Charles Goslin The recent article “Defining the threat in the energy sector,” (CSO Online, 12 April 2016) makes an excellent point about the analysis of threat, that we at Butchko have hammered on for as long as we can remember. Threat must to be relevant, or it is not a threat. How … Read more
A colleague posed an interesting question to me the other day. “Why isn’t security included earlier in design projects?” When a client starts a design-build project, they invite many specialty consultants to collaborate, but security is often left off the invitation list. Instead of coming in at the beginning of … Read more
Privacy vs. Security: The rights of the individual versus the needs of the collective This old conflict is playing out on a new stage in the debate between Apple and the FBI over the San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook’s locked iPhone. The FBI is demanding Apple’s assistance in … Read more
The self-imposed segregation between physical and cyber security professionals creates gaps in protection. Even when the two groups interact, the cultural, educational and experiential divide makes effective communication a challenge. Attackers look for and exploit the gaps in protection this creates, often with devastating impact. Bridging these differences is one … Read more
When security budgets are lean, the first question that security leaders should ask themselves is this: does the actual risk at a facility merit the expense? Certainly “standard of care” and appropriate local codes and standards must be built into facilities. However, asking, “should I do more?” is critical when … Read more
These days being a tourist or business traveler can be hazardous to your health. Terrorist attacks by Radical Islamist terror groups are on the rise in places where westerners congregate, socialize and stay. On 20 November 2015 the upscale Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali was attacked by heavily-armed gunmen who … Read more
We are used to seeing our beloved veterans returning home from war. Tearful reunions with family, friends, and loved ones in the airport. They come back to a grateful nation, VA benefits, and lifelong support – as it should be. But there is another kind of veteran returning from war … Read more
Years ago while living in East Africa, I learned an important lesson about the art of observation from an old African game scout. We were hunting big game – Cape Buffalo – in the legendary plains of southern Tanzania called the Selous. As my old land rover lurched through mile … Read more
Pearl Harbor, the French ‘Maginot Line’ of early World War II, or fighting the war on terror exclusively with Predator Drones are all examples of how using tactics from the “last war” are bound to fail in the present. The feared American dreadnoughts of World War I were quickly sent … Read more
Timing is everything. Yes, it is so cliché to say such a thing. However, the ability to control every detail of timing – particularly in the world of international supply chain logistics – truly defines the difference between success and failure. As Woody Allen famously said, “Ninety percent of life … Read more