PCI DSS Version 3.0

PCI DSS Version 3 will soon be with us. Such is the anticipation that the PCI Security Standards Council have released a sneak preview ‘Change Highlights’ document.

The updated Data Security Standard highlights include a wagging finger statement which may be aimed at you if you are a Merchant or Acquiring Bank.

“Cardholder data continues to be a target for criminals. Lack of education and awareness around payment security and poor implementation and maintenance of the PCI Standards leads to many of the security breaches happening today”

In other words, a big part of the drive for the new version of the standard is to give it some fresh impetus. Just because the PCI DSS isn’t new, it doesn’t make it any less relevant today.

But What is the Benefit of the PCI DSS for Us?

To understand just how relevant cardholder data protection is, the hard facts are outlined in the recent Nilson report. Their findings are that global card fraud losses have now exceeded $11Billion. It’s not all bad news if you are a card brand or issuing bank – the losses are made slightly more bearable by the fact that the total of transactions now exceeds $21TRILLION.

http://www.nilsonreport.com/publication_the_current_issue.php?1=1

“Card issuer losses occur mainly at the point of sale from counterfeit cards. Issuers bear the fraud loss if they give merchants authorization to accept the payment. Merchant and acquirer losses occur mainly on card-not-present (CNP) transactions on the Web, at a call center, or through mail order”

This is why the PCI DSS exists and needs to be taken seriously with all requirements fully implemented, and practised daily. Card fraud is a very real problem and as with most crimes, if you think it won’t happen to you, think again. Ignorance, complacency and corner-cutting are still the major contributors to card data theft.

The changes are very much in line with NNT’s methodology of continuous, real-time security validation for all in scope systems – the PCI SSC state that the changes in version 3 of the standard include “Recommendations focus on helping organizations take a proactive approach to protect cardholder data that focuses on security, not compliance, and makes PCI DSS a business-as-usual practice”

So instead of this being a ‘Once a year, get some scans done, patch everything, get a report done from a QSA then relax for another 11 months’ exercise, the PCI SSC are trying to educate and encourage merchants and banks to embed or entrench security best practices within their everyday operations, and be PCI Compliant as a natural consequence of this.

Continuous FIM – The Foundation of PCI Compliance

In fact, taking a continuous FIM approach as the starting point for security and PCI compliance makes much sense. It doesn’t take long to set up, it will only tell you if you need to take action when you need to do so, will help to define a hardened build standard for your systems and will drive you to adopt the necessary discipline for change control, plus it will give you full peace of mind that systems are being actively protected at all times, 100% in line with PCI DSS requirements.

Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards(IFRS) by US Companies will change the role of finance professionals. On November 14, 2008, the SEC released its proposed roadmap for the adoption of IFRS in the US thus affirming SEC focus on moving towards global accounting standards. In the Roadmap, the SEC did not set a definitive adoption date, but rather set forth several milestones that, if achieved, could lead to the required use of IFRS by US issuers beginning in 2014. Early adoption is permitted for the qualified companies for the period ending as early as December 15, 2009.

Following are the major highlights of the roadmap-

SEC Roadmap

* 2009- Early adoption permitted for qualified companies for periods ending December 15, 2009

* 2011-SEC will evaluate the success of early adopters and progress against the pre-defined mile stones.

* 2014- IFRS filing for large accelerated filers for Fiscal years ending on or after December 15, 2014.

* 2015- IFRS filing for accelerated filers for Fiscal years ending on or after December 15, 2015

* 2016- IFRS filing for non- accelerated filers for Fiscal years ending on or after December 15, 2016.

Regardless of the date US companies are required to adopt IFRS, in the near-term one can see continued convergence between US GAAP and IFRS accounting standards, followed by ultimate conversion to IFRS.

An agreement between the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”), called the Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) pledges to improve both US GAAP and IFRSin 11 major topical areas such as revenue recognition, leasing, consolidation, financial instruments, debt and equity. The effects of these accounting changes reach far beyond just financial reporting.

We believe that the adoption is inevitable and would also be in the best interest of investors and companies as they move towards a single set of robust global accounting standards ensuring better transparency across nations.

Steps to be taken by US Companies to get IFRS Ready

-Understand the change – CEOs and CFOs of companies should know about the impact of IFRS on the entity as the change affects not just financial statements but also other regulatory, legal or operational obligations that rely on financial reporting.

-Perform an Initial assessment – Hire IFRS advisors to do a detailed and in depth assessment on the current process and practices.

-Impact on foreign subsidiaries – Consider how new adoption of standards will influence business across international boundaries. There might be a need to re-visit long term strategies, international taxation, financing and other processes.

-Corporate GRC (Governance, Reporting and Compliances- Starting early is the key to avoid huge costs later.

-Solid planning – Companies need to consider the short term and long term effect of conversion and prepare a timeline to effectively integrate them into existing processes.

-Impact of IFRS on US Companies Better transparency.

-Initial assessment of the differences in GAAP and IFRS accounting is necessary within a company

-Advanced accounting and financial systems needed for IFRS accounting

-Transitioning will require lot of work such as maintenance of dual ledgers, better information and reporting systems and increased costs

While IFRS implementation is focused on public companies, soon private companies will adopt too if they have overseas subsidiaries, foreign based operations or foreign based investors etc.

As the countries of the world continue to become more interconnected on a daily basis, increasing globalization is inevitable. Their economies are tied together in a web that cannot be undone. Despite this connection most countries have their own individual set of accounting standards. Currently, it is difficult to compare the financial statements of a company from one country to those of another. As globalization accelerates, the idea of harmonization between different countries’ accounting systems becomes more necessary. Though it is a complex challenge to construct and enforce a worldwide set of accounting standards, there would be many advantages. A uniform accounting system would lead to more comparable financial information, encourage international investment and trade, and minimize future economic crises.

The harmonization of accounting standards would allow for the financial statements of all companies to be comparable. If every financial statement was calculated following the same standards, it would be easier to compare one corporation’s performance to any others. It would even be possible to compare the financial statements of a firm in one country to those of a firm across the globe. There would be no confusion for any of the various financial statements users because they would all be prepared using the same standards. The enactment of a harmonized set of accounting standards would make the financial statements of different countries around the globe more comparable.

Easily comparable financial statements would help to facilitate international investment. Most individuals are only familiar with the financial statements of their country of residence. Foreign financial statements most often are not created following the same accounting policies. Though the information they convey may appear similar, one cannot make a proper comparison because the numbers were not calculated the same way. This can make international investment a bit more risky, and therefore less likely that the average individual will participate. If a universal set of accounting standards is into place, the flow of capital across international borders would increase. Everyone, from multinational firms to individuals, would easily be able to compare the financial statements of any firms in any country. Investors could be more certain about the financial health of a foreign company and would then be more likely to invest.

In addition to increasing international investment, harmonization would also have an effect on international trade. Today, firms often choose to buy products and natural resources from other countries because of greater abundance or better prices. Yet sometimes the international market for goods and resources can lead to disputes and tension. There are often disagreements over pricing caused by the usage of different accounting practices to calculate costs. For example, the lumber producers in the US have been submitting formal complaints against Canadian lumber producers for many years. They believe that the Canadian’s cost of softwood timber is too low. This allows the Canadian lumber producers to offer their goods at a more competitive price, while still maintaining a profitable margin. A lower cost gives Canada an unfair advantage in the international market. If a universal accounting method for cost was in place, both the US and Canada would calculate their costs the same way. There would be no reason to disagree, and all of the prices on the market could be more accurately and fairly compared.

A universal set of accounting standards could help to avoid some potential future economic crises. In the past, the inability to fully comprehend the information on foreign financial statements has aided the development of financial crises. One such crisis took place in Southeast Asia at the end of the 1990’s. This crisis began when investors believed the country could no longer maintain its levels of foreign investment and withdrew their money. The flight of capital invested in Thailand facilitated an economic crisis. A contagion effect influenced investors to remove their money from other Southeast Asian countries with similar economic traits, including Indonesia. Indonesia as well as other Southeast Asian countries fell into an economic crisis despite the fact that their financial information indicated health. If a universal set of accounting standards had been in place, there may never have been any unsustainable valuations in Thailand. Additionally, foreign investors would have had more confidence in their investments knowing the financial information was accurate. They could have made better decisions regarding their investments. In the future, harmonization could help to prevent this type of occurrence

Globalization makes it necessary for investors and firms to have access to financial information from companies around the world. It would be beneficial to create and enforce a set of universal accounting standards for every country. Financial information would be more transparent and easier to understand. Additionally, financial statements of firms in any country would be easy to compare. Harmonization would lead to an increase in international investment since investors would have more confidence in foreign financial information. International trade would also be affected, as universal accounting procedures would limit disputes. Finally, future economic crises due to misinformation and confusion could be avoided. Though the task of harmonization are daunting, it is evident that a universal set of accounting standards would have several benefits.

I got into a semi-heated conversation about infamous Puppy (Mill) Alley. For those of you unfamiliar AQHA Congress is the largest horse show in the United States it goes on for two weeks and has every class imaginable and lots and lots of shopping. Okay I have never been because living in California meant it was WAYYYY too far and since moving east I primarily had Paints.

And frankly I just don’t get Congress. Never have never will. To me it is a lot of money for one set of points. But to AQHA people it is like winning the dog world equivalent of Westminster. So yes I get it – I just don’t get it.

But at Congress is this area called Puppy Alley. Puppy Alley has loads and loads of cute adorable puppies. Lots and lots of squeezable soft cute as the dickens, take one home and love it forever puppies. For a nominal fee the folks at Congress let you set up and sell your puppies.

How adorable!

The dark side is this, guess where the puppy mills bring their puppies, and the Amish production breeders and the clueless backyard lets make a buck breeders come – well to CONGRESS! Because how can you resist a darling sweetums puppy!

And yes there are a few good breeders who do genetic testing there but for the most part see above. Oh and the even better part? When Congress is over many of these surplus puppies end up dumped at the pound. The Columbus animal rescues must just love October.

A Rottie friend and I were bemoaning this on Facebook. A lady piped in who got her Golden there who ended up with severe issues and was put to sleep at nine months of age. A few others as well, sick puppies, puppies that were not socialized but of course a couple who got their beloved friend at the show were unhappy.

They did not want to hear anything about their dog. And I get it I truly do. We love our pets but the fact is that for the most part – none of these dogs were well thought out with proper genetic testing done on their parents – they were just made to make a buck. I am very happy that for this guy it worked out – but not everyone has a happy ending and all this does is allow people to continue to make money and for the dogs to suffer.

So the discussion deteriorated (no yelling or hurt feelings) and it came down to this. He proclaimed that it did not matter to him that his dog did not meet the breed standard he was a pet.

And it really got me thinking. The Breed Standard is by definition the definition of our breed and without it our dogs have no identity. Now I have no clue what he meant by that, maybe it is a wrong color or it’s legs too long or short or whatever.

But think about it this way. For the horse folks – doesn’t it tick you off when someone proclaims they have a registered quarter horse and the horse has the hip of an Arabian, the legs of a Percheron a big roman nose a ewe neck and knee action that would make a Clydesdale envious? Oh and then they want to breed it because it is REGISTERED.

Oh yes horse people cringe and wonder how on earth can they can keep a straight face. Well to dog people when you buy a dog and it does not meet the breed standard and no thought went into it other than dollar signs that’s how we feel.

Or maybe I should brag to people about my high performance car and then point to my Hybrid Prius. Heck legally you cannot go over 65 and if you floor it going downhill it can hit 70 so whats the difference a car is a car right?

When I see an Aussie I want to see a dog that looks like an Aussie – not a large border collie or merle looking Corgi. Australian Shepherds should look like Australian Shepherds. The same with any other breed – the standard was made for a reason. They need to have a certain structure to do the job they were bred for. When they do not then more than likely they will have physical issues.

And of course even with genetic testing you can get issues – but through testing a good breeder can find ways to correct it or cut the line out of their program and spay or neuter and re-home. If you never test you never know – and the risks are so much lower in a good breeding program then the uterus meets sperm breeders.

I have spent so much money and time to find the perfect daddy for my Aussie, to do the progesterone, to do the genetic testing, the AI costs etc. Yet you talk to people and they think if it is a pet all that is unneeded. Well tell that to the lady who had to put her nine month old pet to sleep – she spent thousands and yet he is gone. I am sure the *breeder* will have another batch cooked up this year – and another batch of heart broken owners this time next year.

And even sadder is despite the drum beat of people warning people – people are eagerly awaiting the arrival of those cute puppies. A friend of mine suggested instead of Puppy Alley should instead opens it up to rescues. Wouldn’t that be a much better thing? I would much prefer to see breed rescues and other rescues get an opportunity to find good caring homes.

Just a thought.

PROVIDE LEADERSHIP ACROSS AN ORGANIZATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. COMMUNICATE MISSION AND GOALS TO THE WORKFORCE

• Clarify objectives, values and standards in accordance with the organizations strategic direction
• Establish linkages between organizational objectives, values and standards and the responsibilities of relevant groups and individuals
• Ensure media and language used is appropriate to individuals and group circumstances
• State clear expectations of internal groups and individuals and explain in a manner which builds commitment to the organisation
• Address expectations of the organisation
• Investigate incidents promptly and communicate results clearly to relevant groups and individuals

3. METHODS AND ETHICS USED TO INFLUENCE GROUPS

• Build trust, confidence and respect of diverse groups and individuals, through positive role modelling, and effective communication and consultation
• Embrace, resource and effectively implement improvements to organizational and workplace culture
• Demonstrate understanding of the global environment and new technology in work activities
• Ensure actions convey flexibility and adaptability to change and accessibility
• Ensure consultation and participation in decision making occurs with relevant groups and individuals where appropriate
• Ensure decision making takes into account needs and expectations of both internal and external groups
• Ensure decision making occurs in accordance with risk management plans for all options, and within appropriate time frames
• Ensure that the organisation is represented positively in the media and community

4. BUILD & SUPPORT WORK TEAMS

• Assign accountabilities and responsibilities to teams consistent with their competencies and operational plans
• Ensure teams are resourced to allow them to achieve their objectives
• Empower teams and individuals through effective delegation and support for their initiatives
• Create and maintain a positive work environment
• Encourage teams and individuals to develop innovative approaches to the performance of work

5. PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE

• Model ethical conduct in all areas of work and encourage others to adopt business ethics
• Adapt appropriate interpersonal and leadership styles to meet particular circumstances and situations
• Set and achieve personal objectives and work program outcomes
• Ensure self-performance and professional competence is continuously improved through engagement in a range of professional development activities
• Participate regularly in industry/professional networks and groups

6. CONCLUSION

7. RECOMMENDATIONS

1. INTRODUCTION

Whether you run a country, a large organisation or a small operation without leadership you are without a driving force or strategic direction.

Many of our great leaders displayed great leadership ability. Eisenhower made great statements in his time however the below statement is the one that means the most to me and is the driving force behind my personal leadership.

Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

This article answers questions about Leadership and the steps that can be taken to empower individuals as leaders. The article contains real life decisions made in a real organisation however many of the tools used have not been taught by formal education and you will find that leadership is more of a way of life rather than a simple process.

Leadership contains multiple processes which can be taught however I believe true great leaders are built by experience not education.

Go to the people. Learn from them.

Live with them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have.

The best of leaders when the job is done, when the task is accomplished, the people will say we have done it ourselves.

Lao Tzu

2. COMMUNICATE MISSION AND GOALS TO THE WORKFORCE

Clarify objectives, values and standards in accordance with the organizations strategic direction

Through staff induction we ensure that each of our new employees receive our Company Handbook which includes each of these three documents. The new employee’s team-leader takes the employee through the handbook and given the opportunity to ask questions and give feedback based on each of the topics. This is done as it forms an instant bond and understanding between the employee and their first point of call in the organisation.

In each of my companies we have a Mission Statement, a Company Creed and a Culture statement which is in line with our Strategic Plan. To create what I call ‘Buy-In’ I believe you must give clarity to those with the desired values the strategic direction of the organisation.

I found that simply writing these documents was not enough I needed ‘Buy-In’. I felt that I could provide a basic structure and a basis behind these things however I needed the staff to write them and believe in them. We surveyed our existing employees and created focus groups which developed a final set of statements which became our companies Mission, Creed and Culture.

Establish linkages between organizational objectives, values and standards and the responsibilities of relevant groups and individuals

One of my favorite statements is ‘Managers need to manage their staff however staff also need to manage their manager’. A leader does not have to have a title, the stature has no bearing. A leader just is, despite their title or duties.

We speak about diversity in the workplace however a true leader will understand that there is massive diversity in the world – the best diversity policies will need to be modified over time as not one organisation has met every personality, value or moral. The best leaders will understand that they need to be flexible where a policy may not. My company leaders are encouraged to apply our mission, creed and culture in situations where policies may become unclear and report the policy shortfall.

My teams are encouraged to see the organisation as their own and if they identify something that doesn’t work, do their best to fix it but not to the detriment of their existing duties. If it will add unnecessary pressure they are to report it to their point of call who will delegate it to someone who is more appropriate. We strive for congruence through the organisation and this can only be done with appropriate linkage between Job Descriptions, Policy, Empowerment and Leading by Example.

Ensure media and language used is appropriate to individuals and group circumstances

I am in a fortunate position. I have been in every role that my organisation has. My number-one rule is “Treat and speak with others the way that I would like to treated or spoken with” or better still – “sell an idea to others in the way that I would buy it”.

The advantage I have is that I understand and recall the benefits and shortfalls of each of the roles and offer an intelligent support for each of my employees either directly or indirectly. When you understand the positives you can draw on these and emulate them, when you understand the shortfalls you can empathize and offer solutions in overcoming them. Each group or individual is different however I have found that the positives and shortfalls are generally common. The wearer of many hats is a very diverse person.

State clear expectations of internal groups and individuals and explain in a manner which builds commitment to the organisation

Goal, Mission and Strategic congruence can only be gained if each employee has the same end in mind. It is important that there is clarity. My favorite exercise is a backwards plan. Have the goal in mind and plan the steps leading toward the goal. It is important to document these steps and place an appropriate timeframe on each step. Each step should be flexible however should also be kept to a timely manner.

In each focus group, social club, team or project group I have found that an appointed Group Leader is required. Each backward plan is submitted to the Group Leader for review to ensure the task will be on target and that the strategy is adhered to. This is important whether this is a short-term project or the daily duties of an employee.

Prior to the backward plan each member of the group needs clear and concise direction of their role in the group or Organisation. This should be documented and depending on the length of the project may be implemented in the Job Description of the group member/employee. If the backward plan is in reference to Key Performance Indicator regarding a daily duty i.e. if a telemarketer’s role is to book appointments and the telemarketer isn’t making the desired amount of calls over a day, you may break the day into four different sections and give the telemarketer a smaller target over each section – potentially between breaks. I have found that this appears to be more achievable and instant satisfaction can be a better motivator for some over others.

I have found it to be best practice to detail the aim of the project, each element required and the responsibility of the elected employee/group member. The project and should be discussed in both a group forum and a one on one format with each of the employees. This can be completed by either group training or through one on one effective performance management.

Address expectations of the organisation

In a perfect world, we could – at induction address expectations of the organisation and all employees would adhere and follow these. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world and different situations call for different actions. The best we can do is identify the common denominators based on historic data and common sense and apply them in our induction, ongoing training and company policy.

It is often important to cover policy and strategies frequently with all parties involved. Sometimes this is due to change but other times it is due to reinforcement. Like a fire evacuation drills – to ensure safety to all parties these must be practiced. If breaking policy was lethal the government would enforce mandatory policy testing.

The thing about common sense is that it is seldom common. As leaders we will over time need to interpret policy and common sense. Decision making is important and clarity is important when interpreting policy and guidelines. All leaders should be held at a higher standard if they are to be expected to apply interpretation to policy.

Investigate incidents promptly and communicate results clearly to relevant groups and individuals

It is vital when policy, strategic direction, company goals and or missions are not adhered to that they are identified and dealt with in a timely and appropriate manner. Dependent on the severity of the breach determines the best course of action.

It is equally important when the extra mile is taken regarding these things that appropriate recognition is given. Negative feedback should always be given in private and Positive feedback should mostly be done in public i.e. Dependent on the employees personality determines whether recognition should be public or private as some personality traits incur some embarrassment when praised in public. This can drive the wrong behavior in the future in the fear that the employee would be embarrassed.

Based on policy and the type of breach formal proceedings may be commenced. We have found that for minor breaches a verbal warning is generally appropriate for first offences followed with written warnings. As a good leader these policies apply without prejudice. Giving one employ a warning and not another for the same offence not only opens the organisation to legal ramifications but also potential morale issues. The same applies to positive reinforcement, if one employee receives a commendation for effort or adherence to policy another employee with the same results should also be commended either formally or informally depended on company policy.

3. METHODS AND ETHICS USED TO INFLUENCE GROUPS

Build trust, confidence and respect of diverse groups and individuals, through positive role modeling, and effective communication and consultation

Trust, confidence, respect, positive role modeling, effective communication and consultation are all essential elements of influencing groups and individuals in an ethical manner.

Trust is generally earned not demanded. Those who demand trust don’t ever fully receive or offer it. Leadership often includes the willingness to do any job that you expect another to do. If you wouldn’t do it how can you expect another person to do it? Some employers believe that a wage is enough however to gain the confidence of staff it is important to “get your hands dirty” some of the time.

Due to cultural diversity we must understand the difference between ethics and morals. In short, Ethics; involve knowing what is right and wrong and making a choice, Morals; is knowing what is right and wrong and simply doing what is right – there is no choice. We don’t all have appropriate morals nor can we 100% identify a person that has morals. As leaders we must role model ourselves and teach ethics by living and breathing best practice in all situations.

Based on our experiences, religious beliefs, cultural beliefs and upbringing (to mention a few) we may not always see eye to eye on things and interpret events differently. It is important to respect different views in which we may not understand or agree with as long as they don’t interfere with policy.

Embrace, resource and effectively implement improvements to organizational and workplace culture

The definition of culture

Anthropology- the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another.

Culture is made collectively over time and not by an individual and so – must be embraced, resourced and improvements implemented by all. We can do this through consultation with the staff, monitoring performance and morale.

As leaders in the organisation it is our responsibility to identify areas of improvement and suggesting them in a democratic environment to others in our group or culture. Our way of life on a social and economic level suggests that democracy will generally involve a majority rules philosophy. The delivery of changes to minorities is the key to good leadership. It is important to gain ‘Buy-In’.

A great technique I have used in the past is to speak with a couple of group members in advance, generally a loud vocal person who probably disagrees with everything and ask for their help in getting the idea over the line. Load the group in your favor, when others agree it is difficult for those who sit on the fence to not gain ‘Buy-In’.

Demonstrate understanding of the global environment and new technology in work activities

The possibility of career progression is important for all employees. All employees bring new skills to an organisation and some are never identified. Promoting ingenuity assists in the realization of the skills your team members have that may not have displayed in the past.

The need for technology is important as all organizations are making improvements on an ongoing basis so to keep a competitive advantage requires new technology and new intelligence in an Organisation

It is wise to constantly look for improvements and I have found that the resource most commonly able to identify improvements is the people doing the work. As a leader we must ensure that we actively listen to our team as it is the team that follow through with our processes and are most likely able to identify areas for improvement.

Ensure actions convey flexibility and adaptability to change and accessibility

All actions in business should be ‘POLM’ (Plan, Organize, Lead, Manage) based. All activities need to be monitored despite the length of time they have been in use. There is no place for rigidness in any process or organisation unless it is legislation based.

The continual need for improvement attribute in leaders should be encouraged. All policies should be flexible and adaptable as change is inevitable in all organizations. When policies and procedures are outdated organizations fall out of line with social standards and legal requirements.

Equal opportunity has changed over the last few decades. In today’s commercial environment despite age, gender, sexuality and even experience in some cases it has become socially and legally required to offer opportunity to all capable individuals. If policy or leaders do not comply with what is now acceptable – it is considered unacceptable. All leaders must be flexible and have the end goal in mind at all times and limit personal feelings regarding individuals.

When identifying and communicating problems I have found the best leaders already have solutions in mind. This is a typical demonstration of flexibility and forward thinking in leadership.

Ensure consultation and participation in decision making occurs with relevant groups and individuals where appropriate

Any parties concerned with the outcome of a decision, whether they be employees, middle management or key stake holders each should be involved in the decision making process. It is not always commercially viable or appropriate to involve all parties in the final decision however depending on the level of impact on affected parties each should be involved.

This is generally performed in our organisation through staff forums, team meetings, one on ones and confidential surveys. It is rare that all parties will agree with decisions made however it is important to maintain a level of consultation so all parties can feel heard.

Ensure decision making takes into account needs and expectations of both internal and external groups

Consideration and foresight are tools that can assist in avoiding major mistakes in decision making. Running simulations based on historic or forecasted data is the best way of identifying possible future problems with any decision making. Decision making generally involves change and at times there may be no historic data which makes it quite difficult to project possible scenarios.

A SWOT analysis will generally give you an opportunity to identify obvious Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Once on paper and in front of you other not so obvious scenarios become available to you.

Ensure decision making occurs in accordance with risk management plans for all options, and within appropriate time-frames

Once you have identified threats through the SWOT analysis you can apply risk management to any scenarios you have put together. It is only then that you can truly apply risk management. It is vital that with any implementation that the monitoring of statistics, morale and performance occurs.

Prior to implementation, time frames and projected results should be decided upon. If forecasts are not being met or there is a dramatic cultural change you should have a backup plan to either revert back to the previous method or have a modification in mind based on threats you have identified prior to implementation.

Ensure that the organisation is represented positively in the media and community

Social governance and acceptability is vital for a successful work environment. When employees are not comfortable coming to work – they won’t!

We must also have a good reputation with a number of social networks including but not limited to Job Networks and the local geographical area as recruitment is important to all businesses.

When communicating with the public your message should be honest and have integrity whether you are recruiting or selling a product or service.

4. BUILD & SUPPORT WORK TEAMS

Assign accountabilities and responsibilities to teams consistent with their competencies and operational plans

A job description exists to give a staff member a guideline to the role they are employed to do. Responsibilities are generally quite broad however a good job description will include reference to training and procedure manuals that will identify more detailed tasks.

Targets and KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) are generally assigned to job roles based on KRA’s (Key Result Area’s) and can alter from month to month dependent on how they are measured. If a month consists of more working days then generally a higher expectation of results would be expected.

Accountabilities must fall in line with the key responsibilities of an individual or group’s job description or function. An individual or group cannot be held accountable for duties that they are not responsible for i.e. a receptionist cannot be held accountable for a bookkeeping mistake if he/she has no bearing on bookkeeping.

Ensure teams are resourced to allow them to achieve their objectives

Ensuring teams are resourced covers a number of different aspects.

Firstly, the tools required to complete a task is necessary. Providing the appropriate hardware, software, environment and supervision is mandatory.

Secondly, staff allocation. The staff must be allocated appropriately to complete tasks in appropriate timeframes. Two staff cannot complete a ‘ten staff project’ in the same time-frame.

Thirdly, the importance of training! Unless employees are trained appropriately on how to perform their tasked in line with expectations they cannot be expected to perform their duties in line with company policy.

Empower teams and individuals through effective delegation and support for their initiatives

Personal, Business and Cultural growth is developed through empowerment of others through effective delegation. As a business grows there is a need for personal growth in employees as it is often the case that promotion is done to cope with increased need for management and supervision.

Hiring externally is sometimes necessary however where possible it is better to offer the opportunity to an existing employee. Before this can occur it is wise to develop existing staff whilst in their current positions however with additional duties and decision making capabilities.

Through initiatives like this it is important to monitor carefully the progress and support decisions made with the intention to coach if poor decisions are made and recognize and reward good decisions. Like all roles delegation comes with training and supervision if the task is certain to be carried out successfully. In our organisation we prefer to take small steps leading into more responsibility.

Create and maintain a positive work environment

Consistency, visibility and clear targets along with a friendly, productive culture create the basis for a positive work environment. In our industry we deal with the most negative situations on a daily basis. We must go the extra mile within our industry.

We have more frequent ‘fun’ days which may consist of a theme or guest visitor. It is important to allow the staff to be involved in preparation or in planning these types of events. Management consistently has a presence in the work area so the staff members see the involvement and feel a part of the bigger picture. This cannot be underestimated and if having issues with performance this certainly cannot be overlooked.

Encourage teams and individuals to develop innovative approaches to the performance of work

Through empowering and delegation we have been able to see through the eyes of our frontline staff. Consulting and involving staff in important changes and initiatives has actually empowered our business. We have found a strategic goal that is congruent from frontline to directors and embraced ‘Buy-In’.

We have found that through some of the changes we have made through this consultation has strengthened our bond with our staff and they continue to bring further ideas on a daily basis.

Once faith and trust has been demonstrated to the staff the smallest appreciation statement is as valued by that staff member as any dollar value incentive.

5. PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE

Model ethical conduct in all areas of work and encourage others to adopt business ethics

I do and will continue to lead an ethical Organisation in a highly scrupulous industry. We are held in high stature with our clients and competitors due to our ethics and problem solving ability. We treat our clients with honesty and consultation and their customers with integrity and respect.

When hard decisions need to be met I ensure consideration all key stakeholders despite their level of affect or input.

When team member requires advice I give them the best advice not simply what will work for the business at the time, it must also be the best advice for their own growth. I allow the “penny to drop” for my staff by asking them to follow a process in identifying solutions. This generally consists of breaking down their questions and analyzing what they wish to know. I then offer scenarios which are similar and ask them to apply the question to the different scenarios. Generally they find the answer for themselves and can follow this process with other tasks. They are now empowered to make educated decisions.

I work with my team to assist in reaching the goal. I am a firm believer in supporting the team and that no question is a stupid question no matter how many times you need to ask.

Adapt appropriate interpersonal and leadership styles to meet particular circumstances and situations

When there are issues I believe it is important to help, this is how I believe we can truly lead by example. It is not always wise to fix every problem for people as they will never try and fix the problem for themselves. I have found teaching problem solving techniques allows ownership of problems and resource to resolve future issues. Simply fixing problems for employees demonstrates that when there is a problem they should come to you to resolve it. This is not good leadership.

I currently wear many hats, one day I may need to relate to a 17 year old inexperienced person and the next a 63 year old individual. Each employee requires a different approach or resolution. The methods are generally the same however your delivery or references may differ in the effort to relate to your employee. At times we have to sell concepts to staff for their ‘Buy-In’

Set and achieve personal objectives and work program outcomes

With most great Leaders time management and goal setting is a must. When a group of tasks are required to be completed in a time frame generally documenting a task list is an appropriate method to ensure achievement of goals and personal objectives.

It is often prudent to identify the benefits and liabilities behind either completing or not completing tasks. Once you can identify these things you can find the drive to take action despite the task at hand.

It is important that your goals and objectives are in line with the strategy direction and mission statement of the organisation.

Ensure self-performance and professional competence is continuously improved through engagement in a range of professional development activities

Further education and education upkeep is a must as a leader. In an ever-changing world or environment we must remain the source of leadership. Without current knowledge it is hard to lead effectively. We must change with the world or environment as it changes.

Most leaders strive and target themselves against previous best performance. When you give yourself and your team clear measurement tools such as KPI’s and KRA’s it is easy to measure performance. All roles can have KPI’s and KRA’s, whether you are a business owner, Director, Sales Manager or Frontline Worker.

As a CEO, not only do I look to improve myself but also look to improve my team. We all participate in further education whether it is internal training or external training.

Participate regularly in industry/professional networks and groups

There are a number of steps with personal and business development available. The problem with documented education is that it is mostly past tense. To obtain a strategic, competitive advantage we must look for new education. Industries are educators however they have “on the job” education.

It is important that we use a combination of documented education and industry identified solutions. Appropriate allocation of education is important and must remain ethical as far as intellectual property.

Networks are built over time and gain strength with longevity. It is important to consult with successful industry leaders. I have found that surrounding yourself with successful people attracts success.

6. Conclusion

Leadership consists of a number of trained applications along with an internal makeup of attributes.

Running any business, organisation or completing any multi-person tasks requires an individual to take control and delegate responsibility and accountability to group members. I have identified that allowing our environment to take control leaves any outcome as a possibility. If one truly wants to set a goal and have a desired outcome we must take lead and challenge the environment.

Decision making can only be done by a leader as a follower needs a decision to follow. Any decision, good or bad is better than no decision.

Great Leaders are flexible individuals who will consider many avenues prior to making decisions. They are consultative and open to others influence. They are not content unless moving forward toward a goal.

As a leader we must communicate our organization’s mission and goals to our workforce. Without understanding and clarity the mission cannot be followed with integrity. In the interest of best practice and reputation we must continually question our ethics and ensure that the right message is delivered through our mission and goals.

When building teams there must always be support mechanisms in place to allow communication to flow freely. Most missions refer to industry leadership and providing good service. Without good communication and support mechanisms we cannot ensure that each individual understands and adheres to our mission and goals.

7. Recommendations

We must always demonstrate our leadership by walking the walk. I have found that you manifest what you focus on and a great leader should be focused on the goal. To gain true organizational goal congruence each staff member or colleague must look up to and be inspired by their leaders and their mission as this is the essence of leadership and a certainty for success.

Involve your employees in business decisions, hand over small responsibilities and show them what it means to be a leader. Don’t allow your environment to control you, take action and lead the way. If you don’t have a mentor or someone who inspires you attend seminars of industry leaders. Learn about people and behavioral science, once you know what makes people tick then you can make them tick too.

By Ben Blanch

White hat SEO is the practice of optimizing a website to rank in search engine indexes. Search engines utilize certain algorithms to index pages and websites. Page indexing is important for websites so as to rank when certain keywords are used. Search engines like Google have their own published guidelines for a website to rank using ethical techniques. By following search engines standards, websites can secure their ranking for a longer period.

White hat SEO runs against some unethical tactics that go against search engine optimization standards. Unethical tactics may secure the rank of a website quickly, but as soon as Google detects these techniques implemented on a site, it is a one-way trip to oblivion. Google has the power to ban certain sites from appearing on their search results due to acts such as plagiarism, inappropriate content, copyright infringement, and abusive sites among others. With the risk too great, white hat SEO is the best option for increasing web traffic.

How White Hat SEO Ranks Sites

Utilizing white hat SEO techniques in increasing web rank is a long-term investment due to the reduced risk of getting banned by search engines. A website can slowly, but surely rank higher through site optimization, producing quality content, and guest blogging among other techniques following standards and guidelines. With increased relevant content and better wording as an example, people looking for certain information would be led to your website, increasing web traffic.

A site with a high number of quality content can easily increase the number of human visitors, thus increasing relevance of content. This translates to higher rankings and better chances of visitor involvement. Quality content may take time in production, but with more time put into it, the more a user would be able to take away information during a visit. Investing time in well-researched, well-worded content should be done, and this practice should continue until the site gains a veritable amount of content, solidifying its ranking on search engine results.

Site optimization can occur for existing content in a website. Through site optimization, the needed changes for content structure, wording, and positioning can help get better relevance and search results. This is a good option for sites with content that do not rank, as modifying old content is faster than creating new content.

Guest posting is the technique of writing articles for popular sites to create a link to your website. This benefits the popular site for free content, and the guest poster gains a platform for advertising their site easily.

Relevance and Rank

The rank and relevance of a website easily translates to revenue and sales in their end. With more views, there are more prospects to contact. The longer a visitor stays in the site, the larger the chance that they are interested in what the website has. This is why good and quality content is key – to make the visitors stay longer and get hooked. Unlike unethical tactics in SEO which occasionally use pages that are not user-friendly, the user experience in white hat SEO sites are top-notch. A good relevance and rank can easily be the best marketing your website will need.

California Assembly Bill 2276 requires that all home air cleaners sold in the state meet stringent requirements for safety and show that any ozone that may be emitted by the air purifiers must meet ozone limits, that is, be lower than or equal to predetermined standards. California’s Air Resources Board states:

In accordance with California Assembly Bill 2276 (2006, Pavley), the Air Resources Board (ARB) developed and adopted a regulation in September 2007 to limit the ozone emitted from indoor air cleaning devices in order to protect public health. All air cleaning devices sold in California must meet the regulation requirements by October 18, 2010, the full compliance date.

While the standards apply only to California, they are actually excellent for residents of all states because the independent testing of the air purifiers shows which ones meet the stringent standards and which ones do not. When purchasing an air cleaner for your home environment, particularly if a family member is asthmatic, don’t you want the best and the safest? Don’t you want to make sure you purchase one that does not emit ozone, an odorless gas that is believed to make the home environment worse for asthmatics and allergy sufferers? Don’t you want to purchase one that has met independent standards for electrical safety?

Any indoor air cleaning device that does not meet California’s standards but is sold on the internet or by catalog is required to display a notice that states: Does not meet California requirements; cannot be shipped to California. The Air Resources Board even addresses air purifiers manufactured in CA that do not meet the requirements but that will be sold only out of state. The concern is that any units returned to the manufacturer may go into use in California and, therefore, the manufacturer must affix the does-not-meet-standards labels.

Ozone is Okay High in the Sky, but Not at Ground Level. Although a layer of ozone high in Earth’s atmosphere protects the planet from 99% of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation, ground-level ozone is a key ingredient of smog and has a negative effect on the air we breathe. Some air purifiers sold in California (the Sharper Image’s Ionic Breeze is often given as an example) emit ozone as a byproduct of the generation of negative ions using ultraviolet light. Even after elevated levels of ozone were reported to be a cause of lung disease, attacks by asthma sufferers, hospitalizations, and even premature death, companies continued to sell ozone-producing air cleaners in California.

Although the public was advised of the potential health hazards, excellent marketing seemed to compel California residents to continue to purchase these potentially hazardous air cleaning units. To stop such devices from being sold in California, Assembly Bill 2276 was passed. Go to CA ARB. Calling for a state agency to enforce standards for indoor air cleaning devices, California’s Air Resources Board created testing requirements for independent laboratories as well as standards to be met in order for an air purifier to meet certification requirements. On the ARB site given above, you will find links to a page listing the air purifiers that meet California’s 2010 standards as well as a link to the page listing the air cleaners / ozone generators that are considered potentially hazardous.

INTRODUCTION:

In today’s digital economy, where many important activities are carried out with the help of computer, the need for reliable, simple, flexible and secure system is a great concern and a challenging issue for the organisation. Day by day security breaches and transaction fraud increases, the need for secure identification and personal verification technologies is becoming a great concern to the organisation. By measuring something unique about an individual and using that to identify, an organisation can dramatically improve their security measures. Awareness of security issues is rapidly increasing among company how they want to protect the information which is a greatest asset that the company possesses. The organisation wants to protect this information from either internal or external threat. Security plays a very important role in the organization and to make computer system secure, various biometric techniques have been developed. Today biometric techniques are a reliable method of recognising the identity of a person based on physiological or behavioral characteristics. Biometrics techniques exploit human’s unique physical or behavioral traits in order to authenticate people. The features measured are face, fingerprints, hand geometry, iris, retinal, voice etc. Biometric authentication is increasingly being used in areas like banking, retailing, defense, manufacturing, health industry, stock exchange, public sector, airport security, internet security etc. Biometric technologies are providing a highly-secure identification and personal verification solutions. Biometric techniques are an attempt in providing a robust solution to many challenging problems in security. Biometrics focuses on the analysis of physical or behavioral traits that determine individual identity. Biometrics can he used to verify the identity of an individual based on the measurement and analysis of unique physical and behavioral data. Indeed, biometrics techniques increasingly are being viewed as the preferred means to confirm an individual’s identity accurately.

The history of biometric techniques is not new, it trace its origin from the past. The ancient biometric technique which was practiced was a form of finger printing being used in China in the 14th century, as reported by the Portuguese historian Joao de Barros. The Chinese merchants were stamping children’s palm and footprints on paper with ink to distinguish the babies from one another. Biometrics the ancient Greek word is the combination of two words -bio means life, metric means measurement.It is the study of methods for uniquely recognizing humans based upon physical or behavioral characterstics. The physiological characterstics are fingerprint, face, hand geometry, DNA and iris recognition. Behavioral are related to the behavior of a person like signature, study of keystroke, voice etc. Thus a biometric system is essentially a pattern recognition system which makes a personal identification by determining the authenticity of a specific physiological or behavioral characteristic possessed by the user. Biometric characteristics are collected using a device called a sensor. These sensors are used to acquire the data needed for verification or identification and to convert the data to a digital code. The quality of the device chosen to capture data has a significant impact on the recognition results. The devices could be digital cameras for face recognition, ear recognition etc or a telephone for voice recognition etc. A biometric system operates in verification mode or identification mode. In verification mode the system validates a person identity by comparing the captured biometric data with the biometric template stored in the database and is mainly used for positive recognition. In the identification mode the system captures the biometric data of an individual and searches the biometric template of all users in the database till a match is not found.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BIOMETRIC TECHNIQUES

o Face Recognition

The biometric system can automatically recognize a person by the face. This technology works by analyzing specific features in the face like – the distance between the eyes, width of the nose, position of cheekbones, jaw line, chin ,unique shape, pattern etc. These systems involve measurement of the eyes, nose, mouth, and other facial features for identification. To increase accuracy these systems also may measure mouth and lip movement.Face recognition captures characteristics of a face either from video or still image and translates unique characteristics of a face into a set of numbers. These data collected from the face are combined in a single unit that uniquely identifies each person. Sometime the features of the face are analyzed like the ongoing changes in the face while smiling or crying or reacting to different situation etc.The entire face of the person is taken into consideration or the different part of the face is taken into consideration for the identity of a person. It is highly complex technology. The data capture by using video or thermal imaging. The user identity is confirmed by looking at the screen. The primary benefit to using facial recognition as a biometric authenticator is that people are accustomed to presenting their faces for identification and instead of ID card or photo identity card this technique will be beneficial in identifying a person. As the person faces changes by the age or person goes for plastic surgery, in this case the facial recognition algorithm should measure the relative position of ears, noses, eyes and other facial features.

o Hand Geometry:

Hand geometry is techniques that capture the physical characteristics of a user’s hand and fingers. It analyses finger image ridge endings, bifurcations or branches made by ridges. These systems measure and record the length, width, thickness, and surface area of an individual’s hand. It is used in applications like access control and time and attendance etc. It is easy to use, relatively inexpensive and widely accepted. A camera captures a 3 dimensional image of the hand. A verification template is created and stored in the database and is compared to the template at the time of verification of a person. Fingerprint identification.Currently fingerprint readers are being built into computer memory cards for use with laptops or PCs and also in cellular telephones, and personal digital assistants. It is successfully implemented in the area of physical access control.

o Eye Recognition:

This technique involves scanning of retina and iris in eye. Retina scan technology maps the capillary pattern of the retina, a thin nerve on the back of the eye. A retina scan measures patterns at over 400 points. It analyses the iris of the eye, which is the colored ring of tissue that surrounds the pupil of the eye. This is a highly mature technology with a proven track record in a number of application areas. Retina scanning captures unique pattern of blood vessels where the iris scanning captures the iris. The user must focus on a point and when it is in that position the system uses a beam of light to capture the unique retina characterstics.It is extremely secure and accurate and used heavily in controlled environment. However, it is expensive, secure and requires perfect alignment and usually the user must look in to the device with proper concentration. Iris recognition is one of the most reliable biometric identification and verification methods. It is used in airports for travellers.Retina scan is used in military and government organization. Organizations use retina scans primarily for authentication in high-end security applications to control access, for example, in government buildings, military operations or other restricted quarters, to authorized personnel only. The unique pattern and characteristics in the human iris remain unchanged throughout one’s lifetime and no two persons in the world can have the same iris pattern.

o Voice Biometrics

Voice biometrics, uses the person’s voice to verify or identify the person. It verifies as well as identifies the speaker. A microphone on a standard PC with software is required to analyze the unique characteristics of the person. Mostly used in telephone-based applications. Voice verification is easy to use and does not require a great deal of user education. To enroll, the user speaks a given pass phrase into a microphone or telephone handset. The system then creates a template based on numerous characteristics, including pitch, tone, and shape of larynx. Typically, the enrollment process takes less than a minute for the user to complete. Voice verification is one of the least intrusive of all biometric methods. Furthermore, voice verification is easy to use and does not require a great deal of user education.

o Signature Verification

Signature verification technology is the analysis of an individual’s written signature, including the speed, acceleration rate, stroke length and pressure applied during the signature. There are different ways to capture data for analysis i.e. a special pen can be used to recognize and analyze different movements when writing a signature, the data will then be captured within the pen. Information can also be captured within a special tablet that measures time, pressure, acceleration and the duration the pen touches it .As the user writes on the tablet, the movement of the pen generates sound against paper an is used for verification. An individual’s signature can change over time, however, which can result in the system not recognizing authorized users. Signature systems rely on the device like special tablet, a special pen etc. When the user signs his name on an electronic pad, rather than merely comparing signatures, the device instead compares the direction, speed and pressure of the writing instrument as it moves across the pad.

o Keystroke

This method relies on the fact that every person has her/his own keyboard-melody, which is analysed when the user types. It measures the time taken by a user in pressing a particular key or searching for a particular key.

OTHER BIOMETRIC TECHNIQUES ARE

o Vein/vascular patterns: Analyses the

veins in, for example, the hand and the face.

o Nail identification: Analyses the tracks in the nails.

o DNA patterns: it is a very expensive technique and it takes a long time for verification/identification of a person

o Sweat pore analysis: Analyses the way pores on a finger are located.

o Ear recognition: Shape and size of an ear are unique for every person.

o Odour detection: Person is verified or identified by their smell.

o Walking recognition: It analyses the way the person walks.

METHODS OF BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION:

o VERIFICATION : is the process of verifying the user is who they claim to be.

o IDENTIFICATION : is the process of identifying the user from a set of known users.

WORKING OF BIOMETRICS:

All biometric systems works in a four-stage process that consists of the following steps.

o Capture: A biometric system captures the sample of biometric characteristics like fingerprint, voice etc of the person who wants to login to the system.

o Extraction: Unique data are extracted from the sample and a template is created. Unique features are then extracted by the system and converted into a digital biometric code. This sample is then stored as the biometric template for that individual.

o Comparison: The template is then compared with a new sample. The biometric data are then stored as the biometric template or template or reference template for that person.

o Match/non-match: The system then decides whether the features extracted from the new sample are a match or a non-match with the template. When identity needs checking, the person interacts with the biometric system, a new biometric sample is taken and compared with the template. If the template and the new sample match, the person’s identity is confirmed else a non-match is confirmed.

[Biometric Authentication System and its functional components]

The Biometric authentication system includes three layered architecture:

o Enroll: A sample is captured from a device, processed into a usable form from which a template is constructed, and returned to the application.

o Verify: One or more samples are captured, processed into a usable form, and then matched against an input template. The results of the comparison are returned.

o Identify: One or more samples are captured, processed into a usable form, and matched against a set of templates. A list is generated to show how close the samples compare against the top candidates in the set.

A biometric template is an individual’s sample, a reference data, which is first captured from the selected biometric device. Later, the individual’s identity is verified by comparing the subsequent collected data against the individual’s biometric template stored in the system. Typically, during the enrollment process, three to four samples may be captured to arrive at a representative template. The resultant biometric templates, as well as the overall enrollment process, are key for the overall success of the biometric application. If the quality of the template is poor, the user will need to go through re-enrollment again. The template may be stored, within the biometric device, remotely in a central repository or on a portable card.

Storing the template on the biometric device has the advantage of fast access to the data. There is no dependency on the network or another system to access the template. This method applies well in situations when there are few users of the application. Storing the template in a central repository is a good option in a high-performance, secure environment. Keep in mind that the size of the biometric template varies from one vendor product to the next and is typically between 9 bytes and 1.5k. For example, as a fingerprint is scanned, up to 100 minutia points are captured and run against an algorithm to create a 256-byte binary template. An ideal configuration could be one in which copies of templates related to users are stored locally for fast access, while others are downloaded from the system if the template cannot be found locally.

Storing the template on a card or a token has the advantage that the user carries his or her template with them and can use it at any authorized reader position. Users might prefer this method because they maintain control and ownership of their template. However, if the token is lost or damaged, the user would need to re-enroll. If the user base does not object to storage of the templates on the network, then an ideal solution would be to store the template on the token as well as the network. If the token is lost or damaged, the user can provide acceptable identity information to access the information based on the template that can be accessed on the network. The enrollment time is the time it takes to enroll or register a user to the biometric system. The enrollment time depends on a number of variables such as: users’ experience with the device or use of custom software or type of information collected at the time of enrollment

Biometric Performance Measures:

o False acceptance rate (FAR) or False match rate (FMR): the probability that the system incorrectly declares a successful match between the input pattern and a non-matching pattern in the database. It measures the percent of invalid matches. These systems are critical since they are commonly used to forbid certain actions by disallowed people.

o False reject rate (FRR) or False non-match rate (FNMR): the probability that the system incorrectly declares failure of match between the input pattern and the matching template in the database. It measures the percent of valid inputs being rejected.

o Receiver (or relative) operating characteristic (ROC): In general, the matching algorithm performs a decision using some parameters (e.g. a threshold). In biometric systems the FAR and FRR can typically be traded off against each other by changing those parameters. The ROC plot is obtained by graphing the values of FAR and FRR, changing the variables implicitly. A common variation is the Detection error trade-off (DET), which is obtained using normal deviate scales on both axes.

o Equal error rate (EER): The rates at which both accept and reject errors are equal. ROC or DET plotting is used because how FAR and FRR can be changed, is shown clearly. When quick comparison of two systems is required, the ERR is commonly used. Obtained from the ROC plot by taking the point where FAR and FRR have the same value. The lower the EER, the more accurate the system is considered to be.

o Failure to enroll rate (FTE or FER): the percentage of data input is considered invalid and fails to input into the system. Failure to enroll happens when the data obtained by the sensor are considered invalid or of poor quality.

o Failure to capture rate (FTC): Within automatic systems, the probability that the system fails to detect a biometric characteristic when presented correctly.

o Template capacity: the maximum number of sets of data which can be input in to the system.

For example, performance parameters associated with the fingerprint reader may be:

o a false acceptance rate of less than or equal to 0.01 percent

o a false rejection rate of less than 1.4 percent

o the image capture area is 26×14 mm.

Obviously, these two measures should be as low as possible to avoid authorized user rejection but keep out unauthorized users. In applications with medium security level a 10% False Rejection Error will be unacceptable, where false acceptance rate error of 5% is acceptable.

False Acceptance When a biometric system incorrectly identifies an individual or incorrectly verifies an impostor against a claimed identity. Also known as a Type II error. False Acceptance Rate/FAR

The probability that a biometric system will incorrectly identify an individual or will fail to reject an impostor. Also known as the Type II error rate.

It is stated as follows:

FAR = NFA / NIIA or FAR = NFA / NIVA

where FAR is the false acceptance rate

NFA is the number of false acceptances

NIIA is the number of impostor identification attempts

NIVA is the number of impostor verification attempts

False Rejection Rate/FRR The probability that a biometric system will fail to identify an enrollee, or verify the legitimate claimed identity of an enrollee. Also known as a Type I error rate.

It is stated as follows:

FRR = NFR / NEIA or FRR = NFR / NEVA

where FRR is the false rejection rate

NFR is the number of false rejections

NEIA is the number of enrollee identification attempts

NEVA is the number of enrollee verification attempts

Crossover Error Rate (CER)

Represents the point at which the false reject rate = the false acceptance rate.

Stated in percentage

Good for comparing different biometrics systems

A system with a CER of 3 will be more accurate than a system with a CER of 4

BIOMETRICS USE IN INDUSTRY

Punjab National Bank (PNB) installed its first biometric ATM at a village in Gautam Budh Nagar (UP) to spread financial inclusion. “The move would help illiterate and semi-literate customers to do banking transaction any time.

Union Bank of India biometric smart cards launched. Hawkers and small traders could avail loan from the bank using the card.

In Coca-Cola Co., hand-scanning machines are used to replace the time card monitoring for the workers. In New Jersey and six other states, fingerprint scanners are now used to crack down on people claiming welfare benefits under two different names.

In Cook County, Illinois, a sophisticated camera that analyzes the iris patterns of an individual’s eyeball is helping ensure that the right people are released from jail. At Purdue University in Indiana, the campus credit union is installing automated teller machines with a finger scanner that will eliminate the need for plastic bankcards and personal identification numbers.

MasterCard International Inc. and Visa USA Inc., the world’s two largest credit card companies, have begun to study the feasibility of using finger-scanning devices at the point of sale to verify that the card user is really the card holder. The scanners would compare fingerprints with biometric information stored on a microchip embedded in the credit card.

Walt Disney World in Orlando has started taking hand scans of people who purchase yearly passes. These visitors now must pass through a scanner when entering the park preventing them from lending their passes to other people.

The technology also received widespread attention at summer’s Olympic Games Atlanta, where 65,000 athletes, coaches and officials used a hand-scanning system to enter the Olympic Village.

Selection of Biometric Techniques:

There are a lot of decision factors for selecting a particular biometric technology for a specific application.

1. Economic Feasibility or Cost:-The cost of biometric system implementation has decreased recently; it is still a major barrier for many companies. Traditional authentication systems, such as passwords and PIN, require relatively little training, but this is not the case with the most commonly used biometric systems. Smooth operation of those systems requires training for both systems administrators and users.

2. Risk Analysis:-Error rates and the types of errors vary with the biometrics deployed and the circumstances of deployment. Certain types of errors, such as false matches, may pose fundamental risks to business security, while other types of errors may reduce productivity and increase costs. Businesses planning biometrics implementation will need to consider the acceptable error threshold.

3. Perception of Users:-Users generally view behavior-based biometrics such as voice recognition and signature verification as less intrusive and less privacy-threatening than physiology-based biometrics.

4. TechnoSocio Feasibility:-Organizations should focus on the user-technology interface and the conditions in the organizational environment that may influence the technology’s performance. The organization should create awareness among the users how to use the techniques and should overcome the psychological factors as user fears about the technology. Organization has to also consider the privacy rights of users while implementing the biometric techniques.

5. Security: Biometric techniques should have high security standards if they will be implemented in high secure environment. The biometric techniques should be evaluated on the basis of their features, potential risk and area of application, and subjected to a comprehensive risk analysis.

6. User friendly and social acceptability -Biometric techniques should be robust and user friendly to use and they should function reliably for a long period of time. The techniques should not divide the society into two group i.e. digital and non digital society.

7. Legal Feasibility-Government has to form a regulatory statutory framework for the use of biometric techniques in various commercial applications. It should form a standard regulatory framework for use of these techniques in commercial applications or transactions. If required the framework has to be regulated and changed time to time.

8. Privacy-As biometric techniques rely on personal physical characteristics, an act has to be made to protect the individual’s privacy data not to be used by other. A data protection law has to be created in order to protect the person’s privacy data.

Criteria for evaluating biometric technologies.

The reliability and acceptance of a system depends on the effectiveness of the system, how the system is protected against unauthorized modification, knowledge or use, how the systems provide solutions to the threats and its ability and effectiveness to identify system’s abuses.

These biometric methods use data compression algorithms, protocols and codes. These algorithms can be classified in three categories:

o Statistical modeling methods,

o Dynamic programming,

o Neural networks.

The mathematical tools used in biometric procedure need to be evaluated. Mathematical analysis and proofs of the algorithms need to be evaluated by experts on the particular fields. If algorithms implement “wrong” mathematics then the algorithms are wrong and the systems based on these algorithms are vulnerable. If the algorithms used in the biometric methods have “leaks”, or if efficient decoding algorithms can be found then the biometric methods themselves are vulnerable and thus the systems based on these methods become unsafe.

Different algorithms offer different degrees of security, it depends on how hard they are to break. If the cost required to break an algorithm is greater than the value of the data then we are probably safe. In our case where biometric methods are used in financial transactions where a lot of money is involved it makes it worth it for an intruder to spend the money for cryptanalysis.

The cryptographic algorithms or techniques used to implement the algorithms and protocols can be vulnerable to attacks. Attacks can also be conceived against the protocols themselves or aged standard algorithms. Thus criteria should be set for the proper evaluation of the biometric methods addressing these theoretical concerns.

The evaluation of the biometric systems is based on their implementation. There are four basic steps in the implementation of the biometric systems which impose the formation of evaluative criteria.

o Capture of the users attribute.

o Template generation of the users attribute.

o Comparison of the input with the stored template for the authorized user.

o Decision on access acceptance or rejection.

Applications of biometric techniques

Biometrics is an emerging technology which has been widely used in different organization for the security purpose. Biometrics can be used to prevent unauthorized access to ATMs, cellular phones, smart cards, desktop PCs, workstations, and computer networks. It can be used during transactions conducted via telephone and Internet (electronic commerce and electronic banking). Due to increased security threats, many countries have started using biometrics for border control and national ID cards. The use of biometric identification or verification systems are widely used in different companies as well as the government agencies. The applications where biometric technique has its presence are

o Identity cards and passports.

o Banking, using ATMs, Accessing Network Resource

o Physical access control of buildings, areas, doors and cars.

o Personal identification

o Equipment access control

o Electronic access to services (e-banking, e-commerce)

o Travel and Transportation, Sporting Event

o Border control

o Banking and finance, Shopping Mall

o Airport security

o Cyber security

o Time Management in Organization

o Voice Recognition(Telebanking)

o Prison visitor monitoring system.

o Voting System

Prospects of Biometric Techniques:

The biometric industry is at an infancy stage in India, but is growing fast to capture the entire market. This technique is expanding both into private and public areas of application. Biometric applications need to interconnect to multiple devices and legacy applications. The industry market and consumer markets are adopting biometric technologies for increased security and convenience. With the decreasing price of biometric solutions and improved technology, more organization is coming forward to implement this technology. The lack of a standard regulatory framework is a major drawback in implementing biometrics in organisation.It is not widely accepted by the users because some organization and society have the opinion that this technology is inappropriate and the privacy data of the users are lost. If proper regulatory framework is not established it will not be accepted by the organization as well as by the user. The devices manufactured for biometric techniques has to comply with standards Increased IT spending in the government and financial sector offers better opportunities for such deployments. Even though there are no global mandated or regulatory frame works as of now, they are expected to arrive very soon.

Standarad law and regulation will open a wide market for biometrics in electronic legal and commercial transactions.

The anti-terrorism act has introduced has a wide scope for the biometric techniques to be implemented.

Consumer privacy data has to be protected in order to be widely accepted by the user.

Integration of biometric with different legacy application and hardware.

Biometric technique has a great demand in the telecommunication domain.

The notebook and laptop manufacturer has already implemented the biometric techniques like finger printing for the enhancement of the security.

The biometric industry must address major challenges related to performance, real-world utility, and potential privacy impact in order for biometrics to reach their full potential

Many companies are also implementing biometric technologies to secure areas, maintain time records, and enhance user convenience.

An interesting biometric application is linking biometrics to credit cards.

Other financial transactions could benefit from biometrics, e.g., voice verification when banking by phone, fingerprint validation for e-commerce, etc. The market is huge, and covers a very wide range of hardware, applications and services.

Conclusion:

The future of this technology is booming. With the rapid increase of fraud and theft in commercial transaction; it is a great concern for the organization to use biometric as key instrument in eliminating the fraud and flaws in the traditional security approach. Both businesses and consumers are anxious for greater security in commercial transactions. The technology is increasingly reliable and affordable, and the question of the legal enforceability of electronic contracts is settled. While consumers recognize the benefits of biometric authentication, they are reluctant to fully accept the technology without adequate assurances that companies will keep their biometric information confidential and subject to various safeguards and the existing law provides a limited measure of protection for biometric information so greater protection should be offered to consumers so that their personal information is not misused. Biometrics will play vital roles in the next generation of automatic identification system. Biometric identifiers must be considered when implementing a biometric-based identification system. The applicability of specific biometric techniques depends heavily on the application domain. Biometrics must be implemented properly to be effective and the consequences considered. Biometrics will become increasingly prevalent in day-to-day activities where proper identification is required. The real future of the technology lies in creating a biometric trust infrastructure that allows private sector and the public sector to handle security needs. Ultimately, such an infrastructure would allow people to move to various locations worldwide while maintaining their security clearance as defined by their physiological and behavioral identities.

Airframe manufacturers, and manufacturers of related equipment such as flight instrumentation, must comply with stringent government and industry standards to ensure that airplanes can endure in-flight lightning strikes safely.

Much analysis has been conducted in order to characterize the manner in which lightning impinges upon metallic and composite airframes. It is now possible to accurately simulate lightning hits within a testing lab, for components and for entire airframes.

The testing standard was developed by RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics), and the current revision is known as DO-160G; the portion applicable to lightning testing is Section 22. The standards are under continuing revision to account for changing manufacturing methods and materials, and improvements in understanding of weather phenomena.

The Thermo Scientific ECAT Lightning System (LTS) was developed to afford testing personnel safe, convenient means of testing to DO-160 with reliable, reproducible results.

This modular system comprises a caster-mounted mainframe, a computerized controller section, and removable modules that are specific to the various waveforms and single- or multi-stroke requirements called out in the testing standard. It is completely configurable to easily and rapidly test for pulsed EMI threats, including pre-compliance, production sampling, and final compliance. It tests both Metallic and Composite Aircraft to Level 5 (5A/5B), waveforms 1 through 6, and is easily expandable to meet Boeing, Airbus, EUROCAE, and other requirements.

The fully-automated system features fast test set-up, intuitive programming, built-in voltage and current monitoring, and front panel and remote computer control. On-site calibration and field service is available worldwide.

The available LTS Surge Network modules and associated equipment include:

* D111-1 Current Probe: measures current to 5kA; 0.1V/A; max rms current 65A with usable risetime from 20ns

* D301X Current Probe: Current measurements to 50kA; 0.01V/A ±1%; max rms current 400A with usable risetime from 200ns

* D561-L3: Waveform 5A to Lvl 3, note 1

* D561-L4: Waveform 5A to Level 4, note 1

* D561-L5: Waveform 1, 4, 5A to Level 5, note 1

* D562-L3: Waveform 2 to Lvl 3, note 1

* D562-L4: Waveform 2 to Level 4, note 1

* D562-L5: Waveform 2 to Lvl 5, note 1

* D563-L3: Waveform 3 to Level 3, note 2

* D563-L4: Waveform 3 to Level 4, note 2

* D563-L5: Waveform 3 to Lvl 5, note 2

* D564-L3: Waveform 5B to Level 3, note 1

* D564-L4: Waveform 5B to Level 4, note 1

* D564-L5: Waveform 5B to Level 5, note 1

* D566-L5: Waveforms 1 and 4 to Level 5, note 1

* D567-L3: Waveform 5A to Level 3

* D567-L4: Waveform 5A, Level 4

* D567-L5: Waveform 5A, Level 5, single-stroke capability

* D568 Current Waveform Module: Pin-Injected Transient Susceptibility testing to Boeing D6-16050-5 and equivalent Airbus standard; includes transformer

* D569: Waveform 6 to Level 5, multiburst requirements of DO-160, and Boeing and Airbus standards

* D570 Voltage Spike Module: Airbus ABD0100.1.8.1/DO160 section 17, single stroke, level 4

* D591 Powered Pin Coupler Module: ECAT-LTS

* D591-1 Power Decoupler: 0-400Hz, 0-244 VAC/20A, 0-285 VDC/10A

* DCHV-1 Cable Induction Coupler: Waveform 3

* DCI-1 Cable Induction Coupler: Waveforms 1, 5A, 5B

* DCV-1 Cable Induction Coupler: Waveforms 2 and 4

* DPI-1 Pin Injection Probe: Waveforms 1,2,4,5A,5B

* F-LTS-5 Lightning Test System Level 5 Frame: Mainframe/Controller

note 1: single and multiple stroke test

note 2: single-stroke, multiple-stroke and multi-burst test

—————————————————————–

Setup is quick – select the waveform and push a button. Intuitive front panel controls allow simple waveform, voltage and coupling selections. The modular construction allows for easy addition of new waveform modules. This system and components are available for purchase/rental from Avalon.

If you plan an indoor or outdoor event, you will certainly think in the perspective of visitors and organize it with comfortable facilities. To make every event successful, you need to know the basic points that are essential for the visitors and guests. If you don’t think that you can plan an event, then you can hire an event management company to organize the event.

For instance, if you are willing to host a wedding anniversary or get-together party, you need to consider various things to make it successful. You will sure invite guests and visitors for your event and you need to provide first-class sanitary facilities for comfort. Besides various other specifications for an event, you ought to consider the sanitary needs as well.

Every human has to meet their lavatory needs whenever it arises. If you don’t accommodate restrooms in any event, people will search for smother alternative and your event environment may turn untidy. So, it is suggested to hire temporary portable toilets in every event. Portable toilet rental companies are available in the market place to supply portable toilets in any of your event.

If you want to accommodate high-quality sanitary amenities for your guests, then you can rent luxury portable toilet. Luxury porta potty comprises of modern sanitary amenities like hand wash station, dispenser, mirror, and flashlight besides tissue paper, holding tank, seat cover, and door lock. You can accommodate this restroom for at least 10 people in the event. The typical price of this toilet is around $200.

In family get-together parties and business events, you may want all these luxury facilities in single restroom to accommodate 30 to 40 people and then there is no need to rent 3 or 4 luxury restroom. You can go for a mobile shower trailer which is specially designed for such occasions. This restroom comprises of modern sanitary amenities and more than 2 people can meet their needs at once.

To choose the right portable toilet rental company, it is better to do research on the Internet or ask your neighbors and friends. Visit the company’s web portal, browse through the various restrooms. Nowadays, most of the companies are providing the facility to order online through various payment gateways like credit card, debit card, Pay Pal, and American Express.

If you are still bewildered in choosing the right portable toilet for your outdoor or indoor occasion, you can also contact the company for their suggestion. Customer care department will help you in choosing the right toilet based on your event specifications.