Archive for: January, 2022

Complete Cargo Security Solutions: Merging Physical Security Devices With Technology

Jan 17 2022 Published by dayat under Uncategorized

Cargo theft has impacted nearly every industry, from paper products to televisions. Experts estimate that cargo and equipment theft costs 30 to 50 billion annually worldwide. Security is a necessity today; with the nation on heightened security alert, the transportation industry must be prepared. By its very nature, the transportation industry places goods in a more vulnerable environment than when they are at a shipper’s or receiver’s facility. It’s not like having your goods in a warehouse; you cannot post a security guard, install lights or a closed circuit TV or build a fence around your freight. Expensive freight is moved along highways and by sea everyday and physical security devices and new tracking devices are becoming more of a necessity for trucking and container companies. New security procedures and rising insurance costs are also driving companies to secure their fleet. Before 9/11 companies would lock and seal only some loads that were deemed high value, and accepted theft as a cost of doing business. Today many security conscious companies have taken steps to combat theft of their equipment and products. These security procedures range from “low tech” physical security devices to “high tech” tracking devices. These devices are becoming more affordable, allowing companies to develop security programs incorporating one or both of these security devices, and drastically reducing the number of thefts among their company.

Physical Security Solutions

High security locks and seals are not a luxury item for transportation companies anymore. Physical security has become an effective tool in preventing cargo theft within the transportation industries security programs. Companies using high quality padlocks, king pin locks, air cuff locks and seal guard locks have effectively prevented cargo thefts.

When choosing a physical security device, a company must take into consideration their: fleet, equipment and employees. High security locks must be of high quality and be flexible to the companies needs. The physical security company’s products and reputation must also be reliable to ensure compatibility and service of those locks in the future. These steps along with a solid company policy will ensure a seamless security program.

Trailer Security

High security padlocks must be resistant to physical attack and being picked. These locks also must be able to withstand the harsh environments that containers and trailers are exposed to. These padlocks also need to be user friendly, allowing the company to set up a system that is flexible, yet provides the utmost security for their equipment. Characteristics of a good high security lock allow for master keying systems and restricted keyways, limiting the possibility for unauthorized duplication of keys.

In addition to securing rear trailer doors, companies must evaluate their need to secure unattended drop trailers and terminal trailers. There are many options including providing a secure drop yard for loaded trailers, which minimizes theft occurrence. High security king pin locks can be used to prevent unauthorized fifth wheel hook ups to trailers. Effective king pin locks should be able to be keyed into a company’s master keying system, allowing for added security. High security king pin locks should be constructed of heavy duty steel and be resistant to physical attack and be pick resistant.

Transport Security, Inc. supplies both trailer and tractor high security locks that meet the security demands of the transportation industries.

The ENFORCER Adjustable Lock for example, is a portable heavy duty lock that consists of 10 gauge chrome plated spring steel body and the locking component is surrounded with cast iron, preventing tampering. This device allows for a tight fit on virtually all containers and trailers and is secured with an ABLOY lock that provides superior performance in weather and is highly resistant to physical attack.

Tractor Security

Thieves are not only stealing loaded trailers, but also taking the tractors. These tractors in some cases are then used to steal trailers. Properly securing these expensive tractors starts with driver education and responsibility. Drivers must always lock doors, turn off the truck and secure the tractor brakes with a high security air cuff lock, preventing the release of truck and trailer brakes. Theft of a truck can happen within a few seconds of a driver leaving his truck unattended at a truck stop. Air brake locks must be user friendly, allowing the driver to easily attach the device to his brake nozzles within seconds. Properly securing a tractor can help prevent thieves from easily driving away with not only a loaded trailer, but an expensive tractor.

The Air Cuff™Lock is an example of a brake lock that is a two part lock made of high impact resistant material and secured with an ABLOY lock cylinder. The lock is user friendly and is installed on the brakes within seconds, completely locking out the tractor and trailer brakes.

Preventing seal integrity has become more of an issue since 9 /11, especially with shipments of food and chemicals. Shippers have refused loads that show evidence of seal tampering, costing companies thousands of dollars. We have come to the point that we need to protect the seals themselves. Seal guard locks provide a barrier box that prevents unauthorized removal of cargo seals. These devices are made of a high strength steal and withstand physical attack. These units can be used in tandem with trailer locks to protect the cargo seals’ integrity.

With heightened security for the transportation industry, physical security has merged with high tech tracking devices. These tracking devices enable a transportation company to accurately locate their assets in transit. There are an abundant amount of tracking devices on the market today, each having their own advantages and disadvantages depending on your companies needs. Three of the most popular types of tracking devices include GPS, A-GPS (Assisted GPS and CDMA (Cellular). With any tracking technology your company chooses, researching the product and the supplier is very important, given this can be an expensive investment. Companies should compare technologies and run specific tests with their equipment and staff, making sure the technology is compatible with their company.

Tracking Technology

Basic GPS units have been around for years with great success. These devices collect and store data such as time, latitude and longitude from GPS satellite while the unit is in use. Once the unit returns, the information on where the unit has been can be downloaded onto a computer into easy to read maps. These devices are accurately able to show stops and starts, location, speed and other important data. GPS devices tend to be bulky in nature and require external antennas mounted on trailers and containers and must be able to “see the sky” in order for the unit to work effectively. This limits the use of units in underground parking garages and warehouses, where thieves are more likely to transport stolen cargo and equipment. These units also tend to be “power hungry”, limiting their battery and power life. These units are very effective for those companies who require a fleet management device for locating their fleets and for time management of deliveries.

A-GPS is a fairly new type of GPS device that has all of the features of basic GPS, but is more effective in areas where GPS is not. A-GPS is able to be very covert and does not have to “see the sky”, with an internal antenna in some cases. Many of these devices can be the size of a cell phone or smaller. Many devices have self contained batteries, making it completely portable allowing them to be concealed in freight. This allows less chance of a thief discovering and disengaging the unit. A-GPS allows for real time tracking of an asset that can easily be seen on a laptop or computer, in real time sometimes reporting locations within seconds of “calling” the unit. With the compatibility of these units and complete user control, allows security personnel to have an exact location of their asset at their fingertips. Another feature A-GPS offers is “geofencing”, which allows security personnel to define a location they want their asset to stay inside of, (ex. Terminal or certain route) and are notified via email or cell phone when their asset leaves the defined “geofence”. Accurate locations of assets with this technology are made easier, with mapping technology that shows exact street names and major landmarks. These devices are also less “power hungry”, therefore allowing a longer battery life, in some case as long as a month. This makes these units more effective for longer shipments along the supply chain. Some of these newer devices use CDMA technology, which allows the unit to incorporate the cellular towers and technology for more accurate locations. Combining all of these features allows A-GPS/CDMA devices to provide a complete range of anti-theft and supply chain management tracking applications.

Conclusion

Technology is evolving every day, with more sophisticated tracking devices and physical security options for the end user. Companies looking to secure their entire fleet are now combining the “tried and true” physical security products with the new technologies of the tracking devices, allowing for a complete security program. Ultimately saving the company money and lowering the risk of their cargo being stolen. Security programs must be thought out and well planned in order for the chain to be effective.

Transport Security, Inc.- ENFORCER http://www.transportsecurity.com

Contact:
Nick Erdmann
[email protected]

About Transport Security, Inc.

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Guarantee Airline Security Based on a Commercial Flight Eligibility Standard for Airline Passengers

Jan 17 2022 Published by dayat under Uncategorized

Introduction

The tragedy of the World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attack caused by hijacked airplanes on September 11, 2001 has made it clear that previously adopted airline security plans have not worked. The tragedy has escalated interest in improving airline security to a top priority requiring immediate action.

The options facing those charged with responsibility for guaranteeing the general flying population that they can fly without fear of terrorism is either to fix the problems in the existing system or create a new security strategy.

The history of the existing airline security system, dramatically underscored by the tragedy of September 11th cause system analysts to question whether the existing system can ever be improved to the point that terrorist actions, such as the one at the New York World Trade Center and Pentagon, can be prevented.

The present system is based on a set of assumptions that have proven to be invalid. The most significant of those assumptions are noted below:

The assumption that the screening of the entire flying public at airport security check points can result in the identification of potential terrorists and prevent them from boarding an airplane;

The assumption that the screening of the baggage of the entire flying public at airport security check points can result in the identification of baggage containing terrorist assets and prevent this baggage from being loaded on a commercial aircraft;

The assumption that the general flying public will continue to tolerate the inconvenience and delays required for the security program outlined in #1 and #2 to be properly administered;

The assumption that the cost of the program outlined in #1 and #2 can be cost justified based on the speculation that it can be implemented in such a manner that it can prevent terrorists and their baggage from being loaded on aircraft.
Indeed if an upgraded security program, such as the one outlined in #1 and #2 above were pursued it would make air travel extremely inefficient, inconvenient and costly to both the airlines and the general flying population. The terrorists would have won. However, the biggest concern is whether such a system can ever achieve the goal of protecting the general flying population from terrorists and having their deadly baggage loaded on airplanes.

Those considering how best to guarantee security to the general flying public should reject the premise that airline security can be guaranteed by the screening of the entire flying population to identify potential terrorists and prevent them from boarding an airplane. This premise needs to be replaced with a new airline security concept and a set of assumptions that have greater probability of achieving the security goals with minimal inconvenience to the airlines and the flying public and stand up to reasonable cost benefit analysis.

This article was originally written in September 2011 shortly after the terrorist attack based on the belief that the existing airline security is faulty and can never achieve the goal of providing reliable, cost effective and convenient airline security. Those responsible for airline and air traveler security have not taken steps to reduce the inconvenience of the system to travelers, reduce the costs, but have continued to tinker with the old system without making the fundamental changes that will help guarantee the air traveling public protection against a terrorist attack. A totally new airline security concept is needed to protect the flying public from terrorists. This article was originally written to introduce such an alternative.

The Key Questions Basic to Guaranteeing Airline Security

As originally conceived airline security was based on the assumption that terrorists could be prevented from boarding an aircraft, and as a result the airline and its passengers could be guaranteed a safe and secure flight. This assumption has proven to be false at great consequence to the airline industry, the flying public and those that perished in the WTC and Pentagon tragedies.

To achieve true airline security, a plan must be devised that takes into consideration the knowledge that has been gained over the past 20 years as governments and the airline industry, and their attempts to develop and administer a security system that can ensure safety, guarantee the reliability and effectiveness of the system, minimize the level of disruption to the industry and the air traveler caused by the system, is based on the body of knowledge gathered about airline terrorists, the actual circumstances and conditions that define the nature of the terrorist threat to the industry and the air traveler, and the cost effectiveness of those airline security plans.

History has demonstrated that a security strategy that attempt to identify terrorists by screening the general flying population at the point of boarding the aircraft is very costly, inefficient, ineffective, inconvenient and easy to circumvent by the terrorists. The obvious difficulty of the exisiting system to isolate a flyer that presents a threat to the flying public dictates that those responsible for airline security explore a more innovative and creative alternative based on a new set of assumptions.

This new airline security alternative should be based on specific security performance goals targeted at actions that can reverse the failures of the present system. These goals include:

Goal I – Identification of potential terrorists prior to boarding a commercial aircraft;
Goal II – Isolating the terrorists from the general flying population;
Goal III – Prevention of terrorists and terrorist baggage from boarding a commercial aircraft;
Goal IV – Controlling any potential terrorist that might gain eligibility to be aboard a commercial aircraft;
Goal V – Disabling any potential terrorist on a commercial aircraft who attempts to engage in a terrorist act.
The new security system designers should begin by examining the existing knowledge base concerning the failures of the present system and set goals that would eliminate these failures and eliminate the terrorist threat to the airlines and the flying public. The basic questions include but may not be limited to the following:

Who are potential terrorists and how can they be identified so that they can be isolated from the general flying population and prevented from flying on commercial airlines?

How can the terrorists be isolated from the general flying population, controlled and disqualified from the privilege of air travel?

How can the potential terrorist who may become eligible for air travel be controlled to ensure that he/she is not a treat to the airline and the general flying population?

How can the air traveler who becomes a terrorist be disabled in the event that he/she is able to circumvent the air travel disqualification element of the security process?
By incorrectly focusing on the entire flying population to screen out terrorists, who in reality represent a minuscule part of the general flying public, and treating airline security as a problem that must include the screening of all who fly, the resulting security plan, by necessity, is disruptive and inconvenient to everyone who flies. Additionally, screening everyone in the flying public also dictates that the cost will be proportinately higher and make the process of identifying a potential terrorist unnecessarily complicated and difficult.

Contrastingly, by making the terrorist the primary focus of the airline security system, and separating potential terrorists from the general flying population, the general air travel population can be excluded from the system, air travel can return to a more convenient experience for the general public, the costs to the airline industry can be dramatically reduced and the efficiency and effectiveness of the system can be dramatically increased.

How can such a system work?

A General Introduction to a New Approach to Airline Security

The new approach to airline security must be based on the following goals:

The identification and isolation of potential terrorists from the general flying population;

The disqualification of potential terrorists from eligibility for commercial flight until they can certify that they are not a terrorist risk, only then to be granted eligibility for commercial flight;

Control the action of potential terrorists who gain conditional eligibility to fly commercially;

Have the ability to disable a potential terrorist who has earned conditional eligibility to fly and becomes a terrorist threat during flight.
How can these goals be accomplished within the existing air travel system?

How can they lead to increased convenience for the air traveler, less cost for the airline and greater security for the general flying public?

Goal I. – Identify and Isolate Potential Terrorists from the General Flying Population

Air travel should be regarded as a privilege rather than a right, and to be eligible to enjoy the privilege all air travelers should be required to make application for air travel eligibility status. While this may sound like a major task for the airlines, those who have been air travelers in the past can be easily identified, screened and granted eligibility status.

The criteria for determining air travel eligibility status should be determined collectively by the airlines, the government regulatory and security experts based on a set of discriminating criteria designed to separate the general flyer from those individuals who might be potential terrorists. Those individuals who meet the air travel eligibility requirements would be granted multiple identification vehicles and would then have access to air travel without the need for the traditional airline security checks. In this manner 95% of the existing security requirements and related inconvenience and costs could be eliminated.

What might the air travel eligibility status criteria include?

Terrorists around the world have developed a history which includes a comprehensive picture of who the terrorists have been, the groups they have been affiliated with (IRA, White Supremacist, PLO, Lebanese Hizballah, al Qaeda, etc.), place of national origin, the views they represent, the philosophies they espouse, their educational background, work history, family background and so on. This body of information should provide the data to help develop the air travel eligibility status criteria. Any potential air traveler who is found to have any of the terrorist characteristics could be denied air travel eligibility until evidence is provided that eliminates the concern for that characteristic.

By following the air travel eligibility process, it is likely that 99+% or more of the general air traveling public can be granted air travel eligibility without the need for costly and inconvenient traditional security screening, and the potential terrorist can be isolated and disqualified form air travel.

What form of Identification Would the Air Travel Eligible Passenger Use?

For the new security system to work the airline industry must be able to efficiently, effectively and consistently discriminate between those who have been granted air travel eligibility and those who might be potential terrorists. A potential terrorist with false identification could easily circumvent the system and board an airplane by creating the appearance of being a air travel eligible passenger. As a result it is essential that the system be supported by a multiple identification process that makes it impossible for the terrorist to falsify his status. Such a multiple identification system should be based on modern technology and state-of-the-security techniques. A multiple security identification process might include the following elements, all of which must provide a positive identification for the passenger to be granted permission to board the aircraft:

The scanning of a thumb or finger print;
The scanning of eye retinal characteristics;
A randomly assigned password;
A bar coded picture identification card;
The use of RFID (radio frequency identification) technology
DNA based screening.
Goal II. – Disqualify Potential Terrorists from Eligibility to Engage in Air Travel Until They Can Demonstrate Eligibility

The identification and isolation of potential terrorists by a method similar to the one outlined in Goal I would make it possible for the airlines to abandon the present security check process which is so costly, inconvenient and ineffective today, and concentrate its security efforts on those who have the greatest potential to do harm to the airline and its passengers.

Some might argue that the process outlined in Goal I is discriminating and an example of “racial/ethnic profiling” designed to deny certain individuals their right to air travel based on their national origin, race, culture or religion. Those that design the air security system based on an air travel eligibility criteria should take care to objectively select criteria that have been proven to be valid and reliable indicators of a potential terrorist, and should include mechanisms in the process that allows those who can provide evidence that they are not to be included in the potential terrorist class to be granted air travel eligibility status.

There are a number of mechanisms that the air travel eligibility screeners can set in place to determine if a disqualification characteristic should be disregarded in considering eligibility of an air traveler. These include a review of the applicants personal and work history, a comprehensive FBI type security check, a review of past acquaintances and associations, references from work or notable individuals who can guarantee eligibility.

There may be instances in which an applicant for air travel eligibility status appears to be eligible on a majority of the criteria, but some questions remains regarding the ultimate potential of the applicant to engage in terrorist activities. The new security system can grant this type of individual temporary and/or conditional eligibility to use the air travel system if they agreed to comply with a set of conditional security requirements.

Goal III – Control the Action of Potential Terrorists who Gain Conditional Eligibility to Fly

The ideal security system would disqualify all who might be potential terrorists from the privilege to fly. Reality and a desire not to unfairly disqualify air travelers who might not be potential terrorists may cause it to be impossible to deny all who are identified as having positive characteristics, as measured by the air travel eligibility criteria, from air travel. However, to protect against potential terrorists, the security system can include conditional requirements for those who may fall in this category.

The objective is to control any individual who may have the potential for being a terrorist so that were he/she to have terrorist intentions, those intentions could be neutralized and rendered unachievable by the conditional requirements.

The following represent some conditions that might be required of conditional air travelers to ensure that they are controlled in a manner that would prevent air terrorism:

A comprehensive pre boarding screening of the conditional air traveler’s person and belonging;
Required escorting of the conditional flyer on and off the air craft by an Air Marshall
Assigned seat in a secure area of the aircraft;
The requirement that the conditional traveler remain in his seat with locked seat belts preventing him from free movement within the aircraft without the supervision of an Air Marshall.
Some might regard this type of close control and security to be excessive, but experts in terrorism would confirm that those who have engaged in terrorism in the past would go to all ends to achieve their terrorist objective. Indeed, the above conditions imposed on a potential terrorist provide no absolute guarantee that an individual predisposed to engage in a terrorist act using an aircraft could not do so. This reality makes it necessary to consider ways in which a potential terrorist who found a way to circumvent the conditional requirements of the security systems might be disabled if he/she initiated actions of a terrorist nature.

Goal IV – The Ability to Disable a Potential Terrorist Who Has Earned Eligibility to Fly and Becomes a Terrorist Threat During Flight.

It may not be enough to isolate, disqualify and control potential airline terrorists. Based on the history of terrorism, individuals and organizations that are committed to terrorism can be ingenious in finding ways to circumvent security systems to achieve their objectives. To be totally secure the system must anticipate that the ingenious terrorist can gain eligibility to fly and defeat control systems like the ones suggested in Goal III. To be complete the system must be able to disable a terrorist who has found a way to initiate a terrorist act in spite of the other preventive elements of the system.

One final condition for an individual who has been granted conditional eligibility for restricted air travel, but who still remains ineligible for air travel eligibility status due to terrorist characteristics that have not been satisfactorily resolved, should be a requirement that the conditional travel wear some form of disabling device that could be activated by appropriate individuals, such as the pilots of the aircraft, an Air Marshall, or by individuals on the ground.

The wearing of electronic devices is not new. Courts have required some criminals who have been ordered to serve their sentences under house arrest to were electronic devises to monitor their adherence to the Court’s rules. Stun guns have been used by law enforcement officers for some time as accepted devices to render criminals harmless without the same adverse consequences as bullets from a gun.

A device of this type would only be activated in the event of the initiation of a terrorist threat by the person wearing it, but would have the capacity to render the individual harmless if activated. The required use of this device by those potential terrorists who gained conditional eligibility to fly on an airline would provide the ultimate deterrent to any intended terrorist act, and provide final protection against anyone who might defeat the conditional circumstances of his/her flight and elect to initiate terrorist activity.

Summary and Conclusion

The tragedy of the WTC and Pentagon attacks has demonstrated that the airline industry and the United States Government needs to take a fresh look at airline security, and find a way to guarantee air travelers that they will be secure as they engage in air travel.

The traditional approaches to airline security, that required the security system to screen all air travelers prior to boarding an aircraft, and isolate those who might be terrorists has been costly to the airline industry, inconvenient to the air traveler and has not worked.

The ideas outlined in this introductory article are based on a new set of assumptions that point at the advantages that can be gained from redirecting the focus of the airline security system away from the general are traveler population and toward the characteristics of the minority who engage in terrorist activities. By doing so, an air travel eligibility status can be set up that requires all air travelers to become pre-qualified as eligible based on a set of air travel eligibility criteria designed to separate the potential terrorists from the general air traveler population.

By focusing attention on those who are the potential terrorists, the general air travel population can be relieved of the inconveniences which they have been forced to deal with to comply with traditional airline security systems. The airline can also experience a significant cost saving and efficiency gain by focusing their attention on only those who might be potential terrorists.

To be successful such a plan needs to be able to achieve four goals:

Goal 1 – Identify and isolate potential terrorists from the general flying population;
Goal 2 – Disqualify potential terrorists from eligibility to engage in air travel until they can demonstrate eligibility;
Goal 3 – Control the action of potential terrorists who gain conditional eligibility to fly;
Goal 4 – Disable a potential terrorist who has earned eligibility to fly and becomes a terrorist threat during flight.
This article offers an introduction of this new airline security concept for the purpose of stimulating new thinking about how air security can be achieved. It introduces a concept that outlines how the existing system might be displaced by a more cost effective and efficient approach to airline security that could lead to less inconvenience for air travelers, higher profits for the airlines and a rebirth of the sense of confidence and security in air travel for those dependent upon the airline industry for their work, family relationships and travel.

The article is not intended to provide either a complete or total answer to the security and terrorist problems facing the airline industry, but to introduce new ideas to stimulate discussion and generate new approaches that can help return confidence in air travel, end unnecessary inconvenience and cost to the ailine industry and the air traveler, and better protect against airline terrorism.

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