E - PARTNERSHIPUPDATE - PARTNERSHIPUPDATE Hacking and extortion


Whether it's customer information or intellectual property, criminals use the threat of seizing, damaging or releasing data in order to extort money from businesses. Sometimes the threat is just that, a threat, but in the majority of cases reported to us criminals will follow through and infect a business’s computers with malware, such as ransomware. Businesses reported losses of over £7m as a result of server hacking and malware infections.


Action Fraud advises business users to follow a few simple steps in order to protect themselves from the financial and reputational damage caused by cyber attacks. Start by ensuring that all of your computers, laptops and mobile devices are running up-to-date software and apps. All laptops and computers that connect to a business’s network should have anti-virus software installed and be updated regularly. Frequent backups of important data is another key aspect of defending a business against extortion attacks.


For more information on how to protect your business, visit www.ncsc.gov.uk/smallbusiness


Why Julia McClelland became a Chartered Security Professional


Memorable dates, personal to us, we all have them, be it births, marriages or deaths, dates which prompt mixed personal emotions.


For me, it is dates in history, which have not only added to my personal


emotions, but have been milestones in my security career which has spanned over 25 years.


The first milestone date was the tragic events of 9/11. At the time I was working as a Safety Advisor and providing information and security advice on a part-time basis.


Whilst this was an pivotal function, the events of 9/11 stirred deep emotion within me, as I had recently returned from a holiday in the “Big Apple” where I had spent a wonderful evening with friends old and new in the Windows on the World, a restaurant on the top floors of the North Tower of the original World Trade Centre complex in Lower Manhattan where, sadly, 72 members of staff perished.


The events of that day changed the world and for me, although thousands of miles away, I knew it was going to change me too. I knew then, as I watched in horror the unfolding events, that I wanted to devote the rest of my working life to security, to work with others in the profession to strive to ensure that nothing as catastrophic as that event was ever going to happen again in my lifetime.


Following 9/11, I joined a Protective Security Team, full-time, advising and overseeing the delivery of a number of projects which have contributed to the protection of some of the nation’s most valuable assets.


It is through gaining that experience and skill that I applied to become a Chartered Security Professional, where you have to be at your best, to demonstrate to your peers in industry that you are working at the highest level, keeping abreast of the political threat landscape, changes in law and new advances in technology.


Through this you can then influence senior leaders, whilst constantly striving for proportional, compliant solutions to the risks which affect the organisations you represent.


The next significant milestone in my career was 7/7, as it was on the twelth anniversary of that atrocity was admitted to the Register of Chartered Security Professionals (2017). Once again my mind was focussed upon the importance of the role which we security professionals play in advising and working with partners to deliver security solutions and how important it is that we work together for the greater good.


Fast forward to the day of my Chartered Security Professional ceremony, 22 March 2018, the first anniversary of the Westminster terrorist attack. Full of happiness and excitement, along with my family, I headed to the Palace of Westminster. Chattering soon turned to silence as I approached the floral tribute placed in New Palace Yard to commemorate one of our police colleagues (PC Keith Palmer), who whilst defending the principles and values that we all hold dear, sadly lost his life. I stopped, and after my short act of remembrance, quietly but affirmatively, I vowed to myself to continue to do the job I love, to the best of my ability, to listen, to understand, grow in knowledge, speak authoritatively and passionately about security and the threats that are facing us and how we can all contribute to a safer and more secure world.


Julia McClelland CSyP Chartered Security Professional working as a Senior Security Specialist in Counter Terrorism within the UK Nuclear Sector.


© CI TY S ECURI TY MAGAZ INE – S PRING 2019 www. c i t y s e c u r i t yma ga z ine . c om


Spotlight on a Security Officer


Alioune Gueye UniTrust Protection


I first met Alioune when leaving a meeting at the Canadian High Commission in Trafalgar Square; he was engaging, polite and, although we only exchanged a few words, it was evident he was a great ambassador for his company and client.


Alioune first entered the security profession some ten years ago as a security officer at a 5* Heathrow Airport hotel – then six years later he joined his present company, working at the Canadian High Commission.


His day can be varied, working front of house at the High Commission and at the adjacent Canada Gallery. He says, “what I really love is meeting, interacting and helping people, plus working as part of a team with my colleagues.”


As a native French speaker, he is a great help communicating with visitors (often French speakers) who come to the Commission for their passport and immigration enquiries..


To those who want to get into security, Alioune says,“ you must have a genuine passion to do your best and want to help people, have a can-do attitude, be honest, trustworthy and vigilant – you will also need to be diplomatic, polite and firm depending on any particular situation. I would also suggest you attend the Project Griffin awareness day and look at other qualifications you can take that may also provide added benefit to the client/where they are working.”


So what’s your next career step, I ask. “Team leader,” says Alioune with a big smile having stepped in and covered as team leader on various occasions.


Alioune’s manager Mark Browne said, “We are very proud of Alioune and the work carried out by all of our team working at Canada House. The staff are very much Canada’s front door in the United Kingdom and they manage to be both courteous, welcoming and conscientious of the need to keep this important facility secure.”


Graham Bassett >


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