Mobile access

Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd., a provider of cyber security solutions globally, announces the acquisition of a new cloud-based technology that delivers secure remote access created by Odo Security. This technology will integrate with Check Point´s Infinity architecture, and become the easiest and most secure solution for enterprises need to enable employees´ secure remote access to any application. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven enterprise adoption of mass remote working for their global workforces, from 30% before the pandemic to 81%. Threat prevention services Seventy-four percent plan to enable large-scale remote working permanently. However, many organizations overlooked critical aspects of security in the race to enable remote working, which significantly increased their exposure to cyber-attacks. Now more than ever, organizations need to secure remote connectivity anytime, anywhere to any resource. Many organizations find themselves compromising security in order to deliver the connectivity required" “Many organizations find themselves compromising security in order to deliver the connectivity required by their business needs,” said Dr. Dorit Dor, VP of Products, Check Point Software Technologies. “By incorporating Odo Security’s unique clientless, cloud-delivered secure remote access to our portfolio of threat prevention services, we help organizations overcome this dilemma. Check Point delivers a consolidated solution to help organizations to securely connect any number of remote employees to everything, from any location, making working from home easier and safer than ever.” Secure access service edge technology Odo Security, an Israeli start-up founded in 2017, developed a cloud-based, clientless secure access service edge (SASE) technology that delivers secure remote access. Unlike traditional secure remote access solutions, this technology enables: Users to easily connect through a unified portal to a wide range of applications, such as remote desktops, web applications, database servers, cloud and corporate servers, with no client or software installation. Security administrators to easily deploy the solution in less than five minutes from the cloud. They also gain enhanced visibility including full audit trail of user activity. Zero Trust Architecture to define granular access policy to give the right people in the right context, the least privileged access to applications and reduce the attack surface. Check Point will integrate Odo Security’s technology into its Infinity architecture and SASE vision. This consolidated solution will deliver the easiest secure remote access with unmatched security, based on NSS top-rated threat prevention security services. The transaction is expected to be closed within a week.

The use of Mobile IDs in access control grows more frequent every week. That is why Idesco’s display reader, 8 CD 2.0 Pin D, will also soon accept a mobile ID from one’s smartphone. Interactive routines that require identification, like payment, are easily and securely managed with an RFID keypad/display reader providing a menu and displaying user-specific responses. That is why 8 CD 2.0 Pin D’s keypad is designed to flexibly support users’ need to select options and input data. Integrating mobile ID When one integrates mobile IDs, system management and service can actually become easier. Mobile IDs are created and stored in phones, ready-to-use, once an Idesco mobile app is installed. If one’s site prefers migrating solely to mobile ID’s, one will no longer need to purchase and code physical transponders for users. Alternatively, one can choose to keep traditional transponders working alongside mobile IDs, if mobile ID readers will only be installed at selected access points on a site. Useful for temporary credentialing When deploying 8 CD 2.0 Pin D for payment, mobile IDs will also make product and service purchases easier. For starters, customers won’t need coded transponders to enter. After Idesco’s app is installed on their phone and their ID registered in the system, they can begin purchasing products or paying for services immediately. Mobile ID is equally well-suited for temporary credentialing, for example, providing room access to hotel guests, or simplifying their purchase of additional services or restaurant meals.

Iris ID, the global renowned provider of iris recognition technology solutions, announced that it has begun shipping IrisTime, a new biometric time and attendance platform that offers a fully customizable and accurate solution, to meet the pioneering workforce management needs of small businesses to enterprise organizations worldwide. IrisTime IrisTime also offers a new recognition technique for authenticating employee identity that uses a fusion of iris and face recognition to increase accuracy and convenience of use.  IrisTime’s open Android-based platform accommodates hundreds of current time and attendance applications while also enabling independent software vendors (ISVs) to create custom software solutions meeting specific organizational needs. The platform is shipped with a standard app, which is capable of meeting the needs of many organizations of varying size. Iris ID’s IrisTime platform is contactless, an essential consideration during the COVID-19 pandemic" “Furthermore, Iris ID’s IrisTime platform is contactless, an essential consideration during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mohammed Murad, Vice President, Global Sales and Business Development, Iris ID. Enhanced accuracy and convenience IrisTime biometric time and attendance platform is unaffected by employees wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, masks and goggles. A recent study by a federal agency showed that systems using only facial recognition technology could be up to 50% less accurate, especially when people wore masks or face coverings. “IrisTime biometric platform uses fast auto-focus to quickly and conveniently authenticate employees’ identity, at distances up to 24 inches,” said Murad, adding “Also, IrisTime’s accuracy is unsurpassed as it is the first time and attendance platform that combines identifying characteristics from both an employee’s iris and face.” Seamless integration with payroll software Murad further stated, “That accuracy, along with seamless integration with payroll software, helps the platform eliminate potential errors while calculating hours worked, as well as benefits such as disability and accrued vacation time.” Using IrisTime, employee authentication takes less than a second, a vital consideration during busy shift changes. While clocking in, the IrisTime screen displays an employee’s name, company I.D. number and photo, along with the time and date of the activity. Biometric technology authentication Biometric technology authenticates identity with no need for employees to present a card Biometric technology authenticates identity with no need for employees to present a card or remember a personal identification number to clock in or out. However, IrisTime integrates with card-based access control systems to create multi-factor authentication at mission-critical sites. The companies that are currently using Iris ID platforms for time and attendance or access control have no need to re-enroll employees in order to use IrisTime software. For any size company, IrisTime provides a high return on investment by eliminating costs associated with administering and managing punch, barcode, magnetic swipe or proximity cards and PINs. The accuracy of the biometric technology ensures the identity of an employee, eliminating the ability of employees to clock in for each other in a costly payroll fraud known as buddy punching. Iris-based authentication systems “Fraud, along with inaccurate or outdated payroll technologies, may cost a business thousands of dollars annually,” said Mohammad Murad, VP of Global Sales & Development at Iris ID. Iris ID currently provides iris-based authentication systems for the world’s top workforce management solution suppliers, such as Paychex and SimplyWork, as well as for many global enterprise customers. Murad adds, “For more than 20 years, Iris ID has been the globally renowned innovator of flexible and reliable iris authentication solutions. Now, we are revolutionizing the time and attendance function with a biometric platform, which is aimed at meeting many of the unprecedented challenges facing employers today. IrisTime is the time clock for the modern workforce.”

Davista, a provider of artificial intelligence for physical security and law enforcement, announced the availability of its AI-powered social distancing platform. The solution is designed to help businesses, organizations, and government agencies ensure social distancing efforts to keep individuals safe while promoting a healthy return-to-work. Across the globe, governments, corporate entities, and health and law enforcement agencies are working to find solutions to COVID-19 while making strides to get their local economies back up and running. AI-driven technology Heimdall is designed to help organizations proactively identify threats, find strategies to combat them Since the virus can be transmitted through close proximity to affected individuals, public health officials have identified social distancing as a proactive approach to help contain its spread. When combined with the ability to identify individuals who may be infected with COVID-19 and who they were in direct contact with, AI-driven technology can help organizations react proactively if an outbreak occurs. Based on Davista’s flagship Heimdall platform, the social distancing platform is based on Bluetooth and GPS technologies and manages the process of identifying individuals who come in contact with individuals who may be infected. Heimdall is designed to help organizations proactively identify threats, find strategies to combat them and identify potential trends to identify based on their specific environment. Platform with predictive intelligence The customizable platform combines a multitude of data sources and uses predictive intelligence The customizable platform combines a multitude of data sources and uses predictive intelligence to best deploy physical security or law enforcement personnel, assets and technologies. It can be configured to address evolving risks and security and compliance requirements, and easily add new configurations to support applications like the social distancing platform. Employees running the Heimdall Social Distancing app on their smart devices will receive alerts when they come close to other employees. The system will also enable employers to trace, monitor, and manage their organization’s overall social distancing environment. Proactive risk mitigation strategies The AI engine can be configured to automatically record the user's location as well as the user’s “bread crumb” trail The AI engine can be configured to automatically record the user's location as well as the user’s “bread crumb” trail for proactive risk mitigation strategies. If an individual exhibits COVID-19 symptoms, organizations can quickly find and isolate the correct employee, map the user’s trail via their mobile device and identify who they came in contact with. "Davista is committed to helping organizations across the globe gain access to the technical tools required to help combat the virus and ensure streamlined health monitoring to support the re-opening process," said Scott Sieracki, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Davista. "Our team believes there has never been a more important moment to engineer solutions to solve this challenging process. Through close cooperation and collaboration with our customers, we look to harness technology's power to slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate the return to everyday life." Key features Drawing on its years of experience in the engineering of AI-enabled solutions, Davista can automate the process of social distancing and security leaders and law enforcement help identify people potentially at risk through: Geo- and Bluetooth-enabled TracingBuilt upon the latest technology protocols, Heimdall utilizes both geo-location aware and Bluetooth based technology for enhanced contact tracing and can leverage a customer’s wireless access points (WAP) and other technologies for optimal location awareness. Automated Stakeholder AlertsStakeholders receive automated alerts based upon predefined conditions informing them of what they need to know and when they need to know it. n-th Degree Contact TracingQuickly locate people who contact potential COVID-19 individuals by using advanced filtering options and contact link visualizations. Privacy-preserving Data CollectionQuickly deploy in a building, campus, or agency-wide setting and employ Heimdall's geofencing and data anonymisation techniques for privacy preservation.

Access Touch integrates a modular RFID reader, touch screen display and PC processor into a powerfully versatile solution for time & attendance, payment and many other purposes. Its touch screen is a versatile platform able to support attractive, customized graphical user interfaces and menus. Additionally, Access Touch can integrate nearly any of the major RFID technologies from 125 kHz to MIFARE DESFire. As a fully functional computer, it can also interface with the Internet if needed. Linux is the default operating system for Access Touch but also optionally supports Windows. Access Touch 4.1 also soon will support Windows’ latest version.

LexisNexis® Risk Solutions releases its biannual Cybercrime Report, which tracks global cybercrime activity from January 2020 through June 2020. The report dives deep into how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the global digital economy, regional economies, industries, businesses and consumer behavior. The period has seen strong transaction volume growth compared to 2019 but an overall decline in global attack volume. This is likely linked to growth in genuine customer activity due to changing consumer habits. Mobile device transactions The LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report analyzes data from more than 22.5 billion transactions processed by the LexisNexis® Digital Identity Network®, a 37% growth year over year. Mobile device transactions also continue to rise, with 66% of all transactions coming from mobile devices in the first half of 2020, up from 20% in early 2015. The Digital Identity Network® also notes an uptick in transactions from new devices and new digital identities. They attribute this to many new-to-digital consumers moving online to procure goods and services that were no longer available in person or harder to access via a physical store, during the pandemic. The Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA) saw lower overall attack rates in comparison to most other global regions from January through June 2020. This is due to a high volume of trusted login transactions across relatively mature mobile apps. Financial services organizations The attack patterns in EMEA were also more benign and had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates The attack patterns in EMEA were also more benign and had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates. However, there are some notable exceptions. Desktop transactions conducted from EMEA had a higher attack rate than the global average and automated bot attack volume grew 45% year over year. The United Kingdom (U.K.) is also a particular pain point. The U.K. originates the highest volume of human-initiated cyber-attacks in EMEA, with Germany and France second and third in the region. The U.K. is also the second largest contributor to global bot attacks behind the U.S. One example of a U.K. banking fraud network saw more than $17 million USD exposed to fraud across 10 financial services organizations. This network alone consisted of 7,800 devices, 5,200 email addresses and 1,000 telephone numbers. Human-Initiated attack rate Additional Key Findings from the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report: Decline in attack rate – The overall human-initiated attack rate across the Digital Identity Network fell through the first half of 2020, showing a 33% decline year over year. The breakdown by sector shows a 23% decline in financial services and a 55% decline in e-commerce attack rates. Latin America experienced the highest attack rates of all regions globally and realized consistent growth in attack rates from March to June 2020. The attack patterns in North America and EMEA had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates from the six-month period observed. Providing additional context Financial services organizations experienced a surge in automated bot attacks Attack Vector Global View - Media is the only industry that recorded an overall year over year growth in human-initiated cyber-attacks. The Digital Identity Network recorded the 3% increase solely across mobile browser transactions. Globally, automated bots remain a key attack vector in the Digital Identity Network. Financial services organizations experienced a surge in automated bot attacks and continue to experience more bot attacks than any other industry. Across the Customer Journey - New account creations see attacks at a higher rate than any other transaction type in the online customer journey. However, the largest volume of attacks targets online payments. Login transactions have seen the biggest drop in attack rate in comparison to other use cases. Analysis across new customer touchpoints in the online journey is included in this report for the first time, providing additional context on key points of risk such as money transfers and password resets. Changing geographical footprint During COVID-19 - All industries have felt the impact of COVID-19. There are clear peaks and troughs in transaction volumes coinciding with global lockdown periods. Financial services organizations realized a growth in new-to-digital banking users, a changing geographical footprint from previously well-traveled consumers and a reduction in the number of devices used per customer. There have also been several attacks targeting banks offering COVID-19-related loans. E-commerce merchants have seen an increase in digital payments and several other key attack typologies that coincide with the lockdown period. These included account takeover attacks using identity spoofing and more first-party chargeback fraud. Detecting the full spectrum The move to digital, for both businesses and consumers, has been significant" “This is the first LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report to include data on the new reality of conducting business during a pandemic,” said Rebekah Moody, director of fraud and identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. “The move to digital, for both businesses and consumers, has been significant. Yet with this change comes opportunity for exploitation. Fraudsters look for easy targets: whether government support packages, new lines of credit or media companies with fewer barriers to entry.” “We need to ensure that all consumers, especially those who might be new to digital, are protected. Businesses must arm themselves with a layered defense that can detect the full spectrum of possible attacks and is future-proofed against evolving threats.” Global digital economy “While the face of cybercrime will continue to re-shape to fit the growing global digital economy, the ability for businesses to reliably recognize good, trusted customers must remain constant,” added Dr. Stephen Topliss, vice president of fraud and identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. “We must identify and block fraudsters – whether opportunists or highly networked fraud rings – the moment they transact and knowledge sharing must be as pivotal to global businesses as it is to the cybercriminals that attack them.”

The emergence of smartphones using iOS and Android is rapidly changing the landscape of the IT industry around the world. Several industries, such as digital cameras, car navigation, MP3, and PNP, have been replaced by equivalent or even better performance using smartphones. Smartphones provide increasing portability by integrating the functions of various devices into a single unit which allows them to connect to platforms with network-based services and offer new services and conveniences that have never been experienced before. These changes have expanded into the access control market. Although not yet widespread, ‘Mobile access cards’ is one of the terminologies that everyone has been talking about. RF cards used for access security are being integrated into smartphones just as digital cameras and MP3s were in the past. While people might forget their access cards at home in the morning, they seldom forget their smartphones. Using smartphones for access control increases entry access reliability and convenience. Mobile/smartphone access control A key aspect of mobile credential is that it makes it possible to issue or reclaim cards without face-to-face interaction As in other markets, the combination of smartphones and access cards is creating a new value that goes beyond the simple convenience of integration enhancing the ability to prevent unauthorized authentication and entrance. People sometimes lend their access cards to others, but it is far less likely they might lend their smartphone with all their financial information and personal information – to another person. This overcomes an important fundamental weakness of RF cards. Another valuable aspect of mobile credential is that it makes it possible to issue or reclaim cards without face-to-face interaction. Under existing access security systems, cards must be issued in person. Since card issuance implies access rights, the recipient’s identification must be confirmed first before enabling the card and once the card has been issued, it cannot be retracted without another separate face-to-face interaction. Mobile access cards In contrast, mobile access cards are designed to transfer authority safely to the user's smartphone based on TLS. In this way, credentials can be safely managed with authenticated users without face-to-face interaction. Mobile cards can be used not only at the sites with a large number of visitors or when managing access for an unspecified number of visitors, but also at the places like shared offices, kitchens and gyms, currently used as smart access control systems in shared economy markets. The market share of mobile access cards today is low even though the capability can offer real benefits to users and markets. While the access control market itself is slow-moving, there are also practical problems that limit the adoption of new technologies like mobile access cards. Use of Bluetooth Low Energy technology While NFC could be an important technology for mobile credential that is available today on virtually all smartphones, differences in implementation and data handling processes from various vendors prevents universal deployment of a single solution to all devices currently on the market. Accordingly, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has been considered as an alternative to NFC. Bluetooth is a technology that has been applied to smartphones for a long time, and its usage and interface are unified, so there are no compatibility problems. However, speed becomes the main problem. The authentication speed of BLE mobile access card products provided by major companies is slower than that of existing cards. Enhancing credential authentication speed Authentication speed is being continuously improved using BLE's GAP layer and GATT layers The second problem is that mobile access cards must be accompanied by a supply of compatible card readers. In order to use mobile access cards, readers need to be updated but this is not a simple task in the access control market. For 13.56 MHz smart cards (which were designed to replace 125 kHz cards), it has taken 20 years since the standard was established but only about half of all 25 kHz cards have been replaced so far. Legacy compatibility and the need for equivalent performance, even with additional benefits, will drive adoption timing for the Access Control market. While BLE technology helps resolve the compatibility problem of mobile access cards, it can identify some breakthroughs that can solve the speed problem. Authentication speed is being continuously improved using BLE's GAP layer and GATT layers, and new products with these improvements are now released in the market. Making use of key improvements allows Suprema's mobile access card to exhibit an authentication speed of less than 0.5 seconds providing equivalent performance to that of card-based authentication. AirFob Patch MOCA System's AirFob Patch addresses the need for technological improvements in the access control market in a direct, cost effective, and reliable way – by offering the ability to add high-performance BLE to existing card readers – enabling them to read BLE smartphone data by applying a small adhesive patch approximately the size of a coin. This innovative breakthrough applies energy harvesting technology, generating energy from the RF field emitted by the existing RF reader – then converting the data received via BLE back into RF – and delivering it to the reader. By adding the ability to use BLE on virtually any existing RF card reading device, MOCA allows greater ability for partners and end users to deploy a technologically-stable, high performance access control mobile credential solution to their employees, using devices they already own and are familiar with. Adding MOCA AirFob Patch eliminates the need to buy and install updated readers simply to take advantage of mobile credential, lowering costs and risks, and increasing employee confidence and convenience. Growth forecast of mobile access card market in 2020 In 2020, forecasts show that the mobile access card market will grow far more rapidly Several companies have entered the mobile access card market, but they have not set up a meaningful product solution stream until 2019. In 2020, forecasts show that the mobile access card market will grow far more rapidly. Reviewing new entries into the market allows identification of the latest products that provide improving solutions to compatibility and speed problems. MOCA AirFob Patch addresses development plans in process today that overcome the legacy installed base of card readers – allowing rapid creation of an environment that can make immediate use of BLE mobile access cards. Integrated mobile digital ID With proven usability and within suitable environments, mobile access cards will also begin to make inroads into other markets, not just the access control market. In the sharing economy market, which seeks access management without face-to-face interaction, the integrated mobile digital ID led by the 'DID Alliance' will serve as a technical tool that can be used in access authentication – forging increasing links between the access control and digital ID markets.

It’s hard to believe that we’re in the final quarter of 2019. It’s time to wrap up goals and make new ones that will guide us into another decade. As we look forward, we can’t help but look back at some of the key trends that emerged in the last couple of years, and their continued presence in the product road maps and plans that so many security industry leaders and manufacturers are creating.  Some of these trends have enhanced the efficacy of security systems, whereas others have the potential of having adverse impacts.  Cybersecurity Cyber-attacks of all kinds have become, and will continue to be, a major threat, making this one of the most important initiatives that today’s businesses embrace. From a manufacturer’s perspective, building cybersecurity into the product from its inception is critical, with integrators beginning to demand this level of consideration from the products they sell. As a result of a rise in the convergence of IT applications alongside security investments, end users are now seeking out solutions designed with data security top-of-mind. All network connected devices such as DVRs/NVRs, servers, IP cameras, access controllers, intrusion alarms, smart sensors, are vulnerable, which is why this added step in developing cybersecurity protocols and applying them across the organization is critical.  Building cybersecurity into the product from its inception is critical More connected devices The Internet of Things (IoT) has been a major trend for the past few years in many industries, and this will continue as we integrate sensors of all kinds into the network. The collection and analysis of the data collected by these sensors is giving rise to a plethora of applications such as industrial applications, intelligent building management, event management, and much more. The physical security industry benefits by having additional intelligence for situational awareness and emergency management, as well as opportunities to provide additional value-added services and business insights. Being deployed in an increasing number of scenarios and with continued improvements in computing capabilities, video has the opportunity to become the eye of IoT. AI-enabled devices Software manufacturers are looking toward artificial intelligence to help propel advanced analytics in an effort to deliver more situational awareness to operators, and an increased ability to proactively assess threats or anomalies. While video and data analytic capabilities have been around for quite some time, some would argue they were rudimentary in comparison to software that uses AI to make existing applications such as facial recognition much more accurate, and to create new ways to detect anomalies. In addition, AI continues to be used to make sense of the large amounts of data that are being generated by intelligent sensors and by analyzing the growing amount of video. 5G connectivity It’s safe to say that 5G will revolutionize the way people stay connected to the internet. Extra speed, extra bandwidth are going to make our mobile devices faster, more powerful and hyperconnected, with the same thing happening to IoT connected devices such as cameras. This is going completely change the way we think about smart cities: More powerful IP devices connected to one another, powered by AI, will have a massive impact on the way we move, shop and live in urban areas. More powerful IP devices connected to one another, powered by AI, will have a massive impact on the way we move, shop and live in urban areas Privacy concerns  In most advanced economies around the globe, citizens are increasingly concerned with privacy of their data, and many governments have put – or are in the process of doing so – stringent data protection laws in place. The EU has lead the way in using these concerns to develop privacy regulations that govern the development of data-driven applications. This trend is starting to impact the entire globe, as we shift toward more data autonomy and privacy. Since most physical security applications involve the collection of video and data about people and assets, privacy regulations will continue to have a significant impact on the industry well into the future. Cloud and mobile capabilities Mobility is critical for physical security and is emerging through the development and use of cloud-based services, as well as the ability to access security devices through a smart phone or Web-based browser. That’s why there’s been such an influx of mobile apps created to manage cameras, receive automatic alerts for the most diverse event, and giving users the ability to grant or restrict access to a facility. All of this demonstrates the world’s demand for mobility, connectivity and ease-of-use. More video — everywhere Video is the cornerstone of security, providing both real-time and forensic coverage for emerging threats and incidents, which is why it’s one of the fastest growing segments of the marketplace. The use of video for traditional applications in new markets, as well as for use in newer applications that are not necessary security related is poised to see the most movement. In some industries such as oil and gas, there is a trend towards extending video coverage into extremely harsh and hazardous environments, so manufacturers are challenged to develop appropriately certified equipment to meet a more stringent demand. Manufacturing facilities such as food processing plants are also increasing their use of video for training and compliance purposes to prevent incidents such as food recalls that can be extremely costly for the business. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the security market, as we’re really just beginning to see that, when it comes to technology advancements, the sky is the limit. I would argue at the core of these innovations is the video data being collected, and as we work to build technologies that can harness the power of these applications, we will continue to be at the forefront of this movement toward greater intelligence and business insights. 

The statistics are staggering. The death tolls are rising. And those who now fear environments that were once thought to be safe zones like school campuses, factories, commercial businesses and government facilities, find themselves having to add the routine of active-shooter drills into their traditional fire drill protocols. The latest active shooter statistics released by the FBI earlier this year in their annual active-shooter report designated 27 events as active shooter incidents in 2018. The report reveals that 16 of the 27 incidents occurred in areas of commerce, seven incidents occurred in business environments, and five incidents occurred in education environments. Deadly active-shooter events Six of the 12 deadliest shootings in the country have taken place in the past five years Six of the 12 deadliest shootings in the country have taken place in the past five years, including Sutherland Springs church, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the San Bernardino regional center, the Walmart in El Paso and the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, which have all occurred since 2015. Although these incidents occurred in facilities with designated entry points common to churches, schools and businesses, the two most deadly active-shooter events since 2015 were the Route 91 Harvest music festival shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 dead and the Pulse nightclub killings in Orlando where 49 perished. As Christopher Combs, special agent in charge of the FBI field office in San Antonio, Texas, said during a news conference following the August 31 mass shooting in Odessa, Texas that claimed seven lives: “We are now at almost every two weeks seeing an active shooter in this country." Active shooter incidents Between December 2000 and December 2018, the FBI’s distribution of active shooter incidents by location looks like this: Businesses Open to Pedestrian Traffic (74) Businesses Closed to Pedestrian Traffic (43) K-12 Schools (39) Institutions of Higher Learning (16) Non-Military Government Properties (28) Military Properties—Restricted (5) Healthcare Facilities (11) Houses of Worship (10) Private Properties (12) Malls (6) What the majority of these venues have in common is they all have a front entrance or chokepoint for anyone entering the facilities, which is why any active-shooter plan must include a strategy to secure that entry point. Situational awareness in perimeter and door security Preventing people with the wrong intentions from entering the space is the goal" According to Paul Franco, an A&E with more than 28 years of experience as a consultant and systems integrator focusing on schools, healthcare and large public and private facilities, that while active shooter incidents continue to rise, the residual effect has been an increase in situational awareness in perimeter and door security. “Certainly, protecting people and assets is the number one goal of all our clients. There are multiple considerations in facilities like K-12 and Healthcare. Preventing people with the wrong intentions from entering the space is the goal. But a critical consideration to emphasize to your client is getting that person out of your facility and not creating a more dangerous situation by locking the person in your facility,” says Franco. High-security turnstiles “Schools today are creating a space for vetting visitors prior to allowing access into the main facility. Using technology properly like high-security turnstiles offer great benefits in existing schools where space constraints and renovation costs can be impractical.” What steps should they be taken when recommending the proper door security to ensure the building is safe As a consultant/integrator, when discussions are had with a client that has a facility in a public space like a corporate building, government center or industrial facility, what steps should they be taken when recommending the proper door security to ensure the building is safe and can protect its people and assets? For Frank Pisciotta, President and CEO of Business Protection Specialists, Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina, a fundamental element of his security strategy is making appropriate recommendations that are broad-based and proactive. Properly identifying the adversaries “As a consultant, my recommendations must include properly identifying the adversaries who may show up at a client’s door, the likelihood of that event occurring, the consequences of that event occurring, determining if there are tripwires that can be set so an organization can move their line of defense away from the door, educating employees to report potential threats and creating real-time actionable plans to respond to threats. A more reactionary posture might include such thing as target hardening such as ballistic resistant materials at entry access points to a facility,” Pisciotta says. Veteran consultant David Aggleton of Aggleton & Associates of Mission Viejo, California recommends that clients compartmentalize their higher security areas for limited access by adding multiple credential controls (card + keypad + biometric), along with ‘positive’ access systems that inhibit tailgating/piggybacking such as secure turnstiles, revolving door and mantrap if your entrances and security needs meet the required space and access throughput rates. Integrated solution of electronic access control Defining a single point of entry in some public facilities is becoming the new standard of care according to many A&Es and security consultants, especially in a school environment. This approach allows a concerted effort when it comes to staffing, visitor monitoring and an integrated technology solution. The bottom line remains: most buildings are vulnerable to a security breach A proactive stance to securing a door entryway will use an integrated solution of electronic access control, turnstiles, revolving doors and mantraps that can substantially improve a facility’s security profile. The bottom line remains: most buildings are vulnerable to a security breach, so it’s not a matter of if there will be a next active shooter tragedy, it’s only a matter of where. Enhancing access control assurance “There is no easy answer to this question,” says Pisciotta referring to how a secured entrance can deter an active shooter. “There have been at least two high-profile incidents of adversaries shooting their way into a facility through access control barriers. So, if the threat so dictates, a ballistic resistant might be required.” He concludes: “There is obviously no question that turnstiles, revolving doors and man traps enhance access control assurance. Electronic access control is easy to integrate with these devices and providing that credentials are secure, approval processes are in place, change management is properly managed and the appropriate auditing measures in place, access control objectives can be met.”

As a cloud-based platform for service providers in the security, smart home and smart business markets, Alarm.com has adapted quickly to changing conditions during the coronavirus pandemic. In the recent dynamic environment, Alarm.com has kept focus on supporting their service provider partners so they can keep local communities protected. “We moved quickly to establish work-from-home protocols to protect our employees and minimize impact on our partners,” says Anne Ferguson, VP of Marketing at Alarm.com. The Customer Operations and Reseller Education (CORE) team has operated without interruption to provide support to partners. Sales teams are utilizing webinars and training resources to inform and educate partners about the latest products, tools, and solutions. Alarm.com’s partner tools are essential for remote installations and support of partner accounts. Helping customers remain connected Adapting to challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, Alarm.com is further investing in solutions that help customers remain connected and engaged. The company has created a resource hub called “Succeeding Remotely” that provides tools, tips and news links that partners can use to adapt their business operations. From adjusting sales and installation techniques to maintaining cellular upgrades, Alarm.com is helping partners stay connected to customers remotely, keep their teams trained, and address rapidly evolving customer concerns without rolling trucks.The company has created a resource hub called “Succeeding Remotely “Additionally, after seeing all that our partners are doing to support their local communities in need, we were compelled to highlight those efforts with ongoing videos called Good Connections, which we’re sharing with our partner community to spark more ideas and ways to help,” says Ferguson. “Though our partners have experienced varying degrees of disruption to their business, we’re inspired by their adaptability, ingenuity and resilience,” says Ferguson. “Along with establishing proper safeguards for operating in homes and businesses, our partners are leveraging our support resources more heavily, while our entire staff has worked tirelessly to deliver new, timely resources.” Do-It-Together solutions Alarm.com partners are successfully employing Do-It-Together (DIT) solutions, focusing on 3G-to-LTE upgrades, and pivoting to new verticals like commercial and wellness. Many are also streamlining their business operations and taking advantage of virtual training opportunities to enhance their technicians’ skills and knowledge, says Ferguson. Do-It-Together installs involve depending on customers to perform part or all of the installation process. Partners can send customers fully configured kits with mounting instructions, or technicians may guide customers on a remote video call. Alarm.com’s tools, training and products help partners modify remote installation options depending on each customer’s needs. End users can validate the Alarm.com Smart Gateway with their central station that sensors they have mounted were done correctly using the Alarm.com mobile app Alarm.com Smart Gateway For example, the Alarm.com Smart Gateway can be pre-configured with indoor and outdoor cameras for easy customer installation and to reduce the likelihood of future service calls. Also, end users can validate with their central station that sensors they have mounted were done correctly using the Alarm.com mobile app. “DIT is helping our partners continue onboarding customers and avoid backlogs,” says Ferguson. “We’ve been pleasantly surprised by the resiliency and level of future investment that our residential and commercial partners have shown in the face of adversity,” adds Ferguson. For example, a significant number of business customers have used the slow period to install systems that are typically too disruptive to put in during normal business hours. Similarly, service providers are adopting new technologies or business models, such as cloud-based access control. “They’re often saying to us, ‘I’m going to take this opportunity to make changes to improve our business,’ and have been working closely with us on training and business consulting to support their efforts,“ she says. Shift to the cloud Ferguson sees a growing preference for cloud-managed surveillance and access systems over ones that have historically been run on-premise. The technology itself is attractive, but especially driving change is the enhancement to the daily lives of service providers and customers, which have been strained during this time. “The foundational benefit of our cloud-based solution is the hassle-free, seamless customer experience it delivers,” says Ferguson. “We make this possible by taking ownership of the servers, software maintenance, firmware updates, health monitoring, and more. With cloud technology, these aspects become invisible to the customer and take a lot off their plate, which is more important than ever.” End users can take advantage of Smart Tip video tutorials to help with DIT installations, or they can use the Alarm.com Wellcam to connect with loved ones anywhere.End users can take advantage of Smart Tip video tutorials to help with DIT installations Partners can attend training workshops focused on remote installation tactics, while driving consumer interest in new offerings through Alarm.com’s Customer Connections platform. The goal is to make it simple for partners to stay connected to their customers to maximize lifetime account value. “We are well-positioned to endure the pandemic because of the strength of our partners in their markets along with our investments in technology, hardware and our team,” says Ferguson. “As restrictions slowly lift, there is cautious optimism that the residential, commercial, property management, plumbing/HVAC, builder and other verticals will recover quickly. We believe that as more partners adopt the DIT model and add commercial and wellness RMR, they will find increasing opportunities to deploy security, automation, video, video analytics, access and more throughout their customer base.”

Sooner or later (hopefully sooner), the novel coronavirus global pandemic will allow workplaces to reopen. But as we move into this recovery phase, there are many questions surrounding the transition. How can companies ensure facilities are in acceptable working order to reopen? How do they decide who is coming back and when? How will social distancing impact the operation of a company’s physical access control system? How can companies ensure that both visitors and employees are aware of the policy changes and extra controls? For answers to these and other salient questions, we called on Ian Lowe, Product Marketing Director of HID SAFE Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions. “There’s no doubt about it: the global pandemic will change the way we live, work, and conduct business for some time,” says Lowe. “Over the past several weeks, we have been working with customers to enable a safe return to the workplace. We have observed that the number of challenges in the mid-to-long-term level and the associated complexity vary by location.” Lowe shares some of the proactive measures and best practices that can assist in a safe return to the workplace as we settle into a “new normal”. Challenge 1: Ensuring building readiness After being unoccupied for weeks or months, building readiness must be addressed completely before welcoming anyone inside. Even though employees may be eager to return, the workplace itself may not be ready. Companies may want to consider continuing remote work while facility operations are prepped. Challenge 2: workforce management There’s no doubt about it: the global pandemic will change the way we live, work, and conduct business for some time While it is dependent on location and industry, taking a phased approach is the best course of action when allowing employees, contractors and visitors back into facilities. First, facilities management will want to survey the property for readiness and then provide an estimate as to when employees may begin reporting back into the office. Next, it’s important to consider that office density needs are interrelated to the facility architecture. It is possible to accommodate a higher capacity of workforce in an airy, open office space than in a constrained one. A good rule of thumb is to start by introducing no more than 30% of employees back into the workplace at first. This could be a rolling group model in which the population total remains controlled and constant, but specific individuals vary from day to day. This option is good for a workforce that needs to be together in person but not necessarily all at the same time due to office density concerns. Welcoming visitors or customers into the office should be delayed as long as possible. If that’s not feasible, visitor numbers should be factored into the total density count. A cloud-based visitor management system can help with implementation. Challenge 3: Controlling access The ability to vet staff, employees, contractors and visitors before and during the return will vary greatly depending on the location. Policies should be implemented that require employees to be screened regularly — and for an extended amount of time. Look to answer the following questions: Where have you visited in the days since last entering the workplace? Have you come into contact with anyone else who has recently visited high-risk areas? Have you shown any symptoms of infection in the past xx number of days? Policies should be implemented that require employees to be screened regularly — and for an extended amount of time If there is cause for concern, refuse the visitor and/or supplement the screening process with additional steps. Temperature checking is mandatory in many organizations⁠— often multiple times a day. This applies to interactions at delivery bays, too. A policy-based physical identity and access management solution integrated with existing physical access controls makes it possible to enforce, monitor and report this type of activity. Challenge 4: Social distancing and contact tracing plan Social distancing may continue within the office, which will impact restrictions and guidelines related to access control. The office layout may be reworked for proper distance between cubicles, workplace positions and employees. Specific entrances, exits and pathways may be designated as one-way-only. Assigning Bluetooth LE beacons to employees once they are inside the workplace will allow companies to monitor proximity to others and measure localised density in real-time⁠ by using location services, contact tracing, and surge response technologies. Challenge 5: Reduced physical touchpoints Contactless technologies can help enforce social distancing and reduce touchpoints on common surfaces Reducing the number of physical touchpoints is desirable throughout a workplace. Contactless technologies can help enforce social distancing and reduce touchpoints on common surfaces such as faucets, doorknobs, coffee pot handles, etc. While introducing additional security checks and screenings, it’s important to not increase touchpoints and further infection risks. There have been more requests for a contactless experience to secure workplace access, including automatic doors and turnstiles, contactless cards and mobile access. Challenge 6: Communicating for confidence Proactive communication is key to provide reassurance that appropriate safety measures have been taken and that both visitors and employees are aware of the policy changes and extra controls. Equally important is to communicate a policy change – and the reasoning behind it – before it happens. While there may not be an exact expiration date on these new policies, ensuring that impacted individuals will have a safer experience is universally appreciated.

Even though ISC West 2020 was canceled, many of the product introductions planned for the trade show still happened. For example, physical security and secure identification company Identiv introduced the Hirsch Velocity Cirrus and MobilisID. Hirsch Velocity Cirrus is a cloud-based Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) solution. It is an optimal solution for both end-users and integrators, with lower upfront costs, reduced maintenance, enhanced portability, and the future-proof assurance of automatic security updates and feature sets. Smart mobile physical access control solution Identiv’s MobilisID is a smart mobile physical access control solution that uses Bluetooth and capacitive technologies to allow frictionless access to a controlled environment without the need to present a credential. We caught up with Jason Spielfogel, Identiv’s Director of Product Management, to discuss the new products and other topics. Q: How is Identiv positioned in the market as a whole? What philosophy drives your product offerings? What vertical markets do you target? Every customer needs every one of these components Spielfogel: Identiv provides a total solution. Our platforms provide access control hardware and software, video surveillance and analytics, door access readers, and ID credentials, both cards and mobile, for a variety of vertical markets: Federal government, state, local and education government agencies (SLED), healthcare, schools, banks/financial services, retail, airports and transportation, and infrastructure. Every customer needs every one of these components in every physical security deployment, and we ensure that all parts are working together at all times, even as technology continues to evolve. With that said, our philosophy is very customer-centric, and we position ourselves as a trusted partner. Our products and technology platform always strive to reflect and anticipate the environment our customers are facing, both in terms of technical requirements and functional capabilities. Q: How does the MobilisID system eliminate "friction?" Spielfogel: Identiv’s MobilisID eliminates the “friction” of access control by forgiving the user from presenting a physical credential to the reader. A simple wave of their hand over the MobilisID reader establishes a connection, and the reader reads their mobile device’s credential from the MobilisID app.  No badge or access card to read, and no contact with the reader, makes this a frictionless access control experience. Administrative friction is also eliminated because there is no physical credential to issue or withdraw; it’s all done via the MobilisID Manager. Hirsch Velocity Cirrus is a cloud-based Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) solution Q: Discuss the advantages of Bluetooth over competing technologies. Bluetooth offers a blend of reliability and specificity Spielfogel: There are two primary competing technologies: WiFi and Near Field Communication (NFC). The problem with WiFi is that it’s not location-specific. In other words, the WiFi router can’t tell which door the user is near. NFC has the opposite problem in that it’s impossible to get credential reads unless the phone is presented within an inch or two of the reader. Bluetooth offers a blend of reliability and specificity to create frictionless access. Q: "Touchless" has always been a big selling point. Doesn't the coronavirus improve the outlook for these systems even more? Spielfogel: The coronavirus certainly highlights the value of frictionless access. But the vast majority of access systems today use proximity which was already touchless. But for systems using touchpads or contact-based credentialing, certainly frictionless is offering some alternatives that would help keep employees and visitors safer in the current climate. Q: How else might the current pandemic change the security market forever (i.e., more teleworking?) Spielfogel: Permanent changes are not likely, but it does force security directors to rethink how their employees interact physically with systems for both physical and logical access. As a result, we might see accelerated adoption of some emerging technologies, such as greater use of mobile logical access solutions, as well as frictionless physical access control. We’ve already seen an uptick in our smart card reader and token line and our Thursby enterprise and personal mobility offering during the coronavirus pandemic. Q: There are a lot of cloud systems in the access control space. How is your Cirrus cloud product different? Velocity already has all those features Spielfogel: Cirrus is different from many others in that it’s built on one of the most mature, feature-rich, secure physical access solutions available today – Hirsch hardware and Velocity Software. While many competitors are scrambling to add features to their relatively new ACaaS platforms, Velocity already has all those features. While they are building up their encryption capabilities and cybersecurity testing, we’ve already been doing that for two decades. We certainly have some more development ahead of us for Cirrus, but most of it is just surfacing features we already have into the Cirrus interface. Q: How do you guide customers as their needs change? Spielfogel: Whether users want solutions that are on-prem, in the cloud, or anything in between, Identiv’s full architecture ensures that customers can adopt and migrate to new solutions as they see fit. No two customers are alike, so providing the flexibility to gradually update or change systems is a real differentiator. Our competitors either want customers to jump all at once to the cloud or push to keep everything on-prem/legacy. CSOs and CISOs live in a different world: They've got it all to deal with.  We're there with them across all of it, because that's the true reality.

Installation company Nessence recently integrated Vanderbilt’s ACT365 cloud-based access control and video management system with Mobile BankID in Sweden. Mobile BankID is a citizen identification solution that allows companies, banks, and government agencies to authenticate and conclude agreements with individuals over the internet. The integration with ACT365 comes together to solve a brief put forward by the supermarket chain, ICA Sweden. Web API for integration Tobias Olofsson, Project Sales Manager at Vanderbilt, explains that ICA Sweden is a retailer with a focus on food and health, and they wanted to be open earlier in the morning and later in the evening. “It would be too expensive to hire staff to stay open during these times in smaller locations. This is because the number of customers shopping early in the morning or late at night is minimal. But the store wants to be able to provide its customers with this value-added service,” says Olofsson. ACT365 was the perfect solution for this project due to its easy deployment, easy operation To solve this, the supermarket wanted to open unmanned and needed a solution to allow customers to enter the store in a functioning and approved manner by the insurance company. In Olofsson’s opinion, ACT365 was the perfect solution for this project due to its easy deployment, easy operation, and a smooth web API for integration. Increased accessibility and convenience “The success of this project means it is now possible for shoppers to open the supermarket’s entrance door by digitally signing into the Mobile BankID on their phone and presenting it to the ACT365 reader located on the outside of the door,” states Olofsson. Moreover, good accessibility is maintained as all customers do not need to have specific cards or tags for the access system to be able to enter the supermarket. “A new modern solution has been developed to facilitate trade for private individuals, especially in smaller towns where food stores do not tend to stay open for as long as in the big cities. This project has resulted in increased profits for the supermarket, as well as increased accessibility and convenience for its customers,” concludes Olofsson.

Marassi harbors, known as upcoming gateway to Egypt, is a community with a picturesque surrounding overlooking the turquoise Mediterranean Sea along the Alamein coastline. At this community one will find lavish residences that includes chalets, apartments, townhouses, villas, large marinas and signature hotels creating a lifestyle of sheer pleasure and luxury vacation destination. Secured access points to such an extravagant, lavish community is fundamental as the community is occupied by highly influential people, including high-ranking Egypt government officials. Streamlined access Until recently, manual security checks of vehicles and people were carried out at the community access to comply with the security requirements. As manual security checks were not only time consuming, but also resulted in queuing, the need for a secure and convenient access experience arose. Deluxe communities, like Marassi, strive for an automated frictionless, streamlined vehicle and people access process. Identifying tenant vehicles To automate vehicle access at the gates, Nedap’s UHF RFID uPass Reach readers, with a read range up to 5 meters, are implemented. Combined with Nedap’s UHF windshield-mounted tags, these readers are used for automatic vehicle access. The UHF tags are issued to registered tenant vehicles and when the vehicle comes within the read-range, the tag is identified and granted access. The UHF windshield tag is battery-free and maintenance-free, making it the most effective solution provide secure and seamless vehicle access. E-gate entry to residents Marassi residents manage their digital access card through the community app developed by EMAAR. Digital access cards are used as identifiers and are stored in user’s smartphones. Nedap’s multi-technology reader makes use of smartphones to identify people utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and NearField Communication (NFC) technologies. The solution has provided Marassi tenants with easy and secure access to the community and beach. Residents manage visitor access Visitor access to the community and beach is further simplified by enabling the residents to generate guest requests through the app. Besides supporting BLE and NFC technology, Nedap’s multi-technology reader includes a QR reader that enables scanning QR-codes displayed on a smartphone. Residents can share the QR code with guests. The guest presents the QR-code to the reader and access to the property is granted frictionless. Implementation of such an integrated solution has provided a high level of convenience to all users at Marassi. The reliable solution has also reduced the congestion at the entry gate, securing the flow of vehicles and reducing the waiting period for guests.

Based in the affluent district of St John’s Wood, Collection Place is a high specification development comprising 14 luxury apartments, built nearby the infamous Abbey Road studios. Home automation and integration specialists, Advanced Integration (AI) invited Comelit to present custom door entry systems, as part of a security upgrade program of works. Specification included bespoke brass video flush panels with video monitors and smart capability to manage from a cellphone, incorporating full links to dedicated 24-hour concierge services. Smart door entry systems Says Kem Rashica, Estate Manager of The Collection Management Limited / Harrods Estates Asset Management: “Every element of our development, set in heart of our beautiful St John’s Wood, was created to present residents with a high-end luxury lifestyle, from specification to security and privacy. We are always looking for best ways to maintain and futureproof this expectation.” “Advanced Integration highlighted the opportunity to present smart door entry systems and recommended Comelit, as a brand renowned for delivering on design and style without compromising on technology or security. The installation was seamless and residents are now delighted to be able to manage their home from the convenience of their cellphone.” Monitors with video capability Maria Tsiftis, Chief Operating Officer of Advanced Integration added: “When it came to upgrade the door entry, we wanted to incorporate a visual, smart capability, without affecting the style or ambience on site. Being a residential development, we also had to be conscious of any works program not causing disruption to daily lives." “Comelit responded with a bespoke specification, including high-end entrance panels, monitors with video capability and concierge systems, enabling a combination of door entry and messaging. Being involved from the design stages ensured a smooth delivery and beautiful custom finish befitting to this luxury development.” Video intercom calls on a smartphone Comelit designed the door entry systems for Collection Place, to operate through its innovative VIP system, which offers a powerful all-encompassing opportunity for residents to receive video intercom calls on a smartphone. Sam Arnold, Business Development Manager at Comelit UK concluded: “St John’s Wood is one of London’s most upscale residential locations, and Collection Place has been established in the elegant villa-style housing that is synonymous with the area.” “Any enhancements to door entry had to be delivered to complement this lavish attention on detail, but also serve discerning homeowners who want the advantages of service and latest technology. By working closely with Advanced Integration, we have delivered a sleek and functional, smart security solution to accommodate these requirements.”

Commenced in 2016, the large business club was built with smart infrastructure and modern amenities, in the futuristic town of Kolkata, to provide leisure-cum-business conducive atmosphere to their members and visitors. The contemporary building of business club is spread over 10 acres area and serves as a cultural, commercial, and business hub in the region. Having a beautiful landscape, it attained tremendous popularity due to its high-end specifications, green landscape, wedding lawn, tennis court, cafeteria, business center to name a few. Missing real-time video surveillance With a consistently large volume of patrons visiting the business club for various events, security is the vital component of the successful operations at the site. The customer has been relying heavily on analog video surveillance to secure its facilities and workforce. Due to its limited scalability, there was no way to do real-time surveillance throughout the premises. Moreover, every incident recorded by the video cameras required time-consuming manual investigation, therefore, causing delay in decision-making.   Aiming to advancing the surveillance solution, the customer wanted to make an investment to maintain a watchful eye, manage threats/incidents proactively along with integrate existing and new system into the unified interface. Videonetics Unified Video Computing Platform Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA) is helping operators to detect vehicles wrongly parked in ‘restricted’ or ‘no parking’ zones After a thorough evaluation of various solution offered by various companies, it was Videonetics that came out on top. Thanks to Videonetics Unified Video Computing Platform (UVCP™) that blends Intelligent Video Management Software (VMS), Intelligent Video Analytics and seamless integration of existing analog system into one user-friendly solution, able to grow effortlessly with customers’ need over time.   Incident response management Videonetics Intelligent VMS is managing 100+ cameras including PTZ network camera, dome cameras, fixed cameras, and bullet cameras, installed throughout the interior as well as exterior of the premises. In addition, 32 legacy analog cameras are also integrated into the unified solution, eventually providing centralized control of the cameras to the security operators. The in-built failover and redundancy features of Intelligent VMS ensure the operators to always have access to live and recorded video. This means if any incident occurs, they can always have evidence of it. Zero Blind Spot at Entrance The Intelligent Video Analytics (IVA) is helping operators to detect vehicles which are wrongly parked in ‘restricted’ or ‘no parking’ zones, at the outside of premise. For the perimeter security at entry & exit gates, the PTZ camera tracking helps in detecting unusual behavior of the person and provides alert to security operators for faster action. At the entrance, face capture has been installed to detect a person in the scene and locates his/her face, which is saved in the database, indexed and time stamped. In addition, vehicle capture is deployed to track and record license plates of vehicles along with time and date, entering the premise. Zone monitoring Operators will be notified if a person stays beyond a certain duration in a user-marked zoneThe business club needed a solution that could help it identify theft, intrusion and trespassing throughout its facilities. In the first phase of the project, Videonetics along with stakeholders of business club and system integrator identified sensitive areas, that requiring immediate security system. To monitor suspicious activities, zone monitoring has been enabled at the fence of tennis court, lawn, emergency gates and open field area. Operators will be notified if a person stays beyond a certain duration in a user-marked zone. To combat unauthorized entry in generator room, operators gets alert if any intrusion happens in a marked area. Similarly, unusual activities are also being monitored in this area through loitering detection. Trespassing detection Operators can handle alarms and manage events, reducing manual checks of cases and helping to expedite investigationsAt the peripheries of the business club, trespassing detection has been deployed to detect if any person intrudes into a premise. The system is well capable to trace trajectory of the trespasser and prevent incident before it occurs. The authorities wanted to have alert in case any mob formation happens at the field area, known as forbidden region, of the club. Crowd formation detection has been deployed that estimates density of people in a scene and generated an alert as soon as the density in any defined area crosses a certain limit. Empowering with Cellphone application The ease of use of Videonetics unified solution has been instrumental to the business club. The operators and senior authorities are efficiently accessing videos anytime and anywhere, thru an intuitive interface of IVMS web and cellphone applications. At the time of incidents, operators can handle alarms and manage events, therefore, reducing manual checks of cases and helping to expedite investigations.   After various phases of implementation, installation, and testing, the Videonetics unified solution went into live operation. Since upgrading to Videonetics unified solution, the business club has been able to better handle incidents of thefts/intrusion and apprehend suspects. Therefore, the level of security has been lifted by allowing the early detection of incidents and monitoring the premises round-the-clock, even in the harsh environmental condition. Furthermore, the added layer of security has been significant in business club’s efforts to attract more members and sustain business relations with existing members. Detecting patterns Now the operators use the information being collected in the unified interface to better understand the environment. They are successfully detecting patterns on how visitors/members access and move through the club. Thus, using these insights to develop strategies that maximize the use of space and keeps everyone safe. The open architecture of Videonetics unified solution allows customer to integrate with third-party systems such as access control, emergency system and much more. “To go from conventional to a professional and scalable surveillance system was a huge improvement for our client. It has enhanced our client’s reputation for providing safe and secure environment to visitors, employees, and members. Commendation to Videonetics for providing their unified video computing platform that empowered security operators by improving their efficiency in monitoring the premise and handling threats swiftly. I deeply appreciate their dedication and untiring efforts for making it a reality”, said Gaurav Das, Director, Webdesk Technologies Private Limited.

SMARTContactless, a value-added distributor for contactless solutions, ABS Technology and STid have been selected by INIT Innovation in Transportation Inc., a US provider of intelligent transportation systems for public transit, to create new cellphone access control for its employees and visitors. STid Mobile ID, pictured, from the access control product company STid, is a Bluetooth access control reader. Common supported credential technologies are MIFARE, MIFARE DESFire EV1/EV2, NFC and STid’s cellphone credentials using smartphone and Bluetooth for communications. The solution includes a free cellphone app, the latest multi-technologies Architect Blue readers, and offline and online programming tools. Mobile Access INIT Innovation in Transportation Inc. has installed numerous STid’s Architect Blue readers at doors and entrances to secure their new Corporate head offices. Employees and visitors use STid’s patented identification mode features and can access the building or other sensitive entrances within the offices, without taking their smartphones out of the pocket or bag. Jamie Thomas, Systems Engineer for ABS technology in Virginia Beach, Virginia, says of the STid Mobile ID: “This Bluetooth reader has so much technology built into it; it’s future proof, easy to install and program.” Feedback on the cellphone access has been positive and INIT USA Inc. is exploring the STid Mobile ID’s options to remotely assign and revoke cellphone credentials to employees and visitors over the air. Access control solution INIT USA Inc. Director of IT, David Page said: “As a provider of innovative technology to our public transit customers, INIT desired an access control solution which mirrored our innovative technology solutions, matched our company culture, and was simple to install and administer. In addition, we wanted the ability to start with a small proof of concept and eventually grow it as this type of technology inevitably transitions to a fundamental employee expectation instead of a bleeding edge innovation.” RFID reader solutions Robert Gailing, President of SMARTContactless, STid’s US Distributor said: “STid is really leading the market with innovative RFID reader solutions for security-minded professionals and end-users. The new STid Mobile ID reader solution, with its five methods of cellphone credential presentation using the smartphone and customizable distance to 60 feet, there is virtually nowhere the reader cannot be utilized throughout any access control deployment.” According to Vincent Dupart, CEO of STid, this new implementation is a testament of the growing smartphone adoption that merges security and convenience. “We are pleased that both INIT USA Inc. employees and managers are enjoying the experience. We are also proud to work with strategic partners like SMARTContactless, offering high-quality customer support to promote our cellphone access solution. The ability to use smartphones for high-security access control is becoming increasingly important, as these devices are part of our everyday lives in the business workplace.”

ISONAS Inc., a globally renowned IP access control and hardware solutions provider, and part of the Allegion family of brands, has announced that the ISONAS Pure IP access control solution has been installed at a new flagship distribution center for Premier Packaging, an international packaging solutions company, with facilities in 14 locations nationwide. ISONAS Pure IP access control In the summer of 2018, Premier Packaging was looking to implement an access control system to help secure their brand-new 320,000-square-foot facility in Louisville, Kentucky. After working closely on a recent project with Orion Networks, a trusted IT infrastructure provider, Premier Packaging relied on their recommendation to implement a cutting-edge access control solution from ISONAS. With no access control system in place at any of their 14 locations and a combination of office workers, support staff, truck drivers and warehouse employees entering and existing the building daily, a process to control access was a necessity.  Monitoring and tracking visitors to distribution center A major challenge facing the new distribution center was truck drivers, who came into the facility, were not company employees. With on average 250 people coming in and out of the new facility in Kentucky daily, monitoring and tracking who those people were and if they belonged there was imperative. They were also looking for the flexibility to manage the locking and unlocking of doors remotely, rather than having to rely on physical keys. “After comparing ISONAS to other access control systems out there, we knew that ISONAS was the right flexible access control solution to meet Premier Packaging’s security needs,” states Brock Jamison, VP and Director of Sales at Orion Networks. ISONAS RC-04 reader-controllers installed ISONAS Pure Access software was implemented to give the packaging company remote access capabilities The initial project consisted of 18 ISONAS RC-04 reader-controllers installed at their new distribution center in Louisville. The RC-04 reader-controllers from ISONAS delivers advanced technical functionality with an easy installation process. In addition to the ISONAS hardware, the ISONAS Pure Access software was implemented to give the packaging company remote access capabilities.  Pure Access Pure Access, ISONAS’s industry-renowned software, is a cloud-based access control application that provides users the ability to manage their access control from anywhere at any time, on any device.  “We are extremely happy that our unique access control solution could help Premier Packaging improve safety and security at their new distribution center seamlessly,” states Jonathan Mooney, ISONAS Sales Leader. ISONAS cloud-based platform By using both the ISONAS hardware and software solution together, Premier Packaging was able to improve security and keep employees safe. With the ISONAS cloud-based platform, Premier now required all Louisville employees to enter the building using their ID badges to gain access.  If an employee was not in the database and verified, then access would be denied. Future plans include rolling out the ISONAS access control solution to additional buildings and possibly integrating it with other security systems.

The new year is several weeks old, so it is safe to say that many of our New Year resolutions have fallen by the wayside. Despite the limited success of our personal resolutions, the new year is a great time to take stock, look ahead, and plan to make 2020 the best year yet. Thinking about our industry as a whole, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What should be the security industry’s “New Year’s resolution?” 

Video analytics are undergoing a fundamental change in the market as machine learning enhances their accuracy while expanding their capabilities. But what are those expanded capabilities and how are they impacting the operation of security and video systems? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What new video analytics are having an impact in the market and how?

Fire and security systems are two elements of the same mission: To keep buildings and their occupants safe. However, the two systems often operate independently and may not be integrated. Should there be more integration and what are the pitfalls? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the challenges and opportunities of integrating security and fire systems?