THE MAGAZINE

February 2009

MEXICO'S BANKS BATTLE CRIME

Plus: Explosives Detection • Data Protection • Biothreat Readiness

COVER STORY

Robbers Can't Bank on Lax Security

By John Barham

Banks in Mexico have spent over $200 million to upgrade security since 2003. Find out how improvements in CCTV coverage, increased training, and other measures have helped to reduce robberies.

FEATURES

Building Biothreat Defenses

By Joseph Straw

An assessment of how well prepared the United States is to detect and respond to a man-made or natural biological threat.

Box: Bio-info Fusion

HOMELAND SECURITY

Standards for Explosives Defense

By Joseph Straw

The Department of Homeland Security is drafting the first set of standards for explosives detection and response systems and training programs.

State Perspective - Alabama

By Joseph Straw

An interview with James M. Walker, Jr., head of the Alabama Department of Homeland Security.

PRINT EDITION ONLY

Too Much Information

By R. Mark Field

Every company needs a data management system that can help it minimize the burden of legal discovery requirements in a court battle.

Diversifying Security Technology

By Laura Spadanuta

Companies that develop technology for government or homeland security applications should be certain that their products also have private-sector uses.

Prisons Struggle to Keep Out Contraband Cell Phones

By Matthew Harwood

Contraband cell phones are an epidemic in prisons nationwide, but federal law won't allow state prisons to jam such transmissions because of  fears it may block emergency communications.

Ad Hoc Networks: A Key to Disaster Communications?

By Laura Spadanuta

Researchers and technology companies believe wireless, mobile ad hoc networks could help communication in a disaster or war zone.

Legal Report

By Teresa Anderson

A look at the cases the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to consider, including those on the ADA, preemployment screening, and wrongful termination.

Industry News

By Ann Longmore-Etheridge

ASIS releases a report on crime trends and prepares a standard on business continuity. Dennis Shepp, CPP, PCI, is profiled.

Steps Toward Career Success

By Chris Richardson, CPP

Security education and experience are two rungs on the security career ladder; others are strategies such as becoming an expert and networking.

 

The Magazine — Past Issues

EDITOR'S NOTE

An Inconceivable Exposure to Risk

By Sherry Harowitz

Can companies take risk out of the equation?

TECHNOFILE

Measuring True Security Risk

By John Wagley

When planning expenditures, IT security managers should work with other department heads to assess the company's overall risk.

RoboForm Enterprise

By John Wagley

Password manager RoboForm has released an enterprise version to help employees quickly and securely access a growing number of Web-based company applications.

New in Plaintext: Network Security Assessment

By Chris McNab; Reviewed by Ben Rothke, CISSP

This text helps readers sort through vulnerabilities to identify the real threats to network security.

A Site to See: PassPub

Many people don’t secure their wireless router with a password. That could be a reason to visit PassPub, which can automatically generate passwords specifically tailored to the security protocols of wireless routers.

Behind the Numbers: Malware Infections by Industry

By Verizon

Quick Bytes: Bad Education

About one-third of data breaches occur in the educational sector, according to a study by Madison, Wisconsin-based J. Campana & Associates, yet the industry comprises less than 1 percent of total organizations.

INTERNATIONAL

Has U.K. Security Officer Regulation Been a Success?

By Stephanie Berrong

The agency the British government created to regulate private security officers has suffered some embarrassing scandals in its short history.

Cooperating for Security in Pan-Asia

By Stephanie Berrong

As more American business do business in Asia, the State Department has launched a new forum to address security challenges in the region.

CASE STUDY

A Federation of E-Mails

By Ann Longmore-Etheridge

How one county implemented a user-friendly software solution that helps it keep sensitive e-mail protected even in transit.

BOOK REVIEWS

Psycho-Political Aspects of Suicide Warriors, Terrorism, and Martyrdom: A Critical View ...

By Jamshid A. Marvasti, M.D.; Reviewed by Frederick D. "Rick" Arons

An international, multicultural perspective compedium of academic articles exploring the roots of terrorism, martyrdom, and suicide attacks.

Open in Thirty Seconds: Cracking One of the Most Secure Locks in America

By Marc Weber Tobias; Reviewed by Ted P. Barron

The safest locks in the world are less secure than the manufacturers admit.

Ghost: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent

By Fred Burton; Reviewed by Col. Britt Mallow (U.S. Army, Ret.)

An insider's account of how Diplomatic Security Service agents conduct terrorism investigations.

Best Damn IT Security Management Book Period

By Bryan Cunningham, et al; Reviewed by James Litchko

Glaring ommissions and hard to find information make this text a poor reference book.

 

Beyond Print

Beyond Print

See all the latest links and resources that supplement the current issue of Security Management magazine.

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