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Message from NCISS President
ASIS Standards Update
By Gene Ferraro
The wheels of progress continue to turn. ASIS and the BSI (the British Standards Institute - the U.S. equivalent of ANSI) have received ANSI (American National Standards Institute) approval for its first joint standard, ANSI/ASIS/BSI BCM.01-201X. You can find the press release at the ASIS International web site, www.asisonline.org.
So what does it mean? Well many things. First this announcement invites opponents to the standard to speak up or hold their peace. Next, this elevates ASIS as a premier SDO (Standards Development Organization) in the world's eyes -- which means more standards to come! Third, ANSI/ASIS/BSI BCM.01-201X has been approved by DHS (Dept. of Homeland Security) as the go-to resource for all U.S. business/government disaster recovery and continuity planning and preparation efforts. Not likely to affect many NCISS members directly; however, it will affect many of our customers. In conforming to this standard, many organizations (public and private) must have in place strategies to deal with disasters such as civil unrest, war, earthquakes and hurricanes. Guard force protection of people and organizational assets are a big part of this. I recommend those members offering guarding services to become familiar with this standard and begin selling it whenever and wherever possible.
If you have any questions, just drop me an email.
Eugene F. Ferraro, CPP, CFE, PCI, SPHR
NCISS President
eferraro@businesscontrols.com | |
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Computer Forensics Made Simple | |
By S. Robert Radus
Data is not really deleted until it is overwritten: entire files, sectors, or fragments of files may be recovered.
How is recovery done? It's done by running keyword or contextual searches on large amounts of text data to recovery evidence, or by color attributes; the results of which must be reproducible independently by another investigator using the same data set.
This is not for the faint hearted. It requires a large monetary investment in training, hardware, software; all of which change constantly and must be updated. It takes a lot of OJT before an investigator is competent to run a case. And what you do will be scrutinized by both sides in a law suit. You will be their next target if things go wrong!
You must meet with client to discuss the case: find out what are their expectations, because inevitably it is not always what you can produce, and lastly what is the time line for completing the project? A typical engagement takes about four to 24 hours to make the acquisition depending on the size of each HDD to be acquired. Then two to four hours to set up the forensic computer and agreed upon search parameters. Another 10 to 12 hours to run the investigation depending on the items to be searched for or recovered. And lastly it requires four to eight hours to write reports and confer with the client for each HDD.
But first, prepare an engagement letter, get it signed by all parties, and collect the retainer.
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Robert owns ACTForensic.com Inc in Irvine, CA and is a CA CPA and CFE. He can be reached at:
ACTForensic.com, Inc.
PO Box 18108
Irvine, Ca 92623-8108
(714) 271-2865
srr@actforensic.com
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Message from State Association Advisory Board Chair
As the calendar brings us into the month of November, tradition often takes center stage as families gather to celebrate and give thanks. As your mind thinks back to the turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, yams, and the mash potatoes and gravy, breaking bread with friends and relatives, as well as sharing stories of the past, often leads to a renewed sense of gratitude and peace.
In our profession, whether you are a licensed private investigator or a security professional, family often extends beyond our relatives. As you strive to be the best, you join a state association and network with your colleagues. These colleagues often become an extended family. As you become an expert in your field and realize that Congress has the ability to put you out of business, you join NCISS. Your network grows exponentially, as does your extended family.
You strive to be the best in your profession, an expert in your field, yet there is that gnawing sense that there is more to life than just being a member, you want to lead.
The leader of the pack, the head of the table, there are only two drumsticks, and one is reserved for you.
So the next time you break bread with your family, or your extended family, give thanks to those who have supported your drive to be the best. I sure am.
SAAB....Driven by ideas, moving our profession forward.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Gary Brummond
SAAB Chair
Rodblytheinv@aol.com
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(e-articles need to be 250 words or less)
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| Legislative Advocate Larry Sabbath |
~ ON THE ALERT ~
Congress is in
recess until
November 15. |
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By Brian P. McGuinness, CLI
I have an application on my Droid cell phone, "Google Goggles," that is fantastic. It photographs objects, products, bar codes and locations; and it searches the web visually to identify the subject of the photo. If you have a decent photograph to work with and the product has been on the web, you may get a hit. Since Verizon and Droid have a partnership of some sort with Google, I'm not sure if you would be able to find the app for an iPhone. But if you have a Droid, download the app (free) and give it a shot. Taking a photo of a photo may even work if you do it right, avoid glare, strong focus, etc. Here's what Google says about it (www.google.com):
"Google Goggles lets you use pictures taken with your mobile phone to search the web. It's ideal for things that aren't easy to describe in words. There's no need to type or speak your query - all you have to do is open the app, snap a picture, and wait for your search results. Google Goggles works better with certain types of queries. Try taking pictures of books and DVDs, landmarks, logos, contact info, artwork, businesses, products, barcodes, or text. Currently, it's not so good when taking pictures of animals, plants, cars, furniture, or apparel. For the best results when taking pictures, hold your phone in 'left landscape' mode ...and press the on-screen shutter button with your right thumb."
Good luck with Goggles!
McGuinness & Associates, Inc.
1900 Coral Way, Suite 303
Miami, Florida 33145
Tel: 305 858-9122
Fax: 888 335-3463
www.fraudexaminer.com
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Brian is past president of NCISS. He can be reached at: |
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ENDORSED INSURANCE PROVIDER | |
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Thank you to Brownyard Programs and the Wilson Elser law firm for allowing NCISS to share their booth at the very productive ASIS International Conference, Dallas, Texas
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YOUR VOICE IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL | |
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