33. Everyone Gets a Glock

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To continue preparing for disaster to strike, we take a look at firearms from the perspective of personal security. Or personal INsecurity? (As in a lack of security, not ego--but maybe that too.) Everyone’s situation is different, but we do have some information that might help you make that decision a bit more safely and responsibly.

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31. The Bestest Security in the World

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Did you know we have the bestest security system in the world? Yes we do! Join us as we review the costs and outstanding benefits of having a dog for security.

Additional resources mentioned:

War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend (2017) Documentary directed by Deborah Scranton, Produced by Channing Tatum. You will cry.

Togo (2019) Live action Disney movie based on true heroes. Starring Willem Dafoe. You will also cry.

Molly Burke YouTube vlog channel following the life of a “millennial girl who just so happens to be blind,” often featuring her guide dog. You can view her playlist “All About Guide Dogs” here!

Wandering Security

For the first time ever, I ran across a hotel business center (desktop PC and printer) that had the USB ports physically blocked out. I find that interesting only because I’ve often considered how easy it would be to introduce malware/whatever into a business center (and often hoped those machines are airgapped from the hotel’s production environment).

Of course, this was at a time when I needed to print something off a USB stick, instead of, say, an email I could access through a Web browser.

I found out that unplugging the keyboard would, yes, open a viable USB port that wasn’t limited to just human interface devices. Sure, I was limited to inputs from the mouse in order to manipulate the file (because, well— no keyboard), but it seems that someone put at least some good thought into locking down that system, but then left a giant pathway right through their control policy.

Not sure what the workaround would be, short of putting Super Glue on all the keyboard/monitor USB connections for every PC in every property in that hotel chain. Or going with thin clients that have peripherals that are hardwired and not connected by USB (come to think of it, with a very limited target functionality, why does the business center need full PCs, anyway?).

Anyone ever given any thought to this?

Sharp Security

In the US, possession of a switchblade is a federal offense, but butterfly knives are as legal as rye bread.

In Germany, it’s just the opposite. About switchblades and butterfly knives, I mean— bread’s not illegal there, as far as I know.

Funny thing: neither place, far as I can tell, suffers from crime waves using either instrument.

I am sure someone smarter than me could figure out some sort of meaning in this.

Physical Badsec

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If your physical security process involves controlled items, make sure you train your staff not to hand a stack of the controlled items to unauthorized personnel during the procedure...else someone could pilfer one or two, and use them for all sorts of nefarious purposes.

 

In totally unrelated news, if someone wants to smuggle contraband/small children/explosives aboard a cruise ship, drop me a line in the Comments section.

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