Posts Tagged ‘Premises’

The following are Business security tips published by the CPNI (Centre for the Protection of  National Infrastructure)

Top ten security guidelines

• assess the risks to your business
• consider security first when planning building works
• establish a security culture in your business
• keep premises clear and tidy
• control access points and use staff and visitor passes
• install physical measures e.g. locks, alarms, CCTV, lighting etc
• establish good mail handling procedures
• recruit carefully, checking identities and following up references
• take proper IT security precautions
• test your business continuity plans regularly

How prepared are you?

Fears are growing that many companies are paying lip service to Internet security during recession.

The fact is that 20% of all online attacks are directed towards UK companies. The only country getting more attacks is the US.

Unlike a physical attack on your premises an online attack can be instantly devastating.

We recently reported how Intelligence chiefs are concerned after a large Chinese firm carried out extensive work on the BT infrastructure in the UK. The fear being that software could have been hidden to be activated at a later date to cripple our telecommunications.

How prepared are you?

Fears are growing that many companies are paying lip service to Internet security during recession.

The fact is that 20% of all online attacks are directed towards UK companies. The only country getting more attacks is the US.

Unlike a physical attack on your premises an online attack can be instantly devastating.

We recently reported how Intelligence chiefs are concerned after a large Chinese firm carried out extensive work on the BT infrastructure in the UK. The fear being that software could have been hidden to be activated at a later date to cripple our telecommunications.

Sent via BlackBerry® from BT

The new First Aid course changes take effect today.

We have been reporting the changes over the past weeks leading up to 01 Oct. We know that there are companies who are not prepared and what we at SPP Solutions want to do is work with companies who are not prepared and ensure that they become compliant.

We pride ourselves on not selling you anything you don’t need. We don’t baffle you with facts figures or jargon in order scare you into action. We present fact and then its up to you, the potential customer to make an informed decision based on our discussion.

We have an Emergency First Aid at Work course running on the 16 Oct at our Langstone Technology Park HQ.

Feel free to call for a no obligation chat.

We will also come to your premises FREE in order to discuss requirement.

New from the NACTSO – guidance for hotels and restaurants.

NACTSO has produced guidance for hotels and restaurants to ensure they are better prepared for any terror attack.

The guidance says: “It is recognised that there is a need to maintain a friendly and welcoming atmosphere within the hotel and restaurant environments and this guide is not intended to create a ‘fortress mentality’.

There is however a balance to be achieved where those responsible for security are informed that there are robust protective security measures available to mitigate against the threat of terrorism, eg protection from flying glass and vehicle access controls into crowded areas, goods and service yards and underground car parks.”

As the document points out, the June 2007 failed bombers at Haymarket in central London and others target crowded places, whether night-clubs, or – as is in the public domain after a terrorist court trial – shopping malls such as Bluewater.

The guide stresses also business continuity planning, to ensure that your premises can cope with an incident or attack and return to ‘business as usual’ as soon as possible.

Reports in a National Newspaper say that we (UK) have more CCTV than China with a fraction of the population. The UK now boasts 20% of the Worlds CCTV cameras with an estimated 1 camera per 14 people. As individuals it is estimated that we are caught on camera 300 times a day. Whats the problem? well local authorities have been guilty of using legislation designed to Counter Terrorism to spy on people guilty of nothing more than trying to get their children into a certain school.

Senior police officers have openly said that CCTV is responsible for solving only 5% or crime. How can we have 20% of the Worlds CCTV and yet only 5% of crime is solved by the same CCTV designed to stop crime?

Simple really, we believe the reports are correct. Many CCTV operators are not pro-active in their use of the systems they work on and fall into the reactive category of operator. Many system owners are unaware of the management process that needs to be in place in order to ensure that any evidential footage can be admissible in a Court. Having a picture showing crime taking place does not automatically mean that those pictures are admissible in a Court of Law. Many background systems and processes need to be in place in order to satisfy legislative requirements. Paying thousands of pounds to install a system only to find that when you need it it is not admissible is a waste of your money.

CCTV is an aid to security and NOT the be all and end all. Premises still need officers on the ground. The UK has difficulty in retrieving CCTV evidence as there are so many systems on the market with no standardisation. The UK Government missed a trick. Instead of applying standards to all CCTV equipment they let any owner install any system without a thought for recovery of images. The Home Office Scientific Development Branch have standards that cameras must achieve but none of this is a legal requirement.

Watch this space.

Assess the risks to your business



Consider security first when planning building work

Establish a security culture in your business

Keep premises clear and tidy

Control access points and use staff and visitor passes

Install physical measures e.g. locks, alarms, CCTV, lighting etc

Establish good mail handling procedures

Recruit carefully, checking identities and following up references

Take proper IT security precautions

Test your business continuity plans regularly

If you would like help or advice with the implementation of anything mentioned above

The current UK Threat level is Severe.

The response to the threat is Heightened.

Terrorism can be far more than just physical attack – it can take the form of electronic attacks on vital information or communication systems. The US and UK Governments have both recently recognised the threat from electronic attack and plan to prepare accordingly. Both governments have also admitted they have the capability and resources to be able to conduct attacks on their enemies, electronically. If we can do it then so can a host of well motivated funded and resourced organisations and security agencies. Physical and electronic attacks can be carried out, directly or indirectly. Having your premises secure does not totally manage the risk and very often the weakest point in business is its electronic security. Its no good having the best physical security if a potential source of threat does not need to be anywhere near your premises, but in a Foreign Country. With absurd ease, Asperger’s victim Gary McKinnon hacked into Pentagon computers in a bid to prove the existence of little green men. The Americans are attempting extradition to the US to face charges of Cyber Terrorism. If found guilty he could face 60 years in Gaol. This case highlights how easy it can be to gain access to systems that you would assume are impregnable.

With a brand new Website having just been launched we have also moved premises so now it’s a fresh start so to speak.
We have relocated to Langstone Technology Park near Havant in Hampshire.
The site is a former IBM site and is now populated by a number of companies. The training facilities are second to none and aside from the learning environment there is everything a client could possibly want and all under one roof. There is an HSBC cash point, Starbucks coffee shop and dining facilities all located within a light airy open plan space. During the nice weather there are also two courtyards open and available to sit and soak up the rays after soaking up information on one of our courses.

Its all well and good having these facilities but where are we? We are situated next to the A27 at Havant in Hampshire and have excellent connections via road rail or air. We are some 60 miles from London and the journey can be covered in just over an hour by Rail from London Waterloo. Fast trains run from Waterloo stopping at Havant every 30mins.
All the relevant travel information can be found on our website under the contact us page.