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CaTS, PerSay collaborate on voice recognition
South African, Israeli companies collaborate on offering voice recognition security solution for e-commerce applications
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Taiwan nabs major hacking ring
Criminal ring steals personal data of more than 50 million individuals — including Taiwan’s current and former presidents, and the current Taiwanese chief of police
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Technology companies help governments augment surveillance capabilities
Technology companies have often been criticized for assisting governments in what many see as unwarranted intrusion, most notably in China; such criticism notwithstanding, these companies find rich business opportunities in the growing surveillance market
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Daon rides biometric wave
Founded in 2000, Daon initially looked at selling biometrics to the financial industry as a way for people to make secure purchases; then 9/11 happened
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American Airlines, TSA end weeklong feud
TSA inspector at O’Hare used an air temperature probe attached to the exterior of seven unattended American Eagles to hoist himself onto nearby jet bridges and access the planes; sensitive devices had to be recalibrated, resulting in delays
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All is not clear with the Clear "fast pass" program
TSA suspended Verified Identity Pass (VIP) from the Registered Traveler program because one of VIP’s computer, containing the personal details of 33,000 customers who had registered for the program; the lap top was found, and TSA reinstated VIP; Priva technologies, locked in a legal battle with VIP over trademarks, is unhappy
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ManTech acquires ETG
ETG is a privately held and highly specialized company providing computer network operations and computer forensics; in acquiring it, ManTech signals its intent to expand further into the cybersecurity counter-terrorism technology support market
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Maple Leaf Foods in $2 million meat recall
Canadian food processing giant struggles to maintain health and safety standards while coping with financial difficulties
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DHS extends Accenture's US-VISIT contract
Accenture is the prime contractor for US VISIT, and has been busy upgrading biometric readers from two fingers to ten; DHS extends company contract
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QRSciences Holdings acquires Spectrum San Diego
The acquisition will boost QRSciences’ product offering of security related applications including the detection of explosives and narcotics, metal detection and imaging
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Calls for tougher debit card regulation
On Tuesday the Justice Department announced the indictment of eleven people for stealing and selling more than 40 million credit card and debit card numbers; watchgroups say this is evidence, if one were needed, that federal laws governing debit cards should be tougher — and more uniform
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Germany to introduce an electronic ID card
The German federal government plans to introduce an electronic ID card similar to the electronic passport already in use; for the industry, the device will create a significant additional business
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US Biometrics takes on project in Texas
Illinois firm teams up with a Texas partner to offer fingerprint biometric products to the various departments in the Texas state government
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Tuffin Technology's products win F&S award
Security and network operations are becoming increasingly complex. Large enterprises have multiple firewalls spread across different time zones and business units and are also required to comply with stringent regulatory requirements; Tuffin Technology offers management solutions to help businesses cope
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Battle rages over Baltimore port security
Congress mandates that port security equipment purchased with DHS grants must be produced in the United States; DHS argues that if better equipment is produced by non-U.S. company, it should be allowed to buy it; the debate intensifies
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More headlines
The long view
The Scourge of Commercial Spyware—and How to Stop It
Years of public revelations have spotlighted a shadowy set of spyware companies selling and servicing deeply intrusive surveillance technologies that are used against journalists, activists, lawyers, politicians, diplomats, and others. Democratic nations (thus far) lag behind the United States in executing spyware-related policy commitments.
Training Students to Succeed in the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”
Transformational changes are already underway in the manufacturing industry as technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and smart devices from the “fourth industrial revolution” or Industry 4.0., inspire a digital-first approach to engineering. University of Missouri researchers are using a $1 million grant to support the development of an Industry 4.0 lab, training engineering students for the future of digitization in manufacturing.
Multi-Billion-Dollar Risk to Economic Activity from Climate Extremes Affecting Ports
More than $122 billion of economic activity - $81 billion in international trade - is at risk from the impact of extreme climate events, according to new research. Systemic impacts – those risks faced due to knock-on effects within global shipping, trade and supply chains network - will hit ports and economies around the world, even if the local ports are not directly affected by extreme events.
Tech Breakthrough Could Increase States’ Use of Geothermal Power
Lawmakers in some states have been laying the groundwork to add geothermal power to the electrical grid and pump underground heat into buildings. Now, a technological breakthrough could dramatically expand those ambitions — and perhaps unleash a new wave of policies to tap into geothermal sources. If the technology’s promise is fulfilled, geothermal could power as much as 20% of the U.S. grid.
More U.S. Crops to Require Irrigation
With climate change, irrigating more crops in the United States will be critical to sustaining future yields, as drought conditions are likely to increase due to warmer temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns. Yet less than 20% of the nation’s croplands are equipped for irrigation.
State Pension Fund is Helping a Middle Eastern Firm Export Arizona’s Precious Groundwater
As rural Arizonans face the prospect of wells running dry, foreign firms are sucking up vast amounts of the state’s groundwater to grow hay for Saudi Arabia and other wealthy nations. The state’s retirement system invested heavily in a private land deal that allowed a foreign company to effectively ship Arizona’s scarce water supply overseas.