Security Alert - Lock Bumping

There seems to be some controversy surrounding lock bumping, how easy it is to perform, if all locks are vulnerable, and can anyone buy the keys? The important thing to remember is that it can be done and everyone should be aware. A quick internet search and/or a visit to http://www.peiferlock.com/alert-bump-keys.htm will help answer some of the questions surrounding this potential security threat.

Copper Thieves

The rising value of copper, in some cases $3.00-$4.00 per pound, is more than enough to entice thieves to steal from everywhere, leaving thousands of dollars in damage not to mention loss of production and personal safety concerns. Homebuilders, homeowners, churches and businesses are finding their AC units and wiring behind walls raided for copper and left destroyed.

Copper doesn’t have serial numbers which makes it harder to track and recycling plants buy it in virtually any form. Police have warned scrap yards and recycling centers to report people trying to sell large amounts of copper. Most of these plants are working closely with law enforcement by requiring sellers to provide photo identification.

Paying a little extra attention by being alert to suspicious behavior, increasing the visibility of security officers or patrols and addressing issues immediately around your property may be the ticket to cutting down on your potential of theft.

Chris Toliver and BOMA Quoted in the Austin American Statesman

Executive Security’s General Manager, Chris Toliver, was quoted in the article “Downtown buildings using radios to fight crime” (January 2, 2007) published in the Austin American Statesman. To read more, please click this link: http://www.bomaaustin.org

FACT OF THE MONTH:
Americans are expected to buy 190 million Valentine's Day cards this year.

Executive Security - Austin & Friends Held Its 4th Annual Big Game Happy Hour

Executive Security - Austin and Friends held its 4th Annual Big Game Happy Hour on February 1, 2007 at Cool River Café

Announcement:
February 15, 2007 – Executive Security will hold its first Happy Hour in San Antonio at Stonewerks Café and Bar. If you would like to attend please email: Bonnie Bright at bbright@essitexas.com.

Users Ignore Bank Security Features

Users of online banking sites tend to bypass critical clues that the integrity of those sites may have been compromised, according to the working draft of a study released on Sunday, February 4, by researchers at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The study, which will be formally released in May at the IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy in Oakland, CA, underscores how new technologies and warnings can't completely protect Internet users. For the first test, HTTPS indicators were removed from the address bar along with the lock that appears in the bottom right corner of Internet Explorer 6. Although the absence of HTTPS indicators should be a warning, all 67 participants continued with their transactions, the study found. The researchers then conducted a test where the site authentication image was removed along with the HTTPS indicators. Only two of 60 people chose not to log in when the image was removed. In the last test, researchers replaced a password entry page with a warning page from Internet Explorer 7 Beta 3. The page advises of problem with the security certificate of the chosen Web site. Despite the warning, 30 of 57 users entered their passwords.

Source: Source: http://www.infoworld.com

QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
"Be nice to people on your way up because you meet them on your way down." - Jimmy Durante