Fermax Electronic Keypads for Access Control Systems

There’s growing noise around smart homes and smarter security. You’ve probably heard it. But there is a place where access control and more have been smart for decades: the workplace. Home automation and IoT are still playing catch-up with the commercial sector. A new insights report from ASSA ABLOY and IFSEC Global — “The Smart Door Locks Report 2018” — measures just how fast consumer smart technology is running. According to a survey conducted for the report, 61% of households now claim to own at least one smart home device or system. Energy monitors, home CCTV cameras, intruder alarms and smart door locks are the most popular, according to the report. All these functions, of course, have been available to businesses for years.61% of households now claim to own at least one smart home device or system Educating The Smart Home Consumer Paradoxically, report data also questions how much consumers really know about their smarter home. A surprising 42% of those surveyed, for example, were unaware they could control a smart door lock from their phone. In fact, many leading smart door lock models offer this feature, delivered by Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and an app. Despite a wealth of features offered by the latest smart door locks — remote and location-based locking/unlocking; voice activation; timed access; emailed entry alerts; and integration with smart camera and lighting systems — most people still have limited knowledge of their capabilities.  Smart technology is increasingly becoming the new norm in terms of home security  Only 14% of survey respondents described themselves as “very familiar” with what a smart lock can do. Even though most of them probably use smart access control solutions at their workplace. Secure Homes Through Smart Technology Monitoring and security are not the only drivers for smart home adoption. We humans also love convenience, and modern living presents us with problems that smart home technology can solve. Ironically, given the report’s findings, it takes a smartphone to really unlock the convenient possibilities of smarter living. The device that’s “always to hand” is central to the newest generation of smart door locks.A smart door lock is a convenient way for a landlord or agency to offer round-the-clock check-in and check-out If homeowners wish to remotely manage property access for friends and family, many smart door locks oblige. You let in guests remotely, send them a virtual digital key, or provide a temporary or single-use PIN to unlock the door. It is just as easy to revoke a digital key, if you don’t want its owner to come around anymore. This is a significant improvement over sharing physical keys — or hiding one under the doormat. We cannot be totally sure where a metal key ends up and have no way to track or cancel it once it’s “out in the wild”. Commercial access control offers such functionality as standard, of course.  In addition, smart door locks offer more than just stand-alone operation and clever functions. In a domestic setting, magic happens when locks work in harmony with a home automation system, connected by protocols like Z-Wave, ZigBee or Wi-Fi. "Smart" Security On The Move  The smartphone is becoming a remote control for managing a connected life beyond just home (and even workplace) security. According to Accenture, the parcel delivery services market will grow by $343 billion by 2020. Just like home security, convenience is a major driver of change. Homeowners can send guests a virtual digital key to their phones, or provide a temporary or single-use PIN to unlock the door A recent PostNord pilot in Sweden aimed to remove the inconvenience of waiting home for a postal delivery. Selected customers of some major Scandinavian e-retailers could choose to have parcels delivered inside their front door, if it was equipped with a Yale smart door lock.  Home delivery is among potential smart services covered in “The Smart Door Locks Report 2018 ”. When asked whether the ability to receive parcels securely in a porch or lobby would make them more likely to invest in a smart door lock, 79% said it would.It is easy to revoke a digital key, if you don’t want its owner to come around anymore Vacation Rentals And Smart Home Tech ASSA ABLOY research published in 2017 forecasts continued growth in the European vacation rentals sector (at 5.8% CAGR). Smart door locks are also making an impact here, at both ends of the market: for service providers — agents and homeowners — and for travelers. A smart door lock is a convenient way for a landlord or agency to offer round-the-clock check-in and check-out, without creating extra work or staff costs. Both Intersoft, in Croatia, and Hoomvip in Spain have built vacation rentals management systems around an app and the ENTR® smart door lock. Agents issue, revoke, track and manage virtual keys for all their guests, saving everyone time and hassle. travelers use their phones and an app to unlock their apartment. For these visitors the smartphone is already an essential travel accessory. It is a boarding pass, a credit card, a travel guide, and a postcard home... why not a door key, too? And if this key is backed by a trusted home security brand — and a company with vast experience in the mature market for commercial “smart” security — better still.

For the past several years, there has been a focus by integrators and customers to assure that their card-based access control systems are secure. To give businesses an extra incentive to meet their cybersecurity threats, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has decided to hold the business community responsible for failing to implement good cybersecurity practices and is now filing lawsuits against those that don't. For instance, the FTC filed a lawsuit against D-Link and its U.S. subsidiary, alleging that it used inadequate safeguards on its wireless routers and IP cameras that left them vulnerable to hackers.Many companies perceive that they are safer with a card but, if done correctly, the mobile can be a far more secure option  Now, as companies are learning how to protect card-based systems, such as their access control solutions, along comes mobile access credentials and their readers which use smart phones instead of cards as the vehicle for carrying identification information. Many companies perceive that they are safer with a card but, if done correctly, the mobile can be a far more secure option with many more features to be leveraged. Handsets deliver biometric capture and comparison as well as an array of communication capabilities from cellular and Wi-Fi to Bluetooth LE and NFC. As far as security goes, the soft credential, by definition, is already a multi-factor solution. Types Of Access Control Authentication Access control authenticates you by following three things:  Recognises something you have (RFID tag/card/key), Recognises something you know (PIN) or Recognises something you are (biometrics). Your smart phone has all three authentication parameters. This soft credential, by definition, is already a multi-factor solution. Your mobile credentials remain protected behind a smart phone's security parameters, such as biometrics and PINs. Organizations want to use smart phones in their upcoming access control implementations Once a biometric, PIN or password is entered to access the phone, the user automatically has set up 2-factor access control verification - what you know and what you have or what you have and a second form of what you have.                 To emphasize, one cannot have access to the credential without having access to the phone. If the phone doesn’t work, the credential doesn’t work. The credential operates just like any other app on the phone. The phone must be “on and unlocked.” These two factors – availability and built-in multi-factor verification – are why organizations want to use smart phones in their upcoming access control implementations. Smart Phone Access Control Is Secure Plus, once a mobile credential is installed on a smart phone, it cannot be re-installed on another smart phone. You can think of a soft credential as being securely linked to a specific smart phone. Similar to a card, if a smart phone is lost, damaged or stolen, the process should be the same as with a traditional physical access credential. It should be immediately deactivated in the access control management software - with a new credential issued as a replacement. Your mobile credentials remain protected behind a smart phone's security parameters, such as biometrics and PINs Leading readers additionally use AES encryption when transferring data. Since the Certified Common Criteria EAS5+ Computer Interface Standard provides increased hardware cybersecurity, these readers resist skimming, eavesdropping and replay attacks.            When the new mobile system leverages the Security Industry Association's (SIA) Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP), it also will interface easily with control panels or other security management systems, fostering interoperability among security devices. Likewise, new soft systems do not require the disclosure of any sensitive end-user personal data. All that should be needed to activate newer systems is simply the phone number of the smart phone.All that should be needed to activate newer systems is simply the phone number of the smart phone Bluetooth And NFC The Safer Options Bottom line - both Bluetooth and NFC credentials are safer than hard credentials. Read range difference yields a very practical result from a security aspect. First of all, when it comes to cybersecurity, there are advantages to a closer read range. NFC eliminates any chances of having the smart phone unknowingly getting read such as can happen with a longer read range. There are also those applications where multiple access readers are installed very near to one-another due to many doors being close. One reader could open multiple doors simultaneously. The shorter read range or tap of an NFC enabled device would stop such problems. However, with this said in defense of NFC, it must also be understood that Bluetooth-enabled readers can provide various read ranges, including those of no longer than a tap as well. One needs to understand that there are also advantages to a longer reader range capability. Since NFC readers have such a short and limited read range, they must be mounted on the unsecure side of the door and encounter all the problems such exposure can breed. Conversely, Bluetooth readers mount on the secure sides of doors and can be kept protected out of sight. Aging Systems Could Cause Problems Research shows that Bluetooth enabled smart phones are continuing to expand in use to the point where those not having them are already the exceptions With that said, be aware. Some older Bluetooth-enabled systems force the user to register themselves and their integrators for every application. Door access – register. Parking access – register again. Data access – register again, etc. Newer solutions provide an easier way to distribute credentials with features that allow the user to register only once and need no other portal accounts or activation features. By removing these additional information disclosures, vendors have eliminated privacy concerns that have been slowing down acceptance of mobile access systems. In addition, you don’t want hackers listening to your Bluetooth transmissions, replaying them and getting into your building, so make very sure that the system is immunised against such replays. That’s simple to do. Your manufacturer will show you which system will be best for each application. Research shows that Bluetooth enabled smart phones are continuing to expand in use to the point where those not having them are already the exceptions. They are unquestionably going to be a major component in physical and logical access control. Gartner suggests that, by 2020, 20 percent of organizations will use mobile credentials for physical access in place of traditional ID cards. Let’s rephrase that last sentence. In less than 18 months, one-fifth of all organizations will use the smart phone as the focal point of their electronic access control systems. Not proximity. Not smart cards. Phones!

The physical security market continues to experience growth as users look to capitalize on the promises of emerging technologies and because of this, 2017 proved to be a great year for Oncam. In fact, this year was the best year in Oncam's history in terms of sales, as 360-degree fisheye cameras have gone from being a “specialty” camera used only in certain applications to a primary device for enabling total situational awareness. Today, many of our customers leverage 360-degree cameras exclusively to provide extensive coverage inside a facility or in a large outdoor area, with traditional narrow field-of-view cameras used only at “choke” points. Increase In Cybersecurity Threats And Breaches At the end of 2016, we predicted a major trend this year would be an increase in cybersecurity concerns for users of physical security systems, and we were right. An increase in cybersecurity threats and breaches have put organizations on watch. Based on this and the adoption of more IT-centric infrastructure and protocols, there is significant collaboration between IT and physical security, and true “convergence” is finally starting to happen. The adoption of video analytics also continued to increase this year, as most video surveillance projects involved the use of some form of analytics and data analysis. Demand For Safeguards As we move into 2018, the trends of 2017 will roll over, and cybersecurity will continue to be a major issue. Suppliers of hardware and software will put an even greater emphasis being cyber secure and end users will increasingly demand safeguards. Additionally, the deployment and use of advanced analytics based on newer artificial intelligence-based technologies will continue to increase. It will be the technology providers that find ways to allow users to capture additional value from the information collected by security systems that will accelerate growth. Oncam made significant investments in new products that leverage analytics and cloud technologies. In 2018, we will continue to invest in the development of new products, with a focus on solutions for particular applications across industry segments. Beyond our technology advancements, we've invested significantly in boosting our sales force in the Americas and adding industry experts to ensure sustained customer and partner success with our solutions. From our vantage point, Oncam is well positioned to capitalize on opportunities for growth in the coming year.

Developed and launched in 2014, FERMAX FOR REAL, the Augmented Reality application for mobiles and tablets has now been released in a new improved version. It includes new products, a more modern design and a new marker to activate the augmented reality. End users can interact with the product as if it was real and see how Fermax video door entry systems would look like on the exterior and interior of their home. That is the great advantage of Augmented Reality: the possibility of combining the virtual world with the real world. End users can interact with the product as if it was real and see how Fermax video door entry systems would look like on the exterior and interior of their home DUOX 2-wire video entry system The renowned Spanish brand of video door entry systems has redesigned its application FERMAX FOR REAL with the aim of offering a more agile, interactive and functional user experience. In this version, the application includes a complete selection of DUOX (2-wire system) and MEET (IP system) outdoor panels and indoor terminals, Fermax's main video door entry technologies. It is no longer necessary for the installation’s company to visit properties with a suitcase full of samples. With a tablet or mobile phone in their pocket, the installers will be able to show their customers both the outdoor panels and the terminals (monitors and telephones) from the Fermax catalog. Users can see them on the wall as if they were already installed at the entrance or inside the house and interact with the products. MEET IP outdoor panels In order to access the Augmented Reality feature, the user needs to place the new marker on the wall When using the application, the users can see a menu in which the main elements of an installation are presented: the outdoor panel and the interior terminals. The users can select the product they wish to see so that the system shows an image of the product and they can read about its features or see the options and models available. They can even visualize the equipment in 3D and rotate it up to 360 degrees. In order to access the Augmented Reality feature, the user needs to place the new marker on the wall where the outdoor panel or indoor terminal will be located and activate the AR button. Users who have the old marker will have to download this new marker from the application itself, or from the Fermax website. The users can select the product they wish to see so that the system shows an image of the product and they can read about its features or see the options and models available Residential intercom and communication systems From that moment on, the tablet or mobile screen will generate the image of the virtual product over the real surface and the user will be able to interact with the product through the screen making a call from the outdoor panel, answering a call from the monitor, activating or deactivating the "Do Not Disturb" function, seeing the OSD menu of the monitors, incorporating installation accessories in the case of the Skyline and Cityline panels, there are multiple options so that the end user can see the product as if it was already installed. With this innovative commercial tool, Fermax once again shows its ability to position at the forefront of residential communication technology. You can download FERMAX FOR REAL for free from Google Play or the App Store.

Ciudad Ros Casares has become one of the most important business parks in Valencia, Spain. It is a unique commercial and residential construction, which responds to the new business and networking requirements. The intercommunication system chosen by the project managers is the MEET IP System from FERMAX, because of its high performance and integration features as well as the security offered by MEET. The system includes integrated access control in the standard panel: facial recognition (up to 6,000 users can be registered), numeric keypad and MIFARE proximity reader. The system includes integrated access control in the standard panel: facial recognition (up to 6,000 users can be registered), numeric keypad and MIFARE proximity reader Residential management software The project has a total of 245 apartments in 2 buildings, with two outdoor panels per building plus a concierge service managed with MEET's residential management software. The chosen outdoor entry panel is the MILO Digital Touch Panel and the 245 apartments are equipped with the MIO 7'' Monitor. The project is equipped with high technological features and qualities of different types, large leisure and green areas, general and specialized services and an excellent geo-strategic location. This commercial condominium includes offices, stores, a business center, spaces built to organizing events and apartments for rent. The installation of Fermax MEET system started in January 2019. Learn more about MEET by Fermax in this video:

Evelina London Children's Hospital has had many different brands of door entry system, as is often the case with NHS Hospitals spread across the UK. Managers at Evelina wished to have a standardized system across the wards in order to improve operating efficiency and reduce maintenance costs. Upgrades needed to be quick problem free and cost-effective. Each independent ward utilizes a self-contained door entry system to control security critical access to their busy nursing area. The Maternity Ward provides a good example of a security critical area that requires an intuitive and cost-effective system to control access with the ability of a ward receptionist to permit entry and exit via an audio-video communication link. The DUOX 2 wire system functions perfectly using most types of cable Time and date stamping of visitors Fermax Area Manager Andy Saxton worked closely with Evelina’s nominated installation company to ensure that the Fermax system design using DUOX and VEO met the hospital’s needs. Based on 2 wires system with aesthetically pleasing profiles and user-friendly features and functionality, the Fermax DUOX system with VEO video monitors was a perfect match for the hospitals requirements. Purely digital in nature, the DUOX 2 wire system functions perfectly using most types of cable which meant that it could be retro-fitted onto the existing system infrastructure, thereby avoiding the excessive costs of re-cabling. Equipped with the Photocaller function which allows for the time and date stamping of visitors, the Fermax DUOX VEO monitor delivered the ideal solution.