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Noble scheme to license security staff
posted on 17/05/2002

'GUARDSAFE', A GROUND BREAKING scheme aimed at licensing security staff working in Greater Manchester's Trafford Borough, has been launched. The new scheme is being run by the Trafford Park Security Initiative (TPSI) group consisting of Greater Manchester Police, Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, Trafford Park Business Watch and Noble Security Services UK. It will mean that the officers will be trained to an industry standard.George Mensah, Noble SecurityWith its Guardsafe scheme, TPSI is encouraging manned security providers to obtain licenses for their staff now,... [more]

Don’t let fraud credit the criminals
posted on 02/04/2002

As plastic card usage and the number of cards issued continues to rise in the United Kingdom, so does the occurrence of credit card fraud. Here Brian Wilson, Managing Director of Endusis® looks at the scale of this security issue. Since 1966, when credit cards were first issued in the United Kingdom, card usage has grown every year, and in the past five years the number of cards in issue has grown by 32 per cent. According to figures published recently by the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) there are more than 42 million cardholders in Britain and almost 127 million plastic cards, including credit, charge, debit, cash (ATM only) and cheque guarantee cards. Unfortunately the unwanted by-product of this huge growth in popularity and usage is fraud. As card usage and the number of cards issued continue to surge in the UK, the cost of card fraud maintains its path of steady growth. In 2001, card fraud cost the UK a staggering £373 million. These are shocking stati... [more]

Protecting your assets from hackers and viruses
posted on 28/03/2002

Iain Franklin is European VP of Entercept Security Technologies. In this article he looks at how a company can protect its server and vital corporate data by establishing a layered security policy. A recent report by AMR Research, ‘Enabling Technology Spending Report, 2002-2003’ shows that security, once again, ranks as one of the top three IT technology investment areas. Even in the tight current economic climate, companies are aware that failing to protect their network from hackers, viruses and malicious activity can be seriously damaging to their business. It can affect the company’s ability to continue operating on a day-to-day basis, cause severe financial damage and can also irrevocably damage its reputation. With the steady growth in the number of websites and increasing levels of online trading, the web servers and applications which enable online activity must be heavily protected. Website defacement, denial of service attacks and browser-based hacks all leave the web se... [more]

The NHS protects itself against (IT) viruses
posted on 21/03/2002

The UK National Health Service (NHS) is using NHSnet internet technology to revolutionise accessibility and exchange of information throughout NHS regions. As more health trusts and authorities connect to NHSnet, the danger of exposing data to viruses increases. In response, Sophos Anti-Virus is now protecting over 100,000 NHS workstations throughout the UK. To improve working practices and patient care in the UK, many regional health bodies are giving staff access to shared information resources such as NHSnet, which offers web-based clinical research tools, as well as email services and internet browsing. As NHS staff take advantage of internet services, the risk of viruses infecting health networks and compromising confidential patient data has increased dramatically. NHS IT service providers have made the evaluation and provision of anti-virus products a high priority. In response to their need for a product that is easy to manage with excellent virus detection rates on diverse... [more]

Digital CCTV: keeping it simple, straightforward
posted on 17/12/2001

A MAJOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS IN LONDON has invested in a significant overhaul of its security, centred around digital multiplexing technology from Dedicated Micros. The university has seven city centre sites spread over almost three miles. A growth in drug related crime in the nearby Kings Cross area prompted the university to reconsider its security arrangements in conjunction with IDS, specialists in digital CCTV technology. IDS considered a number of potential solutions before suggesting the Digital Sprite multiplexer from Dedicated Micros. Less expensive option Michael Pye from IDS explains: "The university had originally specified a much more expensive digital system, but we advised against it. We were aware of the complicated operating procedures it demanded and thought it unnecessarily expensive for the university's needs. ... [more]

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