CHI Security has been invited to participate in the international symposium on "Airport Security: Design, Governance, Performance, Financing and Policy" which will take place in Toronto in May 2014. Bringing together up to 50 top experts from government, corporate and academic spheres worldwide, the purpose of the symposium is to evaluate challenges and best practices in the current aviation security system.

Michael Berk, CHI Security's Director, has joined the Executive Advisory Board to assist with developing the symposium's agenda and will be presenting at the 'Layered Screening and Preemption in Airport Security' panel session. 

Generally speaking, security operations are human/technology systems designed to protect installations or people from natural or man-engineered threats. The real concerns, of course, are always with people who possess malicious intent and means/skills allowing them to execute an attack. 

High-risk assets in transportation industry, such as air/ports and public transit hubs, present a particular problem for security operatives often due to larger territories to protect, multiple entry points, high passenger/cargo traffic and more. After conducting regular TRAs and identifying vulnerabilities, target hardening often ensues through the addition of infrastructure and/or technological 'barriers' and training of personnel to follow strict protocols. Apart from serious budget expenditures which continue to build-up as threats evolve and tech solutions are added (space allocation!), such typical responses often create a very rigid operational environment. Over time this vicious cycle leads to several outcomes: