OSC Guardian - Safety Advice

OSC GUARDIAN - SAFETY ADVICE
www.OramSecurity.com

Monday, November 29, 2010

Metro-North crime increases for the year

STAMFORD -- From January to October, felony crimes on the Metro-North Railroad were up 40 percent over last year, including a 78 percent increase in robberies, with crime increasing in four of seven offenses reported by Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police this week.
In the first 10 months of the year, the number of robberies increased from nine to 16, while grand larcenies increased by 47 percent from 60 to 88, according to the numbers provided to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board last week.
READ MORE

Some Safety Tips for the Train and Bus
Stay alert and awake
• Do not sleep on the bus or train, or become too engrossed in a book.
• Keep personal audio players at a low volume at all times.
• Be wary of noisy passengers arguing or causing a commotion. This could be staged to distract you.

Keep yourself and your belongings safe
• Keep your belongings close to you.
• Conceal expensive electronic equipment and jewelry.
• Carry wallets in a front pants pocket.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING,
SAY SOMETHING.
Suspicious activity – If you see someone acting suspiciously, see smoke, notice an odd smell, or witness anything unusual, immediately tell the bus or rail operator, a customer assistant or call 911.
What to watch for:
• Someone hiding something on the train/Bus
• Someone other than an employee on the rail tracks.
• Someone filming or taking excessive photos of transit operations and equipment.
• Someone wearing clothes not consistent with the time of year such as a winter parka in the summer.
Unattended packages – If you find an unattended package, tell the bus or rail operator, or a customer assistant immediately.
If you see someone leave a package on a bus or train, politely bring it to their attention.

Threats or hoaxes – Real or implied, threats or hoaxes are felony crimes and will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted.
Report crime immediately - Whether you are a witness or a victim of a crime, call 911 and give a complete description of the offender(s) such as sex, height, weight, race, distinguishing marks and clothing.

Stay Safe!
Oram Security

Man critically injured in accidental shooting

The story below is a perfect example of why people who choose to use firearms to defend their homes MUST practice with them.  I hate people that "Monday Morning Quarteback" stories that they do not know the facts about, but with that being said, if he had followed 2 of the Firearem Saftey Rules, this would not have happened. 
1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. (Pointing your firearm at your chest is NEVER a safe direction.)
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.


Just like at work where your company runs "Fire Drills" or "Evacuation Drills" you need to have a plan at home and practice it.  And practice it at night as well.  Only doing it during the day when you can easily see everything is completely different than when your heart is pumping, adrenalin is flowing and it is so dark you can not see your hand in front of your face. 

Stay Safe
Oram Security
Man critically injured in accidental shooting
November 29th, 2010 @ 9:09am
By ksl.com
SALT LAKE CITY -- A man is in critical condition after he accidentally shot himself while checking for burglars.
Salt Lake police say it happened around 3:20 a.m. at a residence near 900 East and 500 South. They say the man thought he heard someone in his apartment, woke up and grabbed his .22 caliber handgun and his flashlight.
He went to turn on his flashlight but pulled the gun's trigger instead.
The bullet hit him in the chest. He was able to call 911. Officers broke down the apartment door and found him injured. The man was taken to University of Utah Medical Center in critical condition.
Police say there is no evidence of a burglary in the apartment.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Airport Screeners Not Getting the Training They Need, Says DHS Report

By Matthew Harwood
The airport security workers who screen passengers, carry-on bags, and checked baggage are inadequately trained because of poor management by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), reports the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) inspector general (.pdf).

READ MORE

Stay Safe,
Oram Security

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Americans Still Perceive Crime as on the Rise

Two-thirds of Americans say there is more crime in the United States than there was a year ago, reflecting Americans' general tendency to perceive crime as increasing. Still, the percentage perceiving an increase in crime is below what Gallup measured in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but is higher than the levels from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

READ MORE

Stay Safe,
Oram Security

Strategies to Prevent Cyberbullying

The unfortunate but real fact is that cyberbullying impacts nearly one in four
children. In the Fight Crime; Invest in Kids survey, 17% of 6-11 year olds
and 36% of 12-17 year olds reported that someone said threatening or embarrassing things about them in e-mails, instant messages, web sites, chat rooms or text messages. Because of the technology used to perpetrate cyberbullying - such as cell phones, social media sites, and email – cyberbullying quickly appears to present itself as a complicated extension of traditional bullying.

READ MORE 

Some info on states that have cyberbullying laws. 

Stay Safe
Oram Security

Fake wi-fi 'steals data and numbers from smartphones'

A fake wi-fi hotspot run by criminals could allow them to steal passwords and log into his social networking sites.
Tom Beale from security firm Vigilante Bespoke shows the BBC's Rory Cellan-Jones how easily data can be stolen from a smartphone.
Facebook has responded by saying it advises people to be careful with what data they give out to unknown networks, "in the same way we look to draw out cash from legitimate ATM (cashpoint) machines".
It also pointed out that it asks members whether they want to give Facebook access to contacts stored by email providers before downloading such information from other organisations.
Apple has responded to the way that the latest iPhone is unlocked in this video, by saying that a recent update can be downloaded to prevent this.
SEE VIDEO

Stay Safe,
Oram Security

Monday, November 22, 2010

Security protest could disrupt Thanksgiving travel.

As if air travel over the Thanksgiving holiday isn't tough enough, it could be even worse this year: Airports could see even more disruptions because of a loosely organized Internet boycott of full-body scans.



'National Opt-Out Day' scheduled to coincide with busiest travel day of the year
BY MICHAEL TARM
Associated Press
Updated: 11-22-2010 10:02 am
CHICAGO
--
As if air travel over the Thanksgiving holiday isn't tough enough, it could be even worse this year: Airports could see even more disruptions because of a loosely organized Internet boycott of full-body scans.
Even if only a small percentage of passengers participate, experts say it could mean longer lines, bigger delays and hotter tempers.


Stay Safe
Oram Security

Thursday, November 18, 2010

What it's like to steal someone's identity


Starting with just an e-mail address, a pen tester manages to get the goods on a high-net-worth executive in less than a day

By Joan Goodchild, Senior Editor

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November 18, 2010 — CSO —
Chris Roberts, founder of One World Labs, too often meets people who assume they have nothing worth stealing. His Colorado-based consultancy assists businesses with security assessments, including what Roberts calls "the human side of pen testing." In other words, he helps organizations find out which employees pose a security risk because they're likely to fall prey to social engineering traps and other cons.
"So many people look at themselves or the companies they work for and think, 'Why would somebody want something from me? I don't have any money or anything anyone would want,'?" he said. "While you may not, if I can assume your identity, you can pay my bills. Or I can commit crimes in your name. I always try to get people to understand that no matter who the heck you are, or who you represent, you have a value to a criminal."
As part of his penetration testing services, Roberts is sometimes called on to penetrate the identity of an individual to find out just how easy it is to get sensitive information. He explains how quickly it can be done by detailing a recent assignment.
Chris Roberts: We conducted a test on a high-net-worth individual. We were engaged to see what their profile was like online and what we could find out about them. We were asked to do it by the physical security guards looking after that person.
Read the rest.  Well written and points out some very interesting tactics.

Stay Safe
Oram Security

9 Dirty Tricks: Social Engineers' Favorite Pick-Up Lines


Congrats on your inheritance! Okay, you knew that one's the start of a scam. Here are other come-ons you'll encounter when criminals come knocking

By Joan Goodchild, Senior Editor

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February 16, 2009 — CSO —
What the average guy might call a con is known in the security world as social engineering. Social engineering is the criminal art of scamming a person into doing something or divulging sensitive information. These days, there are thousands of ways for con artists to pull off their tricks (See: Social Engineering: Eight Common Tactics). Here we look at some of the most common lines these people are using to fool their victims..

Social networking scams

"I'm traveling in London and I've lost my wallet. Can you wire some money?" 
Social networking sites have opened a whole new door for social engineering scams, according to Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant with U.K.-based security firm Sophos. One of the latest involves the criminal posing as a Facebook "friend." They send a message or IM on Facebook claiming to be stuck in a foreign city and they say they need money.

MORE  Read the rest.  It is worth it.
Stay Safe!
Oram Security

Monday, November 15, 2010

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Thanksgiving Day has more than double the number of home cooking fires than an average day according to the U.S. Fire Administration. In fact, each year more than 4,000 fires occur on Thanksgiving Day.

To help prevent home fires this Thanksgiving, the Red Cross suggests the following tips:
  • Keep potholders and food wrappers at least three feet away from heat sources while cooking
  • Wear tighter fitting clothing with shorter sleeves when cooking
  • Make sure all stoves, ovens, and ranges have been turned off when you leave the kitchen
  • Set timers to keep track of turkeys and other food items that require extended cooking times
  • Turn handles of pots and pans on the stove inward to avoid accidents
  • Follow all manufacturer guidelines regarding the appropriate use of appliances
  • After guests leave, designate a responsible adult to walk around the home making sure that all candles and smoking materials are extinguished
Even with the best preparation and precautions, accidents can happen. Thanksgiving is high time for cooking related burns. Minor burns can be treated easily if you remember to save the butter for the rolls and not a burn. For a superficial burn, cool the area by running it under cold water until the heat eases and then loosely cover the burn with a sterile dressing.

Another danger that can interrupt a good turkey dinner is choking. The most common cause of choking is talking while eating. If you feel as if food may be caught in your throat, never leave the room, stay where others can see you and help if your airway becomes blocked.

To help someone who is choking, remember "FIVE-and-FIVE Can Keep Them Alive." First, ask the person if they are able to breathe and if you can help. Once you know the person is unable to cough, speak or breathe, have someone call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number, lean the person forward and give FIVE sharp back blows with the heel of your hand. If the obstruction isn't dislodged, give the person FIVE quick, upward abdominal thrusts. If you are alone, you can perform abdominal thrusts on yourself, just as you would on someone else. Thrusts can also be administered by pressing your abdomen firmly against an object such as the back of a chair.
Just because we get to take a break from dieting on Thanksgiving, doesn’t mean we can throw caution to the autumn winds. Remember these suggestions and have a happy and safe holiday

German Airport Security Laps let bomb on plane.

A data delay allowed a bomb made out of a printer toner cartridge from Yemen to go unsearched in late October, reports Der Spiegel. "A security gap at the Cologne-Bonn Airport meant that the explosive-laden printer from Yemen avoided customs, according to information obtained by SPIEGEL ONLINE. The error prevented a thorough search of the suspicious package -- and the possibility of an early detection," reports the German Web site. "The German Finance Ministry confirmed that there had been a 'flawed transfer of data' between the logistics firm UPS and German customs. That error meant that German security checks on the dangerous package failed when the package traveled through the airport on Oct. 28." The bomb was ultimately discovered and deactivated at a UPS facility in England.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Private security firms sign up to code

Major private military and security companies have signed a global code of conduct after high-profile scandals involving the industry in Afghanistan and Iraq. "The pledge brokered by Switzerland, which has taken 14 months to negotiate, emerged amid concern about the 'exponential growth' of private security contractors in conflict areas and their protection role," reports Agence France Presse. "About 60 companies, including US firms Triple Canopy, Xe Services - formerly Blackwater - and Britain's G4 Security were signing up, while the code had the backing of 35 countries, Swiss officials said."

Online Christmas shopping at work 'increases security risks'

Employees trying to save time and shop for Christmas presents online at work are making company networks vulnerable to malware and other cyberthreats. "While the annual survey into workers' internet seasonal shopping habits, conducted by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), suggests employees will spend far fewer work hours shopping online this year – an average of six hours compared with 14 last year – it says the risk of them clicking on dubious or unauthenticated email links, or divulging personal information to unverified websites, is greater," reports the Guardian. "This is mainly due to more employees using company mobile devices such as notebook computers, tablets or smart phones, which increase a company's security risk when used on wireless networks outside of protected corporate networks, the report said. They are also more easily lost or stolen, and contain corporate data that is typically not encrypted."

Stay Safe

Oram Security