How is your security? The following checklist illustrates the necessary aspects of security that must be addressed for a secure environment. Comply with and support your company’s safety and security program and regulations, and insist that others do the same. Protect wallets, keys, purses, and other personal valuables on the job. This especially includes smartphones and tablets. Challenge strangers in …
In this day and age, sometimes it is difficult to discern truth from fiction. Greg Baker is an expert in the area of cyber terrorism and a leader in developing public/private relationships that work. In the later years of his career with the FBI, he was the face of InfraGard North Carolina. InfraGard is an information sharing and analysis effort …
I have been the security expert in over 400 lawsuits alleging inadequate or negligent security. Many of those cases happened at night and, in most, the plaintiff alleged that the light was not adequate. Since lighting is one of the few security areas in which written standards exist, it is absolutely essential that your building entrances, pedestrian areas, or parking …
I have been in this business for over 30 years, and I am still surprised sometimes at what we find when we are asked to perform an assessment of a security system. The picture is a great example of what not to do, however there are companies out there that continue to install systems this way. I am not exactly …
For companies that advertise nationwide records checks, are you getting a house of bricks or a house of cards? Do you remember that scene from My Cousin Vinny when Vinny talks about the prosecution’s case, bricks, and playing cards? “The DA’s going to build a case. Building a case is like building a house. Each piece of evidence is just …
So often in our modern technical world, we overlook the basic means of securing most assets: the lock and key. Good key control is imperative for excellent security. At this point, many of you may be saying to yourselves, “I cannot possibly get control of my facility’s keys when no one has had control of them for years.” This is …
What are the hidden costs of security problems? On Wednesday, April 10, 2013, staff members at the Louvre in Paris staged a protest, and the museum did not open. (Read the full story from the BBC here.) They were not protesting about wages, benefits, or hours. They were protesting about a security problem. Pickpockets are apparently a huge problem at …
Identity theft is talked about constantly, and when it happens to someone, their response is normally “I don’t know how this happened to me”. Sometimes it is just too easy. On a recent business trip – to a security conference no less – as we walked into a restaurant for breakfast we passed an empty booth with no one close …
On January 22, 2013, gunshots were heard on the North Harris campus of Lone Star College System. It was later learned that an altercation between two individuals (one of whom may have been a student) had escalated to gun violence. The shooters were injured along with an innocent bystander. Incidents such as this immediately bring to mind topics such as …
In an ideal world, our schools, colleges, and universities would be immune from the threats and challenges that affect other businesses and institutions. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world. Academic institutions are cross-sections of society and bear the same responsibilities for the safety and security of their populations and infrastructure. This cross-section brings with it all the …