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6/14/21	LP, AP & IT Security's #1 News Source	D-Ddaily.net

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Michael Monaghan, LPQ named Senior Director Asset Protection-Herald Square/NYC Division for Macy's
Before joining Macy's as Senior Director Asset Protection-Herald Square/NYC Division, Michael spent three years with Steve Madden as Corporate Loss Prevention Manager. Prior to that, he spent two years with Toys 'R' Us as Regional Asset Protection Manager. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly 14 years with Sports Authority in various AP roles. He has also held positions with Walmart and Target. Congratulations, Michael!

See All the Executives 'Moving Up' Here | Submit Your New Corporate Hires/Promotions or New Position

Checkpoint's Global Source Tagging Conference

June 15-16, 2021 | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET

Are you ready to virtually collaborate with over 300 of the world's top retailers, consumer goods suppliers, and packagers?

See more in the Vendor Spotlight column below

Violence & Protests

38+ wounded, 6 dead in shootings across US over weekend
There have been 270 mass shootings so far in 2021, according to a Gun Violence Archive report.

4 mass shootings in 6 hours leave 38 wounded, 6 dead across US
At least four major U.S. cities were reeling from an onslaught of mass shootings over the weekend that left at least 38 people wounded, six dead and police officials alarmed that the surge in gun violence is a prelude to a bloody summer as the nation emerges from the pandemic.

Police in Austin, Cleveland, Chicago and Savannah were all investigating on Sunday mass shootings that erupted over a six-hour streak that began around 9 p.m. on Friday and spilled over into Saturday morning.

"It's very disturbing what we're seeing across the country and the level of gun violence that we're seeing across the country. It's disturbing and it's senseless," Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter, Jr. said at a weekend news conference after one person was killed and eight others, including an 18-month-old baby and two teenagers, were wounded.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler tweeted that the mass-casualty shooting occurred even as police initiated multiple violence prevention programs intended to combat a recent increase in shootings in the Texas capital city.

"But this crisis requires a broader, coordinated response from all levels of government," Adler said. "One thing is clear - greater access to firearms does not equal greater public safety."

The Austin mass shooting was quickly followed by one that erupted on a sidewalk on the South Side of Chicago that left a woman dead and nine people injured, according to police. Chicago police officials said investigators are searching for two suspects who walked up to a crowd gathered on the sidewalk in a business district in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood and opened fire just after 2 a.m. on Saturday, according to a police department online incident report.

The Gun Violence Archive, an online site that tracks shootings across the country, reports that there have been 270 mass shootings in 2021. The site defines mass shootings as single incidents in which four or more people are shot, regardless of whether anyone dies. yahoo.com abcnews.go.com

NYC's spike in grand larcenies is a sign crime will rise as we reopen
New York City's recent spike in grand larcenies proves yet again that Mayor Bill de Blasio has been dead wrong to blame soaring crime on the pandemic. Indeed, it suggests the violence will grow as the city reopens.

Police citywide fielded 2,683 complaints for grand larceny - thefts exceeding $1,000 - in the four weeks ending June 6, NYPD figures show.

That's a 36.9 percent spike from the 1,960 such calls in the same stretch last year, when much of New York was locked down - driving the city's grand larceny numbers to a low not seen in decades. For all of 2020, the NYPD counted 35,505 grand larcenies, the lowest total of the 21st century by more than 2,300, according to department stats.

And the uptick is sure to continue, As one cop said: "It was only going to be a matter of time before grand larcenies went up. Things are starting to open."

That loosening will also offer more targets for the gangbangers and other thugs behind the rise in shootings and other violent crime. Don't bet on things improving until and unless the city has a mayor who puts public safety first - rather than taking refuge in denial. nypost.com

Update Article from Friday - Baltimore States Attorney

Marilyn Mosby's experiment in 'progressive prosecution' calls for patience
Ask San Francisco or Chicago How's That working for Them

Something in short supply in crime-and-grime-weary Baltimore | COMMENTARY
Throughout the many years since it became a destination for revelers, Fells Point was known for barrooms and drinking (and heavy drinking and even heavier drinking) and sometimes a brawl. It was not known for gunfire. So when shots rang out last weekend and three people ended up wounded, business owners raised hell - 30 of them threatened to withhold taxes unless the city stops the midnight mayhem that led to gunfire - and three law enforcement agencies flooded the zone to restore order.

That's the way things work in this town: Places that are stable and relatively affluent, the parts that attract tourists, the areas with engaged citizens and business owners who make campaign contributions - those places know how to make noise and get what amounts to an emergency response from City Hall.

This old-school strategy might make sense in the short term. But it doesn't get to the underlying problems unless the law enforcement response is combined with, even surpassed by, social services.

Continue Reading

Policing in the 21st Century - The Evolution - Role - Profile & Challenge
Police Chiefs and Research Firm Study Clearly Point Out What Realistic Reform Looks Like

Law enforcement struggles to recruit since killing of George Floyd
Law enforcement agencies across the country experienced a wave of retirements and departures and are struggling to recruit the next generation of police officers in the year since George Floyd was killed by a cop.

And amid the national reckoning on policing, communities are questioning who should become a police officer today.

Mass protests and calls for reforming or defunding the police, as well as the coronavirus pandemic, took their toll on officer morale. The rate of retirements at some departments rose 45% compared with the previous year. At the same time, hiring slowed by 5%, according to new research on nearly 200 law enforcement agencies conducted by the Washington-based Police Executive Research Forum and provided to The Associated Press.

The wave comes as local lawmakers have pledged to enact reforms - such as ending the policies that give officers immunity for their actions while on-duty - and say they're committed to reshaping policing in the 21st century. And recruiters are increasingly looking for a different kind of recruit to join embattled departments.

Years ago, a candidate's qualifications might be centered around his - yes, his - brawn. Now, police departments say they are seeking recruits who can use their brain. And they want those future officers to represent their communities.

"Days of old, you wanted someone who actually had the strength to be more physical," Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant said. "Today's police officers, that's not what we're looking for. We're looking for someone who can actually relate to the community but also think like the community thinks."

But the climate today, coupled with increases in crime in some cities, is creating what Chuck Wexler, the head of the Police Executive Research Forum, called a "combustible mixture."

It's creating "a crisis on the horizon for police chiefs when they look at the resources they need, especially during a period when we're seeing an increase in murders and shootings," Wexler said. "It's a wake-up call." nypost.com

Gun Control & Violence Will Be Defining Issues in Midterm Elections
Be sensitive to the corporate position yourself

Rising crime rejuvenates gun control debate on campaign trail
According to data compiled by the Gun Violence Archive for NBC News, firearm deaths increased by 15 percent last month compared to the same period in 2019.

Republicans have attributed the rise in violence to progressive efforts to reform and in some cases direct funds away from police departments. But Democrats say gun policies are at the heart of the issue.

The issue has already permeated the campaign trail ahead of the 2022 midterms.

Experts say that gun control and crime will be defining issues going into the midterms, and both have the potential to sink candidates. thehill.com

ATF: "Straw Purchasing" Rising in Tandem with 'Crime Wave'
She bought 47 guns last month. Police are already finding them in shooting investigations

ATF says more people legally purchase weapons, then sell on illegal market.

Elwood is not a hunter or collector. The 33-year-old from Crystal was living in her car. She and her fiancé, Jeffrey Paul Jackson, were purchasing firearms from shops around the Twin Cities and selling them on the illegal market, federal prosecutors say.

By the end of the month, three of the guns had already been confiscated by police in connection with shooting investigations, according to an affidavit underlying the felony federal charges.

Straw purchases are illegal under Minnesota and federal law, but investigators say they can be difficult to identify while balancing the rights of legal gun owners.

Gun legislation, such as requiring owners to promptly report a stolen gun, can make it more difficult for straw buyers to plead ignorance when their weapons turn up in a shooting,

Researchers have also seen positive trends in states that required prospective handgun owners to apply for a license, which mandates the person be fingerprinted, vetted by law enforcement and required to take a gun safety course.

Rep. Jeremy Munson, R-Lake Crystal, "I would never support a bill like that, because that is a gun registry," said Munson. "Every gun registry in history has been followed by mass gun confiscation. Once the government knows where the guns are, then they can start taking them away." And gun rights advocates say these restrictions risk penalizing legal owners as well.

Another avenue of cutting down straw purchases is to focus on the sellers, Garen Wintemute, the director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at University of California, said data show certain shops sell a disproportionately high share of guns that end up on the streets. Law enforcement paying special attention to these sellers can pressure them to be more vigilant, he said.

Munson believes this strategy may also have unintended consequences. He said asking gun dealers to crack down could lead to racial profiling of legal buyers. startribune.com

'Daylight Doesn't Scare the Bad Guys'
Violence and chaos continues to overrun Washington Square Park
Violence continued to spiral out of control on Saturday in and around Washington Square Park, where anti-cop graffiti was scrawled on its arch, a man was beaten and robbed of his cellphone, two others knifed in a wild brawl and an elderly cook left bloodied after a vicious morning attack at a neighborhood diner.

The chaos around the Greenwich Village park left at least six injured and a 27-year-old charged with felony assault, as residents and law enforcement alike pleaded for an end to the anarchy.

"The perps run this town," one disgusted NYPD source told The Post in the wake of the latest madness. "It is scary to walk around New York City streets. It has gotten so bad that daylight doesn't scare the bad guys."

A party promoter behind the raucous raves in Washington Square Park shrugged off resident complaints about the landmark's descent into lawlessness, defiantly telling The Post this week that if "Karens and Kevins" don't like it - they should move.

"This is my response to the residents," said David "Shaman" Ortiz, 28. "If you have an issue with amplified sound and you live in the downtown area, you live in the Washington Square Park area, then you should move.

According to a report from Saturday, Washington Square Park's 10 p.m. weekend curfew has officially ended. nypost.com

Woman killed after car drives into protesters in Minneapolis

The area where the incident took place was the scene of protests after U.S. Marshals shot dead a Black man, Winston Boogie Smith Jr., this month.

A woman was killed and another person was injured after a car drove into protesters in Minneapolis late Sunday night, according to police.

Minneapolis Police said in a statement that the driver, who protesters pulled from the car after the collision, was taken into police custody. He also received treatment at an area hospital. The police said their preliminary investigation indicated that the use of drugs or alcohol by the driver may have contributed to the crash.

The Uptown neighborhood where the incident took place has been the scene of protests after U.S. Marshals shot dead a Black man, Winston Boogie Smith Jr., earlier this month. nbcnews.com

Man Pleads Guilty to Using Explosive Device in Attempt To Damage Suburban Chicago Restaurant
On June 1, 2021, DIEGO VARGAS threw a lit explosive device through the window of Egg Harbor Cafe in Naperville, Ill., resulting in two explosions. Vargas, 26, of Aurora, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of maliciously attempting to damage and destroy a building by means of an explosive device. The charge is punishable by a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo set sentencing for Sept. 2, 2021. justice.gov

Cleveland Man Charged with Starting Fire in Restaurant During May 30 Demonstrations in Downtown Cleveland
Federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Michael Sloan, 26, of Cleveland, with explosive destruction of property. on May 30, 2020, it is alleged that the Defendant maliciously began a fire inside Rebol Restaurant, located on 101 West Superior Ave in Cleveland. justice.gov

COVID Update

309.2M Vaccinations Given

US: 34.3M Cases - 615K Dead - 28.4M Recovered
Worldwide: 176.7M Cases - 3.8M Dead - 160.8M Recovered

Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember & recognize.

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 279 Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 308
*Red indicates change in total deaths

Employers may relax COVID-19 measures in fully vaccinated workplaces,
OSHA says

● Most employers "no longer need to take steps to protect their workers from COVID-19 exposure in any workplace, or well-defined portions of a workplace, where all employees are fully vaccinated," the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in guidance updated Thursday.

The agency also published an emergency temporary standard for U.S. healthcare employers. Employers included in the emergency temporary standard's definition must develop and implement a plan to protect employees from COVID-19 in the workplace, and they must designate one or more workplace COVID-19 safety coordinators to implement and monitor their plans. The document also lays out requirements for patient screening and management, personal protective equipment and physical distancing, among other subjects.

- OSHA's updated guidance for all industries, meanwhile, encourages employers to grant paid time off for employees to get vaccinated. Employers also should implement physical distancing for unvaccinated and other at-risk workers in communal work areas, including limiting the number of such workers in one place at any given time.

The updated guidance may help to resolve some of the questions employers had following a May update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that, with some restrictions, fully masked individuals could resume activities without wearing a mask. Last month, OSHA directed employers to follow CDC's guidance on mask use and social distancing for fully vaccinated workers. hrdive.com

30% More Hours - Boss Micro-Managing - 20% Decrease in Output
Remote workers put in longer hours but were less efficient, study says
Employees are beginning to trickle back into their offices just in time - after a new study found that remote work reduces productivity.

The study, which surveyed the remote work habits of 10,000 employees at an Asian technology company between April 2019 and August 2020, found a 20 percent decrease in output, according to a recent report.

Although the workers in "Work from home & productivity: evidence from personnel & analytics data on IT professionals", by Michael Gibbs, Friederike Mengel and Christoph Siemroth seemed to work longer hours, they were not as efficient as they would be in a structured workplace.

The study found that although the workers spent 30 percent more time working from home, their productivity fell as they spent more time in meetings with their bosses to constantly outline their responsibilities.

The subjects of the study were highly trained and their work involved "significant cognitive work, developing new software or hardware applications or solutions, collaborating with teams of professionals, working with clients, and engaging in innovation and continuous improvement." nypost.com

Retail Leads in Employees Quitting
Four million Americans quit their jobs in April - the highest in two decades
Four million Americans quit their jobs during the month of April, smashing a 20-year record, the US department of labour has said.

In a release on Tuesday, the department confirmed that the number of those who had quit jobs across the month increased to a series high of 4 million.

The department said that increases were seen across a number of industries. The retail sector saw the largest number of job-leavers.

In the retail sector, there were 965,000 open jobs by the month's end, more than double the 446,000 jobs on offer in the sector in the same month in 2020. news.yahoo.com

American workers are quitting at the highest rate in decades
There's something unusual going on in the labor market: US workers are gaining leverage over employers. Recovery from the pandemic has been weird, the result of a collision between public health measures, economic relief provided by governments and central banks, and social changes inspired by the experience of enduring coronavirus. This has resulted in a labor market that seems at once too hot and too cold: The high number of long-term unemployed, for example, suggests a very loose labor market, while the number of firms who say they can't fill jobs suggests a tight one. finance.yahoo.com

TSA screens 2 million people Friday for first time since coronavirus lockdowns began
Early in the pandemic, passenger numbers fell by as much as 95 percent from normal levels
The symbolic achievement underscores how air travel is rebounding as Americans have been vaccinated against the virus.

Many of TSA's 50,000 officers continued to work during the pandemic, and 8,119 tested positive for the virus. Sixteen officers have died of covid-19, along with a screening contractor.

Before the pandemic began, 2.5 million people a day would regularly pass through TSA's gates, and Friday's figures represent just three quarters of the volume on the same day in 2019.

Federal aid and banning layoffs protections are due to end in September. On Friday, United Airlines said it did not expect to conduct any furloughs when they do, a step a major flight attendants' union said demonstrated that the government aid had worked. washingtonpost.com

18 Incidents a Day
Delta Off-Duty Flight Attendant Became an 'Unruly Passenger Who Forced Delta Flight to Divert

Why the explosion in unruly air passengers?
It feels as if every day we read about another disorderly passenger on a commercial flight. But in reality, the numbers are even worse than that. Since January, the Federal Aviation Administration recorded approximately 2,900 reports of "unruly behavior by passengers" - which comes out to almost 18 incidents per day.

For perspective, this is nearly 20 times higher than what's normally recorded in an entire year. As the head of one of the flight attendants unions recently explained, there has been a "constant combative attitude" by some passengers that has alarmingly led to flight attendants being attacked and injured. Just last month, a passenger punched a Southwest flight attendant in the face, knocking out two of her teeth.

As the FAA has reported, of the 2,900 incidents of unruliness, about 2,200 of those reports involved passengers "refusing to comply with the federal facemask mandate."

These mask haters should know that the penalty for those who engage in unruly behavior could be far more than being just escorted off a flight. The FAA's "zero-tolerance" policy for such conduct has resulted in the agency seeking fines of $9,000 to $15,000 against individual passengers. keyt.com

Editor's Note: Does corporate America need a written code of conduct for business travelers?

Maryland COVID hospitalizations drop to March 2020 level, while state records lowest positivity rate

Dallas County lowers COVID-19 threat level for unvaccinated

Apple to go maskless in many of its stores from Tuesday

Home Depot vs. Global Shipping Crisis
Home Depot has contracted its own container ship to sidestep global shipping crisis
Home Depot, hoping to sidestep a global shipping crisis, has contracted its own ship to transport its goods.

The home-improvement store is one of many retailers grappling with shipping delays and rising costs caused by supply-chain problems. According to data from the Journal of Commerce, cited by CNBC, Home Depot is the third-largest importer by sea freight in the US.

"We have a ship that's solely going to be ours," Home Depot COO Ted Decker said in an interview with CNBC. "It's just going to go back and forth with 100% dedicated to Home Depot."

A breakdown in the freight supply chain, created by falling demand in the first half of 2020 followed by a surge at the end of the year, has led to delays, port traffic jams, and blockages. A lack of containers and dock workers is making this worse.

For retailers, this means a risk of low stock, especially as we approach the holiday season. businessinsider.com

Get Ready for Holiday Delays
A COVID-19 outbreak at a major Chinese port is worsening the global shipping crisis
Global shipping disruptions could trigger delays in goods in this year's holiday season, industry experts say. Shipping disruptions around the world could lead to a shortage of goods for the holiday season, according to industry experts.

A recent coronavirus outbreak in the province of Guangdong, South China, prompted authorities to introduce strict COVID-19 measures, causing congestion at four major ports, Reuters reported on Friday.

This is worsening the existing worldwide shipping crisis that has hiked costs and led to a shortage of popular goods, from chicken and semiconductors, as reported by Insider's Rachel Premack.

The new Chinese port restrictions, which include disinfection checks and limits on the vessel numbers, have triggered a backlog in shipments in ports including Yantian, Shekou, Chiwan, and Nansha. businessinsider.com

NYC's next mayor will struggle to overturn hard-left criminal-justice 'reforms'
Violent crime in New York City is soaring: Murder is up 11.7 percent over last year; shootings, a staggering 68 percent. And it's likely here to stay

Not so fast. De Blasio has been a terrible mayor, having wrecked a safe and prosperous city. But he didn't act alone. His cronies and comrades in the City Council and state Legislature have substantially and systematically refashioned the law to ensure that criminals will have the upper hand, while law enforcers are hobbled.

These legal changes won't soon or easily be undone.

In 2014, de Blasio dropped the city's appeal against several spurious, anti-anti-crime suits pertaining to patrolling and instead submitted to the supervision of an outside "NYPD Monitor." The monitor oversees training and procedures, audits the NYPD's patrol practices and reports to the federal court on progress toward its goals. nypost.com

Former 'Stone Care of Texas' Retail Manager Gets 49 Months Fed. Prison for Stealing Over $470,000
On July 30, 2020, 48-year-old Deanna Bates Wehde of San Antonio, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. By pleading guilty, Wehde admitted that while employed by Stone Care of Texas between May 2016 and September 2018, she defrauded the company by using company credit cards issued in the names of former employees for business-related travel to make unauthorized purchases and cash withdrawals for her own personal use and benefit. justice.gov

Digital Consumption Keeps the Lead & Keeps Growing
Last year US adults spent double the time on digital media vs. traditional media
Last year, the average US adult spent more time per day with most media formats and devices, including TV. Although adults will spend nearly as much time with media this year, their TV viewing time will drop below pre-pandemic levels.

Mall REIT Washington Prime Group lands in bankruptcy court

Last week's #1 article --

FBI releases report looking at 20 years of active shooter incidents
In a study looking at 20 years of active shooter incidents in this country, the FBI found California had more incidents than any other state. The report comes out just a few days after a man opened fire at a Northern California rail yard, killing nine coworkers and then himself.

The agency looked at data from 333 incidents between 2000 and 2019. In those incidents, a total of 2,851 people died or were wounded, excluding the shooters.

Of the 345 shooters involved in the incidents, the FBI says 119 took their own life and 150 were arrested by police; other outcomes include the shooter(s) being killed by police, killed by a citizen or not arrested at this time.

About 29% of the incidents happened at businesses that are open to pedestrian traffic; this includes places like retail stores or strip malls, office buildings, restaurants, etc. About 15% of the incidents happened in open spaces and 13% happened at a K-12 school.

The report doesn't look into the motives or reasons for the shootings, rather, it charts where these incidents happened and how they ended. thedenverchannel.com

FBI - Active Shooter Incidents 20-Year Review, 2000-2019

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Checkpoint's Global Source Tagging Conference

June 15-16, 2021 | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET

Are you ready to virtually collaborate with over 300 of the world's top retailers, consumer goods suppliers, and packagers?

Navigate your greatest retail challenges with guidance from others across nearly every industry. Whether you're focused on securing grocery, drugstore, discount, or specialty products, explore the latest in source tagging solutions to optimize your retail success.

Russia, U.S. and other countries reach new agreement against cyber hacking, even as attacks continue
Russia and the United States - along with 23 other countries - recently reaffirmed that states should not hack each other's critical infrastructure in peacetime or shelter cyber criminals who conduct attacks on other countries.

But Russia, which was among the states originally agreeing to the norms at the United Nations, has violated them repeatedly over the years. Experts are skeptical those violations will halt unless the United States and its allies impose far more serious consequences.

President Biden is on an eight-day trip to Europe that will culminate in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. He will raise issues of cybersecurity, including his concern that Moscow is harboring hackers who have carried out damaging ransomware attacks against some of the United States' most critical sectors. An attack last month led to a days-long shutdown of the country's largest refined fuel pipeline, followed by an attack that disrupted the world's largest meat processor.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Wednesday; "We do not judge that the Russian government has been behind these recent ransomware attacks, but we do judge that actors in Russia have. And we believe that Russia can take and must take steps to deal with it."

The question now is whether Russia, and other countries such as China, which affirmed the cyber norms in May, can or will be held accountable.

Current and former officials say the global norms provide a foundation for accountability by explaining the bounds of acceptable conduct in cyberspace and by creating an expectation of good behavior. The guidelines were hammered out by the U.N. Group of Governmental Experts on Advancing Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace. In March, the 2015 norms were endorsed by all 193 members of the United Nations.

White House officials have downplayed expectations from the summit given the tense relationship between Washington and Moscow. washingtonpost.com

From Faster Cars in the 1920's to Encrypted Messaging in 2020 - The Crooks Stay One Step Ahead
Bitcoin and Encryption: A Race Between Criminals and the F.B.I.

Criminals have perennially exploited technology to stay a step ahead of law enforcement.

The F.B.I. struck back in the past week with a pair of victories: a seizure of most of the $4 million ransom in Bitcoin that Russian hackers extorted from an American pipeline operator, and the announcement of a yearslong sting where thousands of suspects were duped into using a messaging app secretly controlled by the authorities. More than 800 people were arrested in more than a dozen countries.

The breakthroughs came in part because law enforcement officials learned how to leverage two rapidly advancing technologies - encryption and cryptocurrencies - that had previously been a boon for criminals.

Yet the events did little to fundamentally alter the challenges for the authorities in an increasingly digital world, according to former law enforcement officials, prosecutors, historians and technology experts. The global sting is highly unlikely to keep criminals from using encryption and could encourage them to go even further underground, former and experts officials said. And while the F.B.I. has shown that it can recover stolen cryptocurrencies, doing so requires resources beyond the reach of most law enforcement agencies.

Ultimately, the cases were the latest iteration in the decades-long back and forth between lawbreakers and the F.B.I. in which both sides have seized on technological advances, whether it is criminals hiding behind encryption or investigators exploiting facial recognition, drones and other mechanisms.

"Police today are facing a situation of an explosion of data," said Yossi Carmil, the chief executive of Cellebrite, an Israeli company that has sold data extraction tools to more than 5,000 law enforcement agencies, including hundreds of small police departments across the United States. "The solutions are there. There is no real challenge to accessing the data."

Challenge of Encryption & Operation Trojan Shield - Continue Reading

You Don't Want to Let Your CEO Walk Into This - Control the Narrative

Congress Grills Colonial Pipeline's CEO & Takes Him to Task Last Week
For Basically No Security Plan & For Not Communicating Before Paying Ransom
Recommended Reading For Your CEO Before Testifying on Cyber Security and Data Breach

Colonial Pipeline may use recovered ransomware attack funds to boost cybersecurity
Editor: Both houses basically rip into this CEO and questions his decision making and position on cybersecurity. He wasn't prepared.

Senate Hearing: During a sometimes-tense Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, Blount indicated that the company did not consult with the FBI and other agencies before it paid the equivalent of $4.4 million in bitcoin to regain control of its systems.

Yes, and: Blount also testified that multifactor authentication was not used to secure the account suspected to have been exploited by hackers to gain access to company systems and that there was no plan in place to respond specifically to a ransomware attack.

Senators on both sides of the aisle criticized Blount, pointing out that the FBI and other agencies recommend against paying a ransom as it can encourage criminals to carry out future attacks and the funds could be used for criminal activities.

"My concern is how unprepared Colonial Pipeline was," Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) told reporters following the hearing. "I have small school districts in New Hampshire that are more prepared than Colonial Pipeline appeared to be, and that's really concerning."

House Hearing: Colonial Pipeline may use the recovered funds paid out to cyber criminals as part of a ransomware attack last month to increase cybersecurity, Joseph Blount, the company's president and CEO, said Wednesday.

"We are always in the process of hardening our systems and making investments in IT and cybersecurity at Colonial, so your request today, and putting an additional $2.2 million into hardening our systems further, is not a difficult one to address and agree to," Blount testified in response to a question from House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) on whether the ransom funds would be used to shore up security. Recommended Reading

Trickbot Investigation Shows Details of Massive Cybercrime Effort
Nearly a score of cybercriminals allegedly worked together to create the Trickbot malware and deploy it against more than a million users, an unsealed indictment claims.

The group behind the Trickbot malware operation, which infected more than a million systems in nearly a dozen countries, includes malware experts, freelance developers, and pay-as-you-go money mules, among other participants, according to an indictment against one developer unsealed this week.

Details from the indictment against Latvian national Alla Witte - charged with being a developer with the group - paints a picture of a sprawling, and largely ad hoc, organization that expanded its operations to include almost 20 different participants, and probably more. The group gave programming problems to potential developers, discussed which programmers suited their needs, and used a variety of cybercrime services to improve their operations. darkreading.com

CISA Expanding Mandatory Vulnerability Disclosure Program

Security Agency Will Use Bugcrowd, EnDyna for Platform

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is preparing to expand its vulnerability research and disclosure program, which is now mandatory for nearly all executive branch agencies within the federal government.

On Tuesday, CISA announced that it would establish a vulnerability disclosure policy platform for ethical hackers and security researchers to use to officially report bugs and flaws in applications and websites used by about 150 government agencies that fall under the umbrella of the federal civilian executive branch.

The cybersecurity agency is launching the disclosure platform in conjunction with Bugcrowd, which CISA will use to host the vulnerability disclosure platform, and EnDyna, a government IT contractor that will provide a SaaS component to the bug disclosure platform, according to the joint announcement (see: The Economics of Software Flaw Discoveries, Exploits). bankinfosecurity.com

NIST Releases Tips & Tactics for Control System Cybersecurity
NIST has developed an infographic, Tips and Tactics for Control Systems Cybersecurity, with quick steps control system owners/operators can take now to get started or refreshed on their cybersecurity journey and to help manage their control system cybersecurity risks. We also coordinated with the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to find out what resources they may recommend and included them below for you as well. nist.gov

Lying and Legislation

A major change in the rules regarding confession evidence is starting to gain traction in the United States. A United States Supreme Court case, Frazier v. Cupp (1969) allows investigators to use deceptive interrogation tactics in effort to get to the truth - but this is changing. The legislature in Illinois, with bipartisan support, has just voted to pass SB 2122 which outlaws the practice of using deception about evidence or the consequences of the crime to youthful offenders during an interrogation. Truth be told, it is unbelievable that this hasn't been the law the entire time. WZ was proud to have been consulted on this bill and help lead the charge for change across the US.

Read more here

Amazon Lobbies Against INFORM Act
Amazon is fighting against laws that could force it to verify third-party sellers' identities and give out their contact information

These acts would force e-commerce sites to verify third-party sellers' identities and provide contact information to customers.

Amazon has lobbied against new laws that would force it to investigate third-party sellers' identities more thoroughly, and share contact details for them with customers, Axios reports.

Amazon is fighting against a specific type of new legislation called INFORM acts, which have been proposed both at state and Congressional levels, per Axios.

These acts have been supported by retailers including Home Depot and Walgreens, and if passed they would require online retailers to verify the identity of third-party sellers and provide customers with contact details for the sellers. Amazon, along with fellow e-retailers Etsy and eBay, argues that the legislation endangers the privacy of third-party sellers.

"The INFORM Act favors large brick-and-mortar retailers, at the expense of small businesses that sell online, while doing nothing to prevent fraud and abuse or hold bad actors accountable," an Amazon spokesperson told Axios.

This week Amazon achieved a partial victory - the legislation was not attached to a sweeping tech and science funding bill that passed the Senate. The new US Innovation and Competition Act is aimed at keeping the US tech sector competitive with China. It still has to pass the House, and Axios notes that amendments that include INFORM legislation are still possible. businessinsider.com

The Same-Day Delivery Explosion
UPS Explores Same-Day Delivery Option

CEO says United Parcel is looking at same-day service employed by gig-economy players

United Parcel Service Inc. is exploring a same-day option, a delivery model that has been employed by gig-economy players, as the pandemic has accelerated the shift to e-commerce.

"We don't have a same-day product today, as you know, and so we're looking at it," Chief Executive Carol Tomé said in response to a question on an investor-day webcast Wednesday. "We don't have this all the way figured out, but we've got a team of people looking at it."

She said the company is testing the concept and didn't offer other details. A UPS spokesman said the company doesn't comment on its pilot programs. The idea comes as the acceleration of e-commerce has pushed retailers to add more curbside and same-day delivery options.

Amazon.com Inc., one of UPS's biggest customers, and Instacart Inc. are among the current providers of same-day delivery. Target owns Shipt, which does same-day deliveries from its stores as well as from chains like CVS and Petco. Food-delivery services such as DoorDash Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc. have expanded into groceries during the pandemic, though profits have been elusive.

UPS and rival FedEx Corp. have long provided overnight services but they generally don't deliver packages on the same day they receive them. Both companies have begun offering services where they pick up parcels from some stores in evenings and deliver them the next day. FedEx offers same-day services in limited markets. It has also been testing robots that could make deliveries of medicine, pizzas and other items to consumers' homes. wsj.com

GameStop unveils new CEO, CFO leading e-commerce transformation

Jersey City, NJ: $40K in cash, merchandise stolen from high-end sneaker store
Thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise was stolen from a high-end sneaker and apparel store in Jersey City, police said in radio transmissions. Jersey City police responded to Soled Out, on Newark Avenue, Friday morning and were told by employees that a break-in occurred sometime between 8 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. Friday, police said in radio transmissions. Police were told that one safe was stolen and another safe was broken into at the store, and $15,000 to $20,000 in cash, as well as $20,000 in merchandise was missing, according to the transmissions. nj.com

Santa Cruz, CA: Police in California recover 9 stolen vintage guitars valued at $225,000
Authorities recovered nine vintage guitars stolen by a $ 2 million robbery in Southern California almost a year ago. The San Francisco Chronicle reported late Saturday that the Santa Cruz police found the guitar after providing search warrants in three different locations in the city following hints from the Los Angeles Police Department. The instrument is worth a total of $ 225,0000. They were part of about $ 2 million in music equipment stolen from a Los Angeles County storage unit in July. Southern California police have made several arrests in connection with last year's case. Authorities later discovered that guitars were sold online through the Santa Cruz address. californianewstimes.com

DOJ Dallas: SENTENCING - ESLEVY VARGAS-AVILA - 22 Yrs Prison for Violently Robbing Two Traveling Diamond Salesmen
On June 7, Eslevy Vargas-Avila, 31, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for two counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of using or brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. In June 2016, Vargas-Avila and other co-conspirators conducted surveillance of jewelry stores to identify traveling jewelry salesmen. Vargas-Avila and the co-conspirators violently robbed two traveling salesmen at gunpoint in Tarrant County. This case was investigated by the FBI, Dallas Police Department, Garland Police Department, Arlington Police Department, and DFW Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Robinson prosecuted the case. justice.gov

Two Dominican Republic Citizens Plead Guilty to Mail Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Scheme

Toledo, OH: Woman, man charged with attempting to steal nearly $3,500 in JC Penney merch

West Monroe, LA: Man armed with Knife steals nearly $400 of merchandise (including Air-soft Rifle) from Academy Sports

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Shootings & Deaths

One of 14 people hurt in Austin mass shooting dies; 1 arrested
One of 14 people injured in a mass shooting in downtown Austin, Texas, has died, police say. Douglas John Kantor, 25, died from his injures around noon local time Sunday, Austin Police said in a release. Authorities have arrested one person in connection with the shooting early Saturday morning, Mayor Steve Adler's office said earlier. Officials released no information about the arrest. On Saturday, Austin Interim Police Chief Joseph Chacon told a press briefing that two of the injured were in critical condition.

Chacon said authorities had identified two male suspects, and added that it appeared this was an isolated incident between the two parties. The scene of the shooting in downtown Austin. Almost all of those injured were "innocent bystanders," the chief added.

Austin police got their first 911 call shortly before 1:30 a.m., followed by several more calls of shots fired, Chacon said. As shots rang out, officers on the block were able to immediately respond, he said. "They were there within seconds," the chief said. "And quickly identified several shooting victims that were in distress. They began immediate life-saving measures." He credits their speedy action, in part, for the lack of fatalities in the shooting. An 'uptick in gun violence'

Chacon said investigators are reviewing video footage from multiple sources, including the city's system of video surveillance cameras, to determine what happened. "Officers have their body-worn cameras, we have the public safety, HALO camera system which we have had for a number of years, which did capture parts of this incident," Chacon said. "And of course the local businesses themselves have security footage that we are reviewing for evidence." An ATF K9 unit surveys the area near the scene of the shooting. cnn.com

Atlanta, GA: Lenox Square Security Guard critically injured in shooting; 2 in custody
Atlanta police are investigating after a security guard was held at gunpoint and then shot during a robbery attempt at Lenox Square Mall Sunday night. According to witnesses, around 8:30 p.m. two masked gunmen appeared to attempt to enter the mall after it was closed. One suspect took off and ran across the street into the Westin reception area, a hotel employee said. Investigators say two suspects were taken into custody Sunday. The front of the Apple store at Lenox Square was damaged during the incident. According to officials, the security guard was taken to a nearby hospital and is listed in critical condition. An investigation continues. fox5atlanta.com

Concord, NC: Altercation in Concord Mall's parking lot near Charlotte preceded shooting, police say
Concord police said late Sunday that an afternoon altercation in the parking lot outside of the AMC 24 movie theater in Concord Mills mall left one person injured. Police initially said in a tweet at 4:15 p.m. that a suspect was in custody. He later was identified by police in a news release as Renzo Gabriel Carnevalini Medina, of Charlotte. heraldonline.com

Arizona Burger King erupts in gunfire during violent dispute, video shows
Surveillance footage sheds new light on a dispute inside an Arizona Burger King that ended in gunfire in March. The suspected shooter, Dakota Kern, was in a car with three other people as the driver tried to pick up a Postmates order in the drive-thru, according to an arrest warrant. Confusion about the order ensued, leading to Kern and other occupants parking the car and going into the Burger King, video obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix shows. Kern accused the employees of using a racial slur, so she allegedly started grabbing items and throwing them at the employees inside the restaurant.

Eventually, Kern and the other people left the Burger King, at which point an employee went outside to take pictures of the car's license plate with a camera phone. That's when Kern allegedly grabbed a 9MM handgun and chased one victim down, firing multiple shots at the employee. The employees ran back inside the store for their safety. One of the bullets traveled through the rear windshield of a car across the street and came to a stop in the driver's seat headrest, in the direction of the driver's head. Another stray round also struck an unoccupied vehicle in a parking lot. Kern, who was on probation at the time of the shooting for burglary, was arrested in April on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and five other charges. foxnews.com

Gary, IN: Security Guard shot, killed during bank robbery; 1 suspect in custody

Tucson, AZ: Man turns himself in after deadly shooting outside C-Store

North Nashville, TN: Man charged in fatal stabbing of woman inside liquor store

Baton Rouge, LA: Man shot to death while sitting in vehicle outside convenience store

Yonkers, NY: 3 Charged With Attempted Murder in Daytime Drive-by Shooting outside C-Store

Wellington, FL: Sheriff's deputies cleared in 2018 The Mall at Wellington Green Christmas Eve shooting

Robberies, Incidents & Thefts

Griffin, GA: CVS Surveillance video captures reported pharmacy burglary
City of Griffin detectives are working to track down thieves who allegedly broke into a drug store. The reported burglary happened in the overnight hours between June 6 and June 7 at the Hospital Discount Drugs on South 8th Street. According to a Facebook post, surveillance video captured two men entering the pharmacy area where the medication is stored. Police did not say how much medication was taken during the theft. A police spokesperson said the suspects had on gloves and ski masks. "The only thing that stands out on either individual is the white tennis shoe with the black (Nike) swoosh," according to police. Pharmacy robberies and burglaries appear to be a growing concern for metro Atlanta police departments. cbs46.com

O'Fallon, MO: Nebraska pair sentenced to decades in prison for multiple armed robberies across the Midwest

Port Charlotte, FL: Sub shop manager caught on camera stealing from cash register

Daily Totals:
• 20 robberies
• 5 burglaries
• 0 shootings
• 0 killed

Click to enlarge map

Joe Suarez named Regional Loss Prevention Manager for Goodwill Southern California

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Featured Job Spotlights

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