10 Security Stories You Might Have Missed Last Week

1. Sustaining Growth in IP Surveillance

Click here to view Figure 1.

Jeremy Kimber’s excellent blog about IP surveillance sees the security specialist from Honeywell stating that IP still faces challenges… “some of which are self-inflicted, while others are an inevitable result of technological evolution.”

Either way, Kimber feels that manufacturers have to take responsibility for confronting these challenges — in the main focused on overselling, education, and standards — to ensure the IP market continues to flourish.

2. 100 in 100 2013 Recruits 1,316 Apprentices

Now in its third year, the 100 in 100 campaign has created 1,316 brand new apprenticeship placements across the UK’s security sector in 2013.

Skills for Security has recruited 93 security apprentices directly, compared to 62 in 2012.

A further 1,221 apprentices were placed, of which 1,084 are in the security-guarding sector.

3. MoU Signed by Surveillance Camera Commissioner and Information Commissioner

Andrew Rennison (the Surveillance Camera Commissioner) and the Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

The two commissioners have a good working relationship that has grown during the development of the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice. The MoU cements that situation.

4. “Update on the Security Institute’s Application for a Royal Charter“

The Security Institute’s chairman Emma Shaw recently met with the Privy Council to discuss the organisation’s petition for a Royal Charter. The original petition was submitted in 2011. The Institute was advised to undertake further growth and develop a broader representation of the sector.

The purpose of the latest meeting was to re-engage with the Privy Council and seek its ongoing guidance and advice. The petition will continue to be a part of the Security Institute’s corporate objectives.

5. (ISC)2 Report Reveals Female Perspectives are “Transforming” the Information Security Sector

A new (ISC)2 report, entitled “Agents of Change: Women in the Information Security Profession,” was authored by Frost & Sullivan. It reveals that, despite double-digit annual increases of personnel in the profession, women represent only 11 percent of the information security workforce. Yet they have the academic background and diverse perspective necessary to accelerate necessary growth and change.

6. Control Room Management at the Download Festival

Showsec’s control room manager at this year’s Download Festival was operations executive Louise Stockden, a graduate of the company’s much-respected Management Development Programme, who took some time out at the event to speak with IFSECGlobal.com.

Stockden and her team have to deal with on-site issues that might include theft, the possession of offensive and dangerous weapons, fighting, and anti-social behaviour.

7. “Scotland and the UK ‘Safer Together‘”

Threats to Scotland and the UK from organised crime gangs, cyber criminals, and global terrorism are best confronted with Scotland as part of the UK.

That’s the view of Theresa May, who was in Scotland to launch “Scotland Analysis: Security” — the seventh in a series of UK Government papers designed to inform the debate ahead of next year’s independence referendum.

The analysis concludes that “independence could disturb the united protection provided to Scotland” by the UK’s security and intelligence architecture.

8. “G4S Rejects Offer to Acquire Its Cash Solutions Business“

G4S recently rejected an offer of GB pound 1.55 billion from Charterhouse Capital Partners LLP for its cash solutions business. The offer was rejected in view of the strategic importance of the cash solutions businesses to G4S and because the G4S board believes the conditional offer “fundamentally undervalues” the business and its prospects.

9. Clocks Keep Ticking on Illegal CCTV Systems

There has been plenty of feedback around CameraWatch CEO Paul Mackie’s informative blog on CCTV system clocks. There’s a requirement by law to make sure the time on surveillance systems is absolutely correct, but CameraWatch has seen too many displaying inaccurate timings even though a third-party time-accuracy system is deployed.

Mackie comments:

CCTV is a wonderful tool, but only when it’s managed correctly and legally.

10. “Bribes Paid by UK Businesses Used to Secure Contracts ‘Worth Millions‘”

The Ernst & Young Bribery Digest has analysed 27 bribery prosecutions against UK businesses and found that one third of bribes paid out were between GB pound 83,000 and GB pound 300,000. Companies paying bribes at this rate ended up winning contracts worth as much as GB pound 16 million.

The contracts picked up by UK companies have been mostly in the oil and gas and the engineering sectors and have involved payments abroad. Analysis reveals that one fifth of cases involved paying bribes in the UK, with the Middle East (ten cases), Africa (seven cases), and Asia (also seven cases) representing the main destinations for bribes by UK companies.