BQT Solutions Access Controllers

Protecting against fire and security risks is an essential aspect of life for people and across all sectors. However, there is an increasing expectation and demand on fire and security providers, in areas such as education. The securitisation of our world paired with the rapid speed of communication and news updates means that young people especially have the potential to be more aware of potential dangers and threats to their own safety and the safety of those around them. Education institutions are large and sometimes sprawling sites that present considerable fire and security challenges. From Kindergartens to Colleges Each education site brings distinct challenges, with differing facilities and specialties, as well as the need to maintain the capacity of students, teachers and lecturers to study, learn and teach at the high level expected.Each education site brings distinct challenges, with differing facilities and specialties While some schools and universities are based in urban areas with a mix of heritage and high rise buildings, others are sprawled across green open spaces. Some of these sites have specialised sporting facilities, while others may be focused on engineering or scientific study, with costly technical equipment. Kindergartens and primary schools have their own unique requirements. Parents expect the highest safety standards, while schools require safety in addition to efficient facilities management. The demographic of these institutions is predominantly young children, who are often unaware of or only just learning about fire safety and personal safety. This creates a huge vulnerability and an added onus on teachers to keep their students safe. Facial recognition at West Academy of Beijing In response to this need, Chubb China upgraded the closed-circuit television (CCTV) system for Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) focusing on elevating video content analytic features, including maximised CCTV monitoring, automatic police calling, and a smart search solution. Complementing this, a facial recognition system capable of finding the exact location of a student on campus within 30 seconds was added, aided by real-time remote gate operation. This integrated and advanced system resulted won the "High Quality Educational Technology Suppliers for School" award for the WAB project at the 2019 BEED Asia Future Oriented Construction of Universities and Schools Seminar. This award recognizes outstanding solution design and project execution. Parents expect the highest safety standards, while schools require safety in addition to efficient facilities management Awareness remains important at university As students graduate from kindergarten, primary school, junior and senior school, they become more aware of fire safety, relevant dangers and how to protect themselves. Unfortunately, external dangers remain. There are particularly high stakes for university campus facilities managers The safety of students in a university environment is also critical. It is often the first time young people live away from their family home and have the independence of adulthood. For this reason, there are particularly high stakes for university campus facilities managers. In the eventuality of a fire, students could be at great risk and, beyond the immediacy of physical harm, this can have serious ramifications for the reputation of an educational institution. Integrated solutions Integrated solutions must be nimble and adapted to a range of site types including campus residences, recreational areas, open spaces and lecture theatres. Chubb Sicli recently identified and overcame these challenges through the installation of a full suite of fire safety and security equipment and services at Webster University Geneva. Established in Switzerland in 1978, Webster University Geneva is an accredited American university campus that offers programs in English to students interested in undergraduate or graduate-level education.  Located in the Commune of Bellevue, just a few kilometres from Geneva's central station, the campus of Webster University Geneva includes five buildings in a park-style atmosphere. Full fire and security audit Chubb Sicli provided Webster’s fire extinguisher maintenance for over 25 years. This business relationship led to a full fire and security audit that identified the need for updates to the university’s security installation. The initial audit showed several improvements to the university’s security profile were needed.The challenge was to create and provide an effective and interconnected fire and security solution The challenge was to create and provide an effective and interconnected fire and security solution, enhancing the security of the student population and its ever-evolving needs. This included complete fire detection and intruder alarms for all five buildings, upgrades to existing CCTV systems, new video surveillance equipment and an automated fire extinguishing system in the kitchen areas. In addition to this integrated system solution, Webster University required access control for all main entrances, with the requirement that all documentation to be made available in English, because Webster is an American company. Customized solution Chubb Sicli’s quality, capability, and security expertise provided a customized solution for the unique educational establishment. Not only was the solution both tailored and integrated, the approach and planning were based on audit, fire extinguisher and emergency light maintenance, fire detection, intrusion detection, access control, video surveillance and Fire Detection. Through dedicated and integrated fire safety support, Chubb provides students and families peace of mind and security. From the moment a young child enters the education system, Chubb’s diligent and effective surveillance and fire safety systems work to prevent and protect, offering a new kind of ‘end-to-end’ service for education systems around the world.

Insider threat programs started with counter-espionage cases in the government. Today, insider threat programs have become a more common practice in all industries, as companies understand the risks associated with not having one. To build a program, you must first understand what an insider threat is. An insider threat is an employee, contractor, visitor or other insider who have been granted physical or logical access to a company that can cause extensive damage. Damage ranges from emotional or physical injury, to personnel, financial and reputational loss to data loss/manipulation or destruction of assets. Financial and confidential information While malicious insiders only make up 22% of the threats, they have the most impact on an organization Most threats are derived from the accidental insider. For example, it’s the person who is working on a competitive sales pitch on an airplane and is plugging in financial and confidential information. They are working hard, yet their company’s information is exposed to everyone around them. Another type of insider, the compromised insider, is the person who accidentally downloaded malware when clicking on a fake, urgent email, exposing their information. Malicious insiders cause the greatest concerns. These are the rogue employees who may feel threatened. They may turn violent or take action to damage the company. Or you have the criminal actor employees who are truly malicious and have been hired or bribed by another company to gather intel. Their goal is to gather data and assets to cause damage for a specific purpose. While malicious insiders only make up 22% of the threats, they have the most impact on an organization. They can cause brand and financial damage, along with physical and mental damage. Insider threat program Once you determine you need an insider threat program, you need to build a business case and support it with requirements. Depending on your industry, you can start with regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, NERC CIP, PCI, etc. Talk to your regulator and get their input. Everyone needs to be onboard, understand the intricacies of enacting a program Next, get a top to bottom risk assessment to learn your organization’s risks. A risk assessment will help you prioritize your risks and provide recommendations about what you need to include in your program. Begin by meeting with senior leadership, including your CEO to discuss expectations. Creating an insider threat program will change the company culture, and the CEO must understand the gravity of his/her decision before moving forward. Everyone needs to be onboard, understand the intricacies of enacting a program and support it before its implemented. Determining the level of monitoring The size and complexity of your company will determine the type of program needed. One size does not fit all. It will determine what technologies are required and how much personnel is needed to execute the program. The company must determine what level of monitoring is needed to meet their goals. After the leadership team decides, form a steering committee that includes someone from legal, HR and IT. Other departments can join as necessary. This team sets up the structure, lays out the plan, determines the budget and what type of technologies are needed. For small companies, the best value is education. Educate your employees about the program, build the culture and promote awareness. Teach employees about the behaviors you are looking for and how to report them. Behavioral analysis software Every company is different and you need to determine what will gain employee support The steering committee will need to decide what is out of scope. Every company is different and you need to determine what will gain employee support. The tools put in place cannot monitor employee productivity (web surfing). That is out of scope and will disrupt the company culture. What technology does your organization need to detect insider threats? Organizations need software solutions that monitor, aggregate and analyze data to identify potential threats. Behavioral analysis software looks at patterns of behavior and identifies anomalies. Use business intelligence/data analytics solutions to solve this challenge. This solution learns the normal behavior of people and notifies security staff when behavior changes. This is done by setting a set risk score. Once the score crosses a determined threshold, an alert is triggered. Case and incident management tools Predictive analytics technology reviews behaviors and identifies sensitive areas of companies (pharmacies, server rooms) or files (HR, finance, development). If it sees anomalous behavior, it can predict behaviours. It can determine if someone is going to take data. It helps companies take steps to get ahead of bad behavior. If an employee sends hostile emails, they are picked up and an alert is triggered User sentiment detection software can work in real time. If an employee sends hostile emails, they are picked up and an alert is triggered. The SOC and HR are notified and security dispatched. Depending on how a company has this process set-up, it could potentially save lives. Now that your organization has all this data, how do you pull it together? Case and incident management tools can pool data points and create threat dashboards. Cyber detection system with access control An integrated security system is recommended to be successful. It will eliminate bubbles and share data to see real-time patterns. If HR, security and compliance departments are doing investigations, they can consolidate systems into the same tool to have better data aggregation. Companies can link their IT/cyber detection system with access control. Deploying a true, integrated, open system provides a better insider threat program. Big companies should invest in trained counterintelligence investigators to operate the program. They can help identify the sensitive areas, identify who the people are that have the most access to them, or are in a position to do the greatest amount of harm to the company and who to put mitigation plans around to protect them. They also run the investigations. Potential risky behavior Using the right technology along with thorough processes will result in a successful program You need to detect which individuals are interacting with information systems that pose the greatest potential risk. You need to rapidly and thoroughly understand the user’s potential risky behavior and the context around it. Context is important. You need to decide what to investigate and make it clear to employees. Otherwise you will create a negative culture at your company. Develop a security-aware culture. Involve the crowd. Get an app so if someone sees something they can say something. IT should not run the insider threat program. IT is the most privileged department in an organization. If something goes wrong with an IT person, they have the most ability to do harm and cover their tracks. They need to be an important partner, but don’t let them have ownership and don’t let their administrators have access. Educating your employees and creating a positive culture around an insider threat program takes time and patience. Using the right technology along with thorough processes will result in a successful program. It’s okay to start small and build.

Today, the world is connected like never before. Your watch is connected to your phone, which is connected to your tablet and so on. As we’ve begun to embrace this ‘smart’ lifestyle, what we’re really embracing is the integration of systems. Why do we connect our devices? The simplest answer is that it makes life easier. But, if that’s the case, why stop at our own personal devices? Connection, when applied to a business’ operations, is no different: it lowers effort and expedites decision making. Integrating security systems Systems integration takes the idea of connected devices and applies it to an enterprise Systems integration takes the idea of connected devices and applies it to an enterprise, bringing disparate subcomponents into a single ecosystem. This could mean adding a new, overarching system to pull and collect data from existing subsystems, or adapting an existing system to serve as a data collection hub. Regardless of the method, the purpose is to create a single, unified view. Ultimately, it’s about simplifying processes, gaining actionable insights into operations and facilitating efficient decision-making. Although integration is becoming the new norm in other areas of life, businesses often opt out of integrating security systems because of misconceptions about the time and resources required to successfully make the change. So, instead of a streamlined operation, the various security systems and devices are siloed, not communicating with each other and typically being run by different teams within an organization. Time-Intensive process When systems are not integrated, companies face a wide range of risks driven by a lack of transparency and information sharing, including actual loss of property or assets. For example, a team in charge of access control is alerted to a door being opened in the middle of the night but can’t see what exactly is taking place through video surveillance. Without integrated systems they have no way of knowing if it was a burglar, an equipment malfunction or a gust of wind. Without integration between systems and teams, the ability to quickly put the right pieces in front of decision makers is missing. Instead, the team would have to go back and manually look for footage that corresponds with the time a door was open to figure out which door it was, who opened it and what happened after, which can be a time-intensive process. Integrating access control and surveillance systems Theft and vandalism occur quickly, meaning systems and users must work faster in order to prevent it This slowed response time adds risk to the system. Theft and vandalism occur quickly, meaning systems and users must work faster in order to prevent it. Security systems can do more than communicate that theft or vandalism occurred. Properly integrated, these systems alert users of pre-incident indicators before an event happens or deter events altogether. This gives teams and decision makers more time to make effective decisions. Integrating access control and surveillance systems allows for a more proactive approach. If a door is opened when it’s not supposed to be, an integrated system enables users to quickly see what door was opened, who opened it and make a quick decision. Integrated solutions are more effective, more efficient and help drive cost-saving decisions. Ideally, companies should establish integrated solutions from the start of operations. This allows companies to anticipate problems and adjust accordingly instead of reacting after an incident has occurred. Security camera system Although starting from the beginning is the best way to ensure comprehensive security, many companies have existing security systems, requiring integration and implementation to bring them together. Typically, companies with established security systems worry about the impact to infrastructure requirements. Is additional infrastructure necessary? How and where should it be added? What financial or human resources are required? These concerns drive a mentality that the benefits gained from an integrated solution aren’t worth the costs of implementation. Thankfully, this is becoming less of a problem as security providers, like Twenty20™ Solutions, work to offer adaptable solutions. With flexible options, operators don’t worry about adding or replacing infrastructure to align with a provider’s model. This allows users to monitor camera footage and gate traffic from one system If a company has an existing security camera system, but identifies a need for access control, a modern integrated solution provider can supply the gates for access points and equip the gates and cameras with the technology to connect the two. This allows users to monitor camera footage and gate traffic from one system. This model also spares operators additional costs by using a sole vendor for supplemental needs. Overall management of security While a single, unified system is beneficial for cost saving, it can also help the overall management of security. The ability to view all operating systems in one dashboard allows security personnel to manage a site from any location, reducing the expense and effort required to manage a system. The mobile world today means security directors no longer need to be in a centralized operations center to see alerts and make decisions. This simplifies processes by allowing users to quickly see an alert, pull up a camera, delete a user or check an access log from a phone. Modern networks are secure and accessible to those with permissions, without requiring those users to be physically present. Consolidating security systems is the first step companies can take toward streamlining work, information and costs. The next step is integrating all sites, both remote and on-grid. Energy and communication technology The integration of sites and systems turns mountains of data and information into actionable intelligence Traditional methods demanded two systems: one for on-grid facilities and another for off-grid locations. With advancements in energy and communication technology, the need for multiple systems is gone. Data from remote sites can be safely and securely fed into an existing system. These remote locations may gather, distribute and manage data in a different manner than a connected system due to the cost of transmission via remote connections (i.e., cellular or satellite connection). The end result, however, is a consistent and holistic view of operations for the decision maker. The integration of sites and systems turns mountains of data and information into actionable intelligence. With connected devices monitoring occurrences at individual sites, as well as events across locations, the data tells a story that is unhindered by operational silos or physical space. Identifying patterns and trends Instead of providing 10 hours-worth of footage that may or may not be relevant, system analytics can provide users with the specific set of information they need. Incidents once discarded as ‘one-off’ events can now be analyzed and data-mapped to identify patterns and trends, directing future resources to the most critical areas first. Consumers are increasingly expecting everything they need to be right where they need it – and businesses are right behind them. The current generation of security professionals are increasingly expecting the simplicity of their everyday personal tasks to be mirrored in enterprise systems, which means giving them the ability to see what matters in one place. A unified system can provide just that, a single view to help simplify processes, promote cost saving and accelerate decision making.

Ava Group (AVA), a provider of security risk management services and technology will be showcasing its portfolio of security solutions at ISC West - Las Vegas, booth 25103. ISC West is the largest converged security industry trade show in the US with the exhibition taking place from April 10-12th. The event provides a major platform for professional networking, sourcing new suppliers and introducing new products and technologies, encompassing everything from access control to unmanned vehicles. ISC West also includes the SIA Education@ISC conference program, running from April 9-11th. Risk Management Services Ava Group’s technology division incorporates two well established security risk management companies - Future Fibre Technologies (FFT) and BQT Solutions, both of which will be on the booth this April. As a provider of risk management services and technologies, Ava Group offers a portfolio of complementary solutions encompassing both fiber optic intrusion detection as well as high security access control and locking. Ava Group is proud to present the latest solutions from its technology division, namely the Orca lock and latest enhancements to the Aura Ai-2 controller Ava Group is proud to present the latest solutions from its technology division, namely the Orca lock and latest enhancements to the Aura Ai-2 controller. The enhanced Aura Ai-2 from Future Fibre Technologies features unrivalled high-sensitivity detection, location accuracy, cut resilience capability and the industry’s longest linear range. Outdoor Locking Solution This product features new ultra-low noise optical detection electronics. This ensures a single controller can cover a distance up to 110 kilometers, accurately detecting, locating and reporting multiple disturbances to just +/- two meters. BQT Solutions will be demonstrating the new high-strength Orca lock (YG80) – providing ultimate security for all environments. Building on the success of the award winning YG10, the Orca lock is designed for securing gates, roller doors, shipping containers and any other large door or entryway. Alongside the Orca’s impressive physical attributes, a unique feature is its ability to fully integrate into an access control system, surpassing any other solutions available in the market. Orca is fully monitored, weatherproof, and user configurable - providing the perfect indoor and outdoor locking solution. Real-World Projects The Ava Group team will be on hand to explain how its solutions are being used in real-world projects to address the latest threats As well as getting to know the product range, the Ava Group team will be on hand to explain how its solutions are being used in real-world projects to address the latest threats. Newly appointed Chief Operating Officer, Scott Basham commented, “We’ve seen continued growth in demand for our products in the US market and returning to ISC West provides us with a perfect platform to showcase our broad range of capabilities and explain to visitors how our product range can be applied to meet their particular needs. We always welcome the opportunity to be face-to-face with our customers worldwide and thoroughly enjoy being able to engage directly with the market in this way.” Fiber Sensing Technology Alongside their presence in the exhibition hall, Ava Group’s CTO – Technology, Dr Jim Katsifolis will be presenting ‘Fiber Optic Perimeter Intrusion Detection Systems (PIDS): Trends, Myths and Realities Revealed’ 10:15 am on April 9th, Sands 302. This presentation promises to cover how best to select appropriate fiber sensing technology products when specifying, as well as how to assess the true performance of such PIDS systems. With over 1,000 exhibitors and brands and an anticipated 30,000 security professionals, ISC West is a must-visit for anyone in the security risk industry.

Ava Group (AVA), a provider of security risk management services and technology will be showcasing its portfolio of security solutions at Intersec Dubai 2019, stand S3-C48. Intersec Dubai features a rich selection of exhibitors in Security, Safety & Fire Protection, attracting visitors from the Middle East, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and well beyond. Ava Group will be presenting the latest exciting solutions from its technology division - which incorporates Future Fibre Technologies (FFT) and BQT Solutions. As a provider of risk management services and technologies, Ava Group offers a portfolio of complementary solutions encompassing both fibre optic intrusion detection and high security access control and locking. Increased Investment As a key event for the region and beyond, Intersec Dubai is the perfect way for security providers and buyers to start 2019" Mark Horton, Global Sales & Marketing Director commented, “As a key event for the region and beyond, Intersec Dubai is the perfect way for security providers and buyers to start 2019. Our solutions offer the very latest in security technology and the highest levels of protection, key benefits that we know are always well-received by visitors at the event.” Mark continued, “Over the last couple of years we have seen a significant growth in demand for our products in the Middle East, with increased investment in infrastructure across the region as a whole. Because of continued growth in the market, we have also invested in the expansion of our Dubai-based office and regional support team to ensure we are perfectly placed to supply and service our customers.” Reporting Multiple Disturbances Future Fibre Technologies will be showcasing its enhanced Aura Ai-2 controller. Featuring unrivalled high-sensitivity detection, location accuracy, cut resilience capability and the industry’s longest linear range - this product features new ultra-low noise optical detection electronics. This ensures a single controller can cover a distance up to 110 kilometres, accurately detecting, locating and reporting multiple disturbances to just +/- two metres. Also on stand S3-C48, BQT Solutions will be demonstrating the new high-strength Orca lock to the middle east market Also on stand S3-C48, BQT Solutions will be demonstrating the new high-strength Orca lock to the middle east market. Building on the success of the award winning YG10, the Orca lock is designed for securing gates, roller doors, shipping containers and any other large door or entryway. Alongside the Orca’s impressive physical attributes, a unique feature is its ability to fully integrate into an access control system, surpassing any other solutions available in the market. Security Risk Management Orca is fully monitored, weatherproof, and user configurable - providing the perfect indoor and outdoor locking solution. As well as the products themselves, the Ava Group team will be on hand to explain how its solutions are being used in real-world projects to address the latest threats. Mark concluded, “We are looking forward to discussing recent key examples of our technology in action, including a major military closed data network where our data network infrastructure protection solution is protecting against tapping and tampering. These projects illustrate the depth of our expertise in security risk management and highlight the level of protection which we achieve to client’s assets and infrastructure. If you are visiting the event come and have a chat with our friendly and expert team on Stand S3-C48 about your specific security needs.”

Ava Group (AVA), global provider of security risk management services and technology will be presenting its portfolio of security solutions at International Security Expo, stand E74. The expo also hosts a range of certified conferences and workshops covering every major sector of the security industry. Taking place over two days at London Olympia, the event focuses on the needs of government and CNI amongst other key sectors. Fiber Optic Intrusion Detection Ava Group will be showcasing the latest solutions from its technology division - incorporating Future Fibre Technologies and BQT Solutions. The Ava Group is a market leader of risk management services and technologies, offering a portfolio of complementary solutions encompassing both fiber optic intrusion detection and high security access control and locking. Mark Horton, Global Sales & Marketing Director – Future Fibre Technologies commented, “Our brands have a strong pedigree in some of the expo’s key sectors including government and CNI, and we’re very much looking forward to discussing with visitors how Ava’s solutions can be applied to protect their organizations. Ava Group has had some major project wins in recent months including a major military closed data network, who have selected our data network infrastructure protection solution to secure its network against tapping and tampering. It is projects such as this that demonstrate Ava Group’s expertise in security risk management and protection of client’s assets and infrastructure.” Perimeter Security Technology New ultra-low noise optical detection electronics ensure a single controller can cover a distance up to 110 kilometres Ava Group’s CTO – Technology, Dr Jim Katsifolis will be presenting in the Perimeter Security & Intrusion Detection Technology Workshop on ‘Security within security in a converged perimeter intrusion detection solution’ on the first morning of the exhibition. An accomplished R&D professional, Jim will explore the latest generation of PIDS technologies, the convergence of intrusion detection and cybersecurity as well as addressing some common myths in this field. Featured on the stand will be the enhanced Aura Ai-2 controller from Future Fibre Technologies. This market-leading product offers unrivalled high-sensitivity detection, location accuracy, cut resilience capability and the industry’s longest linear range. New ultra-low noise optical detection electronics ensure a single controller can cover a distance up to 110 kilometres and can accurately detect, locate and report multiple disturbances to +/- 2 metres. Security Management Solution Ava Group is also previewing its Small Site Assurance range, which is designed to protect remote unmanned locations through a holistic security management solution. The solution incorporates intrusion detection, access control and locking as well as environmental monitoring - all controlled remotely from a simple graphical user interface. The Small Site Assurance range is particularly suited for utilities, telecoms, energy, oil & gas and data centers that are at risk from threats such as vandalism, opportunistic and targeted theft, terrorist attack, trespass, system failure, accident or injury. Orca Locking Security Solution The Orca lock is a high-strength lock designed for securing gates, roller doors, shipping containers, and any other large door or entryway From BQT Solutions, Ava Group will be demonstrating the Orca lock. Building on the success of the award winning YG10, the Orca lock is a high-strength lock designed for securing gates, roller doors, shipping containers, and any other large door or entryway. Alongside the Orca’s impressive physical attributes, its ability to integrate into an access control system is what elevates it beyond anything available in the market. Fully monitored, weatherproof, and user configurable, the Orca is the perfect indoor and outdoor locking solution. BQT will also demonstrate the latest software integration between its miPASS Access TMS software and Paxton’s Net2 access control software. The integration enables the seamless addition of BQT biometric readers to new or existing Net2 systems, facilitating a smooth transition from less secure card technologies to more robust options like fingerprint biometrics and BQT’s own miPASS credentials.