Computer hackers have designed a virus that targets industrial control systems built by German engineering giant Siemens AG, activating a kind of malicious software that analysts say represents a growing corporate-espionage threat.
The virus, dubbed Stuxnet, is spread by devices plugged into USB computer ports. It is programmed to try to steal data from computer systems [...]
Archive | Homeland Security RSS feed for this section
Virus Attacks Siemens Plant-Control Systems
Border Drones Plagued by Mishaps, Pilot Shortage
Despite high-profile support for flying unmanned aircraft along the U.S. border with Mexico, the camera-equipped drones are far from a technological magic bullet for fighting illegal immigration. Testimony presented to the House Homeland Security Committee highlights a number of problems facing Customs and Border Patrol’s drone fleet, including a high accident rate and a pilot [...]
3,000 Laptops Stolen From Mil Contractor
Thieves allegedly took an estimated 3,000 laptop computers from the Florida warehouse of a military contractor, police said.
The thieves arrived by car at iGov Technologies in Tampa, a contractor for the top secret U.S. Special Operations Command, and broke in through the roof, the St. Petersburg Times reported Monday.
The heist took place during a 9-hour [...]
Military Video Surveillance Systems Market $7.7bn in 2010
Full-Motion Video for ISR’ reveals one of the new emerging technologies to come out of the growth in ground and airborne surveillance and in particular the increase in UAV deployment.
Assessed is that worldwide sales of military video surveillance systems will reach a total value of $7.7bn in 2010 and expects to see continuing demand in [...]
SWIM SUIT prototype delivered
SWIM-SUIT, which has a value of 12 million Euros, relied on a contribution of about 50% from the European Commission. The project, born within the 6 Framework programme of the European Union, represents one of the SESAR programme technological pillars for the realisation of a Single European Sky.
After a three year study, SELEX Sistemi Integrati, [...]
US to deploy drones to shore up border with Mexico
The United States plans to deploy two drone aircraft along the Texas-Mexico border as part of a new effort to stem organized crime and illegal immigration.
The two Predator drones will be used to patrol the border and in nearby areas in the Gulf of Mexico, once Congress approves the 500 million dollars President Barack Obama [...]
Dubai: 136 M$ for security: cameras ‘everywhere’
The bustling Gulf city currently has 25,000 security cameras, but “surveillance needs to be ramped up to meet the growing requirements of an expanding city,” told The National newspaper.
“We need to work according to a well-studied strategic plan and not only react to events as they come along… We will have cameraseverywhere,” said Khalfan of [...]
EU SeaBILLA (Sea Border Surveillance) program unveiled
SELEX Sistemi Integrati, a Finmeccanica company, has launched the European research and development project SeaBILLA (Sea Border Surveillance).
SeaBILLA, proposed to the European Union as a research and development project on maritime and boarders surveillance, has recently obtained a funding of about 15,5 million Euros within the 7° Framework Programme “Security Research Call2”.
The Finmeccanica company is [...]
Boeing, General Dynamics and ITT: $4.4 Bn for NextGen Engineering Contracts
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded three separate Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) contracts totaling up to $4.4 billion over 10 years. Under the contracts, the companies will perform work that will demonstrate NextGen procedures in real time on a large scale within the current air traffic system.
“NextGen is an economic opportunity that will [...]
Major cyber security conference in Estonia
Experts from around the world stressed the importance of enhancing cyber security.TALLINN – Security experts from around the world have gathered in Tallinn for the third international high-level conference on cyber security that called attention to the need for countries to invest more in protecting their internet space.
The conference, organized by the NATO-accredited Cooperative Cyber [...]
EU nations decide on airport body scanners
European Union nations should decide on their own whether to use body scanners at airports, but the technology employed must be up to EU standards.
“It is for each member state to decide to authorise the use of scanners in national airports. That will not change,” Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas said in a statement.
“But where this [...]
SCANTER Ground Surveillance Radar: Reliable operations in difficult environments
Terma has developed a new SCANTER Ground Surveillance Radar (GSR) which is specifically designed to operate reliably in difficult environments, e.g. desert locations with high ambient temperatures. The radar operates reliably in rain, salt spray, sand, hail, direct sun, and other harsh usage conditions, such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures, and wet or dusty conditions.
The [...]
Italy Navy Launches EU Operations Command Center
The Italian Navy has launched a new land-based command facility that will be offered for use controlling European Union naval operations.
Established at the Navy’s fleet command center at Santa Rosa, north of Rome, the new center has reached initial operating capability and will be fully operational in the first half of 2011, officials said.
The first [...]
Boeing Delivers Security Capabilities to US CBP for the Northern Border Project
Boeing has finished installing 10 remote video surveillance systems in the U.S. Border Patrol’s Detroit Sector, completing the company’s work on all available sites in the Northern Border Project. The systems, delivered to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will enhance border surveillance capabilities along 37 miles of the St. Clair River — the border [...]
Adoption of a U.S.- EU and EU Member States Declaration on Counterterrorism
The Council of Ministers of Interior and Justice of the European Union adopted a U.S.- EU and EU Member States Declaration on Counterterrorism.
Attorney General Eric Holder, who attended the EU/G6 Conference of Interior Ministers declared: “The Council’s adoption of this Declaration is a crucial step forward in our mutual fight against terrorism. I attended the [...]
Two Men Arrested for Terrorism at Kennedy Aiport
Two New Jersey men who were bound for Somalia to join an Islamic extremist group and to kill American troops were arrested at Kennedy International Airport on 6/6. The men, Mohamed Haoud Alessa, 20, and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, 24, were to join Al Shabaab, which claims ideological kinship with Al Qaeda and which was thought [...]
Information on the new Saab Contract with Swedish Civil Security are not disclosed.
Defence and security company SAAB has signed a contract within the civil security area, worth MSEK 120.
The contract is scheduled for the time period of 2010 – 2012 and includes several security solutions and installations. The contract is of strategic importance to Saab and is a significant breakthrough for security solutions in the central European [...]
Obama Administration Unveils Security Strategy
The Obama administration Thursday unveiled its new national security strategy, recognizing the need for military force but as a last resort and stressing the need to increase international diplomatic cooperation.
President Barack Obama said in the 52-page document the military should be used but not overextended. And taking a wider view of national security, Mr. Obama [...]
BAE TSS: 95 M$ for security systems to control access to Army bases
BAE Systems has received a U.S. Army contract worth up to $95 million to install and maintain automated security systems to control access to Army bases and other installations. This award expands the company’s work in supporting physical security at government sites.
The automated installation entry systems use software and hardware to verify information on individuals [...]
US CBP and China Sign MOU to Enhance Supply Chain Security
U.S. Customs and Border Protection today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China on Supply Chain Security and Facilitation. The CBP-China Customs Memorandum of Understanding will serve as a key component of a cooperative security and trade relationship between the two nation’s [...]
G8/G20 security bill to hit $833 million
CTV News has learned that Ottawa expects to spend $833 million on security for next month’s G8 and G20 summits.
[montreal.ctv.ca] In March, the federal government had allocated $179 million for its security budget. But under new estimates that will be introduced in the House of Commons later Tuesday, these costs should increase by $654 million [...]
Cubic App Inc: Contract for Port Security Training in Colombia, Mexico and Peru
Cubic Applications, Inc., a mission support services subsidiary of Cubic Corporation, has received a new contract from the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism of the Organization of American States (OAS) to provide seaport security assessments and training for six ports in Colombia, Mexico and Peru.
Ports included under the new contract include Buenaventura in [...]
DRS: 10 M$ for 71 MSTAR Man Portable Radars
DRS Sustainment Systems will deliver the Marine Corps 71 man portable surveillance target and acquisition radars (MSTAR), under a $9.7 million awarded by the U.S. Navy. The MSTAR is a component of the Ground-Based Operational Surveillance System (GBOSS). The MSTAR locates moving targets and uniquely classifies them as personnel on foot, tracked vehicles, or wheeled [...]
US Cyber Command Is Operational
U.S. Cyber Command, a subordinate unit of U.S. Strategic Command, is in its initial operating capability. The command is expected to be fully operational by October, according to Air Force Lt. Col. Rene White.
Army Gen. Keith Alexander, recently confirmed to lead the command, now officially steps into those shoes after receiving his fourth star Friday in a [...]
Inter-agency Maritime Operations Center at Port Canaveral
The port has potential high-profile terrorism targets
Under construction for a month, the $1.5 million Inter-agency Maritime Operations Center at Port Canaveral, which will house the port’s growing police department, is scheduled for completion in November.
Foundation and drainage work is being done on the 3.3-acre site on the port’s north side.
“The concept is straightforward, putting public [...]
TSA’s job is to scan only for explosives, not weapons
Guns found in US professor’s luggage by Egypt customs
Police in Egypt have arrested an Egyptian-American academic discovered to have several weapons in his luggage as he arrived on a flight from the New York’s JFK airport.
Officials said they saw the man, named as Mohammed Ibrahim Marei, a professor of botany, “behaving nervously” as he waited [...]
Anti-piracy efforts treat symptom, not disease
Navies can intercept Somali pirate skiffs and foil hijackings but fighting waves of attacks at sea will not solve the problem, which is rooted in instability on land in Somalia, naval leaders say.
Anti-piracy efforts “will not actually resolve the base problem of why piracy is occurring … That solution lies in the stabilisation” of Somalia, [...]
Terrorism cell used to fund Islamic network dismantled
Five people were arrested in Italy, Britain and France as part of an investigation into the funding of a network of Islamic terrorism.
This was announced in The Hague, Eurojust, the European body for judicial cooperation.
In Italy two people have been arrested in Milan and Rome as part of an investigation conducted by Italian police since [...]
Little Progress Made On Afghan Surveillance Effort
Nine months after the Army’s U.S. Central Command formally declared that there was an “urgent need” for sophisticated electronic surveillance systems to be installed throughout Afghanistan to protect U.S. forward operating bases, little has happened, according to senior Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee.
At issue are tower-based systems designed to be placed around forward [...]