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Welcome back, and everything of the very best for 2006!

Biometrics. We have heard all about it and it has certainly been a breakthrough in the access control arena, but how easily can fingerprint readers be fooled? I came across an eye-opening article at http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=175001817 which claims that researchers managed to trick fingerprint readers with fake fingerprints in nine out of 10 attempts - that is a pretty high access rate with dummy digits. So where to from here? It is studies like this that keep the industry and technology on its toes and going forward. Fair enough it also keeps the criminals on their toes, but that, in turn, drives the technology and as the technology changes we aim to keep you informed.

We have a pretty diverse array of issues covered in this issue - from Dr Craig Donald's advice on 'Directing the CCTV operator surveillance focus' to 'Fleet management' to 'Understanding industrial espionage'.

As we edge closer to 2010 and the Soccer World Cup - and the security issues involved - I came across a problem of a somewhat different kind on News24... too much security at one of the African Nations Cup matches last month (http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/African_Cup_of_Nations/0,,2-9-1973_1866730,00.html) The security measures in place were apparently too much for the secretary general of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Mustapha Fahmi, as he was turned away from one of the three security checkpoints in place for the match between Egypt and Libya at the Cairo International Stadium.

I believe the success of the security at the Cricket World Cup in South Africa (Hi-Tech Security Solutions Access Control Handbook October 2004) speaks for itself, here is to more of the same in 2010.

At the other end of the security scale, an Australian prisoner lost 14 kg and was then able to slip through the bars of his prison cell and escape! (http://www.news24.com/News24/Backpage/Crime_Court/0,,2-1343-1345_1865637,00.html)

Till next month,

Lynne Larsen

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