Why Security Seals Are Important to You
Cargo security seals are important for the following reasons:
- Seals that allow your cargo to be compromised, when you have spent time, money and effort training staff, certifying vendors and securing your facilities and supply chain, defeat your objective.
- Once the conveyance is closed, security seals become the most critical item ensuring the integrity of the shipment as it travels the supply chain. A robust security device offers the only physical protection in the supply chain.
- Tamper evident seals are not enough. Seals must be very robust, offering tamper resistance and even covert technologies.
Vulnerabilities of Seals and Related Components
- Door hasps can be breached.
- Bolt seals can be spun.
- Bar-locks are not cost-effective and rely on ineffectual locking mechanisms.
- Cable seals can be defeated unless they are premium grade.
Only by attaining C-TPAT Tier Level 3 status would a “best practices” approach be employed. Only the use of cable seals or bar-locks would achieve this objective.
Before deciding where you stand in terms of C-TPAT and FAST compliance - minimum compliance or best practices – let’s review some common breach techniques.
