Business Karate: 2013

The Security Outlook for 2014

This is the time of year when we find ourselves thinking of New Year Eve’s parties, confetti, Auld Lang Syne and resolutions for the new year (usually around getting rid of the pounds we put on during Christmas). There is also the stream of news stories about the past year, the top stories and the events and people that shaped the year. It is also a good time to take a glimpse into the coming year and think about the changes, challenges and rewards that lie ahead.

Security, and how security relates to business, is constantly changing as well, so this is a good time to reflect and plan for the future.

Information Security

Cyber risks are a global concern

Information security will continue to be a top focus when it comes to security. With the latest breach of credit and debit cardholders who shopped at Target, there is the ongoing fear of identity theft. The investigation continues on how hackers were able to collect all that information, including PINs for debit cards. How much of this was actually used remains to be seen or if it was an inside job. However, it has garnered a lot of media attention and brought identity theft and information security back into the spotlight. It would be surprising if there were not a push for some new legislation as a result of this, including penalties to businesses that expose customers.

Another top concern related to information security and hacking is the risk of cyber-attacks, especially on critical infrastructure such as power grids. There have been various attacks, including some coming from foreign governments, such as China and Iran. A serious attack on utilities could essentially put the United States back in the stone ages in moments and would certainly wreak havoc.

The hidden risk is the continued shift of focus away from physical security. Protection from physical attacks should never be overlooked. There have been a number of actual attacks, including active shooters, even the recent suicide bombs in Russia.

NSA

The story of Edward Snowden, the wayward NSA contractor, fleeing the country with tens of thousands of confidential documents is not going to disappear any time soon. There are legal repercussions ongoing and the question of how much information the NSA (National Security Agency) can legally gather from citizens will almost certainly end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In the meantime, Snowden still has tens of thousands of additional documents that could be released and we can only speculate what kind of information might be within. The revelations have re-ignited the debate between security and liberty. Benjamin Franklin is known for saying that those who value security over liberty deserve neither. In 2014, we will certainly see more debates on how to balance protection from terrorists while protecting individual privacy and our constitutional rights. There is an additional question related to security; how did the NSA, of all groups, miss the dangers of allowing a contractor, not even a full employee, access to so many confidential documents. You have to wonder what kind of background screening was done as well. That leads to the question of how the NSA can manage gathering so much information and find the true threats when probably 99% of the information is useless.

Pay Inequality

The World Economic Forum’s annual report has identified economic disparity has one of the top risks facing the globe. It is certainly an area getting a great deal of attention, not just between poor and wealthy nations, but even within developed countries. The U.S. president routinely brings up the issue as a champion of the downtrodden, who in turn express their outrage at being poor across social media with their iPhones.

In truth, there is a growing problem. Historically, top executives once earned about 20 times what the average employee made. Today, it is not uncommon for top executives to earn 200 or even 500 times what the average employees earn. Worse, household income has dropped over the last few years while corporate profits have been increasing. That is a recipe for discontent and social unrest. Switzerland, a business-friendly nation, nearly passed a restriction that would have limited executive pay to only 12 times the pay of the lowest-paid employee.

News Photo

The risk is disturbances or even riots, is a very real threat that could impact supply chains and disruptions of service or even strikes. We have seen a variety of businesses that boast of being ‘green’ or promoting ‘fair trade’ and it is likely that some forward thinking businesses will promote themselves for caring for employees and having more equitable pay scales.

Obamacare

A look at business risks cannot ignore health insurance reform, a top issue in the United States, specifically the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. Within the healthcare industry there is great uncertainty and talk of cost control, i.e., lay-offs. Meanwhile of the 40 million uninsured Americans, only 1 million signed up for Obamacare. Most Americans are finding that the costs are anything but affordable.

Certainly, health insurance is going to be a hot topic, within both politics and healthcare, but also one that impacts every business and individual with insurance. The deductibles and monthly premiums are increasing. Businesses that provide services to hospitals should be particularly wary, as the hospitals will squeeze every contract for savings. Likely, the only things that will not change are the salaries paid to the physicians.

Active Shooters

Shootings in Colorado and at Sandy Hook Elementary have sparked debate on care for mental health patients and gun control. School security has been a particular focus. Just like after 9-11, when there was a sudden emersion of so-called terrorist experts, there is now a rush of school security experts with arrays of solutions. Training teachers how to fight armed attackers with knee strikes and elbows is becoming more commonplace, although there still seems to be reluctance to add well-trained, armed guards to schools (expense is part of the concern). Learning to fight back is great, but it would be better yet to have the right tools for the job.

The risk is that attackers also learn from news coverage and will adapt their plans to harm as many people as possible. Schools and all organizations need to consider other potential tactics, such as explosives, chemicals or gas attacks and so forth. Terrorists have used similar methods around the world for decades, sometimes with horrific effect. Do not get tunnel vision.

All the Usual

In 2014, we will see our share of bizarre and strange crimes. Lust and greed fuel evil people into all sorts of crazy schemes. If any involve beautiful women or tales of sex as part of it, you can expect the usual media frenzy. Oh. Don’t forget the usual celebrity stories with drugs, alcohol, rehab and relapses and whatnot. Did I mention Duck Dynasty?

Fasten your seat belt and hold on. 2014 will certainly be another interesting year.

Eric Smith, CPP is the leading authority on organizational self-defense. He has extensive experience in law enforcement as well as security management. Eric is available for staff education and security awareness training as well as business coaching to help organizations provide safe workplaces. To learn more email Eric at businesskarate dot com.

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Merry Christmas and Peace on Earth...Or Not?

This time of year, thoughts turn to the holidays and spending time with family and friends. Kids are getting ready for the visit from Santa. Adults rush around finishing preparations; workplace parties; family get-togethers and so on.

Everywhere you go, you will hear Christmas carols. While most bring up images of crisp, snowy days, traditional holiday images, visits from Santa or the Grinch, or reminding us of the birth of Christ, one carol stands out. The carol was originally a poem written during the U.S. Civil War, hardly a festive time for most.

The song reminds us that peace on earth does not come easily and starts off with a gloomy outlook. By the end, though, the carol reminds us that right will prevail over evil. The carol, if you don’t recognize it yet, is I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. It reminds me of the all the people in law enforcement, in the military and even security who are protecting us each and every day. A true thin blue line that keeps evil at bay and strives to make sure that in the end, right does prevail over evil.

This Christmas, take a moment to think of all those who protect us, especially working the holiday and missing family time to keep us safe. Take a moment to read over the lyrics, from an updated version of this classic, and think about the reminder to us all – stand up against evil.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

And the bells are ringing
Like a choir they're singing

In my heart I hear them
Peace on earth, goodwill to men

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

But the bells are ringing
Like a choir singing

Does anybody hear them?
Peace on earth, goodwill to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep
Peace on earth, peace on earth
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, goodwill to men

Then ringing singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men

And the bells, they're ringing
Like a choir they're singing

And with our hearts we'll hear them
Peace on earth, goodwill to men

Do you hear the bells, they're ringing?
The life the angels singing

Open up your heart and hear them
Peace on earth, goodwill to men

For more Christmas security tips, visit:

Twas the Week Before Christmas…

The 12 Crimes of Christmas

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To Arm Or Not to Arm - That is the Question!

It has been 400 some years since Shakespeare’s Hamlet first posed the question, “To be or not to be.” Today, a modern twist seems to be a recurring question; to arm or not to arm.

Edwin Booth as Hamlet

By J. Gurney & Son, N.Y. (19th century) Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Since the shooting at LAX that left one TSA agent dead, the question of arming TSA officers has come up. I’ve seen arguments both for and against arming TSA. It is not unlike the arguments about having armed security in schools or even arming teachers.

It is not a simple question to answer. First and foremost is to avoid making decisions in a knee-jerk reaction. It is amazing how often within the security realm that an event happens and suddenly there is a rush to make changes. It may be within an organization that experiences a crime, such as an attack on a staff member, resulting in new measures that may or may not always make sense. In other cases, such as this with the LAX shooting, the response and attention is in the public eye, not just an internal matter.

When there is a major incident or security breach, it is common sense, even wise to review what happened, and make changes when necessary. However, the changes should be well-thought out and address the situation at hand. Following a shooting, there is almost an element of surprise that it happened in that location or type of organization. However, we’ve seen shootings occur almost anyway, from churches, hospitals, museums, small businesses, universities, rural and urban schools and even an Amish school. The bottom line is that a shooting can happen in any location, in any state, in the city or in the country. So a better reaction would be to avoid the next shooting or protect the next target instead of thinking about stopping the last event. Often military leaders are accused of training and preparing to fight the last war, instead of looking to what will be needed to fight and win the next war.

It is easy to focus on the past instead of looking to the next steps and it is natural, in this case to wonder about arming TSA officers. I have seen some opinion pieces by airline employees argue against arming TSA. The bottom line seemed to be a lack of trust or maybe even an underlying fear of firearms in general. It strikes me as odd, that a group who are entrusted with protecting our airlines from terrorists would be untrustworthy to carry firearms. On the other hand, this was a single incident and does not automatically mean that TSA officers are a target. In fact, I would argue that airports are far safer than many other public venues. Airports have more security and a large contingent of armed police officers to respond to any types of violent acts. I have also seen TSA officers, in uniform, on their way to work, sometimes using public transportation. If TSA is such a high risk target then those employees should be instructed not to wear the uniform on the way to or from work and change at the airport. In fact, that would create a risk that someone could follow an employee home; steal their uniform and perhaps identification to pose as a TSA officer to gain access to secure parts of the airport.

Self-defense techniques and training unarmed individuals on how to respond to an active shooter have been growing more popular as well. I certainly believe in the benefits of learning self-defense and think that unarmed individuals should not just give up and become victims during a shooting. However, there is an old saying about bringing a knife to a gunfight being a sure way to lose. Bringing nothing to a gunfight is even more risky. Many of the techniques appear to be good ideas and could help save lives. However, most of these attacks are carefully planned and the shooter will certainly see the same news stories and watch the same online videos and adapt their tactics to counteract any resistance.

So the question really comes back to what is the best way to protect individuals from armed attacks. Lots of money and training has gone into teaching unarmed response. Perhaps we need to reconsider the response yet again.

Most active shooters have ended when the shooter is confronted by armed response. The real solution may be to train on-site security personnel how to respond the way law enforcement does to an active shooter. This is certainly one solution not getting much attention and is especially suited for organizations that do have a dedicated security force. Hospitals are one example. Shopping malls are another, as are many office buildings in urban downtowns. For enterprises or locations that do have onsite security, the focus should shift to training those personnel how to respond to and stop an active shooter.

Following the shooting at Columbine High School, law enforcement began developing new tactics to respond to active shooters. At the time, I was a police firearms instructor so was very involved in that training. For the first few years afterwards, the tactics changed repeatedly. As police officers, we finally settled into accepted tactics that we focused on learning and practicing. However, as important as this training was, the amount of time spent for patrol officers was one time a year, often not even a full day. In fact, officers might only run through a couple of active shooter scenarios during the training.

The point is that private security could easily train and learn some of the same tactics in a relatively short amount of training time. In fact, private security officers would know the building and organization much better than outsiders would and, being onsite, could respond much quicker than law enforcement. Just the presence of armed security would likely deter a shooter, at least away from that target.

The decision about arming or not arming security is certainly daunting. However, for those organizations that do have security, serious thought should be given to providing private security with the training and tools that would be the strongest deterrence and most protection from an active shooter attack.

If you would like to reprint this post, please contact Eric at Eric at businesskarate dot com.

Marketing Security - A Great Story to Tell

The security industry faces many challenges. The business of protection is often misunderstood or even seen as a necessary evil. Numerous stereotypes portray security personnel as bumbling and incompetent.

These obstacles make building support difficult and actually make it harder to protect an organization without that understanding and support.

There is good news. Security does play a vital role in helping businesses. I recently spoke in a webinar on how to market security and build support for the security program.

The webinar is available to watch on the Security Magazine hosted website. If you want to learn more about successfully marketing security and moving the department from second-rate to first place, then click on the link below to connect with the webinar.

Click here or copy and paste the URL below.

https://vts.inxpo.com/scripts/Server.nxp?LASCmd=AI:4;F:APIUTILS!51004&PageID=E7AFDE8D-F28D-4B24-A3CE-758E483B3E6B&AffiliateData=ericsmith

The webinar will be available until November 2014.

If you would like to reprint this post, please contact Eric at Eric at businesskarate dot com.

Can You Say Dystopia?

It was only a few years ago when first heard the word dystopia. It was listed as the world’s number one threat, according to the World Economic Forum. I was not even certain what it meant, although I guessed, correctly as it turns out, that it was the opposite of utopia. So instead of a perfect world filled with happiness and tranquility, dystopia is a dysfunctional world built on anarchy, chaos, unrest and unhappiness.

The scariest part of this is not that dystopia was the top worry. No, the most frightening part was that my daughter knew exactly what dystopia was. In fact, she likes reading books that are part of a genre increasing in popularity: dystopian books.

Detective stories, spy thrillers and science fiction seem to be fading into the past. Instead, readers want grim, stark, even depressing views of the future. Oppressive governments, survival struggles and dark battles for freedom call to modern readers. Along those same lines, even zombies lurch across our TV screens in apocalyptic dramas.

In the not-so-distant past, books about the future painted a much more optimistic view. Space travel, flying cars and an overall quality of life better than the present was depicted.

I am not convinced that our entertainment proves anything or not about the coming world. However, it is easy to see where these dark, pessimistic ideas come from.

The news is full of stories about natural disasters, terrorism, fiscal cliffs, government spying on allies and citizens, economic turmoil and ruinous healthcare reform. All of the current topics point directly to fear and uncertainty.

Throughout history, there have been horrors and challenges. The popularity of dystopian books may have no connection with what the future actually holds. I do know that it is sad that my daughter’s fictional future is filled with oppression, tyranny and defeat, maybe even zombies; rather than great achievements and advancement like space exploration or medical triumphs. People need hope and dreams. And the freedom to pursue those dreams. Without these, we will truly live in a dystopia.

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Why Your Security Metrics Stink

Security departments, like police departments, tend to be very good at data collection. The number of incidents, where the incidents happened, time of day and the types of crimes are all key pieces of information collected.

The real challenge is how to best handle and report the data. The easy solution is to put together some graphs that show what happened, including trends such as whether crime is increasing or decreasing. The problem is that data like that only tells you what already occurred in the past. It is a lagging indicator. If you are relying on only historical data, your security metrics, or measures, will not always get the right level of support from your organization’s senior leadership and c-suite.

What security leaders worry about may be completely different from what CEOs worry about. In many surveys, when asked about their top fears, security professionals will answer with topics such as terrorism, active shooters, workplace violence and so on. However, when CEOs are asked that question the answer may be very different. In fact, Lloyd’s Insurance Group just released the 2013 results of top business concerns and terrorism was near the bottom, 44 out of 50, although theft, fraud and corruption were in the top 20 risks. The top concerns instead were higher taxes, loss of customers and cyber risk (the only security-related category in the top 10). The top concerns are in the table below, with a green arrow showing an increase in the level of concern since the last survey and a red arrow showing a decrease.

When the security leader presents his concerns to the c-suite, he may as well be speaking a different language in many cases. By presenting historical data only, the job of translating that to a business mindset is left to the senior leaders and that is only if they chose to do so.

Instead, security leaders need to present both historical and pro-active results in a different context. Keeping in mind that the CEO may be most concerned about higher taxes, which translates to less profit, maybe even losses, requests for new or expensive security components may not be well received. Instead, focus on how security improvements helps customers feel safer and keeps them coming back instead of seeking alternatives. If a customer does not feel safe leaving his car in your parking lot due to security concerns, that customer may take his business elsewhere. Then the request to add lighting or security patrols or whatever component may become much more likely to be approved if it helps the business retain patrons. In that case, a key metric may become feedback from clients on how safe they feel at your business.

In another study on business risks, healthcare leaders rated worry over excessive regulation as the top concern; not surprising with the implementation of Obamacare. If your organization is facing new compliance issues or regulation, how do you address those concerns? One solution is to become familiar with the requirements, especially those that have a direct or indirect impact on the security operations. Within healthcare, failure to comply or follow regulations can be directly tied to loss of reimbursement or fines.

To make your security metrics truly valuable, look at the list of top business concerns on the list below. Give some thought to how each of these relate to security and what impact security can have on reducing those worries. Then your metrics may be of real value to the organization.

If you would like to reprint this post, please contact Eric at Eric at businesskarate dot com.

Reality of Gun Violence

Once again, we’ve seen a tragic and senseless mass murder, this time in Washington D.C. at the Navy Yards. Twelve victims were left dead after Aaron Alexis walked through the building with a sawed-off shotgun picking off targets.

Too often following these horrific events, the knee jerk reaction is to focus on gun control even over how to identify warning signs.

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There is a great deal of talk about active shooters and many security professionals focus on active shooter responses. Certainly, that is a critical part of a comprehensive emergency management plan and from some of these events it is clear that armed security can be a deterrent or stop the attacks before more people are hurt.

It is wise to take a step back from the hype and look at some of the data behind gun violence to keep it in perspective.

According to FBI statistics, less than 10,000 people are killed by firearms each year. That certainly sounds like a very large number. However, that is much less than many other dangers that garner little, if any, attention.

In comparison, look at the data below and think about where the greatest risks actually are.

From a security perspective, violence is a very real concern. Understanding of risk factors and identification of red flags should be a top priority. However, be careful not to get caught up in the hype. Leave that to the media and politicians.

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Missing Red Flags of Violent Behavior?

One of the most common and gravest mistakes made when it comes to violent crime is missing or ignoring the warning signs.

Hannah Anderson

The recent kidnapping of Hannah Anderson by Jim DiMaggio is a good case to review. In one news article, Hannah's grandparents were quoted as saying that there was no warning - nothing to indicate the evil under the surface of DiMaggio. However, as you read the articles, there were plenty of warnings.

Perhaps the most subtle sign was DiMaggio's own past. His father kidnapped a teenage girl at gunpoint himself. She escaped and he was arrested and years later committed suicide. It is very unlikely that the kidnapping was the only domestic violence Jim DiMaggio was exposed to over his life. May stories have shown that kids raised in an abusive home are more likely to continue that kind of aggression themselves.

No one would expect the Andersons to do a background check on a friend, but it is also hard to imagine that over the years they knew each other there was no indication of some of the past behavior. It is possible that Jim wove a careful story to cover up the experiences. However, I'd be surprised.

James DiMaggio

More apparent were some of the present behaviors that could indicate violence. In studies of those who commit workplace murders, there are some characteristics that stand out. One of the more common traits was living alone. That shows a lack of family or social support, especially at DiMaggio's age, which could mean antisocial conduct.

He was going through foreclosure, losing his home and was going to have to move away. That is stressful for anyone and for someone without support or prone to violence or mental illness it could push them over the age.

The greatest warning of all came from Hannah herself. She had become uncomfortable with "Uncle Jim" after he told her he liked her. She had gone on a week long trip to Hollywood and came home after two days because she was uncomfortable You have to wonder why she was even traveling alone with a guy who was not a relative. When she came home early, the parents should have really questioned why.

Hannah was apparently not telling her parents about some of the her concerns, not wanting to ruin the friendship between her dad and Jim. So often in these cases, the individuals who see the warning signs either do not take them as seriously as possible or do not tell those that should know.

As soon as Hannah became uncomfortable with Jim, her family should have been on high alert. I believe in trusting your instincts; when something does not feel right or safe, there is most likely a reason that the subconscious mind picked up on. As a father, I could not imagine letting my family go anywhere with someone who made my daughter feel that uncomfortable.

This was a horrible crime. Hopefully, the lessons will be enough to help some other potential victims notice the red flags and avoid a dangerous individual before it is too late.

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