SEON research unveils UK’s biggest business fraud ‘hot spots’

UK-centric research conducted by anti-fraud expert SEON has revealed the areas with the highest rates of business fraud per 100,000 members of the population. The research uses data from Action Fraud and records both the total number of fraud reports in each area as well as the total number of business or corporate fraud cases. It then compares this to population data, giving relative rates of fraud and business fraud in each geographical area. 

The City of London is found to have the highest rate of corporate fraud per 100,000 people in the country at 100.92 cases. This is arguably of little surprise, given that the City of London is the centre of the UK’s financial industry and home to a huge number of businesses, while also playing host to a comparably small number of individuals.

Nottinghamshire has the second-highest rate of corporate fraud in the country, making the county a much riskier place in which to do business than the majority of the country.

In third place is North Yorkshire. This largely rural county is home to several well-off small cities and market towns, such as York and Harrogate, which act as business hubs for the area and are likely the focus of fraudsters’ attentions in the region.

UK’s business fraud ‘hot spots’

Rank	Police Force	Population	Corporate Fraud Reports	Corporate Fraud Reports per 100,000 People
1	City of London	10,900	11	100.92
2	Nottinghamshire	1,170,500	163	13.93
3	North Yorkshire	831,600	103	12.39
4	Cumbria	499,800	48	9.60
5	Hertfordshire	1,195,700	92	7.69
6	Kent	1,868,200	123	6.58
7	North Wales	703,400	46	6.54
8	Cheshire	1,069,600	68	6.36
9	Humberside	934,400	59	6.31
10	Gwent	598,200	37	6.19

County Durham, the territory policed by the Durham Constabulary, has the highest average losses per report of business fraud in the country. The huge sum involved is more than three times higher than every region other than second place, which it is still noticeably higher than.

Areas with most costly incidents

Rank	Police Force	Corporate Fraud Reports	Corporate Fraud Losses	Average Losses per Corporate Fraud Report
1	Durham	6	£762,800	£127,133
2	City of London	11	£1,300,000	£118,182
3	Lancashire	43	£1,700,000	£39,535
4	Warwickshire	14	£545,200	£38,943
5	Merseyside	25	£599,400	£23,976
6	PSNI	54	£1,000,000	£18,519
7	Derbyshire	21	£387,200	£18,438
8	Metropolitan	305	£4,900,000	£16,066
9	Thames Valley	101	£1,600,000	£15,842
10	Greater Manchester	110	£1,700,000	£15,455

In second place is the City of London. While still being much higher than the majority of other regions, it’s perhaps surprising that the City of London didn’t top the leader board in this instance given that it plays host to the UK’s finance industry.

Lancashire is the third most expensive place to be hit by business fraud. While substantially lower than the average losses incurred in County Durham and in the City of London, the figure involved is still high enough to put some small companies out of business altogether.

The City of London places top as the region most susceptible to all forms of fraud, with 143,092 reports per 100,000 people. The second region most susceptible to all forms of fraud, with 568 reports of fraud per 100,000 people, is the area covered by Dyfed-Powys Police in Wales. 

Northumbria tops the list as the most expensive part of the UK in which to fall victim to any type of fraud, with average losses per incident standing at £11,661.

*Further information concerning the SEON research results is available online at https://seon.io/resources/business-fraud-hotspots/ 

Fraud and cyber crime

UK residents and businesses have seen financial losses of £2.5 billion from fraud and cyber crime over the course of the past year, a new study reveals. Research undertaken by Payback Ltd analysed data drawn from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau to reveal that the UK has reported almost 500,000 cases of fraud and cyber crime that have resulted in financial loss.

Spanning data from November 2020 to November 2021, it was found that the UK has reported an average 40,586 cases of fraud and cyber crime per month, with an average financial loss of £5,700 per case.

The height of cyber crime activity appeared during the earlier months of the year. In February, the UK reported 47,800 cases equating to £267.6 million in financial losses, while in March more than 48,500 cases amounted to losses of £219.3 million.

Monthly breakdown of UK Cyber Crime and Fraud reports (November 2020 to November 2021)

	Total # Reports	Total Financial Loss (£)	Average loss per reported case (£)
Nov 2020	36,277	165,400,000	4,559
Dec 2020	35,739	163,500,000	4,575
Jan 2021	41,347	138,700,000	3,355
Feb 2021	47,801	267,600,000	5,598
Mar 2021	48,546	219,300,000	4,517
Apr 2021	41,404	161,800,000	3,908
May 2021	39,614	220,500,000	5,566
Jun 2021	35,024	167,500,000	4,782
Jul 2021	35,701	173,900,000	4,871
Aug 2021	32,636	165,300,000	5,065
Sept 2021	28,160	245,800,000	8,729
Oct 2021	32,995	187,000,000	5,668
Nov 2021	31,791	231,100,000	7,269

Fraudulent activity using online shopping and auctions amounts to more than 100,000 reported cases through the year (100,168 in total) that equate to a value of £77.1 million in financial loss. The overall umbrella of ‘consumer fraud’ includes other criminal activity such as dating scams and bogus tradesmen, and accounts for £437.2 million of the country’s losses last year.

Overall, fraud and cyber crime cases relating to individual British residents account for 87% of the country’s total report volume. This translates to £1.8 billion of financial losses incurred over a reported 421,473 cases. Those aged 20-29 reported the most instances of criminal activity, with 82,000 reports made across the course of the year, followed closely by those aged 30-39, who clocked in 80,000-plus reports.

There were 62,976 reports made by British businesses throughout 2021, equating to a total reported financial loss of £736.3 million.

Commenting on the research findings, a spokesperson for Payback Ltd stated: “It’s difficult to see such high figures relating to fraudulent and criminal activity taking place over the course of the year. It is now imperative that members of the British public exercise caution when making financial transactions of any kind. They must ensure that they’re confident any transactions are conducted via official, safe and legal means.”

Finbarr Solutions launches free face-to-face video consultation service

Finbarr Solutions, the global security and risk management consultancy, has announced the launch of free face-to-face video consultations with Ciaran Barry CSyP, the company’s managing director and a certified member of the Register of Chartered Security Professionals. The service is available to any organisation that would benefit from expert independent advice regarding their security requirements and systems, staffing levels and/or security posture. 

The Register of Chartered Security Professionals was established under a Royal Charter issued to The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals here in the UK and launched back in 2011. It’s widely recognised as the ‘Gold Standard’ of competence in the private security industry. Barry was admitted to the Register in 2019.

Commenting on the news of this new service, Barry stated: “January is often an ideal time to assess security provision for the year ahead, whether the focus is on reviewing the performance and ongoing suitability of existing systems, preparing tenders for new services and solutions or assessing skills and training requirements.”

The 30-minute free consultations can also be guided by a specific issue or topic such as handling sensitive workplace investigations, legal requirements for employees working from home or dealing with cyber crime. Barry cites specific guidance that every organisation can benefit from, in terms of preparedness and agility, to face the uncertainty of the year ahead.

“Last year,” he observed, “many business continuity and crisis management plans were conceived and initiated on the fly. It’s important to frequently take stock of what’s working, what needs to improve and how to go about making the right decisions. Many smaller organisations struggle as they don’t have either easy or affordable access to expertise. It’s for this very reason that Finbarr Solutions is launching these free consultations.”

Ciaran Barry CSyP

Security management knowledge

In addition to being a Chartered Security Professional, Barry holds a diploma in Security Management (with distinction), a BA Honours degree in Business Studies and also the ASIS Certified Protection Professional qualification.

In days gone by, he spent a decade serving in the British Army and eight years with the Hertfordshire Constabulary as a detective.

*To book a free 30-minute consultation simply click on the following link https://finbarrsolutions.youcanbook.me and pick a convenient time slot or otherwise visit www.finbarrsolutions.com and go to ‘Book a consultation’ in the drop-down menu

Finbarr Solutions was created out of a desire to modernise and simplify the security and risk management services sector. Specialising in corporate risk management, the company views its role as being a business enabler and a trusted advisor. Its services are a mechanism designed to assist organisations to protect themselves and their people, function efficiently and effectively and assist them to grow and develop within today’s global and complex world.

Open source intelligence

Finbarr Solutions supports organisations globally within the majority of industry sectors. Its open source intelligence and threat reporting empowers clients to enter new markets, make informed decisions and, ultimately, achieve their strategic aims.

By understanding and mitigating risk, its small and specialised team of security professionals, investigators and intelligence analysts is able to add value throughout an organisation. From identifying new markets, selecting trustworthy and like-minded global partners and identifying key community leaders right through to conducting due diligence, investigating competitor or supplier claims or internal misconduct, the team at Finbarr Solutions is on hand to support, advise and protect its clients, enabling businesses to make the right decisions at the right times.

*For more information visit www.finbarrsolutions.com

Open University bombarded by one million-plus e-mail attacks in 2020

The Open University, which is based in London, was bombarded by 1,191,312 malicious e-mail attacks from January through until September. That’s according to official data obtained by the Parliament Street Think Tank by way of a Freedom of Information request procedure.

The Open University is a higher education institution specialising in distance learning courses, flexible part-time study and open learning for undergraduate and post-graduate courses and qualifications for adults of all ages.

Fortunately, all of the malicious messages – which included spam, malware and phishing attacks – were blocked by the Open University’s servers.

In its response to Parliament Street’s researchers, The Open University revealed that the malicious e-mail attacks were divided equally over the course of the nine-month period under scrutiny, with roughly 132,368 e-mail attacks and spam messages blocked each month.

The data also reveals that 6,804 messages were blocked due to the suspicion of malware and that 16,452 phishing e-mails were detected and blocked.

Abundance of data

Chris Ross, senior vice-president of international sales at Barracuda Networks, commented: “The nature of The Open University, and the fact that a majority of its courses take place online, means that cyber attackers will inevitably attempt to target the abundance of data stored on its servers. Hence the significant quantity of scam attacks facing the institution.”

Ross continued: “To add to this, our recent research revealed that spear phishing attacks are disproportionately targeting educational institutions across the world, with over 3.5 million phishing e-mails hitting over 1,000 global schools and universities from June through until September of this year.”

He added: “While it’s certainly a good thing that The Open University has, so far, managed to successfully protect itself from a data breach, it’s important that security standards are maintained and that the right software and training is constantly updated in order to keep pace with the rapidly changing cyber threatscape. Furthermore, due to the sensitivity of information stored in their servers, educational institutions must ensure that all data is backed up in a third party, encrypted cloud back-up solution which will also enable protection from the growing trend in ransomware attacks facing universities.”

Boosting qualifications

Andy Harcup, vice-president of sales at Absolute Software, informed Security Matters: “As the second national lockdown puts more people out of work and hinders ‘traditional’ education institutions, millions will be looking towards The Open University in an effort to boost their qualifications, retrain in a new career path or learn a new skill. Unfortunately, cyber attackers will attempt to target the onslaught of new personal devices which will soon be added to The Open University’s nationwide network of devices, all of which are likely to be connected, in some way, via shared data storage points and cloud SaaS applications, for example.”

Harcup went on to state: “Therefore, prospective students, and indeed The Open University itself, must ensure that their devices are protected by a sophisticated endpoint security solution which will ensure that a compromised device can still be accessed, controlled or frozen, such that any breached log-in credentials or a stolen device doesn’t necessarily equate to a loss of data.”

Hackers impersonate Marks and Spencer CEO Steve Rowe in £35 ‘free’ gift voucher scam

Cyber criminals have launched an audacious online scam designed to trick Marks and Spencer (M&S) customers into handing over confidential data by attempting to impersonate the famous High Street retailer’s CEO Steve Rowe.

The fraudulent adverts, uncovered by the Parliament Street Think Tank’s cyber research team, were launched via social networking site Facebook from an unverified page entitled ‘Marks and Spencer Store’.

Users have been bombarded with adverts showing a man (who’s not Steve Rowe) holding M&S-branded bags accompanied by the message: “Hello everyone. My name is Steve Rowe and I’m the CEO of Marks and Spencer. I’ve an announcement to make. To celebrate our 135th Anniversary, we’re giving EVERYONE who shares and then comments by 11.59 pm tonight one of these mystery bags containing a £35 M&S voucher plus goodies! Make sure you enter here [URL].”

The fake URL takes unsuspecting users to an M&S-branded portal where they’re asked for their name, address, mobile phone number and bank details including sort code and account number in order to ‘enter’ the prize draw.

Around 150 members of the public had identified and reported the scam, which was flagged to consumer groups and raised as an issue on social media.

In a statement, Marks and Spencer commented: “We have been made aware of this advert and it isn’t genuine. Our colleagues are investigating further.”

Expert observations

Cyber security expert Andy Heather, vice-president of Centrify, observed: “With more people than ever committed to online retail shopping due to COVID-19, it’s likely that we’ll see a surge of ‘exclusive’ or ‘one-time only’ deals pop up on social media, via e-mail and through SMS messages over the course of the next few months up until Christmas. Unfortunately, many of these sales and deals, much like this M&S one, will be a scam designed to steal confidential data, such as payment details or log-in credentials.”

Heather continued: “If people may have already fallen victim to a scam of this nature, it’s essential that they take proactive measures to stop these scammers in their tracks. This requires individuals to report these scams to the impersonated brand, freeze bank accounts and change log-in details. It’s very common for attackers to hold on to stolen log-in credentials for months after an attack, waiting for the victim to drop their guard before re-breaking in to other accounts protected by the same password.”

Tim Sadler, CEO at Tessian, explained: “Phishing scams don’t just reside in your Inbox. Hackers are increasingly using social media as another hunting ground for their victims. With the lure of a prize giveaway, cyber criminals are hoping that people will click the URL link to ‘enter’ the competition. Those that do click are led to a malicious website that prompts them to enter valuable personal information and credit card details.”

Sadler concluded: “As we head into the busy pre-Christmas shopping season, we can only expect to see more of these types of ‘sale’ scams emerge online. Treat these posts just like you would any phishing e-mail. Ask yourself if this deal seems legitimate and verify the identity of the person requesting you to take action before clicking on any links. In this instance, the scammers have used a picture of someone who isn’t the CEO of M&S. If you’re still unsure, visit the retailer’s website and official social media channels to cross-check that the deal has been mentioned elsewhere.”

KnowBe4 study reveals 92% of organisations’ biggest security concern is end users

KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, has released the results of new research. The company’s report examines over 350 organisations globally and reveals the security weaknesses and concerns within them. On average, 81% of organisations had some degree of concern around security issues.

Cyber crime continues to evolve and become more sophisticated. Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are leveraged by many criminal organisations to help them better understand how to improve their attacks and they’re now targeting specific industry verticals, organisations and even individuals.

Increases in the frequency of ransomware, phishing and crypto-jacking attacks have been experienced by businesses of nearly every size, vertical and location.

When it comes to attack vectors, data breaches are the primary concern, with credential compromise coming a close second. These two issues go hand-in-hand as the misuse of credentials remains the foremost attack tactic in data breaches. That’s according to Verizon’s 2018 Data Breach Investigations Report.

Phishing and ransomware ranked next, demonstrating that organisations are still not completely prepared to defend themselves against these relatively “old” attack vectors.

Other key findings

*92% of organisations rank end users as their primary security concern. At the same time, security awareness training along with phishing testing tops the list of security initiatives that organisations need to implement

*Organisations today have a large number of attack vectors to prevent, monitor for, detect, alert and remediate. In terms of attacks, 95% of those organisations surveyed are most concerned with data breaches

*Ensuring security is in place to meet General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements is still a challenge for 64% of organisations, despite the GDPR’s fine details having been public knowledge for quite some time

*Attackers’ use of compromised credentials is such a common tactic. 93% of organisations are aware of the problem, but still have lots of work to do to stop it

*When it comes to resources, 75% of organisations don’t have an adequate budget

“2018 was a prolific year for successful cyber attacks, with many of them caused by human error,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4. “IT organisations are tasked with establishing and maintaining a layered security defence. The largest concern, as demonstrated again in this report, is employees making errors. Organisations must start their defence by establishing a security culture. In order to combat the escalation of social engineering, they absolutely have to ensure that users are trained and tested.”

To read the full report visit www.KnowBe4.com

Dell “reinvents” endpoint security portfolio through strategic collaborations with Secureworks and CrowdStrike

Cyber criminals are continuously shifting their attack techniques to better target endpoints. As more than one-third (39%) of cyber attacks are now non-malware based, adversaries can exploit gaps in traditional anti-malware solutions used in isolation.

Considering that 50% of organisations also have insufficient endpoint or network visibility during incident response engagements, it’s clear many businesses are injecting ineffective security tools into their environments, ultimately adding complexity without directly addressing the problem.

These disconnected solutions require ongoing diligence and expert resources to analyse a multitude of security alerts and identify compromised devices. Yet, with the growing cyber security skills gap, businesses don’t have the resources needed to manage their security infrastructure effectively.

To help organisations in addressing these challenges, Dell is introducing Dell SafeGuard and Response, a portfolio of next generation endpoint security solutions that combines the managed security, incident response expertise and threat behavioural analytics of Secureworks with the unified endpoint protection platform from CrowdStrike.

Dell’s modern and effective approach designed to prevent, detect and respond to the shifting threat landscape makes it easy for organisations to protect their data with the industry’s most secure commercial PCs.

With Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven and cloud-native endpoint protection powered by CrowdStrike and expert threat intelligence and response management by Secureworks, Dell SafeGuard and Response provides end user customers with the essential capabilities they need to protect their PCs and data. CrowdStrike endpoint security solutions prevent more than 99% of malware and non-malware-based threats, detect 100% of vulnerabilities and respond to sophisticated attacks rapidly.

Secureworks’ RedCloak behavioural analytics are built into the prevention, detection and response capabilities, so customers benefit from an ever-smarter network effect of protection. When an emerging threat is discovered in one environment, countermeasures are created and deployed to all customers who may be affected. 

Prevent, detect and respond to threats

With Dell SafeGuard and Response, customers no longer need to worry about complex implementation involving numerous agents. Dell’s modern approach to security simplifies the buying process, allowing customers to order these new solutions alongside their new PC. Businesses will receive outstanding prevention combined with the ability to quickly detect compromised devices and remediate cyber incidents.

Customers can select from the following new Dell SafeGuard and Response solutions to meet their unique security needs:

CrowdStrike Falcon Prevent: This next generation anti-virus (NGAV) solution uses AI and machine learning to stop malware and malware-free attacks, offering organisations enhanced protection without requiring signatures and the heavy updates that come with them

CrowdStrike Falcon Prevent and Insight: In addition to the NGAV solution, customers can advance their threat prevention capabilities with Device Control and Falcon Insight, the leading endpoint detection and response solution. This enables full visibility into endpoint threat activity and real-time remediation designed to prevent, detect and investigate incidents and stop threats

Secureworks Managed Endpoint Protection: Combined with CrowdStrike Falcon Prevent and Insight and Device Control, this offer provides customers with 24×7 managed services from Secureworks to monitor the state of endpoints for indications of threat actor activity. Secureworks’ Security Operations Centre and Counter Threat Unit will investigate events to determine severity, accuracy and context to suggest remedial actions, in turn giving organisations peace of mind around the clock

Secureworks Incident Management Retainer: In the event of a serious security incident, Secureworks will deploy its on-demand incident response specialist team who are highly skilled to respond to and mitigate a cyber incident at any time. Now, organisations with and without SOCs can have the support and expertise needed in critical times. This service can also be used to build a proactive response plan for future security incidents.

Devices and data secure 

“Organisations are faced with what may feel like an exponentially expanding threat landscape and a mixed bag of solutions to fix it,” said Brett Hansen, vice-president and general manager of client software and security solutions at Dell. “To meet the evolving needs of our customers and stay ahead of ever-evolving threats, Dell is offering organisations the tools they need to keep their devices and data secure.”

Wendy Thomas, senior vice-president of business and product strategy at Secureworks, added: “Attacker techniques are becoming more sophisticated. Customers need managed solutions that are actively guarding against threat activity. Our modern approach with Dell ensures a co-ordinated defence against cyber threats at the scale and speed required for any customer’s evolving security needs beyond the network.”

Matthew Polly, vice-president of worldwide business development and channels at CrowdStrike, concluded: “Being selected by Dell is a testament to CrowdStrike’s market leadership and the proven value of our platform. Together, we are equipping customers with a unique and compelling solution to deliver an end-to-end approach to endpoint security that effectively stops threats, while also reducing enterprise complexity and modernising threat detection and management.”

*Dell SafeGuard and Response will be available globally in March through Dell and its authorised channel partners. Additionally, the comprehensive CrowdStrike Falcon platform can also be purchased through Dell

Major life-threatening cyber attack on UK “in little doubt”

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published its second Annual Review, in turn revealing that the organisation has prevented Britain from falling victim to nearly 1,200 attacks in the past two years. The NCSC has also warned of the likelihood of a major life-threatening cyber attack on the UK in the near future.

The NCSC states that the UK is hit by ten serious cyber attacks every week. 70% of these attacks are “undertaken by groups of computer hackers directed, sponsored or tolerated by the Governments of [hostile] countries”.

Commenting on these figures, Mishcon de Reya’s cyber security lead Joe Hancock informed Risk Xtra: “1200 attacks may seem like a large number, but the reality is that this is the tip of the iceberg. The majority of these attacks on business, Government and third sector organisations go unreported and often undetected. Behind these high profile attacks there are the millions of online crimes that affect individuals every day.”

Focusing on that last point, Hancock continued: “We routinely deal with the often unreported issues. More needs to be done to back law enforcement in supporting both victims and responders to better detect and recover from cyber episodes. A focus on critical infrastructure is welcomed by everyone, but it doesn’t help the millions of victims of cyber fraud. The recent Facebook breach shows the potential downsides of large-scale data collection and reliance on single points, provided by social media to access a wide variety of services across the Internet which can act as a gateway for attackers to further data and services.”

Further, Hancock observed: “Cyber security practices are not consistent globally and an attack against a weaker link in the supply or data chain can have unanticipated consequences for companies and individuals. More is needed to help protect everyday victims of these crimes, and especially so in the international arena. It’s difficult to see how mass cyber crime can be tackled without an international consensus and consequences for nations that turn a blind eye.”

Also, Hancock outlined: “Many of the cyber incidents we deal with have a financial component, often involving the traditional banking system and not only cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Driving cyber criminals out of the financial system will have an impact on cyber crime levels.”

Actions and behaviours

There are specific actions and behaviours that should be adopted now to aid readiness for inevitable cyber attacks. Steve Mulhearn, director of enhanced technologies for the UK and Ireland and DACH at Fortinet, has listed them as prevention, the harnessing of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and adaptive technology and better visibility across the network.

Prevention

Prevention is easier when all employees in the business, not just the IT Department, take responsibility for the security of the business. For example, breaches like the Bupa or Waymo hacks have raised the appreciation of the number of breaches that occur because employees are targeted. The Fortinet Global Enterprise Security Survey 2017 found that 67% of businesses say they’re planning IT security and awareness training for employees in 2018.

Harness AI and adaptive technology

Harnessing the power of AI to learn from breaches, as well analyse data and automate reactions to shut down breaches when they occur, are vital actions. Threats evolve and adapt over time as applications, technologies, configurations, controls and behaviours change, making security an arms race wherein a static solution simply will not do.

Better visibility across the network

A vital tool in this struggle is visibility. You cannot secure what you cannot see. This means control across the distributed network, including endpoints, the Internet of Things and the cloud. According to the Fortinet 2017 Survey, only a small cohort of respondents feel confident that they have full visibility and control of employee access.

*The National Cyber Security Centre’s Annual Review can be accessed online at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/news/annual-review-2018

IFSEC organiser UBM previews ‘The Future of Security’ Seminar Theatre powered by Tavcom Training

In partnership with Tavcom Training, the provider of accredited security systems training courses, IFSEC International organiser UBM has unveiled some of the detail behind ‘The Future of Security’ Seminar Theatre. Sponsored by Panasonic UK, this will deliver a range of essential CPD-accredited presentations on the very latest in security technology design and integration when IFSEC 2018 runs at London’s ExCeL from 19-21 June.

Physical security systems are now heavily dependent on IT-based platforms. This intersection of technologies has opened up significant potential for security installers and engineers to offer even better solutions for their end customers. To reflect this demand, ‘The Future of Security’ Theatre will focus on these opportunities in offering a full set of free seminars. The sessions will expertly target key areas addressing cyber security, IT Best Practice, practical IP networking, integration and system design plus a wide range of additional core areas. All sessions will be delivered by specialist Tavcom trainers.

Delivering insight into the major security challenges, the cyber security sections will look into how robust approaches can strengthen an existing physical security system, providing the end user with even greater resilience to cyber threats.

From an IT security aspect, the sessions will include sessions on understanding firewalls and identifying vulnerabilities which can be inherent in the installation process. In addition, there will be exclusive sessions on the use of drones in security and how this technology is both a benefit and a hazard.

‘The Future of Security’ Theatre will be a major element in the new ‘Show Me How’ project at IFSEC International 2018, which will identify education opportunities and exhibiting companies as key destinations where visitors can go to learn about Best Practice and capabilities. Exhibitors will host technical experts on their stands to ensure visitors gain a direct understanding of the products and solutions and making sure they leave fully equipped with the right knowledge.

At the event, all ‘Show Me How’ areas and exhibitors will be clearly signposted to help visitors make the best possible use of their time at IFSEC 2018.

With cyber crime being an ever-present threat exploiting business weaknesses around storing data in multiple locations, Panasonic UK is proactively taking action to thwart such threats by expanding its cyber offerings. In particular at IFSEC International 2018, the business will focus on how integrators and installers can bring additional value to end users by providing ‘cyber safe’ environments.

Paul Tennent, sales director at Tavcom Training, stated: “As a leading training provider for the security and fire installer sectors, Tavcom is excited to be part of the new position IFSEC is taking as a major education provider. Its been interesting to see the insights and research IFSEC has gained over the past year, particularly so in regard to the expectations and direct needs of the installer community. It’s also acutely apparent that growth areas and technologies in and around cyber security are becoming critical, so we’re happy to lend our expertise to the wider IFSEC audience.”

Gerry Dunphy, brand director for IFSEC International, responded: “We’ve been through an extensive research programme over the past 12 months which has provided IFSEC with a clear set of directions, matching the direct needs of our customers. They’ve told us they have a need to understand the future. They need guidance on areas such as how cyber security impacts on physical systems and they need to hear from specialists they can trust. Working with Tavcom Training on ‘The Future of Security’ Theatre is the perfect solution given Tavcom’s history and expertise in these core areas. Our customers have told us what’s keeping them awake at night and it’s IFSEC’s duty to help them rest more comfortably.”

*IFSEC International 2018 is co-located with FIREX International, Safety & Health Expo and The Facilities Show, offering a strategic blend of related business to business events focusing squarely on the protection and management of people, property and assets

AMG Systems to discuss integrated technologies at Global MSC’s Security 2017 event

Network transmission solutions specialist AMG Systems will discuss the latest developments in environmentally robust fibre, analogue, IP/Ethernet, wireless and hybrid communication systems when the company exhibits at the Global MSC Security Conference and Exhibition 2017 in Bristol.

The two-day event is hosted by consultancy Global MSC Security, with this year’s theme being that of ‘Integrating Technologies’. The conference and exhibition is designed to bring together experts from across the security industry, sharing their knowledge with delegates from local authorities, hospitals, universities and both private and blue chip companies. This year’s event looks into the ways that security is changing, integrating with other disciplines and adapting at a rapid pace to meet the demands of what end users now require from their security solutions.

Speakers and topics include:

*Daffydd Llywelyn (Dyfed Pewees Police and Crime Commissioner): Public Space Surveillance initiative

*Professor William Webster (director, Centre for Research into Information, Surveillance and Privacy): Body-Worn Video Research

*Tony Porter (Surveillance Camera Commissioner): National Surveillance Camera Strategy for England and Wales

*Detective Inspector Edward Heath (Avon and Somerset Police): Cyber Crime

*Bernadette Bashford-Payne (estate Control Centre manager, Canary Wharf): ‘Inside a Large Control Room’

*Jim Burgess (associate director, Perform Green): ‘Integrating CCTV in Bristol’s Smart City’

*Mick Neville (ex-Metropolitan Police Service: SeeQuestor Review

Discussion of key security challenges

At the Global MSC Security Conference and Exhibition, AMG Systems is exhibiting on Stand 25. The company’s business development director Sara Fisher said that the organisation is looking forward to meeting delegates and discussing the key security challenges that they face in their day-to-day operations.

Sara Fisher of AMG Systems

“Our specialist transmission knowledge can provide enormous benefits for integrated projects, saving on infrastructure expenditure, time for install or upgrade and reducing complexity,” said Fisher. “I’m keen to talk to any delegates who’d like to learn more about the way that legacy systems can be transitioned relatively simply to IP and Ethernet, with all the advantages that brings, and to those who’d like to discuss any other aspect of security and data network provision.”

AMG Systems manufactures intelligent, industrial grade, robust edge-of-network transmission solutions which have been used extensively in CCTV and security systems, as well as in sectors as diverse as the oil and gas, Critical National Infrastructure, defence and transport industries.

AMG Systems is the only UK-based IP and Ethernet transmission product manufacturer and solution provider. The company’s degree of in-house control mean that its products are less vulnerable to cyber security attacks than those from other companies, which rely on third party hardware and software.

The Global MSC Security Conference and Exhibition 2017 takes place on Monday 13 and November 14 at the Bristol Hotel on Prince Street in Bristol. For more information and to book a delegate place visit www.globalmsc.net/seminars-2/

New date announced for free-to-attend BSIA/FIA-supported cyber security seminar

A free-to-attend, half-day seminar which aims to help security buyers and installers alike to navigate the complex world of cyber security is being held in Solihull on Thursday 2 November.

Organised by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) and supported by the Fire Industry Association (FIA), the event will include presentations from a wide range of cyber security experts, with a particular focus on the potential vulnerabilities of ‘connected products’ – meaning any security product that can be accessed or operated remotely via the Internet (eg intruder alarms, video surveillance systems and access control solutions) – and how these vulnerabilities can be combated.

Delegates will be informed about the potential cyber risks facing their business, with presentations from the West Midlands Police’s digital cyber crime team and the Scottish Business Resilience Centre’s team of ‘ethical hackers’.

Attendees will also find out how the BSIA’s ongoing work in the field of cyber security is helping the security industry to protect itself and its customers.

Finally, delegates will benefit from a summary of the European Union’s new General Data Protection Regulation, which is set to come into force in May 2018.

The seminar is open to security and fire solutions buyers and installers, or indeed anybody from either industry with an interest in improving their business’ cyber security and data protection policies.

Registration for the event will be open from 9.00 am, with presentations starting at 9.45 am and the event expected to finish at around 1.30 pm.

*A full programme and online booking forms for both delegates and exhibitors are available from the BSIA’s website