KiteString - A Web App That Could Save Your Life

I'm all about the use of automated tools as force multipliers in security. Whether you're protecting your home or office, you can always benefit from having an automated tool to help you out. Just remember the biggest vulnerability begins with the user. The folks at KiteString have done an awesome job of creating a wonderful web application that could actually save your life.

KiteString is a check-in service, wherein you create a list of contacts, a check-in phrase (optional), and a duress word (also optional). You also supply the service with your estimated time of arrival to your location. When you fail to check-in via text, the app will notify your emergency contacts.

Who can benefit from a service like this?

• Victims of domestic violence
• Stalking victims
• People concerned with overt threats against their lives (witnesses in criminal cases)
• Parents of children who travel or who are mobile
• Senior citizens who need to notify their children should they not arrive somewhere
• Security enthusiasts
• Private investigators

When coupled with tools like Tasker, Guardly, Locale, and now, KiteString, the possibilities are endless what you can do with respect to emergency notifications. I'll be doing some side projects with this service to see what else you can do with other tools working in conjunction with KiteString.

Guess Who Is In The Freedom Of Information Act Business

Folks, I don't claim to be a journalist, though I give unsolicited advice to them on Twitter. I know I shouldn't. I'm supposed to be in my lane. However, I do recognize when they go about using the law to get official documents about things the government likes to keep secret. I respect this so much that I began doing the same a while back through MuckRock.com. MuckRock is a Freedom of Information Act request clearinghouse where journalists, bloggers, and fellow netizens use FOIA to gain access to documents. I do this mainly to educate myself on physical security issues. I've decided to begin sharing my requests and those of others I find worth following.

Here are a few of my pending requests:

• Customs Billing Invoices & Activities Documents - 02/19/2014
• Department of the Interior Security Docs - 02/20/2014
• Threats Against Jesse Jackson - 05/22/2013

Here are a few of the requests where I was successful in getting information:

• ACCESS: Automated Comparison and Clustering of Entity Signatures - 05/22/2013
• Equipment Issued to Department of Education OIG - 08/06/2013
• MRAP Sales  - 05/13/2013

You can sign up for an account at MuckRock and submit your own FOIA requests through them. The only caveat is whatever you find or get from the government, MuckRock will publish on their site. So exercise due caution with phone numbers, SSN information, etc. Also, as you will learn, if it's a really good secret, the government will fight you "tooth and nail". Luckily, MuckRock has a pretty good team that will work with you. Also, don't worry about staying on top of the government with requests, MuckRock has a nag feature wherein they bug the government almost bi-weekly with respect to your requests. These folks are great at what they do.

You can use MuckRock via the link below

http://www.muckrock.com

Or you can do your own requests via the official US government FOIA requests. Just be aware, your state and local jurisdictions have their own sites as well. Try them for a more localized search. 

http://www.foia.gov

I will continue to post more documents and updates regarding what I find. Stay tuned.

Security Officer Memorial

My latest post directed toward those who consider themselves "security professionals" got me to thinking about some of the ways we, in this profession, often fail to recognize the sacrifices of those who have worn the uniform and shield. So I decided to do something about it in my own small way. I created a wall using information derived from the fine folks at Private Officer to memorialize those who have made that sacrifice. I will update the wall as I get information. Feel free to check it often when you feel yourself becoming more unsure about what this profession entails.

The wall can be found on the right-hand (your right) side of this site. Here's the permalink - http://blog.thesecuritydialogue.org/p/security-officers-killed-in-line-of.html