FAIRFAX, Va., Dec. 4, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2008 Presidential election posed a special security challenge to protect the candidates, their staffs and families from mail and postal threats. In late August 2008, the McCain-Palin campaign staff received multiple letters containing "white powder" that was suspected to be anthrax in offices throughout the U.S. Soon after, the McCain-Palin staff contracted SoBran, Inc. for specialized security protection.
The protection includes screening mail and parcels from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) threats in SoBran's state-of-the-art mail screening and SafeMail(r) Center of Excellence facility. This is SoBran's first of many planned mail screening facilities across the U.S. serving government, commercial, and high profile clients in the National Capital Region. SoBran's SafeMail(r) screening services ensure 100 percent detection of targeted threats.
There were additional potentially threatening items received for the presidential candidate John McCain, vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, their staff and families that were detected and safely mitigated by SoBran. Working in cooperation with the U.S. Secret Service and campaign staff, U.S. Postal Service and express mail (e.g., FedEx, UPS) addressed to McCain-Palin offices was redirected to SoBran's Metro DC secure inspection facility. Once received and determined safe via SoBran's SafeMail(r) advanced screening processes, the mail was shipped in tamper resistant, secured containers to the McCain-Palin Campaign Headquarters.
Using SoBran's secure treasury processing procedures developed specifically to meet the rigid financial industry requirements, SoBran personnel also handled and tracked high volumes of campaign contributions in the forms of checks and cash. As required, SoBran provided rapid laboratory testing and analysis for suspicious substance validation such as white powder suspected of being potentially anthrax.
"We are proud of the security services provided for the presidential campaign," explained Amos Otis, SoBran's founder and president. "SoBran leveraged its engineering expertise in biomedical research, safety, defense and information technologies in developing our comprehensive solution that efficiently and effectively protect critical infrastructure, businesses, and people."
SafeMail(r) is SoBran's proprietary layered Defense in Depth (DiD) design and operational architecture. DiD stresses multiple layers of active and passive security measures as better protection than a single mechanism. Overlapping layers of protection create an aggregate effect, multiplying the system's effectiveness. The layers can be technological, procedural, or policy. SoBran's SafeMail(r) offers:
* Business/mission resilience CBRNE and security threat assessments * Screening for CBRNE threats * Screening facility design and security assessments * Equipment installation, certification, and maintenance * Systems integration, start-up, and management * Onsite, operational, and laboratory support * Developing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and comprehensive training programs
SoBran began perfecting its DiD approach in late 2001, when a federal client contracted for assistance designing, developing, integrating, certifying, and operating a mail screening facility to safeguard recipients and mail personnel from CBRNE threats. Successfully meeting the agency's requirements led to comprehensive mail security and screening contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense, the Pentagon, and other classified high-level government facilities. Teams of SoBran's trained professionals managed multiple mail streams, including ultra-sensitive, classified, accountable, and time-sensitive mail for senior executives and high-ranking government, military and intelligence personnel.
SoBran often conducts facility security assessments and have found 9 out of every 10 mailrooms to be located on lower floors of their office building and allow direct office mail deliveries; this inside building access creates significant security risks to all workers and the facility. Many of these same companies fear mail based improvised explosive devices (IED) or incendiary type devices and have procured an x-ray screening machine located in the main mailroom. This act provides more of a symbolic safety action for the mailroom than real safety.
Current intelligence indicates that the threat from mail-borne CBRNE attacks has steadily increased since 2001, resulting in increased terrorist interest and over 1,700 websites provided detailed instructions on building "murder by mail" packages. Nationwide, postal inspectors have responded to more than 20,000 incidents of suspicious powders, hoaxes and related threats. Regardless of the location or recipient, each incident had to be evaluated and cleared before normal business operations could resume.
Before SoBran's new mail inspection facilities, only a few government agencies and corporations could afford such security; now the same level of screening, security, and workplace safety is affordable by high profile individual and small - large businesses alike. SoBran is regarded by the industry as the best in designing and operating government and customer owned mail screening facilities.
SoBran is ISO 9001:2000 Certified, a recipient of the Department of Homeland Security's Business Achievement Award for anti-terrorism and CBRNE-related services, and recognized by Inc Magazine as one of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. For more information about the SafeMail(r) screening process or SoBran's other security, engineering, supply chain, or biomedical divisions, contact: