The security week: Remote maintenance, Registers, and retirement

Air hair lair. Welcome to this week’s digested security news missive, coming at you direct from the operations room in I4S Towers. Let’s get newsy.

There are a whole bunch of big stories vying for your attention. First metaphorical cab off the rank is Tony Makosinski from Honeywell, who says that some installers are not taking advantage of the opportunity afforded to them by remote maintenance. Find out more by clicking here.

Also this week SMT Online honcho Brian Sims brought us a report on the new plans for a UK Register of Chartered Security Professionals/Practitioners (might have to be a bit more decisive on the naming there, chaps!). Read all about it here.

And the National Security Inspectorate’s chief Andrew White has decided to retire. We’ve got the details, a look back at White’s career, and some industry reaction – all accessible by clicking here.

Knowing what’s popular is great, right? That’s why we are such avid consumers of lists explaining ‘What’s Hot’ (the sun; radiators; an ironmonger’s forge) and ‘What’s Not’ (snow; Pluto; Thatcher). Where would we be without such indicators? Here’s another one: it’s the best read stories on info4security during June 2010. Interesting.

We’ve also got news of some acquisitions by Rentokil Initial; a bit of crystal ball gazing about the future of CCTV; an international view at the SIA’s Stakeholder Conference; and an IFSEC 2010 wrap-up, along with Norbain’s IFSEC competition winners.

The deadline for 2010’s Security Excellence Awards is looming. Looming! Like that loom of doom in the film ‘Wanted’. Not really. That is a ridiculous film. More like some top notch awards offering the possibility of oodles of industry kudos. Enter them! Read more about the whole thing here.

Our Song About Security this week comes from legendary geek rockers They Might Be Giants. I’m insisting that it’s somehow about network security, in order to fit it into this feature.

Here is a child who is learning very quickly about the horrors of ageing. And here is a man who is very frustrated at a shopping mall being closed. He indulges in some bad language, so be warned.

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

Technology forum, kudos from Co-op, and robots

Hello – and welcome to another news-packed missive from your friendly security news vendors at info4security.com.

The first item on this week’s news agenda is our very own Technology Leaders’ Forum, organised in association with Veracity. The TLF is a specialist discussion forum which will convene to discuss the future of security. This time around the focus was on security systems and technology. Read the intro here, and then part one, part two, and part three.

Their television ads inform us that the Co-operative Group is ‘good with food’, but they’re also trying to be good with security. That’s why they ran a competition to come up with Big Ideas that they could implement. Find out who won by clicking here.

Jason McCreanney of Keyhole Security dropped by the I4S offices to show us how his Key Cam rapidly deployable surveillance camera could be set up remarkably quickly. Watch the video here.

Don’t forget to enter the Security Excellence Awards. The deadline is soon, and there are plenty of opportunities to win big at these prestigious and exciting awards. There’s kudos aplenty up for grabs! Read more about the whole thing here.

Our Song About Security this week comes from 80s favourites This Mortal Coil (not actually an allusion to a sentient slinky, apparently), who are singing all about sirens. Good work.

For real-time news updates follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/info4security and twitter.com/smtonlineeditor. And get more up to the minute news via our RSS feed.

Here’s a very odd video of a Japanese man with some unique talents/persistence. And to recover from that, here’s a video of a kitten riding around on the back of a tortoise.

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

The security week: Theresa May, door supervision, and leopards

Welcome to your weekly dose of security informatasticness. It’s mindbending fun. And it’s a delight to be here. Let’s newsletter!

First this week is our round-up of the very best read stories on info4security during May. This was dominated, as you’d imagine, by the news and images coming out of IFSEC. Click here to see what you missed – and find out what others have been reading.

SMT Online honcho Brian Sims has looked into new UK Home Secretary Theresa May’s policing plans. Read the story here.

Then read up on the new licence-linked qualifications for door supervisors; and hear from Luke Martyn at ADT on what small to medium-sized businesses should take into account when tackling their security requirements.

Why not follow that up with some pictures and video of newly hatched rare leopard cubs, caught on an Axis network camera at Tallinn Zoo? They are cute etc.

And top that off by reading an interview with CSL DualCom advertisement star and IFSEC stand representative Hannah Gray – who also happens to be an aspiring pop star. Check out the videos and photos here.

Don’t forget to get your entries in for the 2010 Security Excellence Awards. If you end up being shortlisted, your esteem will rise in the eyes of all of your friends, colleagues, and enemies, resulting in a feeling of goodwill, and immense power.

Our Song About Security this week comes courtesy of sometime Eagle Glenn Frey – and the Beverley Hills Cop soundtrack.

For real-time news updates follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/info4security and twitter.com/smtonlineeditor. And get more up to the minute news via our RSS feed.

And here is a gibbon taunting some tigers. (It’s more amusing with the sound down, unless you’re a fan of zany sound effects.) Also: a great gift idea.

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

The security week: IFSEC 2010 special edition

It’s done. IFSEC, that enormous security hoedown held annually in Birmingham, is over for another year.

This time around the focus seemed to be on High Definition CCTV; the emergence of ‘true’ integration in management systems; and, finally, the acknowledgement that simplicity and ease of use should be priorities for security manufacturers. But more about that next week.

Info4security has been at the show all week, bringing you up-to-the-minute news and images. It’s been interesting, and it’s been rewarding – but at the moment it mainly feels like it’s been tiring. Scroll down and you’ll find links to many of our stories from the show floor.

You’ll find many more on I4S – and eventually they’ll all make their way to our archived IFSEC news page.

Spare a thought for Martin Brown at Milestone Systems, who began his new VP sales role on the first day of the show. Fun!

Our Song About Security this week comes from mutli-pronged hip hop collective the Wu Tang Clan. Delightful.

For real-time news updates follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/info4security and twitter.com/smtonlineeditor. And get more up to the minute news via our RSS feed.

So put your feet up and relax. Here’s a nice little video of a rabbit chasing a snake. See you next week.

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

The security week: Awards, technology, and security dogs

Welcome to this somewhat premature I4S Weekly newsletter. We’re early this week because of the Good Friday public holiday here in the UK, and quite possibly wherever you are too. Nice.

The finalists for this year’s IFSEC Security Industry Awards have been announced. Click here to find out who made it, and to book your table for the event. Skills for Security is running its Apprentice Skills Challenge at the show. Check out the details here.

We’ve also got IFSEC preview information from Integrated Design, Grandstream, Commend, Barix, Winsted, iLoq, and many more, on our dedicated IFSEC news pages. Extensive stuff.

And in a bumper week of show news, IFSEC organisers UBM Live announced a brand new exhibition: IFSEC South India, taking place next March in Bangalore. It follows the success of IFSEC India. That’s just super.

The Home Office is using a £2m cash injection to help catch burglars with new technology – including so-called ‘trap houses’; G4S has signed a major contract with GlaxoSmithKline; and FM giant MITIE has launched a security profile and risk calculator, imaginatively called SPARC.

Our CCTV Doctor Alistair Enser popped in to answer a reader question on shed surveillance – and our IP expert Phil Doyle was back in his guise as The Networker.

Also today we’ve got an important, landmark article on canine security and the possible implications of its unionisation.

Security charity Hear4U has been relaunched – wisely, in my opinion – as the Security Benevolent Fund. Read about the good work it does here.

Make sure you head over to Jobs for Security for all the latest security jobs – and to advertise your own vacancies. It’s tremendous fun for all the family.

For real-time news updates, follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/info4security. And get more up to the minute news via our RSS feed.

And here’s a panda taking revenge on a tree which done him wrong, or something.

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

The security week: Alarms, cheerleaders, and cash

Greetings – welcome to another summary of the security week, brought to you by info4security.com. It’s like a helpful stranger, sidling into your inbox and becoming a firm friend for life. Or something.

This week Chiron launched its new Iris Secure Apps alarm signalling management system. Both SMT Online editor Brian Sims and myself were in attendance, and we came away with a big ol’ article and some video to boot.

Yesterday the Security Industry Authority announced it would be ceasing its Fast Track approval route for the Approved Contractor Scheme. Details are here.

Loomis has launched a new cash security solution for retailers; G4S has moved into the car parking sphere in Denmark; and Risco has acquired a controlling interest in Electronics Line 3000.

Oh, and Integrated Security Consultants got up close and protective with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleading squad when they were in London for the NFL series – but in a professional fashion, not a restraining order kind of way. Yes, we have some pictures.

Large-scale security industry hootenanny IFSEC looms large on the horizon. Whether that involves anticipation or dread – or both – will vary from individual to individual. While you’re deciding, you could do worse than check out our dedicated IFSEC news zone on I4S. It’s got all the latest preview information and details on the 2010 conference programme.

This week’s Song About Security comes courtesy of geriatric varicose-rockers The Rolling Stones. They’re on about some kind of threatening rambler – get orf my land and so forth, I imagine.

For real-time news updates, follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/info4security. And get more up to the minute news via our RSS feed.

 Here is a video of a dog singing to a baby to stop it from crying. Apparently. Enjoy.

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

The security week: A broker’s view, and airport scanners

Welcome to your weekly injection of security news excitement and wonder, from the online home of all that is wonderful and exciting in the world of security: info4security.com.

Leading us off this week is a special report from Mark Barton, a security industry insurance broker, who gives us the lowdown on just what it is that he does – and the security issues of most interest to insurers. Informative.

Then we’ve got a couple of stories about airport security – human recognition systems in Newcastle, and full body scanners at Heathrow and Manchester.

We also had the news of an Edinburgh security company director fined for failing to provide information. Naughty.

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In other news this week, the UK Home Office has said the security industry is ‘important’ in the counter-terror fight (nice to know); that theft and vandalism top the list of business security fears; and security guarding companies have been urged to go ‘on the offensive’.

Our Song About Security this week comes from Thievery Corporation – literally, a company which steals things. Well, possibly not. But a musical act with a name that suggests anti-security activity, at the very least.

Don’t forget that our special offer from uniformdating.com is still valid – if you’d like to meet someone special who fancies a bit of uniform action (or you fancy some yourself) – also love, companionship etc – then click on this link here and then enter SECURITY10 on the upgrades page to get a £10 discount on any subscription. Nice.

And if you’re in London tonight and in need of entertainment, why not attend this shindig? It looks fun.

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

A veritable security news cornucopia

Monday greetings. We’ve got a veritable cornucopia of security news morsels on I4S today, so tuck in. Tuck in!

Here are some of them things (where ‘things’ = exciting and informative security news items).

Have you ever wanted to know what the best read stories on info4security during January 2010 were? Well, here’s your chance to find out.

What about some information about intruder alarm-style things? Here’s Ray Le Monde on why intruder alarms benefit the police; and Klaxon has been integrated into Texecom.

Hey, registrations are open for IFSEC 2010. It’s free and all.

You like videos? Here is some information on Axis’ new thermal network cameras. Wonderful.

Apprenticeships are useful things. Here is a useful thing about them.

The security industry seems to attract Baronesses like a positively charged magnet attracts a negatively charged magnet. It’s only gone and happened again. Wow!

Will you be in London on Friday February 12? Yes? In that case, you should attend this thing.

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

The security week: Surveillance predictions for 2010

Hello there, security newsfolks. It’s time to dish the dirt on the juiciest security news stories of the week, all courtesy of your friendly neighbourhood security newsportal, info4security. Let’s crack on.

First up is IMS Research’s top 10 video surveillance predictions for 2010. Do you agree with their conclusions? Or do you think they’ve gone and got it all wrong? Vent your spleen – or offer words of support – once you’ve read the article.

We’ve also been blessed with two pieces of opinionising from security news dynamo and gentleman editor Brian Sims: there’s his SMT Online Editor’s View, focusing on the SIA’s Annual Report; and his take on the Mylene Klass knife-wielding ballyhoo.

Brian also spoke exclusively to BSIA chairman Stuart Lowden about the appointment of James Kelly as the association’s chief executive.

In other news this week, DVTel has acquired ioimage; a West African edition of IFSEC is set to launch next year; photographers are planning a protest this weekend (thanks to these sorts of incidents); and Honeywell has gone all wireless on us.

And our Song About Security this week comes from Australian rock revivalists Wolfmother, who have big hair. Yikes!

www.info4security.com, www.ifsec.co.uk

SIA Annual Report report, and HDcctv Standard

Ahoy! Here are some highlights from security wondersite info4security. It’s where I am employed!

First up, it’s SMT Online editor Brian Sims, with his Editor’s View – this time he’s tackling the Security Industry Authority’s Annual Report. It’s a thrill-ride!

Industry group the HDcctv Alliance has ratified version 1.0 of its standard, allowing manufacturers to make compatible equipment. Up the coax!

There’s also Genetec in action at the MCG; a new appointment for DVTel; and the launch of a new thermal imager.

Enjoy.