Homeland Security
Three Levels of Security Deterrence
In security there are three basic levels of deterrence. Deterrence levels are measured based on the cognitive assessment an adversary makes and their emotional experience when facing the security system he is about to attack. Deterrence Level 1 is achieved in a security system that incorporates detection technology such as x-ray machines, metal detectors or…
Read MoreRussian Surveillance is Nothing New
Russian surveillance is nothing new. Back in 1945, the Russians gave U.S. Ambassador Harriman a gift of a wall plaque that years later was revealed to be bugged. (Link here to that story.) The desire to have current, usable intelligence is a powerful motivator. It’s surely no surprise that power-hungry states with the means and…
Read MoreSixteen Years of Predictive Profiling
Back in 2002, I was driving with a colleague to see a client in Palmdale, California, a couple hours’ drive outside of Los Angeles. This was only a few months after 9/11 when the country and the world were looking for an understanding of and solutions to the specter of terrorism. We were talking about…
Read MoreAge of Fear?
[S]ince love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved. —Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince, 1513 Last week’s post concerned the ‘definition’ of terrorism. While usually politically motivated, terrorism as a phenomenon has itself become politicized. Terrorists and their supporters are of course…
Read MoreSafety Act
After an active shooter event or act of terrorism in the U.S., victims and their representatives often file suit against just about anyone they can. In the case of the Las Vegas shooting by Stephen Paddock, the concert promoters, the Mandalay Bay Hotel and bump stock manufacturers were all sued. Victims and their families of…
Read MoreGlobal Cooperation
Any security professional knows that when securing a place of business or a home, extending the rings of security outward from the target is the most effective approach. It provides critical distance and time in addition to a potential opportunity for intelligence gathering. The sooner we can identify a threat before it arrives at a…
Read MoreThis is Only a Test
This past weekend, people in the state of Hawaii experienced some excitement when an emergency alert was disseminated state-wide. Although sent in error, it was a scary 38 minutes between the receipt of this text message: BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL, and the subsequent message explaining…
Read MoreThreat is not Random
More often than not, security systems miss the mark when they skip a vital step in developing their security standards and procedures. They do not first clearly define the threat. But only once you understand the threat, can you understand what is suspicious and then have a road map for procedures. Take random checks as an…
Read MoreMisplacing Guns
An Inspector General Government Accountability Office report “DHS’ Controls Over Firearms and Other Sensitive Assets” published October 25th shows that the U.S. Homeland Security Department lost 220 guns, 1,889 badges and 25 secure immigration stamps over a three year period from 2014 to 2016. In one instance, two agents had stashed their weapons and badges…
Read MoreEquifarce
Of course the IRS needs to confirm that a given taxpayer is who they say they are. It’s step number one for all transactions. To that end, on the IRS website an individual answers questions about their personal and credit history like “On which of the following streets have you lived?” or “What is your…
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