Industry News November 2005
A German electronic purse system employs chips on cash cards to complete monetary transactions and supports a variety of other applications. The GeldKarte can carry up to 200 euros and can be used for payments in some vending machines, at parking lot ticket machines, for public transportation, and over the Internet.
An age verification feature for protecting minors—in online and offline applications—is a special feature of the card. Plug-and-play smart card readers that can be connected to home PCs using the USB port make age verification at home possible.
Initiative GeldKarte e.V. is a network of organizations that accept the GeldKarte as payment or provide its infrastructure. The program is managed by the German banking industry. OMNIKEY GmbH, part of the ASSA ABLOY Identification Technology Group, is one of the founding members of the association. Other sponsors include EURO Kartensysteme GmbH, fun communications GmbH, and Reiner Kartengeräte GmbH & Co. KG.
PARTNERSHIPS AND DEALS
Computrace anti-theft technology from Absolute Software is enhancing the security of notebook computers from Gateway, Inc.
AlphaPoint LLC is providing digital video security and surveillance solutions for the L’Auberge du Lac Hotel & Casino, which is owned by Pinnacle Entertainment.
Audio-based communication from Avaya is being integrated with e-mail, Web conferencing, and instant messaging offerings from IBM.
BroadWare and Bak-Bone are cooperating to create software that provides rapid, disk-based recovery of archived video surveillance footage.
C.A.S.S. Inc. has formed a strategic partnership with ProtectPoint Security, Inc., to mitigate client network security risks.
Compliance 360 is providing its compliance management software to Duke University Hospital.
Brazos Higher Education Service Corporation is using the compliance and contracts management platform from Compliance 360.
Daticon, Inc., will integrate a Web-based document review and case management system from Lextranet into its data discovery services.
Catholic Health System is deploying the compliance system from Elemental Security to secure its networks and to help comply with HIPAA.
Entrust, Inc., is providing its Web single-sign-on to Siemens AG.
Intellitactics and Covelight Systems have joined forces to guard against insider threats to sensitive data.
The Universal Video Management System from PI Vision now supports IQinVision’s IQeye product lines.
IXEurope has won a contract with Global Equities to provide business continuity to its trading network.
OneSystems Technologies Pte Ltd. chose a systems integration platform from MDI Security Systems as the backbone for protecting Singapore’s 2005 National Day Parade.
MEGA International has been awarded a contract for software, training, and consulting for business modeling from ORBIMAGE.
Using video surveillance from Milestone, Transus Intermodal is protecting its business in 12 U.S. locations. The systems were implemented by Incom Interactive Surveillance.
North American Video has won the contract to expand video surveillance and the security system at Tulalip Casino.
Pacom Systems and ISys Corporation are replacing and expanding the security card access system for U.S. Bank.
Rapiscan Systems will deploy inspection solutions at the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
The Reflex IPS from Reflex Security, Inc., has been selected by Gilbarco to protect its network.
TheStreet.com has chosen Teros to provide protection for customer information.
Trustgenex and Entrust are integrating their products to provide security for digital identities that are made portable across organizations by federation.
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
Broward County Emergency Management personnel are using the BlackBerry 7510 to complete reports and communicate in emergency situations.
Queens Library (New York) has installed a BlueSecure 5000 Controller from Bluesocket to provide secure wireless access to more than 14 million visitors in 63 locations.
BroadWare Technologies, Inc., has implemented a 100-camera wireless video surveillance system at Long Beach Airport.
BSI2000, Inc., has received a follow-on order for its Aqua2000 security system to be installed at the J.G. Beacham Water Treatment Plant for the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County.
Cornet Technology, Inc., encoders and decoders are being used in an intelligent transportation system in St. Louis by the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Covenant Aviation Security and Lockheed Martin have each been awarded a Basic Ordering Agreement so they can participate in the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Screening Partnership Program.
Dedicated Micros provided two RAID high-capacity systems to the Tayside Police in support of the G8 summit in Perthshire, Scotland.
Secur-i-T s.a. has installed the ZX20 ballistic camera from Extreme CCTV for airport surveillance at Haiti’s Aéroport International Toussaint Louverture.
The TSA has put two GE EntryScan3 explosives detectors into service at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department has implemented the IWS Law Enforcement solution from ImageWare Systems for organizing and accessing booking data.
The SAFEnet Open Systems Integration Platform from MDI Security Systems has been selected by Hummingbird Defense Systems for an airport checkpoint security technology pilot program promoted by the TSA.
New Age Security Solutions has completed a pilot training program on identifying suspicious behavior for transit workers in New York City.
Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract to oversee network and systems security for the U.S. Department of State.
RELM Wireless Corporation has won a contract to provide two-way portable radios to the U.S. Postal Service.
Saffron Technology has a three-year research and development contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. The company will partner with Factiva to improve access to intelligence information.
Smiths Detection has announced that the TSA has successfully tested its Sentinel II and it will be deployed at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Stanley Security Solutions has a new contract with NASA to provide access and security solutions for various U.S. facilities.
The State of Louisiana Criminal Justice System has deployed an intrusion prevention system from Tipping-Point. The system averted a serious security breach shortly after it was operational.
The Arapahoe Park and Recreation District (Colorado) is using Zebra card printers to create photo ID cards for residents and staff.
MARKETING AGREEMENTS
Codebench, Inc., has signed an exclusive representation agreement with Hub Info Tech Co. Ltd., who will market Codebench’s services in the Asia Pacific region.
CUNA Strategic Services, Inc., and Diebold, Incorporated, have entered into an exclusive agreement to jointly market RiskWatch for Financial Institutions.
Under a new agreement with Decru, EMC Corporation will resell Decru DataFort security appliances worldwide as part of its EMC Select Program.
ASG will market Ecora change and configuration management software as ASGEcora Enterprise Auditor and ASG-Ecora Patch Manager.
Access Distribution will offer Entrust security solutions to authorized value-added resellers in the U.S. and Canada.
Invensys Building Systems has extended its OEM agreement with NovusEdge to incorporate the EdgeProtect solution into its intelligent automated control system.
Controlco Automation Distributors will add the EdgeProtect security solution to its product portfolio.
Optex has partnered with Professional Alarm Representation and Security Solutions, Inc., to increase its regional sales support.
Panasonic Security Systems has formed a cooperative sales and marketing alliance with Milestone Systems for IP-based video systems integration and with GTSI Corporation for government markets.
Perimeter Internetworking has launched its Instant MSSP Channel Partner Program for helping channel partners become instant managed network and security services providers.
Video Domain Technologies has signed a distribution agreement with ADI, who will distribute its products throughout North America.
AWARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS
AlliedBarton Security Services was honored by Bayer Corporation with its Look of a Leader Award for its commitment to customer service.
For the third year, Authen-Tec has been named by Frost and Sullivan as the Worldwide Silicon Fingerprint Leader.
BBN Technologies has earned the 2005 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Significant Technical Achievement Award for its Boomerang Mobile Shooter Detection System.
The Retail Blade from Digi-PoS Systems was chosen by Microsoft for the 2005 Global Technology Innovation Award, Global Partner of the Year.
Digital Monitoring
Products has received UL-approved classification for ANSI/SIA CP-01-2000 False Alarm Reduction for a number of its products. The company has also earned approval for network communication as a secondary communications channel for fire system central station monitoring from the New York City Department of Buildings.
Eid Passport, Inc., has received a patent for methods and systems for managing personnel security at physical locations.
Guardian Protection Services was recognized by the Federal Protective Service of the Department of Homeland Security for contributions to the mission of the agency.
Juniper Networks, Inc., announced that its intrusion detection and prevention system has achieved NSS Approved certification from the NSS Group.
Special Ops Security has successfully completed the MasterCard Site Data Protection scanning vendor testing process.
North American Video has achieved recognition as a Gold Certified dealer in the NexWatch Service Certified Dealer Program.
The Panasonic WJ-HD300A Digital Video Recorder Series has won the Industrial Forum Product Design Award 2005 from the Industrial Forum of Design.
Pelco was recognized by Professional Security Installer as Manufacturer of the Year.
Reflex Security has earned IBM ServerProven Certification for the Reflex IPS.
The Value Chain Award was presented to Schneider National, Inc., for deployment of a trailer-tracking solution developed by Qualcomm Wireless Business Solutions that integrated a Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications module as enabling technology. The award was given by M2M Magazine.
USProtect has been named to the TSA’s Qualified Vendor List of companies that are qualified to provide screening services to commercial U.S. airports.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Employees of Air Security International provided intelligence services and responded to clients’ security concerns following the July bombings in London.
Audiotel International has launched a new department, the Technical Support Group, to provide training and support services.
Echelon One, LLC, is a new information security consultancy that helps businesses maximize their security investments.
Honeywell and S-Tron are featured in an episode of It Takes a Thief, a security reality show airing on the Discovery Channel. S-Tron installed a surveillance system in a featured home.
Honeywell Security Monitoring has purchased National Alarm Pro.
IDenticard is offering reduced lead times for all HID proximity cards. Quantities of 1,000 or fewer direct printable cards will be shipped within two business days, while quantities of up to 5,000 will be shipped in five to seven business days.
The Minnesota Information Sharing and Analysis Center, in cooperation with Augsburg College and the University of Minnesota Medical Center, hosted a homeland security event that brought together government emergency managers and professionals from the energy, medical, financial, retail, defense, transportation, and other industries.
The National Fire Protection Association issued two safety codes that will require fire sprinklers in all nursing homes, in new construction of one- and two-family dwellings, and in most nightclubs.
Optex has moved into a new facility in Chino, California, to support the North, Central, and South American Markets.
PCSC and Commercial Controls Corporation contributed to the completion of the Midnight Mission, a homeless shelter in Los Angeles.
Pelco has opened a new office in Moscow to serve companies and individuals in Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tadzhikistan.
Quadnetics Group plc has acquired AlphaPoint, LLC.
SafeData, LLC, is a new business launched to address the business continuity needs of small and midsize businesses.
The Security Industry Alarm Coalition is providing financial grants to allow police officers, fire officials, and alarm administrators to attend conferences and workshops organized by the False Alarm Reduction Association.
Security Networks LLC acquired Tri-State Alarm Company and will be moving Tri-State accounts to Marlin Central Monitoring, which it also acquired this year.
SimplexGrinnell has launched a new Sprinkler Business Development Team, highlighting its commitment to the sprinkler business.
Westec InterActive is opening a new Visual Communications Center for remote monitoring services in West Des Moines, Iowa.
ASIS NEWS
Academic Symposium Ponders To What Degree?
How can homeland security be incorporated into academic programs? What can academia do to best meet the homeland security needs of the private sector?
These were among the questions discussed by participants in the Ninth Annual Academic/ Practitioner Symposium held in July at the University of Maryland’s University College. Sponsored by the ASIS International Foundation, Inc., the annual symposium draws security academicians and practitioners to debate trends in the field and further the development of degree programs that respond to current issues.
The intent of the group’s previous deliberations has been to develop “actionable items and recommendations that influence the national debate,” said Symposium Chairman David Gilmore, CPP, in his opening remarks.
Gilmore laid out the themes for this year’s discussion, noting the emphasis on homeland security issues in government and industry and the corresponding proliferation of homeland security programs in academia.
The 47 attendees, representing 27 academic institutions and 20 public and private sector firms, worked in breakout groups to discuss three major questions posed by Gilmore. Each group grappled with an opening query: What is “homeland security” and how does it differ from pre-9-11 security? Their assignment propagated an exchange of views on course models and academic assets that can apply to homeland security. On the second day of the symposium, the groups joined together to hear a summary of the four discussions and compare conclusions.
Attendees’ thoughts were stimulated by presentations from two leaders from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A review of the academic evolution in the emergency management field was given by Wayne Blanchard, Ph.D., manager, higher education project, Emergency Management Institute, Federal Emergency Management Agency. He noted that a definition of emergency management has been a “moving target.”
In its earliest manifestation, it referred to civil defense, while today the term encompasses “all hazards, natural, technological, or intentional; all phases, mitigation preparedness, response, and recovery; and all actors, to include inter- and intra-governmental, private sector, and voluntary organizations,” he said.
This broad definition has fostered 120 college emergency management programs, with seven at the doctoral level. The job market for “emergency management specialists” is expected to grow by 28 percent into 2012, said Blanchard, and it is considered one of the top growth professions by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Partnering with universities gives the Department of Homeland Security “access to the best and brightest,” said speaker Melvin Bernstein, Ph.D., director, university affairs programs for the DHS Science and Technology Directorate. He discussed the role of the Centers of Excellence established by DHS at five universities throughout the United States. The scientific research conducted at these centers has a dual benefit, said Bernstein, affecting how the country responds not only to national defense issues but also to economic disasters.
One third of Bernstein’s $70 million budget is earmarked for education, he said. The three-pronged program is designed to reach out to people, through scholarships and fellowships; places, through the Centers of Excellence and corporate networks; and service organizations, through other programs. “Universities have unique capabilities” to create and implement homeland security efforts, he said. And “students want to be a part of the solution.”
During the symposium wrap-up, breakout group leaders summarized the previous day’s discussions on what should constitute a homeland security curriculum. Many conclusions were similar, such as a need for text materials and competent homeland security instructors.
They emphasized that collaboration among faculty from many disciplines was needed in curriculum development and delivery—including law, languages, engineering, architecture, business, and the sciences. The groups also noted opportunities for partnering with the corporate world through internships, conducting applied research, and leveraging assets.
Accreditation was also considered to be an essential component to raising the level and sophistication of homeland security degree programs, and a task force was formed to pursue that avenue. While a multidisciplinary approach was considered to be key, attendees also felt it raised funding, turf, and governance issues.
An effort to assist in the sharing of ideas and models on this topic among U.S. colleges and universities is underway at Ohio State University. The National Academic Consortium for Homeland Security aligns institutions engaged in homeland security research, technology development, education, and training. Nearly 300 academic institutions have joined the consortium, according to Todd Stewart, Ph.D., and the program’s director, who participated in the symposium.
An executive summary of the symposium proceedings will be made available to interested parties through the Foundation. For further information, contact Bob Rowe at 703/518-1440.
Plans are also being made for the 10th Annual Academic/Practitioner Symposium, which will be held August 2-4 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. New participants are welcome, and interested parties are urged to contact the symposium’s chairman, Dave Gilmore, CPP, or vice chairman, Carl Richards, Ph.D.
By Mary Alice Davidson, former ASIS director of communications
