Category: International

Aerial drones might someday deliver online purchases to homes. But in some prisons, drone delivery is already a thing. Drones have been spotted flying drugs, cell phones and other contraband over prison walls, and in several cases, drug traffickers have used drones to ferry narcotics across the border. If those drones are captured, investigators will try to extract data from them that might point to a suspect. But there are many types of drones, each with its own quirks, and that can make data extraction tricky. It would help if investigators could instantly conjure another drone of the same type to practice on first, and while that may not be possible, they can now do the next best thing – download a ‘forensic image’ of that type of drone. A forensic image is a complete data extraction from a digital device, and NIST maintains a repository of images made from personal computers, mobile phones, tablets, hard drives and other storage media. The images in NIST’s computer forensic reference datasets, or CFReDS, contain simulated digital evidence and are available to download for free. Recently, NIST opened a new section of CFReDS dedicated to drones, where forensic experts can find images of 14 popular makes and models, a number that is expected to grow to 30 by December 2018. “The drone images will allow investigators to do a dry run before working on high-profile cases,” said Barbara Guttman, Manager of Digital Forensic Research at NIST, “You don’t want to practice on evidence.” The drone images were created by VTO Labs, a Colorado-based digital forensics and cybersecurity firm. NIST added the images to CFReDS because that website is well-known within the digital forensics community. “Listing the drone images there is the fastest way to get them out to experts in the field,” Guttman said. Work on the drone images began in May of last year when VTO Labs received a contract from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate. “When we proposed this project, there was little existing research in this space,” said Steve Watson, Chief Technology Officer at VTO. The drone research was needed not only to combat drug smuggling, but also to allow officials to respond more quickly should a drone ever be used as a weapon inside the United States. For each make and model of drone he studied for this DHS-funded project, Watson purchased three and flew them until they accumulated a baseline of data. He then extracted data from one while leaving it intact. He disassembled a second and extracted data from its circuit board and onboard cameras. With the third, he removed all the chips and extracted data from them directly. He also disassembled and extracted data from the pilot controls and other remotely connected devices. “The forensic images contain all the 1s and 0s we recovered from each model,” Watson said. The images were created using industry standard data formats so that investigators can connect to them using forensic software tools and inspect their contents. The images for each model also come with step-by-step, photo-illustrated teardown instructions. Watson was able to retrieve serial numbers, flight paths, launch and landing locations, photos and videos. On one model, he found a database that stores a user’s credit card information. Investigators can use the images to practice recovering data including deleted files. Universities and forensic labs can use them for training, proficiency testing and research, and application developers can use the images to test their software. “If you’re writing tools for drone forensics, you need a lot of drones to test them on,” Guttman said.

Dahua Technology held a technical session together with Intel at IFSEC 2018 at London on 21 June to introduce AI NVR based on FPGA technology for security applications. Steve Norman, Sales Director of Dahua UK & Ireland highlighted Dahua’s new AI NVR based on Intel FPGA technology, which is able to realize real-time face recognition powered by AI, thanks to the deterministic low latency performance of Intel FPGAs. Moreover, Intel FPGAs are highly flexible and easy-to-use, which has enabled Dahua to better design its unique AI products. Todd Matsler, Director of Intel Global IOT Video also introduced Intel’s vision product technology including the Intel® FPGA & Intel® Movidius™ VPU, which are both equipped on Dahua’s new Deepsense series AI products. He especially pointed out the deterministic low latency, superb performance, power efficiency and future readiness of FPGA make it suitable for deep learning inference. Intel® Movidius™ VPU enables low power visual intelligence, delivering dedicated imaging, vision, and deep neural networks at the edge. With the in-depth presentations, participants of the technical session were fascinated by the great future AI could bring to the surveillance industry.

CP PLUS has recently hosted an introductory Partner’s Meet at Park Royal Hotel in Myanmar, marking its entry in the country. The event was an introduction to the brand, its global presence and its key technologies through an elaborate technical session and live demonstrations. “It was a great session. The people of Myanmar are very supportive and warm. We had a great experience conducting this show. I’d like to thank our partners here who made it to the meet and expressed their interest in CP PLUS technologies. We look forward to a great association with them,” said Yogesh B. Dutta, COO, CP PLUS. CP PLUS showcased their Red and Indigo series cameras and DVRs at the meet. While the Red series is designed for small to mid-sized commercial installations, with up to 4MP resolution, H.265 compression, motorized zoom, WDR, starlight, night vision etc., the Indigo series are high end, enterprise grade cameras that are designed rugged, and can undergo stringent tests to meet a wide range of environmental and situational conditions. They are equipped with resolutions up to 12MP, InstaStream compression, 44x zoom, edge analytics, and more.

An international operation against the illegal trade in wildlife and timber has seen hundreds of seizures worldwide as well as suspects arrested. Code named Thunderstorm and targeting the people and networks behind global wildlife crime, the operation involved police, customs, border, environment, wildlife and forestry agencies from 92 countries and resulted in millions of dollars-worth of seizures. The month-long (1-31 May) operation has so far brought 1,974 seizures and the identification of some 1,400 suspects, triggering arrests and investigations worldwide. Further arrests and prosecutions are foreseen as ongoing investigations unfold. Total worldwide seizures reported to date include: 43 tonnes of wild meat (including bear, elephant, crocodile, whale and zebra). 1.3 tonnes of raw and processed elephant ivory. 27,000 reptiles (including 869 alligators/ crocodiles, 9,590 turtles and 10,000 snakes). ● Almost 4,000 birds including pelicans, ostriches, parrots and owls. Several tonnes of wood and timber. 48 live primates. 14 big cats (tiger, lion, leopard and jaguar). The carcasses of seven bears, including two polar bears. The operation saw eight tonnes of pangolin scales seized worldwide in cluding almost four tonnes by Vietnamese maritime authorities on board a ship arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Two flight attendants were arrested in Los Angeles attempting to smuggle live spotted turtles to Asia in their personal baggage. Both suspects have been charged with smuggling CITESprotected species and a transnational investigation has been opened between the involved countries. A man was arrested in Israel and awaits deportation to Thailand after his hunting photograph on social media led to the seizure of multiple wildlife items at his home including fox, jackal and mongoose bodies. Follow-up inquiries have revealed that the suspect was also engaged in people smuggling and illegal employment. Canadian authorities intercepted a container holding 18 tonnes of eel meat arriving from Asia. Thought to be poached from Europe originally, the juvenile glass eels had been reared in Asia before being dispatched to North American markets for consumption. An integrated global response The second in a global ‘Thunder’ series initiated by the INTERPOL Wildlife Crime Working Group, Operation Thunderstorm was coordinated by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO) in conjunction with the International Consortium on Com bating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), which includes the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat, UNODC and the World Bank. “Operation Thunderstorm has seen significant seizures at global level, showing how coordinated global operations can maximize impact,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock, “By revealing how wildlife trafficking groups use the same routes as criminals involved in other crime areas – often hand in hand with tax evasion, corruption, money laundering and violent crime – Operation Thunderstorm sends a clear message to wildlife criminals that the world’s law enforcement community is homing in on them.” An intelligence-driven operation Investigative crime intelligence was gathered ahead of the operation to help target specific hotspots for action including land and airport border points and wildlife parks. Cars, trucks, boats and cargo transporters suspected of moving illicit products were also targeted with searches carried out by officers, often with specialist sniffer dogs and x-ray scanners. “By leveraging the global network of worldwide environmental law enforcement experts and customs community’s commitment to protecting wildlife, WCO and its partners have clearly illustrated the power and effectiveness of in ternational cooperation in keeping our natural heritage safe, both now and for future generations,” said WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya, “Operation Thunderstorm clearly demonstrates that by pooling our transnational law enforcement collaboration in the field, WCO and INTERPOL firmly contribute to making sure that borders everywhere divide criminals but connect customs and law enforcement as a whole to make the world a safer place.” Results will continue to be analysed globally to generate intelligence which will be used as guidance in future national, regional and international law enforcement efforts. Organized wildlife crime: Everybody’s business The organized crime groups behind wildlife crime target high-value animal and plant specimens, and operate through complex global criminal networks. Driven by profit, the activities of these groups can have devastating economic, social and environmental impacts. Ben Janse van Rensburg, CITES Secretariat Chief of Enforcement Support said, “No one country, region or agency can tackle illegal wildlife trade alone. Collective action across source, transit and destination states is essential. On behalf of all ICCWC partner agencies, I commend the excellent work done in member countries – Operation Thunderstorm is testimony to what can be achieved if we all work together.” Ben Janse van Rensburg, CITES Secretariat Chief of Enforcement Support said, “No one country, region or agency can tackle illegal wildlife trade alone. Collective action across source, transit and destination states is essential. On behalf of all ICCWC partner agencies, I commend the excellent work done in member countries – Operation Thunderstorm is testimony to what can be achieved if we all work together.” Mr. Miller is also chair of the INTERPOL Wildlife Crime Working Group, which leads a number of projects to combat the poaching, trafficking, or possession of legally protected flora and fauna.

Dahua Technology has become GDPR compliant and received the certification for its IP video products from TÜV Rheinland just a day before the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect i.e., 25 May 2018. It means that its IP products are in full compliance with GDPR. Dahua is one of the first companies on the globe which has achieved this certificate. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a set of new law by which the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission intend to strengthen and unify data protection for all individuals within the European Union. It establishes strict, high-level, wide-scope protection standards for personal data. Wherever a company is located, as long as it processes personal data of an EU citizen during the provision of products or services, it must comply with GDPR. TÜV Rheinland, an internationally renowned independent third-party testing, inspection and certification organization, held Cyber Risk Management Forum 2018 in Shanghai on 24 May 2018. The forum, started by Lutz Frankholz, Executive Director of TÜV Rheinland Greater China, is among the highest level that is themed on information risk in China and is joined by professionals from both business and academic circles. Dahua Technology participated in the forum together with many outstanding companies from multiple industries. They successfully applied for GDPR personal data protection standards and TUV Rheinland’s IoT security and privacy protection standard for products that are being shipped globally, including those that are shipped to countries and regions outside of EU. Zhang Junchang, Director of Cybersecurity Product Line of Dahua Technology, received certification towards IP video products on behalf of the company. This means the Dahua IP products are in compliance with the GDPR (EU, 2016/679) and meet the TÜV Rheinland 2PfG 2624/06.17 standard (covering IoT security and privacy protection requirements) which are world-class in information security and privacy protection. This allows Dahua Technology’s global users to enjoy surveillance products that have the same protection level as those in EU. This also means that customers who use Dahua Technology’s certified IP products are able to meet the GDPR standard. The certification procedure is closely related to the company’s whole management system. Its smooth carrying out showcased Dahua Technology’s emphasis on product quality and compliance. Dahua will relentlessly make use of its internal source as well as professional third-party partners like TÜV Rheinland to create more value to its customers and users. Dahua has also shared a white paper named ‘How Can Dahua Products Help Users Comply With GDPR.’

Nearly 350 potential victims of sexual exploitation and forced labour have been rescued in an INTERPOL coordinated operation targeting human trafficking in the Caribbean, Central and South America. More than 500 police officers in 13 countries also arrested 22 individuals during Operation Libertad (3-9 April), held under the INTERPOL Project to combat human trafficking in the Caribbean. The Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) in Barbados hosted the operational coordination centre, with specialist officers from INTERPOL’s Trafficking in Human Beings unit deployed to the region. Support was provided by the INTERPOL Command and Coordination Centre at the General Secretariat in Lyon, France and at the INTERPOL Regional Bureau in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In addition to coordinated police raids, searches were carried out against INTERPOL’s criminal databases, generating 30 hits, including 25 for stolen and lost travel documents. Computer equipment, mobiles phones and cash were also seized. “Operations like this show the power of INTERPOL providing a platform for the 13 participating countries, but what sits behind these numbers is the human story,” said INTERPOL Executive Director of Police Services Tim Morris, “Whether it is someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter, there is an intensely personal story that is usually unfortunately accompanied by a lot of sufferings.” Targeting the most vulnerable Both men and women, including minors, were discovered working in night clubs, farms, mines, factories and open-air markets. With thousands looking to cross borders in search of work, traffickers are targeting the most desperate and vulnerable members of society with promises of a better life. Cem Kolcu, Coordinator of INTERPOL’s Trafficking in Human Beings unit, said, “What traffickers don’t advertise are the working conditions their victims will be subject to once their final destination is reached. During this operation, we identified women being forced to work out of spaces no bigger than coffins, for example.” In Guyana, young women were found working as prostitutes next to extremely remote gold mines, from which they could not escape. This is a common modus operandi as the geographical location of the mines also complicates investigations. “Isolated locations make it difficult for officers to avoid detection when travelling to these camps. By the time intelligence is acted upon, perpetrators have had the opportunity to act and move the victims,” explained Diana O’Brien, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Public Security, Guyana. A victim-centric approach To ensure victims received the necessary care following their rescue, social services and NGOs were involved in conducting post-operation interviews and providing support services to victims. Because they can earn more than they would in their home countries, some victims don’t identify as such, making it difficult to gather evidence and prosecute cases of suspected trafficking. Other victims are manipulated and intimidated into providing false information. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Asian ‘employees’ at a factory had been stripped of their passports and made to be completely dependent. Having never received wages, they relied on their handlers for housing, transport, food and the most basic necessities. With similar examples across the region, this highlights the need to raise awareness amongst vulnerable communities in both source and destination countries and to ensure appropriate support mechanisms are in place. INTERPOL global task force on human trafficking The operation was the culmination of the two-and-a-half year project funded by the Government of Canada, which provided specialized training to investigators and immigration officers in order to enhance operational expertise and regional coordination to combat human trafficking. The programme is one of several projects under the INTERPOL Global Task Force on Human Trafficking, which received the backing of G7 Security Ministers last week.

Augmenting its efforts to protect the nation’s critical assets from cybersecurity threats as well as protect individuals’ privacy, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has issued a draft update to its Risk Management Framework (RMF) to help organizations more easily meet these goals. The RMF update, formally titled Draft NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-37 Revision 2, is a guidance document designed to help organizations assess and manage risks to their information and systems. Previous versions of the RMF were primarily concerned with cybersecurity protections from external threats. The updated version adds an overarching concern for individuals’ privacy, helping to ensure that organizations can better identify and respond to these risks, including those associated with using individuals’ personally identifiable information. The update will interest federal agencies and contractors that do business with them, as it connects the RMF with NIST’s well-known Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), highlighting relationships that exist between the two documents. “Until now, federal agencies had been using the RMF and CSF separately,” said NIST’s Ron Ross, one of the publication’s authors, “The update provides cross-references so that organizations using the RMF can see where and how the CSF aligns with the current steps in the RMF. Conversely, if you’re using the CSF, you can bring in the RMF and give your organization a robust methodology to manage security and privacy risks.” In addition to the RMF-CSF alignment, the update has several important objectives including: Integrating security and privacy into systems development: Building security and privacy into information systems at the initial design stage is a major concern. The RMF also references NIST systems security engineering guidance at appropriate points, including NIST’s SP 800-160, which addresses the engineering of trustworthy secure systems. Connecting senior leaders to operations: The RMF provides guidance on how an organization’s senior leaders can better prepare for RMF execution, as well as how to communicate their protection plans and risk management strategies to system implementers and operators. Incorporating supply chain risk management considerations: The RMF addresses growing supply chain concerns in the areas of counterfeit components, tampering, theft, insertion of malicious software and hardware, poor manufacturing and development practices, and other potential harmful activities that can impact an organization’s systems and systems components. Supporting security and privacy safeguards: The RMF update will provide organizations with a disciplined and structured process to select controls from the newly developed consolidated security and privacy control catalog in NIST’s SP 800-53, Revision 5 (link is external). Aligning the RMF with other NIST guidance and publications will provide clarity for federal agencies, which are required to implement multiple frameworks. While adhering to the CSF is voluntary for private companies, its use for the federal government is mandatory under Executive Order 13800. Compliance with the RMF is mandatory for federal agencies in accordance with the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA (link is external)). The RMF is also required and in widespread use in the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. “It was imperative for us to figure out how these frameworks fit together,” Ross said, “Many agencies are trying to follow both.” Ross added that the privacy enhanced RMF might be valuable to companies and organizations beyond the federal government, considering how high profile the subject of privacy has become of late. “Many folks are discovering how vulnerable they are with respect to their personal information and may begin to demand some standard level of protection,” he said, “If such a demand occurs, the government will be looking for clearly stated requirements for privacy, privacy safeguards, and a disciplined and structured process on how those controls could be applied. The timing of this publication could not be any better.”

ASIS International has recently announced the education program for upcoming Global Security Exchange (GSX). Produced in partnership with InfraGard and ISSA, the five-day event is expected to attract more than 20,000 operational and cyber security professionals to the Las Vegas Convention Center for a comprehensive education program, unparalleled networking, and an immersive exhibit floor showcasing thousands of cutting-edge security products and services. “This has been a record-setting year,” said Nancy Green, ASIS International Vice President of Learning, “We received a staggering 700+ proposals to our GSX 2018 call for presentations, and our program lineup features more than 300 sessions led by ASIS, InfraGard, and ISSA subject matter experts. This enthusiastic response mirrors the excitement we have been hearing from security professionals about the investments and enhancements we’ve been making to GSX, as the security industry’s flagship event.” Learning formats will include deep dives, case studies, lectures, mock trials, panels, simulations, and workshops. There will also be a spotlight on enterprise security risk management (ESRM), with education sessions ranging from in-depth pre-conference workshops to practical presentations that bring this business strategy to the dayto-day workplace. “There is an abundance of expertise and hands-on experience represented among speakers and attendees at GSX,” noted Darren T. Nielsen, CPP, PCI, PSP, Chair, 2018 GSX Education Selection Committee, “The education program will tap into this collective wisdom, and learning will be bidirectional – a true exchange of insights and lessons learned.” A selection of topics being addressed include: Securing Big Data in an Evolving Regulatory Landscape. How Augmented and Virtual Reality Affect Security. Ransomware: Managing Data Extortion Crises. School Emergency Preparedness Using a Tabletop Exercise. The Dark Web: Protecting Brand, Reputation, and Assets. Surviving a Mass Shooting: Case Studies in Successful Tactics and Techniques. The Psychology of Radicalization in the Lone-Actor Terrorist: Making Sense of the Senseless. Education will extend beyond the classrooms with more theaters on the exhibit floor, as well as expanded Career Center programming and a career fair. An exciting addition in 2018 will be the X Stage featuring TED-style talks from global thought leaders, academia, and government officials. These sessions will address high-level, thought-provoking ideas around emerging risks and technology innovations that could fundamentally change the profession. More details will be announced this summer. “GSX brings the industry together to share ideas and engage in meaningful discussions,” stated Richard E. Chase, CPP, PCI, PSP, 2018 president, ASIS International. “Sessions are problem-centric/outcome-focused and designed to give attendees the opportunity to learn, interact, and most importantly, be part of the solution.”

IFSEC International 2018 will play host to a dedicated learning and demonstration area, where visitors will benefit from a real-time immersive experience of integrated physical and cyber security. Networked systems and applied technologies are presenting security management professionals with rising levels of information outputs and data, which are rapidly becoming core aspects of their business strategies. The business intelligence available from this deepening level of integration is now a core competency, providing commercial, industrial and government users with unparalleled levels of insight. However, these systems also represent major security vulnerabilities; the nature of their networked capabilities means there is a strengthening need for higher levels of understanding and vigilance in combating threats to information security. It’s a simple equation – greater complexity of technologies will lead to greater threats. This is where IFSEC, Vidsys and their partners can provide the solutions. In this new world of converged security networks and information software, IFSEC announces the introduction of the Converged Security Centre at this year’s show, taking place at London’s ExCeL during 19-21 June 2018. IFSEC has worked closely with key thought leaders in this space, including James Willison, Founder, Unified Security Ltd, and SarbSembhi CISO, Virtually Informed Ltd. Together they have long advocated the use of converged technological solutions managed by cross-functional security teams to identify and mitigate security risks to organisations. In the development of the centre, IFSEC and Unified Security recognised the capabilities of Vidsys’ CSIM solution and their partners. The Converged Security Centre will be powered by the experts at Vidsys, the pioneering architects of Converged Security and Information Management (CSIM), to offer visitors a real-time immersive experience of an integrated cyber physical SOC, demonstrating ways to enable multi-disciplinary security teams to respond to the whole range of security risks across an enterprise. The Converged Security Centre will be a combined learning and demonstration area hosted by Vidsys, Unified Security Ltd and their partners’ representatives, delivering a series of panel discussions with leading Information and Physical security professionals on the exceptional capabilities of a fully integrated CSIM platform. Visitors will learn how, with a fully converged security system, users can correlate multiple events into one situation, track major assets, execute efficient building management operations, monitor social networks, and most importantly enable high level information security resilience for true situation management. The presentations will show the simulated outputs of CSIM across a range of applications including transport, utilities and infrastructure and discuss how these benefit all areas of security management. The Converged Security Centre will also display capabilities from a selected range of Vidsys partners. These include IFSEC premier partner Axis Communications, whose expertise in IP networked surveillance is acknowledged worldwide; Unisys, which provides expertise and guidance on cyber and information security; and Micro Focus International, who will be demonstrating how IDOL, an AI powered analytics platform for video, image, text and audio data, can automate real-time 3600 intelligence for security operators. James I. Chong, CEO, Vidsys says, “We’re excited to be part of the Converged Security Centre at IFSEC this year and to be working with our global partners to showcase what a truly converged security solution can provide to organizations worldwide. We believe there is an immediate need for a converged security solution that unifies monitoring of both physical and cyber security under one, unified platform. By leveraging disparate sources of data, organizations can effectively manage a situation in real-time without having to go to multiple subsystems, including analytics and cybersecurity, to get the job done.” Gerry Dunphy, Brand Director, IFSEC says, “IFSEC is delighted to welcome Vidsys to this year’s show as the major driver behind the Converged Security Centre. Our recent research revealed there is an absolute need for our customers to gain greater understanding of the capabilities of CSIM as well as a deeper awareness of the growing threats of cyber penetration into their networks so this project is an ideal solution. We’re thankful also to our good friends James Willison and Sarb Sembhi from Unified Security who have helped us co-ordinate this exciting new project at IFSEC 2018.”

The Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) consists of open standards that are widely used by organizations to measure and continuously monitor the security settings and controls of computer systems and applications in order to find software flaws and security-related configuration issues. Also, SCAP standardizes the nomenclature and formats used to manage and measure the vulnerability of computer systems to threats and their compliance to policies, especially Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). NIST has published NIST Internal Report (NISTIR) 7511 Revision 5, Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) Version 1.3 Validation Program Test Requirements, the latest in a series of documents on SCAP, that describes the test requirements for SCAP version 1.3. SCAP 1.3 consists of a suite of specifications for standardizing the format and nomenclature by which security software communicates information about software flaws and security configurations. The SCAP validation program offers vendors an opportunity to provide independent verification that security software correctly processes SCAP-expressed security information and provides standardized output. Industry and government end users benefit from the SCAP validation program by having assurance that SCAP-validated products have undergone independent testing and have met all necessary requirements defined in NISTIR 7511. Under the SCAP Validation Program, independent laboratories are accredited by the NIST National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP). Independent laboratories conduct the tests defined in this document on products at the request of vendors and deliver the results to NIST. Based on the independent laboratory test report, the SCAP Validation Program then validates the product under test, and the validation certificates awarded to vendor products are publicly posted on the NIST SCAP Validated Products web page. This publication is intended for NVLAP-accredited laboratories conducting SCAP product and module testing for the program, vendors interested in receiving SCAP validation for their products or modules, and organizations deploying SCAP products in their environments.