With the year drawing to a close, the busy season is in full swing for many organizations including retailers, travel agencies and schools. Additionally listed among this group are property management companies who often have the added seasonal duties of home/rental management for “snowbirds.” Tasks range from prevention services such as checking the vacant home for unwanted pests to arranging cleaning/repair services for winter residences. Continue reading →

A number of recent articles have put forth the proposition that the password as a security measure is dead. The reasons listed are many, including how easily they are forgotten, the password is weak or easily guessed and how quickly cyber criminals can get around them. Not mentioned in these articles but posing a similar challenge is the use of PINs or smart cards as security measures. Continue reading →

The role of the security professional has changed considerably over the past decade, with more focus on both mitigating threats and attacks as well as on the business needs of the organization. An added wrinkle to this expanded role is the threat from inside the organization from rogue/former employees, unscrupulous contractors who have authorized access and even unintentional security breaches by well-meaning or careless staff. These threats from within are often the most costly and dangerous.  Continue reading →

According to Cisco, 39 percent of IT professionals report encountering an employee accessing unauthorized areas of a company network or facility. These and other disturbing statistics regarding physical and logical security are having an impact on how organizations are protecting valuable data. Continue reading →

Key control and management systems have proven to be an invaluable component in a comprehensive physical security operation. Following are a few fast facts that help show how. Continue reading →

High security, high-risk events such as this summer’s political conventions in the US require special planning that involves risk assessment, crowd management, staffing, communication, emergency response procedures and so on. To maintain the highest levels of on-site security, among other measures, guard services are equipped with mobile technology for faster evaluations and response; K-9 units patrol the grounds sniffing for bombs; and integrated security and surveillance operations are controlled from a centralized platform for better situational awareness. Continue reading →

The most recent run of physical security industry trade shows, both domestic and international, certainly impressed with the overwhelming number of advanced technology solutions that were displayed. One of the most interesting and exciting developments though is the expansion of product/technology training from classroom or web-based learning to include learning experiences through features that are embedded in the product. Studies indicate this type of learning can improve retention and help ensure product satisfaction. Continue reading →

Physical security is an evolving market with a consistent need for high-performance, cost-effective, unified solutions that help ensure a safe and secure environment. In particular, advanced key register systems address those needs with a full range of choices and capabilities that make these systems even more secure and more useful for today’s security needs. Continue reading →

Good ergonomic design takes into account the interaction between a device and the individual who uses it. All around us are products that have been ergonomically designed for our comfort – remote controls, coffee pots, keyboards, office chairs and so on. Continue reading →

One of the most regulated areas of any gaming facility’s physical security is the management and control of physical keys, which are used for access to all the most sensitive and highly secured areas of the casino, including counting rooms and drop boxes. By maintaining tight control of keys with sophisticated key inventory systems, casinos, poker rooms and other gaming operations can better comply with the various regulations and minimize incidents of loss and fraud. Continue reading →