

Primary Topics
The Robotics Issue - Security Technology August 2024
Advanced security robots are no longer just figments of our imagination. They're now patrolling facilities, authenticating visitors, and inspecting hazardous scenes for emergency personnel, changing the way that security practitioners think about deploying human personnel to job sites.
Focus on Biometrics Myth-Busting
How can security leaders leverage people’s appetite for convenience or a bargain to increase biometric buy-in in the workplace?
Why Security Gets Sued
Security companies aim to protect others, but these organizations—especially those operating in healthcare, entertainment venues, and retail environments—also need to protect themselves from liability.

5 Key Reasons Security Gets Sued
What are the larger reasons why a victim or a victim’s family might file a lawsuit against a security company?

Who Owns Implementation of California’s New Workplace Violence Prevention Law?
When it comes to compliance with California SB 553—the new mandate for workplace violence prevention programs at companies in the state—security is in the best position to lead the way.

How Security Companies Can Protect Themselves from Litigation
Security companies aim to protect others, but these organizations—especially those operating in healthcare, entertainment venues, and retail environments—also need to protect themselves from liability.

Security Guards: Are They Your Forgotten Risk Mitigator?
Interested in taking your security guard force from a potential liability to force multiplier? Focus on the basics.

Keep Training Documentation Streamlined with a Checklist
The key to all training is documentation. Recording what has been trained and the performance results needs to be a regular part of the program.

Mitigating Active Shooter Risks Through Lessons Learned and Existing Standards
Should organizations approach workplace violence the same way they do a potential fire emergency?

Fast Facts: What You Need to Know About California’s Senate Bill 553
If they aren’t already, employers in California need to be ready for the new workplace violence prevention law.

ASIS News: GSX Know Before You Go
This year, GSX will feature more than 200 sessions tackling vital issues in the security profession. For an overview of what to expect at GSX, check out our schedule-at-a-glance.

Industry News: World’s Largest Office Building Streamlines Security
The Surat Diamond Bourse in India selected Gallagher’s security platform to help manage and streamline surveillance and access management.

Certification Profile: Brooke Hopperstad, APP
Through studying for the Associate Protection Professional (APP) certification, Brooke Hopperstad was able to reaffirm that she was on the right track with her experience thus far, while learning new tools and knowledge that could improve her company’s security posture in the future.

Legal Report: Meta to Settle Biometric Use Lawsuit for $1.4 Billion
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton argued that Facebook’s Tag Suggestions feature used Texans’ biometric data without their consent, violating a 2009 state law.

Myth: Biometrics Don’t Deliver Strong Return on Investment
In a time of corporate belt-tightening, security technology purchases are subject to more than usual scrutiny as stakeholders need to understand ROI before giving the green light.

No Spoofing: An Introduction to Presentation Attack Detection
The methods of tricking biometric systems vary widely, from the sophisticated to the simple. Software developers and security leaders need to stay one step ahead of malicious actors’ disguises.

Fast Facts: 4 Primary Types of Biometrics for Access Control
Hand, eyes, or face—which access control biometric would be the right fit for your application?

How to Overcome Employee Resistance When Adopting Biometric Access Control
How can security leaders leverage people’s appetite for convenience or a bargain to increase biometric buy-in in the workplace?

GSX 2024 Product Showcase
Check out the latest security technologies, services, and solutions to be displayed at GSX 2024 in this special edition product showcase.

Lessons Learned from Letting the DroneDogs Out
Asylon Robotics’ DroneDog system has completed more than 100,000 missions. COO Brent McLaughlin shares how the system has changed as client needs evolve.

What are the Six Most Common Robot Types?
From C-3PO to the Boston Dynamics dog to the Roomba vacuuming your floor, robots come in all shapes and sizes to perform various tasks. Here are the six defining robot types you should know about.

What Technologies are Employers Using to Keep Workers Safe?
The International Labor Organization estimates that nearly 3 million workers die each year because of work-related accidents and diseases. New technology, however, could be used to reduce the risk of catastrophic injuries on the job.

The Rise of Drones and Counter-Drone: A Double-Edged Sword in the Skies
The urgent need for effective counter-drone solutions has become increasingly apparent as malicious actors exploit these devices for nefarious purposes.

Modernizing Security with Robotics Process Automation
Robotics Process Automation (RPA) enables organizations to achieve greater efficiency and cost savings by automating repetitive and rule-based tasks.

How to Prepare to Implement a Technically Driven Security Model
Transitioning to a technically driven security model that leverages robots or drones requires a mindset shift. Here are six steps to help you get started.

Securing Today with Tomorrow’s Tech: The Human and Robotic Security Synergy
It is essential to blend these new security technologies with trained professionals capable of responding to advanced security operations. Here's how some practitioners are doing this today.

Revolutionizing Security: The Rise and Future of Security Robots
What exactly do we expect from today's security robots, and what might the future hold for them—and us?
Security News
California’s Legislature Passes Major AI Regulation to Implement Safety, Security Measures
California’s legislature passed a major artificial intelligence (AI) regulation bill, which now awaits Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature to become law.
Several Disease Outbreaks Hit the United States
Outbreaks of several different bacterial and viral illnesses have been reported throughout the United States this summer.
South Africa Investigates Alleged $7 Billion of Corruption at State-Owned Companies
Corruption and graft have plagued South African companies for years, especially where government contracts are concerned.
Founder of Telegram App Arrested in France
French authorities announced on 26 August that they had arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov because the messaging and social app enabled child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraudulent transactions.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agrees to Settle Pregnancy Discrimination Case
The class action suit argued that CBP violated the Pregnancy Discrimination Act by compelling pregnant employees to submit to temporary light duty because of their pregnancy, “without regard to whether they could continue working in their positions of record either with or without a reasonable accommodation.”
Company Issues Mass Recall as FDA Investigates Mushroom Edibles Linked to Illnesses
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigated more than 140 documented cases of patients experiencing illnesses after consuming mushroom edibles.
California Gets Tough on Retail Crime
On 16 August, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law 10 bills designed to decrease property theft. The legislation addresses retail theft from a variety of angles, all designed to make it easier to catch, prosecute, and punish offenders, with the ultimate goal of enhanced deterrence.
Commission Finds U.S. Army Reserves, Maine Police Missed Opportunities to Avert 2023 Mass Shooting
The commission report found that the 2023 shooter's U.S. Army Reserve commanders ignored the advice of mental health clinicians who urged them to closely monitor whether the individual was continuing treatment and to ensure his weapons were taken away.
Protests at Democratic Convention Remain Peaceful
Despite hype that people protesting U.S. support of Israel would mirror the chaotic 1968 DNC, the 2024 convention began with a smaller-than-expected and mostly peaceful protest.
Background Check Company Breach Puts 2.9 Billion Records at Risk
According to a civil lawsuit, a cybercriminal group going by the name of USDoD claimed to have the personal data of 2.9 billion people, putting the database up for sale for $3.5 million. The data, allegedly stolen from a background check firm, was later released online.
Man Charged for Attacks on Orlando-Area Businesses, Utilities in Alleged Protest of Israel’s Actions in Gaza
U.S. authorities arrested and charged Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, a Jordanian citizen living in Florida, for his alleged role in attacks on Orlando-area businesses and utilities he said supported Israel, according to court documents unsealed Thursday.
Mpox Outbreak Declared Global Health Emergency
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the current outbreak of mpox in parts of Africa is a public health emergency of international concern.
Former Law Enforcement Officials Charged in 2019 Sham Raid, Extortion Attempt
U.S. federal prosecutors charged four individuals with threatening a Chinese national and his family with violence and deportation during a 2019 sham raid at the victim’s home in Orange County, California.
FBI Finds Motor Vehicle Theft Steadily Increasing in United States
Between 2019 and 2023, more vehicle thefts occurred at residences than at any other location in the United States, with 256,733 incidents in 2023 alone.
UK Authorities Arrest Suspect for Stabbing in Leicester Square Following Weeks of Civil Unrest
UK authorities arrested a man suspected of stabbing two individuals in a public square in London on Monday morning following weeks of unrest spurred by a separate knife attack.
Taylor Swift Concerts Canceled in Vienna Due to Suspected Terrorist Plot
Four suspects have been detained in connection to an alleged plot to attack and kill “a large crowd of people” in a suicide attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Austria, police said.
AHA and Health-ISAC Jointly Call For Action After Ransomware Attacks on Critical Suppliers
The American Hospital Association and Health-ISAC issued a joint threat bulletin in response to recent ransomware attacks that resulted in significant disruptions to patient care.
Four Former Hotel Employees Charged with Murder in Relation to Milwaukee Man’s Death
Local prosecutors charged four former Hyatt hotel employees with murder in connection with the death of D’Vontaye Mitchell in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
High-Security Areas of NFL Stadiums to Use Facial Recognition System
The National Football League launched a facial recognition security protocol for sensitive areas in all of its stadiums for the 2024 season. The systems will use facial recognition to verify credentials from workers, press, and other game day personnel who have access to restricted areas of stadiums.
False Information Online Stirs Up Tensions and Riots in UK After Stabbing Attack
Less than two hours after a memorial event for three children killed in a stabbing attack, hundreds of rioters flooded the streets of Southport, throwing bricks at a mosque, attacking police, setting cars on fire, and damaging a convenience store.
Massive Prisoner Exchange Releases 16 People from Wrongful Detention in Russia
Western countries engaged in a massive prisoner exchange to release 16 individuals from wrongful detention in Russia, including journalists, political activists, and a security practitioner.
The Summer of (Security) Weirdness
In strange, security-related news of the last month, we learned how to get a buzz from snacks, scam large tech companies, get a little plastic surgery touch-up to evade those pesky surveillance cameras, and avoid coked-up sharks—as well as why all those in security should stay up to date with their inoculations.