Rail security plagued by lack of funds and training, Teamsters say
Rail employees are inadequately trained to deal with emergency situations, and rail security funding is completely eclipsed by funds allocated for airline security -- despite rail being the more heavily used transportation mode, according to the Teamsters Union....
Nurses on the front lines of workplace violence
According to a recent survey by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), 86 percent of emergency nurses report having been the victim of violence by a patient or a patient's family member when working in the emergency department.
Workplace violence and a nursing shortage -- combined with increasing use of the emergency department -- can diminish the quality of emergency care for patients.
This week, the nation's leaders in emergency nursing practice and research will convene in Boston at the 2007 ENA Leadership Conference to identify solutions and discuss best practices for improving the emergency department experience for patients and staff. ...
Federal investigation: Patient privacy in jeopardy
The Bush administration has no clear strategy to protect the privacy of patients as it promotes the use of electronic medical records throughout the nation's health care system, federal investigators say.
The Government Accountability Office says in a report that the administration had a jumble of studies and vague policy statements but no overall strategy to ensure that privacy protections would be built into computer networks linking insurers, doctors, hospitals and other health care providers....
Is your company Daylight Savings Time compliant?
Computer firms are alerting their customers of an impending problem related to the change in daylight savings time next month, which could throw computer clocks off by an hour.
The issue stems from the change in dates for daylight savings time. Beginning this year, DST begins on the second Sunday of March instead of the first Sunday in April, and ends on the first Sunday in November instead of the last Sunday of October....
New Yorkers most vulnerable to ID theft
It seems ID thieves are taking a big bite out of the Big Apple. New York has the highest rate of identity fraud, followed by California, Nevada and Arizona, according to research from ID Analytics Inc. The research finds that Wyoming, Vermont and Montana have the lowest rates....
Former FBI director Louis Freeh to keynote CTST
The CardTechSecurTech (CTST) Conference, scheduled for May 15-17 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, will feature a keynote luncheon and book signing with former FBI director Louis Freeh on May 15th....
Researchers develop new worm-stopping technology
Researchers at Penn State University say they have developed anti-malware technology that can identify and contain worms in milliseconds rather than minutes -- greatly limiting how far they spread and how much damage they cause....
Microsoft boosts Windows mobile security
Microsoft Corp. says it has increased the security mechanisms built into its newest mobile phone operating system, responding to the needs of business customers who will use the phones to access sensitive corporate data....
Mobile device security still a top concern of IT execs
Mobility and security are the two most pressing issues facing IT executives in 2007, according to an industry report by The EQUS Group, a technology market research firm.
The study details the concerns of 83 IT executives who participated in exhaustive interviews....
Study identifies 39 ways for malls to combat terrorism
A RAND Corp. report has identified 39 security measures that can substantially reduce the risk of terrorist attacks at enclosed shopping centers.
The study ranks the security measures based on the relative risks of a set of attack scenarios and on the cost and effectiveness of each measure. It identifies a high-priority set of 6-10 security measures that can cut terrorism risk to just one-fifteenth the level it would otherwise be, based on case studies of three enclosed shopping centers in the United States....
NBFAA spring conference to be held during ISC West
The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) will welcome members and guests to the association's annual Spring Conference held in conjunction with the 2007 ISC West Expo....
Scientists use radio waves for explosives detection
Scientists in Japan have developed a technique to detect explosives such as TNT in landmines or luggage using radio waves.
Writing in Superconductor Science and Technology journal this week, they said the technique is superior to conventional methods of detection such as X-rays, and can identify different types of white powder, from flour and salt to drugs and explosives, Reuters reports....
Video expert outlines ABCs of school security
According to technology research firm Gartner, school districts are using more effective, advanced security technologies in the wake of security breaches and campus violence across the nation.
To help administrators understand video technology issues and campus security challenges and solutions, video surveillance provider Wren Education Solutions has released a white paper entitled "A Guide to Successful Network Video Implementation in K-12 Schools."...
Network video surveillance market surging
A market study from U.K.-based IMS Research has confirmed that the trend from analog CCTV to network video surveillance is in full swing.
The world market for network video surveillance products increased by an impressive 41.9 percent in 2006 and is forecast to continue growing strongly for years to come. By 2010, the combined market for network cameras, video servers and NVRs is forecast to exceed $2.6 billion....
IT security goes mainstream at RSA Conference
The annual RSA Conference is showing evidence of a maturing information security industry with an increasing role for big-name companies. The event has developed into an annual gathering for corporate IT pros and a showcase for hundreds of companies, small and large, that market security products and services to businesses....
Homeland security investor conference draws 300
The inaugural Homeland Security Investor Conference in early December proved a success by attracting more than 300 attendees...
Nuclear plants directed to focus security on containment
Making nuclear power plants crash-proof to an airliner attack by terrorists is unreasonable and it is up to the military to avert such an assault, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) says.
In a revised security policy, NRC has directed nuclear plant operators to focus on preventing radiation from escaping in case of such an attack and to improve evacuation plans to protect public health and safety....
Boston transit camera system pays off in crime reduction
More than 450 security cameras watching for potential terrorists on Boston's rapid transit railways are now helping catch alleged criminals, according to a report by the Boston Globe.
Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) Transit Police recently arrested a 27-year-old man accused of robbing a passenger at gunpoint at one of its stations. Such cases have often gone unsolved, officials tell the newspaper, and the arrest would have been far less likely without digital images from a surveillance camera at the station....
"Dumb terminals" may be smart for security
A new generation of simplified devices -- most often called "thin clients" or "simple terminals" -- is gaining popularity with an increasing number of companies and other computer users in the U.S., Europe and Asia. The stripped-down machines enable users to perform such tasks as word processing or accessing the Internet at their desks just as they did with their personal computers.
The difference? These simple terminals generally lack features such as hard drives or DVD players, so they cannot run most software or store data on their own. Instead, the software applications used on a thin terminal's screen are actually running on a server, often in a separate room....
Specialized security at the Super Bowl
A task force of 50 local, state and federal agencies has spent the better part of a year getting ready for the week of the Super Bowl in Miami, leading up to Sunday's game. They have been planning for eight months -- trying to walk a tightrope between keeping the fans safe, and trying not to spoil the party....
Best practices for use of RF technology in ID management
Using radio frequency (RF) technology for identity management has become a balancing act between security and privacy. The Smart Card Alliance Identity Council has released guidance regarding best practices for organizations implementing the technology in identity management systems....
4th annual Security Summit planned for June
The Security Network has announced plans for the 4th annual The Security Summit, which will take place in San Diego on June 6-7.
More than 60 companies are expected to enter this year's Exposition and Competition...
New report details sectors within security industry
Security sectors particularly well positioned over the next five years include video surveillance, private prisons, physical services and identification -- including background, automated and biometric -- according to the Lehman Brothers' 2006 Security Industry Annual Report....
HAZMAT tank cars to undergo security makeover
In a move designed to aid in the development of new federal design standards for stronger and safer hazardous materials tank cars, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is joining forces with rail and chemical industry leaders to create the tank car of the future, FRA administrator Joseph H. Boardman says....
HID, Fujitsu, Panasonic to demonstrate at technology expo
HID Global, Fujitsu and Panasonic will demonstrate security technologies at the 10th Annual Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee Kickoff Reception and Technology Exhibition, January 31, 2007. The Tech Exhibition event will highlight some of the key issues driving policy-making in the 110th Congress....
