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Reports on the rate of crime and other security issues in the fast-food and convenience stores industry in the United States. Strategies used to prevent the occurrence of crime and theft by some establishments; Factors that make fast-food establishments easy targets; Police records of from 1992 to 1998; Reasons why some establishments do not install security equipment.

The article discusses alarm among U.S. government officials concerning the capabilities of computer hackers linked to the Iranian government to infiltrate U.S. networks as of late December 2015. According to the article, Iranian hackers tapped into the control system of a New York dam in 2013. The article discusses the U.S. power grid, factories, and infrastructure as primary targets for hackers.

The article discusses the possibility that airplane travelers in the U.S. during the 2015 holiday travel season could face longer security lines due to cuts in the U.S. government bureau the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) program PreCheck. The article examines the results of covert security testing of PreCheck by U.S. bureau the Department of Homeland Security inspector general John Roth. INSET: How to Get In the PreCheck Lane..

The article states that hotel firm Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. announced in late November 2015 that computer hackers stole credit-card and debit-card information from its customers in a data breach that lasted for almost eight months via malware that infiltrated hotel payment systems. The article presents comments from Starwood Americas president Sergio Rivera.

The article reports on the aspects of public security management at several public venues such as concert halls, arenas, and sports stadiums in New York, considering the concerns on terrorism following the terrorist attack in Paris, France. Topics include the actions of law enforcement officials and security experts in establishing security measures, the counterterrorism training of the state's police departments, and the tighten security check before entering establishments.

The article states that Buffalo, New York, bank First Niagara Financial Group. announced on September 30, 2015, that it was introducing new computer chip-enabled credit cards and debit cards that will require users to enter a personal identification number (PIN) rather than a signature for security purposes. The article presents comments from First Niagara consumer product management head Justin Bigham.

The article discusses efforts by the credit card industry and U.S. gas-station owners to prevent a wave of credit-card fraud taking place at gas pumps as of early September 2015. According to the article, gas stations will be among the last group of retail outlets to install equipment that accepts fraud-resistant chip-based debit and credit cards. The article states that such equipment does not have to be in place at gas stations until 2017. The article describes the accessibility of largely unattended gas pumps for crooks who can rig pumps with skimming devices to capture card data.

The article cites a study by the credit-scoring and analytics firm FICO that states that the number of thefts of debit card information from U.S. automated teller machines (ATMs) between January 2015 to April 9, 2015, was the highest during that period in 20 years. According to the article, several U.S. banks were attempting to issue credit and debit cards with enhanced anti-counterfeiting technology. The article presents comments from FICO card-alert service manager John Buzzard.

The article discusses the U.S. banking industry's demand for the production of credit cards with embedded computer chips, known as chip cards, in an attempt to reduce card fraud and counterfeiting. The article examines the activities of an Exton, Pennsylvania, chip card manufacturing plant operated by the firm Oberthur Technologies, challenges to implementing chip card technology in retail outlets of such companies as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp., and the costs of manufacturing the cards.

The article discusses how Joe Garrett, an employee at the Alabama Department of Revenue, was a victim of taxpayer identity theft and how he used the experience to understand the steps to fraud correction. Topics include how thieves can use the tax-preparation product from Intuit Inc. TurboTax to file fraudulent taxes, how tax refunds pass through multiple institutions such as bank J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., and the need for better security surrounding electronic tax filing methods.

The article discusses a security shortcoming of credit cards containing embedded chips that will be introduced during 2015 by various financial companies including Discover Financial Services Inc. and J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. Card issuers have opted to let users authorize transactions with their signatures rather than personal identification numbers (PINs), thus making the cards vulnerable to fraudulent use if lost or stolen.

The article discusses ridesharing service Uber and the privacy problems faced by the technology company which features a smartphone app. Topics include details on Uber Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Travis Kalanick's answers to the U.S. Senate's questions on privacy protections, details on the company's growth, and details on the economic aspects of privacy protection.

The article discusses tension between smartphone maker Apple Inc. and U.S. agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department over Apple's decision to incorporate encryption technology in its devices that renders their contents inaccessible to law-enforcement personnel. Details are presented about a meeting with Apple officials during which Justice official James Cole unsuccessfully tried to persuade Apple to change its policy.

The article discusses the PreCheck program of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), in which travelers enrolled in PreCheck can move through airport security in expedited fashion. It is noted that the program has a low enrollment rate and included comments by TSA Administrator John Pistole that PreCheck needs to sign up more people in order to keep TSA officers assigned to PreCheck lines busy. In 2015 the TSA will launch a marketing initiative for PreCheck.

The article discusses the business strategy of chief executive John Chen of smartphone maker BlackBerry Ltd. Chen wants to reduce the firm's reliance on its Blackberry devices and instead focus on providing secure smartphone technology to businesses. Chen has said he is looking for takeover candidates, and information is presented about the acquisition strategy he pursued while chief executive of software company Sybase Inc.

The author discusses electronics corporation Apple's security failure with their cloud-based backups of iPhones that revealed nude photographs of celebrities. Topics include the role of cyber hackers in breaking into people's documents saved in their clouds, speculation on hackers potential to gain access to financial and health data, and mention of Apple Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tim Cook's announcement that he wants to protect iPhone users.

The article reports that credit-card companies MasterCard Inc. and Visa Inc. are introducing technology called tolkenization that replaces sensitive customer information on credit cards with numbers that can be used to validate a customer's identity. Data breaches at several retailers including Home Depot Inc. and Target Corp. have added urgency to improving card security.

The article presents reviews of three home-security cameras including the Piper, the Dropcam Pro, and the Simplicam.

The article reports that retailer Home Depot Inc. is investigating a possible security breach that may have involved the theft of customers' credit- and debit-card information. Security blogger Brian Krebs said the breach may have originated in April or May of 2014. It is said Home Depot has been installing equipment for processing cards with embedded computer chips, which are more secure than conventional cards with magnetic strips.

The article discusses a data breach at the U.S. bank J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., which is being investigated by federal law enforcement including the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Secret Service, and the National Security Agency. Topics include how the attack may have been carried out by a Russian organized crime unit, cyber security in banks, and corporate forensic companies such as FireEye Inc., CrowdStrike Inc., and Stroz Friedberg LLC.

The article discusses how a person or persons broke into the Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. electrical substation in San Francisco, California and stole construction equipment that was being used for security upgrades. Topics include how the company has been the victim of breaking and entering before when gunmen tried to cause a citywide blackout, concern for the U.S. power grid's security, and comments from lawyer John Wellinghoff.

The article discusses efforts to reduce theft from passengers' luggage at U.S. airports. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) tries to trap thieves with bags containing desirable and valuable items. In 2014 the TSA has fired 22 of its employees for theft. In March of 2014 several baggage handlers were arrested for theft at Los Angeles International Airport in California. INSET: Tips for Travelers.

The article discusses how consumers can make their smartphones more secure and presents reviews of the Blackphone smartphone from Silent Circle, and smartphone privacy services offered by wireless-service provider FreedomPop,

The author discusses mobile-device applications (apps) and services aimed at helping smartphone owners retrieve their devices when they are stolen and describes his experience using two of them, the Lookout app from security firm Lookout and the Find My iPhone feature available on iPhone smartphones from Apple Inc.

The article discusses proposed security standards from the U.S. electric-utility group North American Electric Reliability Corp. in the aftermath of an April, 2013 shooting attack on the Metcalf substation of Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. (PG&E Corp.) near San Jose, California. Experts say the standards give utilities too much latitude in determining which threats to prepare against and how to do so. Electric-grid security expert James Holler says the proposals are embarrassing.

The article discusses the attention to aviation security surrounding the investigation of passengers aboard a missing Malaysia Airlines flight who were traveling using stolen passports from Thailand in March 2014. Topics include the screening of passports against the International Criminal Police Organization's (Interpol) database, Thailand's well-established market of stolen and tampered passports, and aid from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation to identify the two passengers.

The article discusses the security initiatives of the utility provider Pacific Gas and Electric Co. as of February 2014, focusing on the company's response to a April 16, 2013 attack on a substation of the subsidiary Metcalf in California. Topics include the construction of fences and vandalism prevention.

The article is presented in an advertising section of the issue and discusses the costs and security measures for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia as of February 2014, with information on economic development in the region, infrastructure in Sochi, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The article discusses the work of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's Behavior Detection Officers (BDOs). BDOs walk through airports in search of air travelers exhibiting suspicious behavior, with those so identified subjected to more careful screening. Information is presented about particular signs and behaviors that can attract the attention of a BDO.

The article reports that during 2001-2004 retailer Target Corp. experimented with using credit cards equipped with embedded chips. Although such smart cards provide better security, the program was abandoned for failing to meet its marketing goals. Target chief executive Gregg Steinhafel, who in 2014 has called upon banks and retailers to embrace smart cards following a data-security breach at Target, was one of the executives responsible for dropping the earlier pilot project.

The article discusses disagreement over liability for costs associated with data breaches such as one that victimized debit-and credit-card users at retailer Target Corp. in November and December, 2013. Banks argue that stores should pay the cost of issuing new cards to victimized consumers. Retailers say banks need to adopt more secure card technology such as cards with embedded chips.

The article discusses Russian President Vladimir Putin's order for security to be tightened after a second suicide-bombing terrorist attack in the city of Volgograd in December 2013. Topics include the negative effect the bombings may have on the 2014 Winter Olympics, set in Sochi, Russia for February 2014, suggestions that Islamic terrorists from the North Caucasus region are responsible for the bombings, and the high population and symbolic importance of Volgograd in Russian history.

The article discusses pockets as a security concern. To prevent theft, some production workers in various industries including casinos and pharmaceutical are not allowed to wear clothing with pockets. Connecticut's medical-marijuana law bans pockets for those who work directly with marijuana. David Crace of uniform maker VF Imagewear Inc. says sales of uniforms without pockets are rising.

The article discusses security-checkpoint areas designed by SecurityPoint Media that are aimed at making the process of dealing with airport security less stressful and more hospitable for air travelers. Features of a checkpoint created by SecurityPoint at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport include leather furniture, mood lighting, and pictures of ferns and flowers.

The article discusses tactics used by U.S. motion picture studios to maintain the secrecy of film scripts during and before the release of major films. The production of the film "Interstellar" by producer Christopher Nolan and his firm Syncopy is noted as of October 2013. Techniques used to secure digital copies of screenplays are addressed.

The article discusses the trend as of June 2013 for U.S. financial institutions and banks to hire computer hackers to test their computer security systems and protect against cyberterrorism. Topics include cyberattacks on U.S. lenders, simulations of external attacks on system firewalls, and the need for cybersecurity at financial services firms in the U.S. finance sector.

The article reports that U.S. financial regulators are calling for banks to increase protections against the threat posed by computer hackers and criminal organizations as of 2013. Topics include concerns regarding the potential disruption of a cyberattack on the financial system, the responsibility of private firms in preventing such attacks, and the U.S. government's resistance to providing additional security for financial information.

The article discusses competition in the high technology industries between the smartphone makers Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc. as of May 2013. Topics include plans by the U.S. Department of Defense to grant security approvals for government agencies seeking to use Samsung Galaxy smartphones and Apple iPhones and iPads; communications security in the defense industries; and efforts by Samsung to recruit corporate and government customers.

The article discusses airport wrapping services offered by firms such as TrueStar Group SpA and Secure Wrap of Miami. Air travelers concerned that their bags could be tampered with or damaged can pay to have them wound in plastic wrap. Information is provided about the work of wrappers at Miami International Airport in Florida.

The article reports on credit card company MasterCard's announcement that automated teller machine (ATM) owners will be held responsible for ATM fraud losses if they do not update their machines by April 19, 2013. Topics include why U.S. ATMs are not equipped for computer chip debit cards issued by international banks, why MasterCard is shifting responsibility from themselves, and the estimated cost for ATM owners to upgrade their machines so suddenly.

The article discusses a U.S. senate hearing at which U.S. intelligence officials argued that security threats from cybercrime are comparable to those from terrorism. Topics include the initiatives from the U.S. president Barack Obama to develop cybersecurity measures, the possible theft of U.S. trade secrets by China, and the vulnerability of U.S. power companies to cyberattacks.

The article reports on financial regulators' attempt to enforce stricter regulations on insider trading practices in 2013. Topics include how a letter from law firm Paul Hastings LLP to its clients caused U.S. securities regulators to investigate allegations of insider trading, plans to close loopholes called 10b5-1 plans that facilitate insider trading, and why the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating retailer Body Central's trading policies.

The article reports on the growing number of angel investors who are financing startup companies over the Internet after the creation of the AngelList website. Topics include how AngelList works to connect investors with startup companies like Double Robotics, which created a teleconferencing robot, AngelList's investment platform by SecondMarket, and why many investors are wary of supporting a company financially before seeing it in action.

The article looks at U.S. airport security as of November 2012. It reports on changing and inconsistent security procedures experienced by frequent travelers at U.S. airports on issues such as checking identification documents at the boarding gate and requiring wallets to go through the x-ray scanner. A quiz on U.S. Transportation Security Administration policies is included.

The article reports on the financial services industry's purchase of specific domain names from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) in an effort to decrease cybercrime. Topics include how extensions will make it difficult for computer hackers to commit phishing attacks, why online banking fraud is so expensive for companies like American Express, Barclay's, and Bank of America, and why investment company Wells Fargo chose not to purchase a specific domain extension.

The article considers electronic commerce in Nigeria. The payment system of the company DealDey, in which customers purchase products on the firm's Website but pay cash to sales representatives of the firm in person, is examined as a means through which the company attempts to address the consumer distrust of electronic commerce due to Nigeria's reputation for widespread computer crime.

The article reports that anonymous U.S. counterterrorism officials said that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and foreign security services prevented a plot to explode a bomb on a passenger jet transport by a branch of the organization al-Qaeda based in Yemen. The CIA seized the bomb before the potential suicide bomber posed a direct threat to the airline industry.

The article discusses efforts by farmers in Tanzania to protect food crops such as corn or watermelons from attacks by elephants. The use of a mixture of motor oil and dried chili pepper which is applied to the fences of fields and its successful prevention of elephant attacks on crops are considered, with farmer Said Longwa used to illustrate the use of this technique.

The article discusses security gates of the affluent. Some gates include features such as hidden cameras and facial-recognition technology, and can cost up to $1 million. Details are presented about companies that manufacture elaborate gates, and the gates of several notables including actor Tom Cruise and Jim Clark, founder of software company Netscape. INSET: The Original Safety Systems.

The article discusses smartphone tracking of Apple Inc. web browsers being conducted by Google Inc. and advertising companies on Apple Inc. According to the article, a computer code that bypasses Apple's Safari Web-browsing software is being utilized to monitor Internet use of individuals who intended to keep such information confidential. The article states that Google Inc. disabled its code in February 2012.