-
Unisys: Technology "consumerization," mobility risks key drivers of security investments
A Unisys briefing says that the growing pervasiveness of technology consumerization and mobility opens businesses to new risks across a broader spectrum; economy compels greater need for collaboration, more intelligent systems, and better fraud prevention; biometric use and acceptance also to increase
-
-
Microsoft offers reward for catching worm creator
Microsoft offered a reward of $250,000 to find who is behind the Downadup/Conficker virus; since it started circulating in October 2008 the Conficker worm has managed to infect millions of Windows computers
-
-
Regulators cannot cope with food counterfeiting, contamination
New worry: Between the extremes of accidentally contaminated food and terrorism via intentional contamination, lies the counterfeiter, seeking not to harm but to hide the act for profit
-
-
Researchers spoof, bypass face-recognition authentication systems
Vietnamese researchers have cracked facial recognition technology in Lenovo, Asus, and Toshiba laptops; the researchers demonstrated feat at this week’s Black Hat DC event
-
-
Carnegie Mellon to join new biometrics center
Aim of the new center — called Center for Academic Studies In Identity Sciences (CASIS) — is to provide the U.S. intelligence community with a pool of talented researchers in biometrics
-
-
Saving money and increasing security by using guard tracking device
New Jersey-based company offers GPS-enables guard tracking device which can tell, and keep record of, where guards are at any moment in time; such tracking increases companies’ security and may also reduce their insurance premiums and their legal exposure
-
-
L-1 Identity Solutions reports Q4 and 2008 results
Revenue for the Q4 2008 increased to $147.5 million compared to $113.9 million in Q4 2007; revenue for the twelve months ending 31 December 2008 was $562.9 million compared with $389.5 million for the twelve months ending 31 December 2007
-
-
Raytheon offers airborne radar for India's homeland security
India is paying more attention — much more attention — to homeland security in the wake of the November 2008 Mumbai bombing; among the first priorities is securing the very long coast lines of the country; Raytheon, already a presence in India, stands to benefit
-
-
Growing crime in Central America boon to private security companies
A combination of a dramatic increase in crime — from drug-related murders to kidnapping for ransom — and a growing perception that government agencies cannot or would not do much about it, have led to a boom for private security companies in Central and Latin America
-
-
IT security jobs largely untouched by economic slowdown
New reports describe a surprising stability in the information security job market amid all the cost-cutting and layoffs that are taking place; regulatory compliance demands, increasing data protection requirements stemming from wireless deployments and rollouts of virtualization technology, and growing consumer angst over data breaches combine to blunt the toll recession takes on information security jobs, salaries
-
-
MRAPs keep soldiers safe from mines, IEDs on battlefield
The Obama administration wants to send tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan; these troops will need protection from land mines and IEDs; Force Protection, a company producing Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MARP) vehicles, stands to benefit
-
-
Bolstering cyber defense
Against the backdrop of tens of thousands of reported attacks and breaches of government and private computer systems each year, Cobham’s subsidiary awarded a $8.6 million contract to develop cybersecurity test and evaluation technology
-
-
Growing interest in flexible display -- for both soldiering and profit
U.S. Army invests $50 million in flexible displays, bringing its total investment since 2004 to $100 million; flexible displays are paper-thin electronic screens that can be bent, mounted onto objects, and sewn into clothing
-
-
Airport screening machines to stimulate the U.S. economy?
A $500 million piece of the proposed economic stimulus plan
-
-
Lax U.S. drug import regime may offer opening to al-Qaeda
Repeat incidents of contaminated foreign foods and medicines appear, so far, to reflect a drive to reduce production costs in poorly regulated nations; with the United States exercising but scant scrutiny of imported food and drugs, terrorist leaders could easily identify and exploit this key U.S. vulnerability
-
The long view
Europe’s Banks Quietly Mobilize for Economic Warfare
For years, banks treated defense as a reputational issue, as well as an environmental, social and governance risk, often lumping it with tobacco or fossil fuels as something to be managed at arm’s length. That era is ending. Russia’s war in Ukraine, China’s coercive trade tactics and the United States’ pressure on Europe to shoulder more of its defense burden have exposed the limits of moralistic restraint. Financial mobilization is the new norm.
A New Generation of Industries Emerges in Texas as Feds Push to Mine More Rare Minerals
The U.S. doesn’t produce the minerals and metals needed for renewable energy, microchips or military technology. Major oil companies are drilling in East Texas again, but not for oil. This time, they’re after lithium for batteries and other rare elements.
U.S. and Australia Deepen Critical-Minerals Engagement to Counter China
Engagement between Australia and the United States on critical minerals has matured from technical cooperation into a strategic partnership, aligning resource security with clean energy and defense priorities.
Bookshelf: Critical Mineral Dilemmas
Whoever controls the production and processing of lithium, copper and other critical minerals could dominate the 21st century economy, much as producers of fossil fuels defined the 20th century, writes Ernest Scheyder in a new book.