Industry News March 2008
BUSINESS NEWS
Even before last year’s Virginia Tech tragedy, colleges sought ways of alerting students and staff to emergencies. Events like 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina had already demonstrated the need for emergency notification systems.
The University of Central Florida studied the subject in 2005-2006, issuing recommendations for all state and community colleges in Florida. Researchers considered a variety of environments and behaviors that could interfere with quick notification, such as old buildings with dated infrastructure and the finding that half of students and faculty would disregard a ringing phone. Their final recommendations included a siren/audio system, a reverse 911 system, a host-based notification service, and other methods such as bulk e-mail.
Providers of such systems have stepped up their efforts to work with colleges toward better communications.
Talk-A-Phone’s Wide-Area Emergency Broadcast System is a tower with high-powered speakers that provide 360-degree coverage. Command center personnel can broadcast to all towers or only selected ones.
Send Word Now offers a two-way alert and response service, which allows those who receive the emergency messages to respond with messages such as “I’m OK” or “Send help.” Officials can initiate an alert from the Web, phones, e-mail, or internal systems and track responses.
Similarly, the MIR3 intelligent notification solution, in use on 100 college campuses, notifies the population of an emergency and allows for two-way texting, real-time reports, and integrated incident management.
JPS Communications and Invizeon Corporation are working together to market an emergency notification system. Invizeon’s CHAIN managed alert service integrates with JPS’ radio interoperability products to enable quick messaging and improved emergency management.
Connect-ED from NTI Group is fully hosted, so institutions don’t need equipment, hardware, or software. It allows for six phone numbers per student and tracks delivery to each recipient.
The e2Campus system from Omnilert is a self-service system that allows schools to reach thousands via mobile phone and landline, Web site, digital signage, loudspeaker, and e-mail, all with one click.
In addition, NOTIFIER, part of the Honeywell Life Safety Group, recently announced the release of its new mass notification solutions product line. Also offering rapid mass emergency notification options is REACT Systems.
PARTNERSHIPS AND DEALS
Maat Transport is offering secure truck parking in the Netherlands for regular clients and others using IP technology from ACTi Corporation.
Agiliance has joined the Oracle Partner Network and integrated its flagship solution with Oracle solutions to automate IT risk assessments and compliance audits.
American Science and Engineering will supply 15 Gemini Parcel Inspection Systems to secure key checkpoints at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
CGI Group Inc. and Care- Spark are working together to implement a health information exchange network for the Appalachian region of Tennessee and Virginia.
Technology from Extreme CCTV International Inc. will be integrated into the CarDetector license plate recognition system platform from Vigilant Video.
GE Security provided integrated security solutions for the Pan American Games Rio 2007.
Giesecke & Devrient has announced that its Internet Smart Card will be deployed by LOTTO Hamburg for age verification and secure access to online service.
IndigoVision will upgrade two casinos owned by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians to fully digital operation with a virtual matrix.
Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies has provided Schlage FingerKey DX biometric fingerprint scanners to Tutor Time Child Care/Learning Centers in Florida.
The O2 Arena, owned and operated by AEG Europe, has installed an Ipsotek people-counting system across dedicated cameras at its main entrances.
Lockheed Martin and IriTech have signed an agreement to provide integrated biometrics solutions for a variety of customers.
MSS Security Consultants & Engineers has announced a contract with Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield to provide security assessment and design for the company’s five structures.
Fredrickson International has selected adaptive interaction analytics from NICE Perform for deployment in its contact center’s VoIP environment through business partner Azzurri Communications.
Skipton Building Society has implemented Compliance Alert from Northland Solutions as its anti-money-laundering and fraud-detection solution.
Penn Foster, a distance-learning institution, is using PCI Secure from nuBridges, LLC, to help it comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard.
Pixim Inc. has announced that its chipset was chosen to power the first GANZ wide-dynamic-range camera from CBC (America) Corp.
Spectator Professional from Promisec Inc. has been chosen by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP to secure more than 5,000 network endpoints.
Color cameras from Rainbow have been installed at Micro AB’s automotive stores throughout Sweden.
Working with EEL Consulting, Retail Business Solutions and SeeWhy have developed a service fraud analytic system that is being used by British retailers.
Send Word Now has announced a partnership with Office Shadow to integrate alerting and planning functionality for business continuity.
SkyPort Global Communications has signed a contract with Cisco Systems Inc. to provide satellite connectivity for Cisco’s emergency response networks service.
Surveillance Specialties and Software House are combining to deliver a standalone, rack-mountable device that houses all components needed to control up to 16 doors.
AXPO has selected Tufin Technologies firewall operations management solution for deployment across Europe.
NP Collection has implemented an RFID-based total supply chain solution from UPM Raflatac as a pilot project to track items throughout the supply chain and in its stores.
TriCipher and the Clinical Research Information eXchange (CRIX) have collaborated to provide an authentication infrastructure for the CRIX technology platform.
National Life Group has selected a joint solution from Voltage Security, Inc., and Proofpoint for protection of e-mail.
Humboldt University in Berlin has chosen a Web-based card management system from vps ID Systeme to manage all its smart credentials.
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
ARINC Incorporated is designing and installing advanced video monitoring equipment in selected stations of the Maryland Transit Administration under a contract partially funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Environmental Tectonics Corporation has signed a contract with the Hong Kong Fire Services Department to deliver a disaster-management training system.
FirstLine Transportation Security has been awarded a contract from the Transportation Security Administration for airport security screening at Gallup Municipal Airport and Roswell Industrial Air Center.
Gemalto has introduced a clear-window security feature on driving licenses for the Swedish Road Administration.
Latvia’s Interior Ministry hired Giesecke & Devrient to produce more than a million electronic passports over the next five years.
James Lee Witt Associates was contracted by the state of Pennsylvania to draft an independent report outlining actions for enhancing public safety and emergency management activities.
Shasta Union High School District (California) is using IP video management software from Milestone
Systems to protect people and property. The new IP system was installed by Ojo Technology.
Optex Europe’s external detection technology is being deployed by South Lanarkshire Council to combat crime at two primary schools.
Penn State’s Institute of Non-Lethal Defense Technologies has been awarded a cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Department of Justice to create a Weapons and Protective Systems Technologies Center of Excellence.
Sandia National Laboratories researchers are working on reducing false alarms in bioaerosol detectors through DHS funding.
SAVI Technology is deploying solar-powered RFID readers and signposts for customers in the defense and commercial sectors, including a major U.S. Army supply facility in Kuwait.
Securitas Systems has upgraded the video surveillance systems for Hickman Mills School District (Missouri).
Technomad Associates, LLC, is providing turnkey military public address systems to the Army National Training Center for its Brigade Combat Team training program.
Tiburon, Inc., has been awarded a contract by Travis County (Texas) to upgrade the county’s public safety and criminal justice software. Tiburon has also completed the installation of a new public safety system for Harris County (Texas).
URS Corporation has been selected by the U.S. Coast Guard and DHS to provide architectural and engineering services under a ten-year contract.
MARKETING MOVES
ArcSight, Inc., has established a Middle East and North Africa distribution partnership with ComGuard, which will co-market and sell ArcSight appliance solutions in those regions.
Arteco has entered into an agreement with Kerala State Electronic Development Corporation to market its IVS surveillance product line in the Indian market.
BTX Technologies, Inc., has appointed new manufacturer’s representatives: Pacific Coast Vision in the Pacific Northwest and Southwest regions and Pacific Group in the Southwest region. BP Marketing’s territory has been expanded to include Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. has introduced the new PureAdvantage channel partner program, offering support for distributors and channel partners.
CommVault has signed a distribution agreement in New Zealand with Value Added Distributors Ltd.
Fargo Electronics, Inc., has appointed Databac Group Ltd. as international dealer for its full range of printers and accessories.
FindWhere has signed a reseller agreement with Geolatys, which will migrate all its customers to the FindWhere platform.
CMI Inc. will distribute ioimage products throughout Canada.
Milestone Systems has entered into a new distribution agreement with Group 4 Securicor in Denmark.
Vicon Industries has hired Legacy Marketing to handle sales of products and systems throughout West Virginia, Ohio, and parts of Kentucky.
Voltage Security Inc. has launched the Voltage Entourage Partner Program. It provides support through sales incentives, marketing tools, and a new portal with demos, training materials, and more to worldwide partners.
AWARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS
The Human Capital Management department of AlliedBarton Security Services has been named the 2007 Human Resources Department of the Year in the Delaware Valley for companies with 12 or more HR employees.
Application Security, Inc., was named a Leader in Forrester Research’s “Enterprise Database Auditing and Real-Time Protection, Q4 2007” report.
BEW Global has been accepted by BSI Management Systems USA into the Associate Consultant Program for ISO 27001.
The Conettix D6600 Communications Receiver/Gateway from Bosch Security Systems, Inc., has been listed under UL 864, 9th Edition, to meet regulatory requirements for the U.S. market.
Winning “Best Product Awards” at the Detektor International Awards were the Sony SNC-DF80P dome camera in the CCTV category, the BM-ET200 from Panasonic Security Systems for access control, and PremisesConnect from GE Security in the alarm product category.
The Fireray 5000 motorized beam detector from Fire Fighting Enterprises has been certified by Underwriter’s Laboratories Inc. to be compliant with American National Standards for safety.
Gemalto has attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program.
Genetec ranked 180th on the 2007 Technology Fast 500 from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. March Networks ranked 229th, and HireRight, Inc., was 272nd.
HID Global announced that its Crescendo smart cards have earned the “Works with Windows Vista” logo for the Smart Card Framework minidriver.
Perimeter eSecurity received the 2007 Frost & SullivanNorth American Entrepreneurial Company Award for Managed Security.
The Orca chipset and camera reference designs from Pixim Inc. were awarded the Silver Excellence Award for technical innovation and market influence by China Public Security Exhibition.
TeleEye’s Mobile Video Recording server has won the Gold Award for Outstanding Innovation from the HKEIA Awards.
TriGeo Network Security received an Info-Tech Research Group Decision Diamond Award for Security Information Management Solutions.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Alldata Shredding Inc. celebrated its fifth anniversary.
Dotworkz has launched a redesigned Web site with easier access to information, demonstration videos, and expanded product sections atwww.dotworkz.com.
Gateway Security Inc. has become part of the newly formed Gateway Group One, which also encompasses Gateway Frontline Services and Frontline Academy.
ICD Security Solutions has opened a new subsidiary, ICD Americas, with headquarters in southern Florida.
Iron Mountain Inc. has signed an agreement to acquire Stratify, Inc.
Kroll has launched a Security Placement Service practice. Services will include recruiting and background screening.
PASS Security hosted the Southwestern Illinois K-12 Educational Security Symposium as part of an education campaign.
SIRAS.com has announced a Return on Investment Guarantee for any company using its product registration and Smart Return service to manage product returns and warrantees.
S2 Security has moved to a new headquarters in Framingham, Massachusetts.
Seagate Recovery Services has opened a broad-spectrum service lab facility at its European headquarters in Amsterdam.
Securitas has agreed to acquire 49 percent of the shares in the Indian security services company Walsons.
Sielox has implemented the Agile process for software development in order to improve quality over the project’s life cycle.
TeleEye Group sponsored a team of four people to participate in Oxfam Trailwalker 2007, which raised money to support Oxfam Hong Kong’s poverty projects across Asia and Africa.
ID WORLD 2007 was sponsored by vps ID Systeme at the Gold level.
ASIS NEWS
Certification Programs Earn Global Accreditation
ASIS International has been awarded accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the U.S. member for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This endorsement confirms that ASIS’s certification programs adhere to the highest professional standards.
The accreditation that the certification programs have been awarded, known as ISO/IEC 17024, is a global, voluntary standard for organizations responsible for certification of personnel. It is a means of assuring the public that certified personnel meet the published requirements of a given certification program. More than 300,000 professionals worldwide currently hold certifications from organizations accredited under ISO/IEC 17024.
“As a leader in the security management field, ASIS must meet the world’s demand for knowledgeable, educated security professionals,” says Edward McDonough Jr., CPP, president of the Professional Certification Board, which administers the ASIS certification program, and director of global security for Tyco. “The flow of information, the need for world-class training programs, and the ability to network globally with other certified security professionals are just some of the reasons why this is an important step for the Society.”
In addition to the initial rigorous process of obtaining the ANSI accreditation, ASIS’s certification programs will be annually assessed, audited, and undergo an on-site review of their management systems and procedures.
ASIS offers three international certifications: the Certified Protection Professional® (CPP), the Professional Certified Investigator® (PCI), and the Physical Security Professional® (PSP).
The CPP designation is awarded to experienced security practitioners who have demonstrated in-depth knowledge and management skills in eight key areas of security: security principles and practices, business principles and practices, physical security, investigations, personnel security, emergency practices, information security, and legal aspects.
Since its introduction in 1977, ASIS’s CPP certification—the highest recognition accorded a security professional—has been earned by approximately 12,500 security practitioners. The CPP exam is now administered in 30 countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, The Benelux region, Brazil, Colombia, Qatar, Ecuador, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Venezuela. Last autumn, the CPP certification program celebrated its 30th anniversary at the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits in Las Vegas, Nevada.
ASIS introduced the PCI and PSP designations in 2002. The PCI designation recognizes security practitioners with specialized knowledge in evidence collection, case management and presentation. The PSP distinguishes those who have knowledge and experience in conducting threat surveys; designing integrated security systems that include equipment, procedures, and people; or installing, operating, and maintaining those systems.
In addition to obtaining the ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation, ASIS’s certification program is the first and only one of its kind to be awarded a coveted designation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technology Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act). The SAFETY Act ensures that the threat of liability does not deter manufacturers of antiterrorism technologies from developing and commercializing new products that could significantly reduce the risks or effects of terrorist events. Specifically, the law’s designation affords holders of an ASIS certification—and the organizations they represent—a dispensation under federal law against any claims alleging that an ASIS certification somehow contributed to losses stemming from a terrorist attack. ASIS was also awarded a SAFETY Act Designation for its Guidelines program in 2005.
For more information on ASIS’s Certification Program, please visitwww.asisonline.org.
