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OSPAs Finalists Announced

OSPAs Finalists Announced

Now in their third year, the U.S. 2018 U.S. Outstanding Security Performance Awards (OSPAs) are part of a global awards program to recognize and reward companies, teams, and individuals who have performed at an exceptional level within the security sector.

The full list of finalists are:

Outstanding In-House Security Manager/Director

  • Major Alexander R. Liggett – 11th Security Support Squadron
  • Raymond Gerwitz – Executive Director, Deputy Chief Security Officer – MD Anderson Cancer Centre

Outstanding Security Team

  • Allied Universal SJURT Puerto Rico
  • Hillsboro Technical Operations Security
  • Sodexo

Outstanding Security Consultant

  • Luke Bencie – Security Management International
  • Michael Glasser – Glasser Security Group
  • Michael A. Silva, CPP – Silva Consultants

Outstanding Contract Security Company (Guarding)

  • Admiral Security Services
  • Global Elite Group Inc
  • Sodexo Inc

Outstanding Security Training Initiative

  • Bloomberg Security Operations
  • Matthew W. Doherty – Hilard Heintze
  • Wombat Security, a division of Proofpoint

Outstanding Security Equipment Manufacturer

  • IDIS America
  • Kisi Inc
  • SmartWater CSI LLC

Outstanding Security Officer

  • Cynthia Hale – Allied Universal
  • Richard W. Sullivan – FBI Phoenix Division

Outstanding Young Security Professional

  • Drew Weston – CodeLynx
  • Eric Oleksy – Allied Universal
  • Russell Mallette, CPP – Allied Universal

Winners will be announced on-site at GSX during a networking luncheon on Monday, 24 September. Tickets for the luncheon are included with an All-Access pass, or can be purchased for $90 with a free Expo-Only pass. Learn more about registration options for GSX and register today.

Increasing The Ability To Survive In Critical Trauma Incidents

By Richard Smith

The horrific events in Parkland, Florida, Sutherland Springs, Texas, and, unfortunately, other locations around the U.S., have propelled a nationwide conversation on preventing and responding to an active shooter situation. This dialogue has led to an increase in training focused on empowering people to take action—to heed the DHS recommendation to ‘run, hide, fight’. By taking part in this discussion and participating in these trainings, we’re actively working to reduce the number of victims.

These critical conversations are one (very important) piece of the puzzle. We must also have a frank discussion about what happens if prevention fails. Essential to surviving the first ten minutes of a critical incident—whether it be an active shooter scenario or a significant weather event—is knowing how to control severe blood loss.

Recent mass casualty events, like last year’s hotel shooting in Las Vegas or the Boston Marathon bombings, saw lives saved as bystanders—“immediate responders” if you will—began administering aid before trained first responders arrived. Many of these immediate responders were medical, military, or off-duty law enforcement personnel who had one thing in common: hemorrhage control training.

The role of the immediate responder is a crucial one in helping people survive future active shooter events. Consider that the average EMS response time in an urban area is seven minutes—longer in rural areas—and even after EMS has arrived on scene, there may still be a delay as law enforcement secures the area. Yet a person can bleed to death in three to five minutes, depending on the severity of injury.

Can every one of those victims afford those seven minutes, or more? We must train and equip employees, security, teachers, and, sadly, even our children, to survive should the worst happen.

Join me on Wednesday, 26 September at the 2018 Global Security Exchange GSX 2018 for Session #6221, Surviving the First 10 Minutes: Increasing The Ability to Survive in Critical Trauma Incidents. I will present on the role of the immediate responder and demonstrate equipment recommended for their use.

School Security the Focus of ASIS International 2018 Security Cares Program

Boon Edam at ASIS 2017

Free education at Global Security Exchange to address school violence prevention and response; panelists include Las Vegas law enforcement, government, mental health, and security professionals

ASIS International’s free Security Cares education program will provide the Las Vegas community with access to important school security discussions led by ASIS School Safety and Security Council experts. Topics include pre-violence indicators, target hardening, and best practices on how to engage the entire community—school administrators, law enforcement, security professionals, and mental health providers—in the effort.

The program kicks-off with a Tuesday, Sept. 25 “School Security: Beyond the Headlines” panel at 12:30 pm PT that will be live streamed from the exhibit hall on www.GSX.org. Speakers from the ASIS School Safety and Security Council will discuss active shooter and the conditions that lead to these acts of violence, the use of data and analytics in prevention, technology and procurement assessment, and measures that can be taken to secure soft targets.

The Wednesday, Sept. 26, in-person program at the Las Vegas Convention Center will take a deep dive into the role communities play in keeping schools safe. Panelists will examine pre-violence indicators, implementing ‘see something, say something’ policies, issues surrounding how reported behaviors are escalated, resources available to connect at-risk individuals, and the importance of taking a collaborative approach to assess threats. The program will wrap up with a tabletop exercise designed to provide attendees with a real-world example and best practices to take back to their communities.

View program details and register at GSX.org/securitycares.

Exhibitor Profile: Boon Edam (Booth #1715)

Boon Edam at ASIS 2017 Security entrances are a critical part of any facility’s overall security plan. Ideally, they are part of a layered approach to security that includes the appropriate elements for the needs of the facility, the level of sensitivity of the work or materials that are housed there, and the number and type of people that need to enter or exit the facility on an hourly or daily basis. But, did you know that not all of them are the same or work the same way? We believe the more familiar you are with security entrance types and capabilities in terms of their impact and risk mitigation level, the better.

The User Knowledge Challenge

Real security entrances won’t fit in your pocket or briefcase, so potential users need opportunities to see these products first hand. They can witness demonstrations, explore strengths and weaknesses, and have experts on hand to discuss impacts to the organization in terms of people, process and technology, integration, and more. That is what makes the GSX show an ideal venue to put a range of offerings on display and meet with potential users, installers and specifiers to help them increase their first-hand knowledge about these security problem-solvers.

For example, one of the many innovative products we will be highlighting this year is the Boon Edam Circlelock Combi. The Circlelock Combi is a cylindrical mantrap portal solution that has a sliding door on one end and an opening on the other end that is designed to be mounted to an existing wall and swing door. Because of this design, it can be fastened, for example, to an existing fire-rated door, converting it instantly into a mantrap solution that prevents piggybacking 24/7 and eliminates the need for manned supervision, all while maintaining the fire rating and benefits of the swing door.

GSX Supports Users and Integrators Alike

By bringing a variety of products and demonstrating them at the show, we are able to strengthen and improve our communication with integrators and potential users alike, making them aware of solutions they may not realize are already available, as well as answering questions. At this year’s show, we are able to clearly show how the Circlelock Combi mentioned above can save considerable space compared to the traditional, DIY mantrap vestibule design. It can also easily implement multi-factor authentication using a wide variety of biometric identity verification technologies, including iris and facial recognition, in addition to traditional keypads and other devices. Seeing this solution in person is the best way to understand it and get a sense of its extremely high security level and the smoothness of the user experience.

The broad attendance of the show, and even the presence of other exhibitors, can also help reinforce our efforts. For example, while we often find that security staff are aware of Boon Edam, general management may also attend this show, and thus the security staff may have an opportunity to bring these managers to our booth for a closer look. And because attendees may have just learned about other related security technologies such as iris recognition during their visit, it is a perfect opportunity to tie these ideas together and discuss how their security challenges can be best met.

We always enjoy the direct interaction and questions we get from GSX show attendees, as every project is unique and has its own special challenges. Keep them coming and we hope to see you there!

Multigenerational Strategic Leadership

By Brittany Galli

Why do we consistently wonder why we aren’t farther ahead in our profession or respected like we want to be? The 5 essential traits of great leaders reflect personal attributes, not roles inherent to the position. We sometimes forget how these foundational steps are the things that can either earn us the next promotion or lose us the job.

Grow Your EQ and Connections: Make authentic, valuable, strategic connections and foster them. Manners in the workplace should not be forgotten. Have you said thank you to every person on your team this week for something they’ve done, something they’ve delivered or for the way they acted in a situation?

Use Your Resources: On LinkedIn, always send a note with any connection you make. Something as simple as “Great connecting with you- let me know if I can ever help you” or “Great hearing your thoughts today on ESRM – have a great week ahead.” can help you in the future more than you know.

Be the Mentor You Would Want: Mentors get the most workplace kudos. People in the workplace will talk about you in one light or another – it’s your responsibility to make them say things like “He’s a great mentor,” or “She really helped me when I couldn’t figure out how to deal with this person.”

Self-Promotion: How do you promote yourself? Do you hang 5k T-shirts in your office or desk? Do people even know you outside of work? Do they know that you give away 100 lbs. of canned goods to families during the month? Or help with a foster agency in your spare time? Promote yourself in all facets of life and what keeps you going – people want to connect with people and they need topics to do so.

Millennials are Starving for Wisdom – Use Them! It’s now a widely found statistic that members of older generations who are receiving promotions are the ones that leverage younger generations to learn how to get ahead. Learn from millennials in your life – harness them for a 1 hour per week meeting to learn something you don’t know – Excel, Instagram or how to share photos on your phone via airdrop. Then – reward them for it. Offer your own knowledge of a leadership craft or strategy they haven’t experienced yet.

Join us Tuesday, September 25th at 11 am to learn more about these topics and Multigenerational Strategic Leadership Guidance: How to be Seen, with a strategic roadmap presented by Maria Dominguez, CPP – SVP, Bank of America and Brittany Galli – Chief Success Officer, Mobotour.

Young Professionals GSX Experience Now Accepting Applications

Applications due: COB 17 August 2018

2017 award winners Scot Nabors (left) and Rachael Paskvan (right) pose with ASIS International Board Member Tim McCreight, CPP.

Since 2014, the ASIS Young Professionals Council has helped young professionals attend the annual ASIS conference and provided them with tremendous opportunities for security education, networking, and professional development. The 2018 Global Security Exchange (GSX) Experience award winner(s) will receive the following:

  • One complimentary All‐Access Pass to Global Security Exchange (GSX), 23 –27 September in Las Vegas, Nevada USA
  • Lodging for four nights (Sunday – Wednesday)
  • Airfare voucher or credit (not to exceed $500)
  • Recognition throughout the annual meeting and ASIS TV interview
  • One President’s Reception ticket
  • One Opening Night Celebration ticket

For consideration to receive this award, please complete the application in full, inclusive of the personal statement.

Submissions are due COB 17 August 2018 by email to Manuela Turner at [email protected].

ELIGIBILITY: Only young professionals who are ASIS members in good standing are eligible to apply. In addition, the incumbent should not have received an ASIS‐sanctioned award within the past year. Young professionals are defined as those 40‐years old or younger.

CRITERIA: Recipient(s) will be selected based on the need expressed in the application. A panel of ASIS members  will review all applications. Winners will be notified by email on, or before, 7 September 2018.

Please note: Winners are responsible for their own ground transportation and any incidental costs  accrued, including additional in-room costs and any meals not provided through the All‐Access Pass registration. Winners may be asked to provide a write‐up of their experience following the conference.

Download the Application

Expect Xceptional Value at GSX

In July, we updated you on the new features that will be arriving on the Global Security Exchange (GSX) show floor this September, including a new career fair, the GSX D3 Xperience—providing hands-on demos surrounding unmanned drones, droids, and defense systems—and more. Now, we’d like to share an update on the record-breaking and yet still growing GSX conference program.

Cyber Security Summit—a meeting of top government, industry, and academia thought leaders to exchange ideas and engage in a dialogue to improve the state of cyber security—will co-locate with GSX, beginning on Wednesday, 26 September. With the addition of this event to the GSX program, attendees gain access to insights from Fortune 500 CISOs and high-level government leaders that aren’t just talking about cyber security—they’re living it.

A sampling of Cyber Security Summit sessions includes:

  • Cyber Security from the War Room to the Board Room
  • Cultural Barriers & Divides between Physical & Cyber Security
  • Maintaining Cyber Readiness in an Evolving Threat Landscape
  • Panel: The Diverse Talent Gap in IT/Cyber Security
  • How Physical Vulnerabilities Can Be Used to Facilitate Cyber Attacks
  • ROI and Risk-Based Cybersecurity Investment

Cyber Security Summit joins event partners InfraGard and ISSA, as well as dozens of supporting organizations representing a range of industry verticals, for the world’s most comprehensive security event.

Education on the GSX show floor is expanding as well, with new sessions announced for Career HQ—the site of free resume reviews, a headshot lounge, and the new career fair. Programming supported by the ASIS Young Professionals council includes valuable topics, like:

  • How to Stand-Out in a Competitive Global Job Market
  • CSO Path to the Top Panel: The Resilient Plan for Career Success
  • Building Your Career Toolkit
  • Finding from the ASIS-SIA Career Pathways Initiative
  • How to Position Yourself for the Careers of the Future

Make the most of your time in Vegas by adding a classroom program from our growing Pre-Conference lineup. These programs taking place before GSX include certification reviews and courses covering the ESRM lifecycle, policy writing, security consulting, and issues in gaming security.

Register for GSX by 10 August to save $100 on your All-Access pass.

Evaluating Building Layouts to Mitigate Active Assailant Threats

By Timothy Brewer

With 2017 and 2018 both setting unfortunate new records for the number of active shooter situations, the very real and growing threat of armed assailant attacks is clear. Events such as the school shootings in Parkland, FL and Sante Fe, Texas remind us that such atrocities are regularly perpetrated against the most vulnerable members of our society, and as security professionals we must do all that we can to address this issue.

Much excellent work is being conducted to better understand behavioral science, identify indicators of a potential attacker, and secure facilities, but such measures can never be 100% effective, and tragically, 71% of attackers are able to walk legitimately and unhindered through the entrance of the facility that they are about to attack.

The average active assailant attack lasts 12.5 minutes, while the average police response time is 18 minutes, so the majority of victims in such scenarios must therefore either attempt to escape or survive within their environment. Training, drills, and communication are key components in reducing the impacts of such attacks, but security professionals should also be aware of the role that the physical fabric of the school can play in preserving life. The opportunities to exit the building quickly, safely, and without coming into contact with the attacker(s) should be maximized, and where exit is either not possible or not advised due to the threat, physical protective measures should provide an effective shelter for occupants.

In Las Vegas this September, I will be discussing the psychology and movement of building occupants during an active assailant event and describing how security design and assessment can benefit from a better understanding of the implications of the building layout on the outcomes of the attack. Attendees can gain insight into design examples which demonstrably improve and hinder building egress under conditions of panic; better understand existing and upcoming industry guidance document on this topic; and will be able to take this knowledge into their own organizations to encourage leaders to innovate security design for active assailant threats.

Join us for Evaluating the Safety of Building Layouts In Light of Active Assailant Threats at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 26, at Global Security Exchange (GSX), powered by ASIS International.

How Augmented and Virtual Reality Affect Security

By Travis Rothbloom

The computer. The internet. The smartphone. What’s next? Many believe that Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) will be mankind’s next giant leap and there are already instances where their influence has affected the security industry.

For the planning stages, the past decade has seen major improvements to building and infrastructure design with the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM). These 3D digital representations contain much more data than the traditional floorplan drawing, enabling security engineers and consultants to finalize much more of the system design early on and expedite its construction. For renovation and fit-out projects, 3D scanning gives these planners much more confidence that their renovation models are compatible with an existing site.

BIM models can also be experienced in VR. Designers can then simulate various scenarios, such as a break-in robbery or a mass evacuation due to a suspicious package, and allow different stakeholders to witness and choose between different design options based on how the situations play out. In another example, developers can be more easily convinced that spending more money up-front on landscaping that’s in accordance with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CEPTD) is easily justifiable with the extra feeling of safety it brings. Security teams can begin training on their responses to various situations long before any shovels hit the dirt.

AR differs from VR in that instead of immersing somebody into a different virtual world, it takes virtual elements and places them in the real world. This enables:
• Construction workers to digitally ensure that a building has been completed to its design specifications by overlaying the BIM model in full 3D onto the site
• Security teams to continue training to virtual crisis scenarios overlaid onto their actual building
• Public to receive, to their smartphones, visual step-by-step directions to the proper evacuation or lockdown location
• Guards and first responders to react to active security situations while having real-time access to the electronic security systems at their fingertips

On the last point above, the rise of AR along with 3D sensing systems integrated into CCTV can allow a responder to effectively see people through walls, ceilings, and floors. The responder can then simply point to a door to place it in lockdown to better manage the situation. AR can also take a 3D scan of a past crime scene and overlay it back onto its original location, allowing for more detailed forensic analysis.

Join me on Monday, September 24th at GSX 2018 for Session #4301, How Augmented and Virtual Reality Affect Security. I will be presenting on all of the above use cases and giving a live demonstration of what the future has in store.

Updating Security Operations Procedures with AI Technology

By Steve Reinharz

The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution brings new technologies into daily life. We’ve seen AI usage in diagnostic applications within the healthcare industry and in the emergence of self-driving cars, and with the growth experienced in these areas, it’s become hard to avoid AI’s massive implications around the world.

But how can security move beyond Siri and Alexa and harness the power of AI to enhance security operations? There are several ways:

  • Advanced video analytics: Video analytics is one of the first major domains within the security industry that is being radically transformed by AI – and this is already in practice in many organizations today. AI enables video analytics to do much more than just alert users when a person or object has crossed a barrier.
  • Operational efficiencies: Smart security solutions, such as video management systems or networked access control and visitor management, now can take the data being collected and correlate it with patterns in behavior for employees and visitors to a facility. This data, in turn, can be used to find ways that an organization can increase efficiencies and save valuable resources.
  • Connecting devices through IoT: AI brings multiple data points together to be analyzed and transformed into actionable intelligence that can be used to solve real-world problems. AI makes it possible to take these multiple streams of information and make it meaningful and useful.
  • Robotics: Robotic technology has taken the world by storm, but it isn’t possible without the power of AI at the heart of the technology.
  • Decision-making: AI-enabled technology has the potential to take the guesswork out of answering alarms by determining which events require a call to law enforcement and which are false alarms. While much of this technology is still in prototypes, the potential is real.

As part of the upcoming GSX Conference hosted by ASIS International, I will be joined by other experts in the field to talk about how to incorporate the best of AI technology, including video analytics, robotics, and license plate recognition, into today’s security operations procedures. Attendees can gain insight into the latest AI-powered technologies that can streamline operations, increase efficiency, and enhance security across an enterprise, and will be able to take this knowledge into their own organizations to drive leaders to innovate security operations procedures.

Join us for “Update Security Operations Procedures with the AI Technology” at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, at the Global Security Exchange (GSX), powered by ASIS International.

Global Security Exchange (GSX) Exhibit Hall to Spotlight Innovations and Trends Shaping Security

ASIS International unveiled plans for enhanced learning, career development opportunities, and access to the groundbreaking technologies shaping the future of the security industry, as part of an exhibit hall like no other at the 2018 Global Security Exchange (GSX). In the first year of its rebrand following a 63-year history as the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits, GSX, the security industry’s flagship event, is expected to attract 550 exhibitors and more than 20,000 operational and cyber security professionals to engage in learning, networking and hands-on exploration, Sept 23-27 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“ASIS does an incredible job providing programing that focuses on some of the industry’s most innovative emerging physical and cyber security technology. I’ve never been to an event where the keynotes and sessions connect so comprehensively to what’s happening on the show floor,” said Drew Weston, Director of Sales and Marketing at CodeLynx, Inc. “The integration of the programing and exhibits is truly seamless.”

At GSX, the exhibit hall will be transformed into a learning lab environment featuring thousands of security products, technologies and service solutions, as well as immersive learning opportunities designed to connect the current threat landscape, as well as emerging risks, with leading solutions available in the marketplace. New show floor features include:

  • X Learning Theaters:
    • X Stage—features leading-edge technologies and their impacts across the industry, examining innovations like blockchain and cryptocurrencies, AI, drones and robotics, social media and the digital self;
    • Xcelerated Exchange Stage—provides a forum for the critical discussions that need to take place between practitioners and solution providers to proactively address the current and future security landscape; and
    • Xperience Stage—showcases case studies and other tried-and-true best practices that address security challenges facing practitioners across all industry sectors, including active shooter scenarios, bullying in the healthcare industry, and the risks associated with hosting a public event at cultural institutions.
  • Career HQ, with new career fair and enhanced career center:
    • Job seekers will have access to resume reviews, a headshot studio, career coaching, professional development sessions and networking opportunities with employers and peers—all free. The new career fair will have top companies looking to hire talent, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Apple.
  • D3 Xperience (Drones, Droids, Defense):
    • Supported by Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the GSX D3 Xperience will deliver an immersive learning experience focused on the impact of Unmanned Systems on the security industry. Education and demos will showcase the emerging technology around the use of drones, droids and counter-UAV defense systems.
  • Innovative Product Awards (IPAs) Showcase:
    • The 2018 Innovative Product Awards highlights the new products and services on the GSX show floor that are poised to disrupt the security marketplace. The submission deadline is August 3.

In addition to these features, the exhibit floor will house an International Trade Center and the ASIS Hub, which includes access to ASIS Council representatives, live streaming interviews, and fireside chats.

“We have completely re-engineered GSX to provide more opportunities for security practitioners, solution providers, students, military and first responders. From Career HQ and the International Trade Center to our three unique theaters of education and live demos, attendees and exhibitors will find tremendous value in our immersive, engaging, and informative expo hall,” said Richard E. Chase, CPP, PCI, PSP, 2018 president, ASIS International. “There is no other event that compares to what GSX is offering this year, and we’re just getting started. We will continue to evolve and grow GSX in the years ahead as a part of our new brand promise to unite the full spectrum of security professionals to create the only global “must attend” security event.”

GSX brings together attendees, exhibitors and press from more than 100 countries. To learn more and to register, visit www.gsx.org/register. Members of the press are eligible to receive a free all-access pass, including keynote presentations, education sessions, and the show floor. Email [email protected] with your media credentials to register.

A Zero Trust Approach to Information Security

By Christopher Frenz

With the pandemic ransomware attacks of both WannaCry and NotPetya devastating companies around the globe, ransomware was a prominent headline in 2017. It’s estimated that in 2017, companies recovering from these and other ransomware attacks incurred $5 billion in damages.

One of the hardest hit industries was healthcare—as readily demonstrated by the UK’s National Health Service, Erie County Medical Center, and other hospitals that fell victim to various types of ransomware. WannaCry in particular exposed just how devastating a ransomware attack can be on the healthcare industry, as it not only impacted systems that store patient data, it also resulted in the encryption of medical devices. WannaCry concretely demonstrated that vulnerabilities in medical devices have the potential to impact patient care and patient safety. This attack established a wholly new and wholly unacceptable meaning for the term denial of service.

Comprehensive guidance for preventing, mitigating, responding to, and recovering from ransomware attacks can be found in the OWASP Anti-Ransomware Guide, and security guidance for protecting medical device deployments can be found in the OWASP Secure Medical Device Deployment Standard. One particularly effective control present in both guidance sets is that of network segmentation—as a segmented network can help to isolate threats and prevent them from spreading throughout an organization.

Join me on Wednesday 26 September at GSX 2018 for Session 6133, A Zero Trust Approach to Information Security, to see how network segmentation can be taken to the next level and a zero trust network created to stop the spread of malware and other threats throughout any organization.