Thursday, November 14, 2013

GAO Says TSA Should Limit Future Funding for Behavior Detection Activities


The GAO found that "Available evidence does not support whether behavioral indicators, which are used in the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program, can be used to identify persons who may pose a risk to aviation security."
So, TSA's Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program is useless.
Bruce Schneier has long said that profiling is worse than useless; it’s dangerous.
However, with DHA and TSA being laws onto themselves, they’ll continue with this security theater regardless of GAO recommends. So, here we have taxes wasted in two ways: by TSA in continuing programs that don’t work, and by GAO in conducting reviews that no one act on.

Related Books:
 
 
 
and even though GAO has its doubts, for those believers:
 
 

Friday, November 1, 2013

The emerging turf battle between information and physical security pros

Oh, the problems with slow news days.

This is not a new issue. It's been going on for a long time. Battle of the retired government agent or cop security manager--white socks, black shoes, definitely analog--facing an increasing digital physical security world versus the IT security pro who ensures that all the digital safeguards are working. (ASIS vs ISSA.)

The books we publish on security management largely have an analog focus as well.

We first covered this in 2006. Really, nothing has changed and likely won't. There's a comfort level in hiring an ex-agent for physical security, regardless of digital competence.