criminals -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

More public cameras seen as way to focus on criminals -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com: "Across South Florida, cities see high-tech surveillance cameras as the next big crime-fighting tool."

City of Cameras - WPTV NewsChannel 5

City of Cameras - WPTV NewsChannel 5: "Police surveillance cameras could be coming to your West Palm Beach neighborhood, that’s if you’d like to buy one. It’s part of a program called, “City-Cam.”"

DHS | Enforcement News

DHS Enforcement News: "Coast Guard Intercepts, Repatriates 30 Cuban, 34 Haitian Migrants
December 29, 2007 (Miami) - The crew of the Coast Guard CutterPea Island repatriated 30 Cuban migrants to Bahia de Cubanãs, Cuba, and the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Venturous repatriated 34 Haitian migrants to Port au Prince, Haiti, subsequent to three separate at-sea interdictions. More at USCG.mil"

Welcome to Security Director News

Welcome to Security Director News: "BALTIMORE—Petards, a surveillance system developer, last week announced that its parent company, Petards Group plc, sold its U.K. Government and Commercial software business including the company’s Universal Video Management System to BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies for $5 million."

The Moment We Soar Like An Eagle

Dear Laurie,
The votes are in, and we are proud to congratulate you for your outstanding literary achievement. The editors of The International Library of Poetry were thrilled to inform you that your poem was honored with the prestigious Editor’s Choice Award because of your artistic accomplishments and unique perspective--characteristics found in the most noteworthy poetic works. http://www.poetry.com/
http://www.poetry.com/Publications/display.asp?ID=P5573478&BN=999&PN=1