7 Stories From the Week in Security

IFSECGlobal.com focuses on seven key security and cyber security stories that emerged this week. Check out the articles, and let us know your opinions.

1. Sir Nick Parker to lead independent review of ACPO

An independent review of the Association of Chief Police Officers is to be conducted by General Sir Nick Parker to “look at the role played by ACPO in the new policing landscape”.

Click here to view Figure 1.

There’s an overriding desire to ensure that ACPO is fit for purpose, both from a financial standpoint and in terms of its operation.

The move has been welcomed by ACPO’s president Sir Hugh Orde, who views it as “a logical next step”.

2. Bundled services or security on its own? “Jury still out”

Across the last few years there has been an emerging split between end-users who like to procure security services separately from other services, and those who would rather buy their security solutions as part of a bundled FM package.

The pros and cons of each method have been assessed in a new study conducted as part of the Security Research Initiative. The 44 clients and 28 solutions providers that responded revealed that many organizations still have an incomplete understanding around the benefits and drawbacks of providing security in different ways. It seems this debate is going to run for some time to come.

3. NSI and Facewatch join forces to cut crime

The National Security Inspectorate (NSI) and Facewatch intend to form a powerful partnering arrangement, which will help transform the use of CCTV by “moving it into the digital world of online reporting”.

NSI will be adding the Facewatch online police crime reporting service to its training offer and encouraging approved companies to roll out Facewatch to their end-user customers.

Training and support will be provided by the NSI to any company wishing to adopt Facewatch as part of their CCTV security solution.

4. GB pound 85.3 billion: the annual cost of fraud in the UK

The latest BDO report, entitled: “Financial Cost of Fraud 2013”, is based on 15 years of data collation.

BDO estimates the UK to be losing over GB pound 85 billion per annum to fraudsters.

Putting this into perspective, a 40 percent cut in those losses would represent around GB pound 34 billion. That just happens to be the same amount of money the UK Government ploughed into education during 2012. Sobering thought, isn’t it?

Clearly time for more thought around pre-emptive measures.

5. “UK companies need to do more to fight cyber threats”, states PwC

Few organizations are really keeping pace with today’s escalating cyberthreats, while fewer still seem prepared to manage future ones.

In its latest report on cyber security, PwC is calling for a new model of information security — “one that’s driven by knowledge of threats, assets and the motives and targets of potential adversaries.”

“The Global State of Information Security Survey” is a “must read”.

6. Corners that security installations shouldn’t cut

IFSECGlobal.com blogger Robert Grossman’s latest article is one not to be missed, focusing as it does on key points for installers around training, scheduled maintenance, territory reviews, labelling, and permits/licenses.

These are described as “the common areas where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.

7. UK Government to test mobile phone emergency alert system

In the wake of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the UK Government will now test a mobile phone-based emergency text alert system by involving 50,000 participants in North Yorkshire, Suffolk, and Glasgow.

It emerges in The Guardian that only under set civil emergency events would the system be deployed for real.

Tests will be conducted in the autumn and a report is due in the first quarter of 2014.