Larry Anderson's Security Beat
As Internet of Things (IoT) devices go, networked video cameras are particularly significant. Connected to the internet and using on-board processing, cameras are subject to infection by malware and can be targeted by Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Hacking of cameras also threatens privacy by allowing unauthorized access to video footage. The performance of hacked cameras can be degraded, and they may become unable to communicate properly when needed. Ensuring cybersecurity is a...
Avigilon Corp. is a relatively young company in the security market and has come a long way since it was founded in 2004. From an early focus on high-megapixel imaging, the company’s end-to-end solutions have evolved to include access control, video analytics and now artificial intelligence (AI). A reflection of how far Avigilon has come in a short time is the recent $1 billion acquisition of the Canadian company by Motorola Solutions. Avigilon’s President and COO, James Henderson,...
Data was always bound to be a hot topic at this year's IFSEC International event. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a buzzword since last year's show. This year, manufacturers are ready to demonstrate solutions capable of processing and analyzing large volumes of information to bolster security and provide business intelligence. Organisers deliberately positioned IFSEC as a converged security event, highlighting the inherent link between the security of physical assets and the security of d...
IFSEC International 2018 kicked off last week at London’s ExCel Centre. Visitors were lucky enough to experience a rare three days of British sunshine as they came together to discuss the latest trends and technologies in the physical security industry. Many exhibitors commented on how the show seemed smaller than previous years, with stands more spread out, and fewer ‘double-decker’ offerings than earlier shows. Although exhibitors represented all aspects of physical security...
The 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament is bringing 32 national teams and more than 400,000 foreign soccer fans from all over the world to 12 venues in 11 cities in Russia. Fans are crowding into cities including Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan. Given continuing global concerns about terrorism, security is top-of-mind. Protection of the World Cup games in Russia is focusing on an “integrated safety, security and service approach,” according to officials. Combining the term “secur...
The concept of door locks means something totally different in our current age of smarter buildings that house data-driven businesses. Hardware locks and keys are still around, but they co-exist with a brave new world of electronic locks, wireless locks, networked systems, and smarter access control. Locks can also increasingly be a part of a smart building’s flow of data. The opportunities of these new technologies and approaches are significant, but there are also pitfalls. I heard an in...
With IFSEC International fast approaching, 27,000 security professionals are preparing to come together at London’s ExCel to share the latest technology and best practices in the physical security industry. Last year’s show reflected the latest trends shaking the security market, including Big Data and cybersecurity. This year, we can expect speakers and exhibitors to develop these themes in line with recent developments. The industry will need to respond to end users’ questio...
Twitter has around 350 million active users a month, all eagerly posting 280-character “tweets” about the world around them. It’s a vast amount of data from all over the globe. Security professionals have begun to appreciate the value of mining all that data for insights to help them protect people, assets and operations. One company leveraging the Twitterverse to provide real-time situational awareness to corporate security end users is Dataminr.Dataminr assembles this inform...
The U.S. House of Representatives has voted 351-61 to ban federal agencies from buying Chinese-made surveillance cameras. The measure was passed May 24 as an amendment to House Bill 5515, the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is the funding plan for the military that also maps out a variety of policy priorities. The bill is at least several months away from becoming law, and it must still be considered by the Senate and then by a House-Senate conference committee...
Several recent terrorist and mass violence attacks have been directed at soft targets, or relatively unprotected locations where people gather such as outside a music venue or in the unscreened passenger areas at airports. Attacks in public areas have led to the development of new security technologies aimed at protecting soft targets. One company addressing the challenges is Evolv Technology and its Edge automated high-speed personnel screening solution. The system integrates walkthrough fire...
Arecont Vision is a company in transition to say the least. With its balance sheet burdened with debt, the company is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and simultaneously being acquired by a private equity firm. The ‘new’ Arecont Vision that will emerge after several months when the process is complete will have a new owner, a clean balance sheet, and be poised to succeed in the competitive world of video surveillance, says Raul Calderon, Arecont Vision CEO and General Manag...
Ambarella is a big player in the video surveillance market, but not a familiar name to many buyers of security cameras. They don’t make cameras, but they make the computer chips inside. Founded in 2004, Ambarella began in the broadcast infrastructure encoders market and entered the market for professional security cameras in 2008. More recently, the company has also entered the market for automotive OEM solutions. Between 2005 and 2015, the company has produced a progression of advanced c...
