March 2019 – Top News in the Security and Risk Industry

There’s a lot going on in the world of physical risk and vulnerability, and it’s nearly impossible to keep up with the latest news and developments. We’ll keep you informed with the best content to keep your organization safe and secure. Check out the top news and headlines from the past month.

Choosing Your Security Entrance Installation In Line With Your Company Culture

Via Security Informed. When you’re deciding the type of security entrance to install at your facility, aesthetics is just as important as function and service issues. Each of these factors is important, but company culture often goes overlooked. Yet your culture is a critical piece of the puzzle, and it can affect the effectiveness of your security solution.

Our take: The difficulty with physical security is always about how to implement the best security countermeasures without getting in the way of the corporate culture. How do you make your customers, partners and employees feel comfortable in your building while also keeping them safe? You don’t want to impede the normal flow of operations. Most people will accept a certain level of inconvenience. If security crosses the line, you could start losing business.

Contractors/Freelancers Cause of Most Workforce Related Security Incidents

Via Security Magazine. A new report reveals that nearly half of businesses are unaware of any potential employee issues prior to a workforce incident, and 87 percent say third-party contractors and freelancers are the cause of the risk. Not only is this potentially a workforce issue, but it can impact customers as well. Get the details here.

Our take: Security is everyone’s job—from the janitor to the CEO. This includes contractors and freelancers. If they have access to your facilities or your data, they should be held to the same expectations, procedures and norms that your regular employees follow. Provide training and orientation to everyone you hire, no matter who they are.

Also, when performing background checks, include contractors and vendors in that process. In some cases, a contractor can gain access to critical areas and may be in a place where they are unable to be observed.

One Year After Parkland Shooting, What Has Changed About School Safety in Carroll County?

Via Carroll County Times. In the year since the Parkland shooting, Maryland passed the Safe to Learn Act, and Carroll County installed armed school resource officers in county high schools and continues to evaluate improvements to prevent such a tragedy from happening locally. A 407-page report was written in the wake of the tragedy, with takeaways for school systems across the country. Here’s what one school system is doing about it.

Our take: Recovery after an incident can be the longest process. Making sure that students and staff feel safe and have support services should be a priority. PTSD can have a large effect on students and staff, and it can affect anything from performance to job functions to overall morale. Physical security is a definite priority, but assisting all victims post-event should be a priority, as well.

Ethical Consumption: Should You Buy Security Products ‘Made In China’?

Via Security Informed. Should “Made in China” be seen as a negative in security systems and products? It’s an important and complex issue that merits a detailed response. For some, purchase decisions may be based solely on the product that can do the best job. But for others, ethical implications drives decision-making. A rising concern is the use of equipment to “spy.”

Our take: When it comes to the integrity of your company’s data and physical security, you can’t afford to simply roll the dice and hope for the best. While it’s unfair to assume every company in China (or Russia or some other country) is following shady practices, it is incumbent on you to do your homework. If you can’t confidently do business with that company, find another one you can trust. We suggest always speaking with a local expert and understand real concerns versus myths.