Electronic jail locks fail

Ocean City officials say a "catastrophic" computer glitch caused the locks on jail cells doors to malfunction on their own, and now the town needs a six-figure repair. The state of Maryland town council located on the US east coast unanimously approved a $116,700 expenditure to fix the "Galaxy" computer system that controls not just jail cells, but doors and surveillance cameras.

The electronics problems did not cause any cell doors to open, because the system is designed to switch automatically to a manual override mode in case of failure. The jail stayed open and operational despite the security system failure.

Source: Delmarva

What's the first thing you notice about the following item?

It may be good business for hardware stores and locksmiths shops, but the global popularity of placing 'locks of love' on bridges can cause real damage. The idea is that the lovers write their names or initials on a padlock, fasten it to a bridge and throw the key into the river. Thus locking their love forever. I may be an old cynic, but I'm not alone, as the item in last week's issue about the campaign to ban the idea in Paris (where it is believed the idea started) illustrates.

The following item is from a local paper near the Port of Tacoma, NW coast of the USA. You can clearly see the effect the weight of the padlocks has on the side rail.

Pierce County will leave love locks on Bridge to the Beach

By Brynn Grimley

The first thing Ayse Kiil noticed Monday when she walked to the end of the Bridge to the Beach at Chambers Creek Regional Park, was the top cable of the protective barrier, sagging under the weight of roughly 60 padlocks.

Taking advantage of Monday's summerlike weather, the University Place resident and her husband, Glenn, were in search of a padlock they'd left there a month earlier.

Heartbleed explained

As far as the Heartbleed SSL bug is concerned, it exists in the OpenSSL software that is used for secure web communication in the majority (at least 65%) of secure sites (those with a prefix of https:// where your browser will display a closed padlock during access).

The bug could be exploited by a hacker to obtain the private key for the site and hence decrypt all secure communication including logon information and passwords. The bug has existed for several years but there is no evidence of any exploitation (although access through the bug is not logged so they cannot be totally certain, there are no reports of passwords being used en mass in mysterious circumstances).
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Avocet celebrates national awards win

Directors and staff at Avocet Hardware are celebrating the company's remarkable turnaround - having gone from being a business on the brink to being named winner of the Hardware Company 2013 category in the very first National Fenestration Awards (NFAs) in less than two years.

The Brighouse company was bought out of administration by the Jain family in February 2012 and since then the focus has very firmly been on restoring Avocet's standing as one of the leading names in the hardware industry.
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Y3K announces new range of HD CCTV solutions and 2014 price list

Croydon based manufacturer and distributor of quality HD CCTV systems Y3K has announced a new exciting line-up of HD CCTV surveillance cameras and complete end-to-end solutions using the very latest CCTV technology. The new range now offers customers different levels of image quality and features suitable for nearly every application and any business - from SMEs up to multi-national corporations.
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EU Court of Justice has ruled the Data Retention Directive invalid

"It entails a wide-ranging and particularly serious interference with the fundamental rights to respect for private life and to the protection of personal data, without that interference being limited to what is strictly necessary."

The main objective of the Data Retention Directive is to harmonise Member States' provisions concerning the retention of certain data which are generated or processed by providers of publicly available electronic communications services or of public communications networks. It therefore seeks to ensure that the data are available for the purpose of the prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of serious crime, such as, in particular, organised crime and terrorism. Thus, the directive provides that the abovementioned providers must retain traffic and location data as well as related data necessary to identify the subscriber or user. By contrast, it does not permit the retention of the content of the communication or of information consulted.

No Love Locks campaign launched in Paris

For some they are a symbol of everlasting love. For others they are a rusting eyesore. But now the "love locks" - padlocks engraved with the names of lovers - that line the rails of Paris's bridges may have met their match, as a campaign takes off to have them banned.

The No Love Locks campaign, which includes a petition that currently has over 1,700 signatures, was launched in February by two Americans living in Paris who were shocked at the extent of the trend across the city.
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Avocet calls on Amazon to end lock snapping tool trade

A West Yorkshire company has called on Amazon to ban the sale of tools specifically designed to assist in lock-snapping.

Brighouse-based Avocet Hardware, which manufactures the ABS snap-secure lock, says it is astonished that items such as a pocket sized snapper bar for anti-snap cylinders and a premium lock snapper bar are readily available to buy for as little as £34.95 on Amazon.
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Receive a complimentary VIP ticket to IFSEC and FIREX

The team at IFSEC Global.com are conducting regular research into the state of the security and fire markets, and they want to hear from you!

As an end-user of security and fire products and services we want to know how you feel about the industry today, how your role has changed and what are the main challenges you face.VBy completing the survey in full you will receive a complimentary VIP ticket to IFSEC and FIREX International, June 17-19th, London ExCeL.

The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete: www.ifsecglobal.com

Your feedback will be extremely valuable for us in building a picture of the challenges our profession faces and will be treated completely anonymously.

Doors are opening for Allegion's new Briton 2300/2400 range

Leading global provider of security and safety solutions, Allegion (formerly Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies), has launched a new range of door closers, specifically designed to offer market-leading cam-action technology at a competitive price point.
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Internet security provider AVG blogs the 5 myths of staying safe online

by Michael McKinnon

When faced with the challenge of staying safe online, it's no surprise that we're all motivated by the best of intentions to help spread advice that on the surface seems reasonable and sound. However, as technology evolves sometimes the best advice fades and is quickly replaced by better tactics, in response to the ongoing fight against cybercrime.

Over the years I've found that many people have been left with outdated and now incorrect assumptions about how to stay safe - with much of the advice turning into myths.

Castel provides modern security solution for Grade 1 listed Palace of Westminster estate

Updating the security in an iconic Grade 1 listed building will always be a challenge. However, by using the latest in IP technology, the upgrade became a simpler task for the company installing the new security system, with Castel's Xellip IP intercom at the heart of the solution.
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DHF answers householders' security fears following BBC Watchdog lock snapping expose

Householders concerned about the security of their homes are calling in locksmiths, installers and security professionals for advice following a BBC TV Watchdog Test House expose on the vulnerability of locks on most domestic PVC-u and composite entrance doors.
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Alpro launch their new range of Optima CE marked surface door closers

The Alpro Architectural Hardware Division of IEC Limited announces the release of their new "Optima" range of fully CE certified surface door closers.

As a direct result of constant customer feedback for new products, the door closer range comprises, the Optima170 cam action closer with adjustable strength from 2-4, complete with sliding track and arm.
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Cyber security: the risks to small businesses owners

This year is already stacking up to be a seminal year in cyber security. We're only a couple of months into 2014 and we've already seen multiple stories highlighting the issue. In January, a large-scale theft of data on payment cards was uncovered, which affected 45 retailers in 11 countries. In February, we saw HMRC warning of tax rebate scams and there are reports emerging of fraudsters using online dating sites to ensnare victims.

Cyber security is not just an issue for large businesses. According to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), small businesses are now experiencing cyber security incidents only seen previously in larger organisations. In fact, according to their research, 87% of small businesses had a security breach in the last year, which is up from 76% the year before.