SEM Archives - SEM Shred

SEM Gives Back to Community with Annual Food Drive

November 28, 2023 at 8:00 am by Amanda Canale

WESTBOROUGH, MA November 20, 2023 – Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM) has completed their annual mission of donating non-perishable food to the Worcester County Food Bank (WCFB).

The Worcester County Food Bank is one of only three Feeding America member food banks in the entire state of Massachusetts. In 2018 alone, the WCFB was able to distribute nearly 6.1 million lbs. of food to approximately 75,000 people throughout the county.

In the true essence of Thanksgiving, SEM employees have united year after year to collect non-perishable food items to make a meaningful impact on their local community. The initiative is a testament to the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and fostering a sense of community.

The company-led food drive kicked off on November 6 and continued until November 17. Employees from various departments, both remote and local to the Westborough headquarters, enthusiastically embraced the opportunity and were able to gather 527 lbs. of food for the local food bank.

“As we approach Thanksgiving, we are reminded of the importance of gratitude and compassion,” says Amanda Canale, SEM Marketing Coordinator. “At SEM, we believe in the power of collective action and are so proud to be able to contribute to our local community, ensuring that no one goes hungry during the holiday season.”

The annual food drive is just one of a handful of philanthropic initiatives the company takes part in every year.

“Our employees have always wholeheartedly embraced each opportunity to give back, which is something we have always been extremely proud of,” says Andrew Kelleher, SEM President. “Knowing that our efforts will make a difference in someone’s Thanksgiving celebration is truly heartwarming. We’re not just colleagues; we’re a family that cares about our community.”

SEM Celebrates Earth Day with Neighborhood Cleanup

May 16, 2023 at 7:30 am by Amanda Canale

WESTBOROUGH, MA May 5, 2023 – Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, spent Thursday, April 27, 2023 walking up and down Walkup Drive in Westborough, MA, where their headquarters are located, picking up trash.

The SEM Culture Committee, a group of voluntary employees that plan interactive philanthropic and team-building activities, partnered with the company’s ISO 14001 task force to collaborate on an event to honor Earth Day, an annually recognized day centered around environmental protection celebrated on April 22.

“At SEM, we are committed to protecting our environment in a multitude of ways,” says Lara Rapport, SEM Director of Quality. “Our ISO 14001 certification as just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the continuous improvements we make in order to be as sustainable and environmentally conscious as possible.”

ISO 14001 is a familial set of standards developed in the mid-1990s to help organizations minimize how their operations negatively affect the environment (or cause adverse changes in air, water, or land), educating the organization on how to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and other environmental standards, and how they can sustain their efforts.

“Our cleanup initiative was something that our two groups had collaborated on as a way to not only educate our team on our ISO 14001 efforts, but also to really drive home the message that we can make serious change when it comes to our local environment,” says Amanda Canale, SEM Marketing Coordinator.

The two teams worked closely with the Westborough Department of Public Works to coordinate the delivery of empty waste bags and the pickup of the collected trash. The cleanup event saw an attendance of over twenty employees, including company president, Andrew Kelleher. The cleanup activity is just the latest in the company’s detailed history of giving back to their local community, adding itself amongst the annual food bank and toy donations, and Operation Playhouse.

“We have always prioritized events and activities that are both interactive and morale-boosting, and serve a philanthropic purpose, and this one was our most well-received yet. We will be making this an annual SEM tradition,” states Rapport.

For more information on Security Engineered Machinery’s environmental policy, visit here.

Paper Shred Sizes (and What They Mean)

March 30, 2023 at 2:14 pm by Amanda Canale

When destroying any end-of-life data, whether it be paper, hard drives, solid state drives, or other forms of media, there are very strict guidelines and laws that address how classified, top secret, and controlled unclassified information (CUI) should be disposed and securely destroyed. These requirements are determined by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

For further context, the NSA mandates specific final particle sizes for top secret and/or classified data, regardless of the media form. They then evaluate and list end-of-life data destruction solutions that follow these mandates for destruction. (For a list of media destructions solutions evaluated and listed by the NSA, click here, and for more information what each data classification type really means, click here.)

While the federal government and government organizations are strict when it comes to how one should destroy end-of-life information, commercial companies and industries like healthcare, finance, banking, and more, are less stringent with their destruction instructions, with some left open to interpretation.

Enter the DIN Standards. Also known as Deutsches Institut für Normung, DIN originated at the German Institute for Standardization in 1917 as a non-government organization that serves as the national standard when it comes to improving the rationalization, safety, environmental protection, and quality assurance between the government and the public. DIN is not often mandated but their guidelines serve as a widely accepted global standard while providing clarity to otherwise vague end-of-life information destruction mandates.

DIN 66399 standards specifically provide end-of-life destruction particle size guidelines for information that resides on a wide range of media – including paper – and that specifies protection categories. (You can find more in-depth information about DIN standards here.)

Even as we get further and further into the Digital Age, there is still such a high demand for paper. Some may say that paper is dead, but we know that paper will never really be dead. While the industries I listed above are not holding government secrets, they still store a lot of their sensitive and unclassified information on paper; information that needs to be securely destroyed or could result in severe consequences if it lands in the wrong hands.

Now that you have all of this background information, let’s get into why you’re here – what constitutes as a secure paper shred size?

Seven Specific Security Levels

P = Paper media requirements

Protection Category	Media Paper	Security Level	Security Level Particle Size Requirement
Class 1	P	1	12mm strips or maximum particle surface area of 2,000mm²
Class 1	P	2	6mm strips or maximum particle surface area of 800mm²
Class 1	P	3	2mm strips or maximum particle surface area of 320mm²
Class 2	P	4	Maximum cross-cut particle surface area of 160mm² with a maximum strip width of 6mm = 6 x 25mm
Class 2	P	5	Maximum cross-cut particle surface area of 30mm² with a maximum strip width of 2mm = 2 x 15mm
Class 3	P	6	Maximum cross-cut particle surface area of 10mm² with a maximum strip width of 1mm = 1 x 10mm
Class 3	P	7	Maximum cross-cut particle surface area of 5mm² with a maximum strip width of 1mm = 1 x 5mm

Here’s what each of these security levels look like:

DIN Level P-2 Paper Shred with penny for size comparison — DIN Level P-2 Paper Shred

DIN Level P-3 Paper Shred with penny for size comparison — DIN Level P-3 Paper Shred

DIN Level P-4 Paper Shred with penny for size comparison — DIN Level P-4 Paper Shred

DIN Level P-5 Paper Shred with penny for size comparison — DIN Level P-5 Paper Shred

DIN Level P-6 Paper Shred with penny for size comparison — DIN Level P-6 Paper Shred

DIN Level P-7 Paper Shred with penny for size comparison — DIN Level P-7 Paper Shred

As you can tell based on the table and photos above, P7 is the smallest, most secure particle size (aside from the 0.8mm x 2.5mm particle from our Model 344, which is half the size mandated by the NSA for classified paper). Essentially, the smaller the particle, the harder it is to put back together.

Why would you want to put a bunch of paper shreds back together? To get top secret information, of course!

Allow us to introduce the DARPA Shredder Challenge. The challenge was created by a research and development agency of the U.S. Department of Defense back in 2011. The DoD invited top computer scientists and puzzle enthusiasts to essentially reconstruct paper shreds for a grand prize.

The challenge ended when the winning team, who went by the name, “All Your Shreds Belong to US”, created an algorithm that automatically reconstructed the 10,000 pieces of paper based on various physical aspects of the shred, such as shred angle, shred size, and paper marks. Other teams used strategies ranging from crowdsourced-style methods to relying heavily on manual reconstruction.

When it comes to end-of-life data destruction, it is always best to err on the side of caution. By opting for in-house data destruction methods, you and your company or agency are making the most cost-effective, safe, and secure decision. At SEM we have an array of high-quality NSA listed/CUI and unclassified paper shredders to meet any regulation and mandate, ensuring all of your end-of-life paper stays end-of-life. Any one of our exceptional sales team members are more than happy to help answer any questions you may have and help determine which machine will best meet your destruction needs.

Data Privacy Day

January 30, 2023 at 5:10 pm by Amanda Canale

Every year on 28 January, the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) dedicates the entire week and 28 January specifically to bring awareness to the public on data protection and data security best practices. Even though we are diving deeper and deeper into the Digital Age, there’s still a large population of people who are not tech savvy, or frankly, even tech literate. The annual international campaign is called Data Privacy Day (DPD), and heavily focuses on educating people, both individuals and businesses, on how to comply with privacy laws and regulations. Moving forward, this will help the public know how they can better protect and manage their personally identifiable information (PII).

Millions of people across the globe are unaware of the various ways their PII is being used, collected, and shared, with many not knowing it’s also being sold by third parties. It’s this reality specifically why the NCA targets anyone with any sort of online presence. How did Data Privacy Day get its start? This internationally recognized day was initially established in 2008 in North America as an extension of Data Protection Day in Europe, which has been in effect since 1981. It is the first legally binding international treaty to recognize data privacy concerns.

Last year, the NCA expanded Data Privacy Day into a week-long initiative called Data Privacy Week. The week-long campaign, lasting from 24-28 January, is filled with various steps, goals, and webinars individuals and organizations alike can make and attend as a way of encouraging transparency about how their PII is being used.

You can find a full list of Data Privacy Week events here on the NCA’s website. Below, we break down the major takeaways both individuals and organizations should take from the week-long event.

Data: The Story of You

While you may not think your information is important or valuable, there are plenty of people out there who would do almost anything to obtain it. When it comes to keeping our PII and personal health information (PHI) safe, it is crucial to think of your personal data as the most valuable thing you own. If you were hiding some flashy, expensive, and highly coveted family heirloom, you would do anything to protect it, right? Think of your personal information as that heirloom; it is the most precious thing you have. Critical information such as your IP address, purchase history, and location can offer hackers a wealth of knowledge as to your income, spending habits, card information, and where you live.

Know what to expect in the privacy/convenience tradeoff

Think about the last time you downloaded an app. What kind of information did you have to grant the app access to in order to use it? Share your geographic location? Grant access to your contacts and photo albums? For example, why does a puzzle app need access to my contacts and location in order for me to play? By allowing access to these very personal and private forms of information, you may be offering up much more than necessary.

When releasing or posting any private or personal information, it is best to make informed decisions on what you should do: weigh whether or not the information they are asking for is really necessary, how the benefits weigh against the tradeoff, and, honestly, if you really need the app at all.

Adjust your privacy settings

If you decide to deem that puzzle app worthy of your phone storage and time, try to take an extra moment or two to review the app’s privacy and security settings, and adjust them to your comfort level as necessary. (I know, who even reads an app’s Terms and Agreements anymore, right? Wrong! You should!) While you’re at it, delete those apps you no longer use. In addition to taking up useless storage on your phone, they could also still be collecting data about you and your habits.

You can get a head start with NCA’s Manage Your Privacy Settings page to get more information.

Protect your data

While data privacy and data security are not interchangeable, they are in fact a packaged deal. By adopting these practices, such as creating long and intricate passwords, utilizing multi-factor authentication when possible, and using a password manager you can continue to keep your passwords and information secure and up to date.

Organization Level: Respect Privacy

As an organization, your consumers’ and customers’ private data should be your utmost concern. By respecting their data and being transparent, an organization instills trust which will in turn enhance reputations and company growth.

Conduct an assessment

In a “post-COVID” world, more than 15% of total U.S. job opportunities are now remote. Regardless of if your organization operates fully remote, in a hybrid model, or is even located outside of the continental United States, it is important to understand the privacy laws and regulations in which your business operates and to ensure they are being followed. Especially when working with remote or hybrid employees, it’s best to reevaluate your security measures, access to individuals’ personal information, what that personal information may be and if it is still relevant to keep on file, and to maintain oversight of any outside partners and vendors as well to ensure they are not misusing your consumers’ information.

Adopt a privacy framework

By adopting a privacy framework that works best for you and your consumers, an organization can help mitigate potential risk and implement a privacy culture within your organization. The NCA recommends reviewing the following frameworks to start: NIST Privacy Framework, AICPA Privacy Management Framework, and ISO/IEC 27701 – International Standard for Privacy Information Management.

Educate employees

By creating an office culture surrounded by data privacy and data security, you are educating your employees on not only how to keep their personal information safe but how to better serve your consumers and their information. Engage staff by asking them how they view your current privacy culture, implement mandatory training and webinars, and consistently assess your current standards.

In addition to these methods, transparency about how your collect, use, and share consumer information is crucial. Be up front and honest with your clients, users, or consumers about what they can expect their information to be used for and offer them other settings to protect their information by default.

And lastly, when your information-bearing media reaches end-of-life — whether hard drives, portable IT storage, or even paper — securely destroy it to prevent leaks and data breaches down the road.

SEM Introduces NSA EPL Listed High Security Solid State Disintegrator

January 24, 2023 at 8:00 am by Amanda Canale

Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, is pleased to announce that its new Model SSD2-HS high security solid state disintegrator meets the requirements of NSA/CSS 9-12 Storage Device Declassification Policy Manual. This revolutionary device is now listed on the NSA/CSS EPL and was specifically designed for the destruction of classified and highly sensitive solid state media and devices, producing an NSA mandated 2mm squared final particle size.

“The SEM Model SSD2-HS is an exciting new addition to our long line of disintegrator devices and fills a large void within the intelligence community when it comes to classified SSD destruction,” commented Todd Busic, SEM Vice President of Sales. “This NSA listed device incorporates technologies to mitigate jams and increase operator health and safety via HEPA filters, making the SSD2-HS an industry first.”

The NSA states that in order for a solid state disintegrator to be NSA/CSS listed, it must be able to “reduce any solid state storage device to a maximum edge size of 2 millimeter or less” (NSA.Gov), making the SEM Model SSD2-HS a viable option for the destruction of end-of-life classified solid state material.

The Model SSD2-HS disintegrator has the power to cut through multiple steel plates, carriers, and other drives. The model’s dual stage cutting system features an auto unjam in both stages, robust safety features, and premium sound proofing. Together, the model’s dual stage cutting system combined with the solid steel rotor and cutting blades efficiently destroy multiple SSD-type devices.

“The Model SSD2-HS is a state-of-the-art, clean, and revolutionary device that ensures the secure end-of-life destruction of any and all solid state devices,” commented Andrew Kelleher, SEM President and CEO. “Our engineers have been working tirelessly on this product and the device performance reflects that. Whether it’s laptop boards, thumb drives, or other memory modules, this machine can destroy it.”

In addition to powerful steel rotors, the device is equipped with premium sound dampening insulation, a waste evacuation system with high efficiency particulate filtration and external vacuum, and other features to ensure optimal operator and environmental health and safety.

“SEM has long been an innovator of high security information destruction technology and the new SSD2-HS continues that tradition of excellence,” noted Busic.

For more information on the Model SSD2-HS, visit https://www.semshred.com/explore-model-ssd2-hs/.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

September 29, 2022 at 7:27 pm by Amanda Canale

In 2004, the U.S. President and Congress declared Cybersecurity Awareness Month to be held every October. This would heavily encourage, educate, and assist citizens in staying safe online and teach them how to protect their information. Every year, the NCSA creates an engaging and informative campaign in order to raise awareness about cybersecurity and this year’s theme is “See Yourself in Cyber.”

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

While data privacy and data security are not interchangeable, they are in fact a packaged deal. Implement and enforce best practices such as creating long and intricate passwords and utilizing multi-factor authentication when possible. What is multi-factor authentication? It’s just adding one more small step of the login process.

First step: log in as usual.

Second step: complete a second task to confirm your identity. (Think of it as bringing your license and a recent utility bill to confirm your identity at the bank.)

The second step in the multi-factor authentication process is usually providing a special PIN code that was texted or emailed to you, or opening an authentication app. This is just an extra layer of security you can use when accessing sensitive information.

Use Strong Passwords

Verizon Data Breach Investigations found in a 2020 study that approximately 81% of all data breaches are caused by hackers easily accessing their sought after accounts. How are they able to easily access them, you ask? Two words: weak passwords.

When companies, managers, and individuals fail to adhere to password guidelines, do not offer password training to your team and fail to educate themselves, and forgo multi-factor authentication procedures, businesses continue to put their cybersecurity at risk.

If you’re now second guessing your own passwords, good. If you’re not, we’re judging you a bit. (Don’t worry, we won’t leave you stranded.) Weak passwords are any sort of phrase or term that is common, short, and/or predictable such as the owner’s name, birthday, or the literal word, “password.” Instead, experiment with a longer password made up of a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to help keep your password and data safe. Essentially, the more complex the password, the harder it is for cybercriminals to hack your information.

Recognize and Report Phishing

We’re all humans and we all make mistakes. It’s inevitable! Unfortunately, mistakes have consequences. According to a 2019 study, more than 80% of reported data security incidents were caused by phishing attacks. When you interact with a suspicious email link, an attachment, and even senders, your risk of falling victim of a phishing scam rises every time. In today’s modern digital age, hackers have become upped the creativity when it comes to these sneaky scams. If an email or email address looks a bit off to you, it’s always best to either delete or send to your IT department to investigate.

Update Your Software

Regardless of the industry you’re in or kind of organization, having up-to-date, proper cybersecurity protocols and methods in place (in addition to proper in-house end-of-life data destruction!) should always be a priority. It is far too easy for hackers to access and steal sensitive data when your cybersecurity software is not up to date. Check with your business’s IT department or do your own research to make sure you are not ignoring any updates or downloading unauthorized software. It’s also important to note that one should never disable their software’s security features, especially if it is on a work-issued computer or laptop. Your online shopping can wait until you are in the safety of your own protected network and home.

To find out more about Cybersecurity Awareness Month, visit their website here.

Infamous Casino Data Breaches

July 7, 2022 at 6:13 pm by Amanda Canale

While many industries were negatively impacted by the 2019 coronavirus pandemic, one industry not only survived, but thrived: the commercial gambling industry. The casino and commercial gambling industry made approximately $44 billion in 2021, shattering their previous 2019 record. Given this major spike, experts are predicting that the gambling industry will become a neon target for future thieves and cyberattacks.

In our previous blog, Just How Secure Are Casinos?, we broke down the varying security measures casinos take in the form of RFID software located in playing chips, license plate recognition, and other advanced software to ensure that no stealing or cheating occurs. Fortunately, this advanced technology allows the casinos to remotely render chips and other materials worthless if someone were to steal them and allows personnel to have eyes on gamblers at all times.

However, unfortunately, these measures do not completely prevent casinos from being hacked. We’ve broken down a few of the more infamous casino data breachers below and included best practices to ensure that your data stays protected.

Clubillion

In summer 2020, the gambling app, Clubillion, found that their database had been “leaking data” from millions of the app’s customers. The app was contacted on March 23, 2020 but the database was not secured until April 5, 2020. What makes this data breach different than other similar data breaches is that the database was updated with up to 50GB (or 200 million records) worth of information daily. These records logged every player’s actions, their personally identifiable information (PII), private messages, and even IP addresses.

A rep from Clubillion stated that, “on a single day, tens of thousands of individual Clubillion players were exposed.” In addition to a loss in reputation and customers, the popular gabling app may be subjected to other scrutiny and fines from GDPR regulators and GooglePlay and app stores.

Slot Machine One Handed Bandit Game. Rolling Drums. Casinos and Gambling Industry.

Federal Group

In April 2021, Tasmanian casino operator, Federal Group, found themselves in the midst of a cyberattack after their pokies machines (otherwise known as slot machines) and hotel booking systems began to malfunction. At the time of the breach, the casino group was unsure if credit card details stored in the hotel booking system were also compromised and have yet to publicly release that information.

International privacy and security consultant, Terry Aulich, stated that he was “extremely disappointed” with the business’ cyber defenses and warned other Tasmanian organizations to learn from Federal Group’s mistakes. Between Federal Group’s two casinos, patrons had spent upwards of $53.7 million on pokies in the eight months leading up to the breach.

MGM Resorts International

MGM Resorts International became the victims of a data breach in summer 2019, but it was not made public until February 2020 after a third party published an article detailing the breach. The breach had compromised the records of over 10.6 million guests dating back from 2017. The cyberattackers were able to hack into the resort’s cloud server and then was posted to a public hacking forum.

Guest PII such as full name, home and email addresses, phone numbers, and birthdates had all been breached, but luckily did not include financial or payment card information. The breach wasn’t also just limited to guests; victims ranged from tourists and travelers, to media reporters and journalists, to company executives and employees.

At SEM, we offer secure, in-house destruction. With our low and high volume disintegrator solutions, casino materials and solid state boards can be easily destroyed to a predetermined and consistent particle size. As we know, casinos house a lot of sensitive information regarding personnel, patrons, financial information, and advanced technology that should be secured, even in end-of-life.

Depending on the needs of the casino, SEM has every device necessary to properly and efficiently disintegrate chips as intended since our inception in 1967. Any one of our exceptional sales team members are more than happy to help answer any questions you may have and help determine which machine will best meet your destruction needs.

For more information on our casino solutions, visit our website here.

Just How Secure Are Casinos?

June 10, 2022 at 4:46 pm by Amanda Canale

Even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, the commercial gambling and casino industry made approximately $44 billion in 2021, surpassing the previous record set in 2019. According to the American Gaming Association (AGA), in-person slots and table games are leading the industry’s recent growth. Given the exponential growth, and (quite literally) billions of dollars on the line, experts predict that the casino industry will be a flaming red target for hackers and thieves.

You’re probably thinking, “what information is even stored on casino chips, playing cards, and dice?” Frankly, quite a lot.

Even more so, casino chips are not the only items that are loaded with information; the same goes for playing cards, dice, and personnel access cards. In this blog, we break down the varying security measures casinos take and how a proper destruction plan your casino can better protect your assets.

Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID)

Casino chips may seem like a cheap piece of plastic, but what many do not know is that these seemingly simple items carry loads of information and are packed with advanced technology. These chips are embedded with radio-frequency identification (RFID), which is used to track them and broadcast unique serial identifiers over radio frequencies. RFID technology identifies and tracks every chip for authenticity, tracking history, and to ensure there is no forgery, cheating, or stealing. Additionally, each casino carries uniquely branded chips, including color combinations, marked edges, and UV markings that are impossible to recreate. The RFID-reading technology also detects when counterfeit chips are being used.

While you cannot “hack into” casino chips, it’s still possible for people to steal them for money, especially since they are a form of currency within casinos. For example, in 2010, a man stole $1.5 million in chips from the Las Vegas Bellagio casino. However, due to the RFID technology within the chips, authorities were able to remotely render the chips worthless by turning off the chips’ transmitters before the robber could turn them in for cash.

License Plate Recognition

Like many secure facilities, casinos have security measures in place tracking you before you even have the chance to park your car. Once your car enters the camera’s frame, the license plate recognition technology scans your plates and converts them into text, which is then compared against the casino’s database. What are they looking for exactly? The software runs your license plate against their records to see if you are a known gambling addict, thief, or on their internal blacklist. This process is to ensure that no undesirable patrons are allowed into the facility.

Angel Eye

Like I stated earlier in this blog, chips are not the only casino materials that are loaded with information. Playing cards carry invisible bar codes that help sensors and security software, such as Angel Eye, track their movement, which ones are being dealt, and to prevent card-switching. The software was specifically designed to prevent card switching, which is prominent in other parts of the world.

When a dealer deals cards, the software tracks the dealt cards through a sensor in the dealing shoe (the container that houses the cards). After this first scan and once the cards are revealed on the table, the dealer presses a hidden button that scans the table and upward facing cards a second time. The Angel Eye software compares them to the initial scan to ensure that the results on the table matches what the computer says.

TableEye21

TableEye21 is a powerhouse of a security device; it is made up of varying technologies all wrapped into one concise solution. It includes an overhead video camera that tracks the table’s actions and players, includes video analysis software and information sent by the RFID chips, and overlays the video feed with real-time data tracking on cards and chips being used.

TableEye21 tracks every action on the table, including dealer rounds per hour, trend reports, and the player win percentage. Casino authorities use this information to identify if a player is counting cards, using counterfeit chips and cards, or scheming with the dealer in order to win.

NORA

NORA stands for Non-Obvious Relationship Awareness software, and it goes hand in hand with all of the security measures we discussed above. Whether a dealer notices something off about a player or the TableEye21 software picks up on odd numerical trends, NORA can be used to scan the casino’s databases for information and recognize relationships between players and dealers alike.

What relationships, you ask? Let me give you an example.

If casino personnel put Brian Jones into NORA, the software will scan all of the casino’s databases and be able to see that Mr. Jones, who applied for a dealer position, is actually Paul Johnson, a notorious poker scammer. In addition, it can connect people entered into NORA based on their similar backgrounds. So once NORA finds out that Brian Jones is really Paul Johnson, it also connects Paul to another player, Zachary Jost. From there, the software connects the dots and finds out that Paul and Zachary were fraternity brothers during their undergrad career and that they were both arrested for the same fraud case.

Another potential outcome is NORA discovering that the dealer and a player used to share the same address and phone number, possibly meaning that they are in on a scam together.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, we should probably mention that it was after 9/11 that the Department of Homeland Security began using the advanced software to help identify relationship links between potential terrorists and criminals.

This is not an exhaustive list by any means; there are many other security measures and advanced tracking technology that casinos use in order to maintain order and ensure honest playing. However, there is one more security method we’d like to discuss: the destruction of casino materials.

As of this writing, there are no federal laws concerning data protection that casinos have to abide by. However, casinos and gaming facilities are required to abide by their state’s safeguarding mandates and financial privacy regulations. In order to maintain the stringent policies set in place to prevent fraud and criminal activity, it is crucial for casinos to establish further security measures for the destruction and disposal of these technology-ridden materials.

In the past, casinos have thrown their chips and cards out with the trash, some even building them into the foundations of casinos out of superstition. But in recent years, casinos have been required to destroy their chips and cards according to predetermined expiration dates. Typically, the expired materials are sent out to a third party destruction facility where they are often dumped into landfills or left vulnerable to thievery by the third party vendors.

At SEM, we offer a better alternative: secure, in-house destruction. With our low and high volume disintegrator solutions, dice, chips, and playing cards can be easily destroyed to a predetermined and consistent particle size. As we know, casinos house a lot of sensitive information regarding personnel, patrons, financial information, and advanced technology that should be secured, even in end-of-life.

One solution is the SEM Model DS-400, a dual stage turnkey disintegrator that has been evaluated by NSA and meets the requirements of NSA/CSS specification for Paper Disintegrators, CDs, and Key Tape. This compact and portable device is perfect for the destruction of paper, optical media, key tape, casino chips, metal and plastic cards, and more.

Need something with a higher volume? We suggest a SEM VKE Disintegrator system. Our VKE (value kit enclosure) disintegrator systems include your choice of disintegrator, air system, state-of-the-art technologies and features like a customized MX sound enclosure to reduce sound and dust during operation, a solid steel rotor designed to provide 70% more rotor mass than open rotor designs, and user-friendly master control panel.

For more information on our casino solutions, visit our website here.

Top 4 Ways to Outsmart a Phishing Scam

March 21, 2022 at 6:37 pm by Amanda Canale

Do you have what it takes to outsmart a phishing scam? Let’s find out!

First, a bit about phishing: for those that may not be familiar with phishing, phishing is a phrase used to describe a cyberattack method via email. An email is sent to an individual with the intention of hacking into the recipients’ email, computer, or network.

Typically, the phishing email will ask the recipient to perform some form of task, whether it is to open an attachment, click on a link, send gift card codes, or send along sensitive information. These links and attachments will be malware-infected and allow the hackers to gain access to your computer, network, and more, and can have detrimental consequences.

It is important to note that phishing is not a new cyberattack tactic. Phishing has been one of the most common attack methods and has only become increasingly more complex the further we get into the Digital Age. That said, upgrading your cybersecurity software and educating your staff how to spot and report phishing emails are just two ways to better protect you and your organization’s data. And speaking of educating your staff, read on to learn the top four ways you and your team can spot a phishing email.

Red Flag #1: An Urgent Request for Login Information, Sensitive Information, or Money

Today, it is increasingly easy to get in touch with one another; there’s the telephone, text message, FaceTime, Microsoft Teams chat, Zoom call, calendar invite, and more. It’s safe to say that if your supervisor (or any member of upper management) needs to speak with you on an urgent matter, they’re going to find a way to contact you directly. If an email allegedly coming from your boss or CEO is threatening negative consequences, or even termination, if you do not complete their task, it’s probably a phish. This is a type of scare tactic used to rush the recipient into getting their request completed as soon as possible.

In addition (and it should be common sense), if your boss needs you to send her login information or sensitive information, take a moment and ask yourself, “if this person were really your boss, wouldn’t she have her own access to that information and logins, especially if she is in upper management?” We’re not saying you should ignore every request for information from upper management, but if the request seems a little fishy (pun intended), take a moment to give the sender a quick call or follow up with them in a separate email (using the email address you know belongs to them) to confirm their request.

The same should go for any request for money or gift card activation codes. A colleague, regardless of title and status, should not be requesting monetary items from you via work emails. This is usually a clear sign of a phish and like we suggested above, take a moment to follow up with that person in real time to confirm their request.

Red Flag #2: Misspelled Name and/or Email Address (When Impersonating Someone You Know)

Now, these attempts don’t come from just any John Doe; hackers do their research to make sure the “sender” looks like it is quite literally coming from your supervisor, company president, client, or…pretty much anyone you know based on social platforms and public company directories.

That being said, it’s now time to break out your magnifying glass and bifocals because we’re moving on to proofreading the urgent request with a fine-tooth comb. Some phishers are lazy so it may be fairly easy to spot a phish simply by doing an in-depth evaluation at the spelling of the sender’s email address (and even the spelling of anyone’s names that are mentioned).

Since it is not possible for two email accounts to exist under the same domain, hackers have to get creative with the spelling of email addresses when impersonating someone. A quick scan may miss the typos and misspellings so it’s best to take the extra few seconds to make sure the sender is using the correct domain and spelling of their name. Also be on the lookout for the number 1 replacing an L or an I and other such crafty substitutions.

Red Flag #3: Bad Grammar and Overall Spelling Mistakes

Most of the time, phishing scams do not come from a particular person but rather a bot or a spell-check tool that doesn’t always translate well. Be on the lookout for major spelling and/or grammar mistakes, and this red flag will be an easy one to spot.

Red Flag #4: Illegitimate Links

Whatever you do, do not click the blue link!

One tricky way phishers hook their victims is by using illegitimate links. One can avoid activating any malware-infested links by simply hovering their cursor over the link for a second or two to see a preview of the URL. If the preview is anything different than what the link says it’s supposed to be, then report it to your IT manager for a more in-depth evaluation.

To summarize, sometimes all it takes is a few extra seconds to carefully read over requests (and maybe a “better to be safe than sorry” forward to your IT department) to spot a phish. As a final note, we want to stress that it takes more than a simple spellcheck to keep you and your organization’s information secure. Upgrade your security software, implement two-step verification logins, train your employees, and collaborate with your IT department to find other security methods you can take.

Security Engineered Machinery Gives Back to Veteran Family with Operation Playhouse

March 7, 2022 at 7:25 pm by Amanda Canale

WESTBOROUGH, MA, February 23, 2022 – Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, once again partnered with Metrowest Habitat for Humanity for Operation Playhouse. The operation allows the opportunity for local Worcester County businesses to partner with veteran and military families to build and donate a playhouse to the family’s children. Each year, participating local businesses receive construction plans, paint, and a deconstructed house to build, and are given free rein to decorate the playhouses based on the children’s interests.

The SEM team decorated the playhouse for U.S. Army veteran Sgt. Christopher Cutliffe’s family. Sgt. Cutliffe served in the U.S. Army from 1998 to 2006 with a 2003 tour in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

“SEM was founded by a Korean War veteran in 1967, and ever since then we have worked very closely with all branches of the military and intelligence community, so any opportunity we have to give back, we take it,” said Andrew Kelleher, SEM President. “This cause has always been so close to our hearts, and it is always an absolute honor to come together and give back to a family that has given so much to our country.”

SEM Marketing Assistant, Amanda Canale, and Customer Care Representative, Cindy Haskell, painting the playhouse’s window frames.

SEM Director of Marketing, Heidi White (left), and Marketing Assistant, Amanda Canale (right) intertwining ivy garland into the playhouse’s porch.

The SEM team took full creative control with Operation Playhouse 2022 and produced a jungle-themed playhouse for the Cutliffe family’s two small children. The playhouse, painted dark green, is adorned with bamboo, greenery, jungle-themed activity books and toys, a removable front porch with gate, and even a rope swing with jungle vines.

“Every year, we try to take creative liberty and produce a truly unique and special playhouse,” said Amanda Canale, SEM Marketing Assistant. “Our team really outdid themselves with this year’s concept. It’s by far the most creative we have been and it was incredibly heartwarming to see it received so lovingly by the Cutliffe family.”

Members of the SEM Sales, Engineering, and Service teams working together to construct the playhouse’s roof.

SEM Director of Marketing, Heidi White, presenting Sgt. Christopher Cutliffe and his family with a certificate and the playhouse.

This is SEM’s fourth year taking part in Operation Playhouse and certainly won’t be the last. “Operation Playhouse has become a tradition here at SEM and we are eagerly awaiting next year’s opportunity,” added Kelleher.

Watch a recap of the day in the video below.

About Habitat For Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

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