Security Management News & Analysis

U.S. Tracking Citizens' Border Crossings

By Laura Spadanuta — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:46:15 -0400

The Washington Post reports that the Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed a database that is a record citizen border crossings. U.S. Customs and Border Protection started logging arrivals of U.S.

Senate Holds Hearing on Cruise Ship Security

by Teresa Anderson — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:14:50 -0400

Lawmakers explored the effectiveness of security aboard cruise ships during a hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee’s Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security.

Government to Fund Synthetic Telepathy Research

By Laura Spadanuta — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:23:38 -0400

Wired.com reports that a team of researchers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), has received a $4 million grant to study "neuroscientific and signal-processing foundations of synthetic telepathy."

According to a university press release, the research might help communication on the battlefield as well as with stroke and paralysis patients.

TSA Now Recognizes Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bags

By Laura Spadanuta — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:58:22 -0400

One-third of all air travelers carry laptops and a major hassle for those travelers has been the need to take the laptop out of its bag at airport security checkpoints. After Sunday, however, travelers with "checkpoint-friendly" bags will be able to get their computers through security without having to remove them from the bags, according to CNN.com.

Beware MSNBC.com Breaking News Spam E-mails

By Matthew Harwood — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:41:33 -0400

Last week spammers tried to spoof CNN.com breaking news e-mails that, when clicked on, took users to a spoofed Web page where malicious code was downloaded. This week, hackers are spamming MSNBC.com breaking news e-mails, according to eWeek.com.

Is Releasing a Security Flaw an Act of Free Speech?

By Matthew Harwood — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:56:25 -0400

Last week, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order that barred three Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) undergrads from releasing a security flaw that they found in the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) automated fare collection system that would allow travelers a way to get "free subway rides for life."

Al Qaeda Strengthens Its Ability to Attack the United States

By Matthew Harwood — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:27:09 -0400

Al Qaeda has used the ties it forged with Pakistani tribal leaders to create a safehaven from which it has strengthened its ability to strike the United States, America's top intelligence analyst said yesterday.

Estonia to Help Georgia Fight Back Against Cyberattacks

By Matthew Harwood — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:10:19 -0400

Two Estonian computer security experts will arrive in Georgia tonight to help the besieged government battle back against an array of cyberattacks, reports ComputerWorld.com.

Judge Says No to Guns in Nonsecure Areas of Atlanta Airport

By Matthew Harwood — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:52:53 -0400

A federal judge ruled yesterday that people with gun licenses cannot carry concealed weapons in nonsecure areas of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

DHS Short List for National Laboratory Sites Raises Eyebrows

By Laura Spadanuta — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:57:51 -0400

The Department of Homeland Security has whittled down a short list of locations for a $451 million national laboratory that will research some of the world's most dangerous threats and select agents, according to the Associated Press (via Washington Post).

Security Pros Get Scammed by Black Hat Hackers

By Matthew Harwood — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:32:55 -0400

The ruse was simple.

Shawn Moyer, chief information security officer for Agura Digital Security, and Nathan Hamiel, senior consultant for Idea Information Security, created fake profiles of prominent computer security professionals, posted them to various social networking sites, and then sent out plenty of friend requests to other security experts.

Chertoff Says Laptop Border Searches Based on Suspicion

By Matthew Harwood — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:05:31 -0400

During an interview with Wired.com's Threat Level Blog on Monday, Department of Homeland (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff said that DHS' policy of suspicionless laptop searches at the border is actually based on border agent suspicion.

Chertoff told the blog:

China's Surveillance State from the Olympic Games and Onward

By Matthew Harwood — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:32:30 -0400

In the run up to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, which kick-off tomorrow night, the Chinese government has created an all-pervasive surveillance network made up of 300,000 cameras, facial-recognition technology, biometrics, and databases, reports The Los Angeles Times.

Russian Hacker Gang Targets Bank Accounts Without Fear

By Matthew Harwood — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:15:31 -0400

As Security Management reported in April, the Russian Business Network once stalked the Internet, providing Web hosting to various sorts of cybercriminals and their illegal activities, ranging from identity theft to child pornography, until an Italian Internet-provider cut its connection.

Britain's e-Passports Can be Counterfeited

By Matthew Harwood — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:14:53 -0400

Britain's supposed "fake-proof" biometric e-passports have been proven anything but by the Times (of London).

Tests for The Times exposed security flaws in the microchips introduced to protect against terrorism and organised crime. The flaws also undermine claims that 3,000 blank passports stolen last week were worthless because they could not be forged.

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