When airlines start canceling flights because of concerns over interference from new 5G telephone towers/antennas near airports, something has gone awry with collaborative communication, or the lack of it.

“The attempt to roll out amped up mobile service across the United States has been a bit of a mess,” CNN Business reports. The aviation industry and transportation regulators are worried about new 5G antennas interfering with a key type of aircraft altimeter that’s essential for landing planes in bad weather. But wireless carriers and telecom regulators have said there’s nothing to fear.

“The authorities have been in a weeks-long stalemate. And the whole thing culminated this week with some major international airlines canceling some US flights, as regulators, telecom giants, and airlines blew past a deadline to come to an agreement. AT&T and Verizon are now, yet again, delaying their plans to switch on their new 5G antennas near certain airports. Regulators are still hashing out solutions. And a lot remains unclear.”

Come on guys!

Oh, wow! We’ve been here before, but SecurityInfowatch is providing more insight into how enterprise security is becoming a more technologically aggressive challenge.

“Security end-user demanding systems that are faster and more intelligent, and at the same time cost-efficient and better suited for integrated solutions, are looking for more than technology that detects and deters. They now require systems that can digest vast amounts of data, then process autonomously monitored responses at lightning speeds. Upping the preemptive ante is a crucial step in the growth of intelligent physical security systems. And it is currently moving beyond the ubiquitous use of video surveillance analytics to other sensory devices at the edge and controlling access into and across the interior of a facility.

“This improvement in security operations at the enterprise level is also addressing the convergence of physical and cybersecurity threats while easing the migration into a more defined digital world.”

Charlie Osborne on ZDNet writes about what a cyber attack in a prison can be like.

“Inmates (in a New Mexico prison) were made to stay in their cells as the ransomware outbreak reportedly not only knocked out the establishment’s internet but also locked staff out of data management servers and security camera networks.

“The incident came to light in court documents, with one public defender representing the inmates suggesting that their constitutional rights were violated due to the sudden lockdown, which also meant that visitations were canceled.

“Concerns were also raised surrounding the lack of internet access, with inmates left with only payphones to communicate with court representatives.”

Graham Cluley advises don’t be in a hurry to use parking meters – they could have bogus QR codes stuck to them.

“In a hurry to park your car?,” Cluley writes, “Don’t want to fumble around in your pocket to find cash for the parking meter, and don’t have the correct payment app installed on your phone?

“Well, think carefully before rushing to scan the payment QR code stuck on the side of the meter – it may well be an attempt by fraudsters to phish your financial information.

“Police are warning that they have discovered bogus QR codes stuck onto public parking meters across Austin, Texas – a city where parking meters don’t display QR codes, and only accept payment via coins, cards or a smartphone app.”

Danny Palmer on ZDNet advises that “the threat of cyberattacs is growing and much more needs to be done to educate busineses and users about risks in order to prevent widespread damage and disruption as a result of cyber incidents.

“Events like ransomware attacks against utilities and infrastructure providers, production facilities and hospitals have demonstrated that cyberattacks can have very real consequences for people, restricting access to vital goods and services for days, weeks and even months.

“But despite the risk posed by cyberattacks, many businesses and their boardrooms still don’t fully understand the threats they’re facing from cybercriminals and how to best defend their networks against them.”

“Part of the problem,” Palmer adds, “is that, for many businesses, cybersecurity isn’t ingrained into everyday operations and employees are only asked to think about it when doing annual cybersecurity training — leaving companies at risk from cyberattacks the rest of the year.”

Get with it folks, cyber risks with computers and the internet are real.

Examples of insider cybersecurity threats – organizations hampered by their own people – are displayed by the Digital Guardian site.

“Insider threats,” the post explains, “are generally more dangerous than outsider threats because these people know the organization pretty well. Plus, they have access to the computers, databases, networks, and other company resources where sensitive information is developed and stored. If this access is abused or, in some cases, not carefully safeguarded, it opens the door for a data breach that could have catastrophic impacts and can lead to substantial losses.”

Forty-five examples of insider skullduggery are provided.

Bud Broomhead on Security Infowatch offers 10 physical security predictions for 2022, from “Cyber will bring physical security issues into the boardroom” to “Insurance will incorporate physical security data in policy pricing.” Get a sense of what the new year will likely offer from this stalwart security website.

Travelers keep forgetting firearms in their luggage, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) advises.

“The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced on 13 December that security personnel confiscated more than 5,700 firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2021—breaking records for the most firearms detected in a single year, according to Reuters.

“The prior yearly record was 4,400 in 2019.

“According to TSA Administrator David Pekoske, the increase reflects an increase in firearms being carried by Americans overall.”

Talk about being distracted.

Following the lead of other law enforcement agencies, officers of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are beginning to wear body cameras in select cities, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced on December 21.

“With its body worn camera pilot, ICE is making an important statement that transparency and accountability are essential components of our ability to fulfill our law enforcement mission and keep communities safe,” Secretary Mayorkas said. “The Department will continue to seek ways to ensure the safety and security of our workforce, our state and local partners, and the public, while at the same time building confidence with the communities we serve…

“The use of body worn cameras will enhance ICE operations, including at-large arrests and searches incident to arrest; execution of search warrants; and questioning of individuals encountered in the field. Body worn cameras are expected to increase the transparency of ICE in communities, as footage may be used in assessments of police conduct, including in instances where force was used. Additionally, footage can be used for non-investigative purposes, including for training and assessing officer performance.”

Body cameras have proven to be a helpful safeguard in police operations, a new form of evidence gathering.

The global physical security market has remained strong during the pandemic, Memoori Research reports from Stockholm, Sweden.

“Principal technology drivers of demand over the period include the growth in IoT and building systems integrations, rising demand for remote management and control, particularly cloud-based ACaaS and VSaaS services, and AI-based video analytics. All of these technologies are covered in detail in our new report. Meanwhile, macro market drivers such as crime, persistent terror threats, border disputes, and refugee crises will also continue to drive the adoption of physical security technologies,” Memoori advises.

Pandemic or not, businesses appear to be keeping their priorities strong, security high among them.