Biggest Threat to Corporate Information: Ignorance
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (02/14/07) ; James, Andrea

Homeland Defense Journal executive editor Dan Verton, speaking at a recent security summit in Seattle, says companies are losing tons of information on a daily basis and a number of companies just want to ignore it, focusing on shareholder value instead; most companies do not report security breaches unless they are forced to. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse says that over 100 million data records of U.S. residents have been exposed in security breaches in the past two years, and a 2006 Computer Security Institute and FBI survey reported that virus attacks, followed by unauthorized access and theft of laptops and proprietary information, are the largest source of financial loss. Despite the mounting threats and tightening security, the greatest threat is still from untrained or uncaring employees. "It's not because people are criminally oriented, it's because they are social animals," says consultant John Nolan. "The greatest majority of vulnerabilities derive from people who just don't know better."
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"Germany Battling Rising Tide of Corporate Corruption"
New York Times (02/15/07) ; Dougherty, Carter

Frankfurt, Germany, prosecutor Wolfgang Schaupensteiner states that the number of corporate white collar crime, bribery, fraud, and other cases has increased significantly, and he contends that globalization is partially to blame. Corporate offices of DaimlerChrysler, BMW, Volkswagen, and more recently Siemens were raided by government officials seeking information about possible criminal activity. As exports continue to drive the German economy, government coffers fill up with additional tax revenues, but those revenues are not being allocated to the prosecutor's office to curb corruption. Several prominent German executives have been prosecuted in recent months, and many of those cases relate to illegal bribes. However, unlike the United States where bribes have been illegal for three decades, anti-bribery laws were only recently adopted in Europe. KPMG reports that about 80 percent of all crimes in Germany are unreported, and only about 90,000 cases were registered in 2005. Transparency International German Chapter Director Hansjorg Elshorst reports, "Corruption between buyers and sellers in Germany and bribery abroad is probably on the rise," though expert studies rank the nation 16th among nations fraught with crime. It is unclear whether the rise in crime is due to more aggressive prosecutions in the nation or an increase in actual crime among corporations as a result of loose regulation.
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"Police, FBI Offer Banks Security Tips"
Wichita Eagle (KS) (02/01/06) P. 3 ; Potter, Tim

In response to a spate of bank robberies, FBI agents and police in Wichita, Kan., recently held a security "refresher" for banks and other local financial institutions. One of the most effective ways to stop a robbery is for tellers to include dye packs with the money they give a robber, authorities said. Robbers will not notice the dye packs because they are well-disguised, and the packs are designed to explode after a robber has left the bank. When the dye pack explodes, a red dye will stain the money and anything it comes in contact with, and the dye includes a unique chemical substance that lasts a long time, allowing authorities to swab for its presence long after a robbery has occurred. The dye packs also contain tear gas, making robbers cry and often causing them to discard their loot, and some banks have even included GPS tracking technology in the dye packs. The recovery rate for stolen money with dye packs is about 70 percent, and the dye makes it easier for authorities to find suspects. Tellers should comply with a bank robber's demands without argument and without attempting to disarm the robber, and they should pay attention to scars, shoes, or anything else that can help identify the robber. Banks should closely examine the issue of access, including fences that may have gaps, and if possible, employees should get a tag number or description of the getaway vehicle.
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"Saudi-Based Al Qaeda Group Calls for Attacks on Oil Facilities Worldwide to Cut Off Flow to U.S."
Fox News (02/15/07)

The Saudi Arabian-based terrorist group Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has called for Islamic terrorists to launch attacks against oil facilities across the globe, including in Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela, with the aim of harming the U.S. oil supply. The threat was posted on the Internet, in the form of an article. The article states, in part: "In the long run, America might be able to lessen its dependence on Middle East oil and would be satisfied with oil from Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, and other new customers or double its dependence on alternative energy resources; therefore, oil interests in all regions that serve the U.S. and not only in the Middle East, should be attacked." The article was posted to the Internet-based magazine Sawt al-Jihad (Voice of the Holy War). Reacting to the threat, a Chevron spokesman said that security is a top priority at his company. "Ever since 9/11 our entire company has been on an elevated alert," the spokesman said. A similar, previous threat from Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was followed by attacks against oil facilities in Yemen and Saudi Arabia in 2006.
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"Online Anti-fraud Scheme Piloted"
Moneyextra.com (02/14/07)

APACS, the UK payments association, is initiating a pilot scheme to beat Internet fraud. The scheme is aimed at combating so-called "card not present" fraud and designed to protect consumers when making purchases over the Internet, by telephone or mail order. This form of fraud amounted to almost 50 percent of total plastic card fraud in Great Britain last year. Under the pilot scheme banks will issue a card reader to each of their customers. When buying something remotely, consumers would then place their card into the reader and type in their PIN. The reader in turn would generate a one-off pass code, which would be communicated to the retailer to verify the transaction. The scheme is expected to be rolled out later this year.
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