An increasing variety of technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones and high-quality 4K video cameras is being introduced in the field of security amid a serious shortage of personnel in the field. A virtual "AI guard" developed by major Japanese security firm Secom Co. was tested at Ogikubo Hospital in Tokyo in late October. An animated character displayed on an electric panel at the hospital entrance takes visitors' temperatures and then welcomes those without fevers into the facility. The character has been programmed to respond verbally to basic inquiries and can tell visitors where the bathrooms are located and what time their buses will arrive. It is also able to make eye contact with visitors and lean down when approached by children or people in wheelchairs.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as one of the key technologies in today's digital age, revolutionizing many industries, from customer service to autonomous vehicles. The technology is also becoming a key weapon in the fight against cybercriminals. The rise of data breaches has become a critical and concerning issue. In recent years we have seen a tsunami of cyber attacks around the globe, inflicting great costs to both businesses and customers. According to a report titled "Economic Impact of Cybercrime – No Slowing Down," by McAfee and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), cybercrime cost the world between US$445 and US$608 billion in 2017.

In January, a security firm discovered that photos exchanged on Tinder weren't encrypted. If the firm connected to the same network as someone using the dating app, pics could be intercepted on their way between the app and the service's servers. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) wrote to the company shortly thereafter expressing concern over the vulnerability, but today Tinder wrote back assuring him that all photos are now encrypted, allowing you to upload your lovely or lascivious images securely. So, um, this is pretty weird. Apparently Senator Wyden just got Tinder to properly encrypt your swipe data, so you can all get it on in private.

Just 10 days after the official release of Apple's iPhone X, security researchers believe they have developed a method to defeat the device's Face ID facial recognition system that was promised to be the next big step in security. In a blog post and video published over the weekend, researchers at Vietnamese security firm Bkav laid claim to being the first to trick the iPhone X's new biometric authentication feature into unlocking. While the method has yet to be replicated or confirmed by any other experts, it does represent the first apparent vulnerability in what Apple was hoping to be a bulletproof security feature. The method used by the researchers to supposedly defeat Apple's next generation of biometric security was decidedly low tech. Bkav's team used commonly accessible materials to create a mask that was able to convince Face ID of its legitimacy.

When the Tokyo Marathon was held on Feb. 26, major security firm Secom Co. lifted a balloon equipped with cameras from a building near the finish line in front of JR Tokyo Station and deployed vehicles equipped with a radar system that can detect drones. The building stands at 35 meters, and the balloon, connected with a wire from the roof, was equipped with two kinds of cameras, one with a zoom lens and another showing thermal images, according to Secom adviser Tsuneo Komatsuzaki. In addition, the firm deployed vehicles equipped with radars to detect drones, as well as cameras worn by security guards and stationary cameras to monitor the entire area. "We identify suspicious individuals and predict how the crowd moves next, helping us to prevent an accident," Komatsuzaki said. Public and private entities are beefing up surveillance to combat terrorism amid the ongoing debate in the Diet over a conspiracy bill to punish people for just planning to conduct serious crimes.

The popular dating app generally doesn't verify most user accounts, but that hasn't stopped spammers from pretending to offer the service. In recent weeks, automated bots masquerading as Tinder profiles have been telling real users to get "verified," as part of a clever scam to sell them porn, security firm Symantec said on Thursday. The spam bots first send off flirty messages, like "Wanna eat cookie dough together some time?" It's a free service, the spam bot will claim, and done "to verify the person you wanna meet isn't a serial killer lol." The spam bot will then send a link to a site called "Tinder Safe Dating."