Network / IP security - Expert commentary

Again in 2016, the most well-trafficked articles posted at SourceSecurity.com tended to be those that addressed timely and important issues in the security marketplace. In the world of digital publishing, it’s easy to know what content resonates with the market: Our readers tell us with their actions; i.e., where they click.   Let’s look back at the Top 10 articles we posted in 2016 that generated the most page views. They are listed in order here with the author&r...

The shift from wired to wireless access control was expected to gather pace in 2016—and that has happened. This year we at Assa Abloy surveyed a large cross-section of security professionals, seeking their insight into the changing market. Comparing our data with research we did in 2014 showed a clear trend towards wireless access control.   Wireless Access Data Our 2014 survey found 23% of commercial properties using a wireless or hybrid wired/wireless access control s...

The winds of change have swept into the access control market in 2016. The hardware is transitioning away from being solely panel-based, software is rapidly moving to the cloud, and credentials are going mobile. It seems that the security access control world is finally waking up from its technological slumber, and 2017 will be an exciting time. These three major trends are feeding off one another and are driving the growth all around. IP And Edge Based SystemsIn 2016, hardware companies like...

Over the last year, we have continued to see the rise of manufacturers from China in the mid- to low-end market for video surveillance - a trend that currently shows no signs of tapering. Additionally, the shift from analog to IP systems has remained consistent, with end users increasingly looking to network-enabled devices to mitigate risk from both a physical and cyber perspective. Complex network attacks in 2016 demonstrated the need for increased network security for network-connected devic...

The economy positively impacted the security marketplace in 2016 as end users have been more willing to invest in new security systems or upgrade existing systems. Organizations are breaking down department silos as it has become clear that security impacts everyone. Companies are realizing they need to do more with the data they have. Utilizing Security System Data Access control, video management, identity management and visitor management systems provide data that can help companies streaml...

Drastic increase in cybersecurity discussions is one thing that many of us in the security industry didn’t predict for 2016. Cybersecurity has obviously always been an important issue in general, but the discussion has gained a lot of momentum in the past year.   As I said, this wasn’t predicted by most of us in the industry. The intensity of the focus on and discussion around cybersecurity in 2016 was a response to some of the high-profile denial of service (DoS)...

With security, as with any business cost-center, business leadership wants to find savings where they make sense. As a result, one of the trends we are seeing is that security departments are teaming up with other departments - IT, operations, marketing - to maximize their investment in security systems and leverage the data collected by their physical security sensors to inform their business strategies. Rise In Cyber-Attacks We have also seen a worrying increase in cyber-attacks, like the hi...

The past year has seen growth in the deployment and use of edge analytics, plus a significant emphasis placed on robust cybersecurity. The expectation for 2017 is that these two trends will continue to be a driving factor for value-based decision making of large, influential customers. IP camera product lines from reliable and well-regarded brands that include edge analytics and offer a trusted, secure platform will be at an advantage over those that don’t. Looking back at the expectation...

2016 was a year of fast-paced changes in the market for video surveillance, especially for higher-resolution and panoramic cameras. We spoke with Scott Schafer, Arecont Vision’s Executive Vice President, for his thoughts on 2016 and the year ahead.   SourceSecurity.com: Did your predictions for 2016 match up with what you thought back at the end of 2015? How has the intervening year changed the thoughts? Scott Schafer: Looking back on our predictions for industry trends...

There has been a lot of investment in safe city projects around the world in 2016, particularly in India, where Qognify is currently involved in a number of major initiatives, as well as upgrading of security systems at major public transportation hubs and international airports. At Qognify, we have seen a continual trend towards organizations wanting their security systems to deliver operational efficiency and effectiveness to the wider business.   Here are some notable trend...

The access control industry is now picking up the challenge of embracing new technologies The access control business has, over the last 10 years, completely changed its image from being a rather unattractive slow growth and conservative business to taking up a position as a fast-growing confident business. The access control industry has listened and acted on the needs of the stakeholders in the supply chain and as a result the world market for access control products and so...

The security market in 2016 saw an uptick in the economy, the introduction of new technologies, increased compliance requirements in key verticals, and rising concerns over the need for greater security. Users interested in upgrading or deploying new systems consistently chose networked system platforms. This trend further drove the demand for adaptive transmission solutions as a means of repurposing existing analog infrastructure to accommodate IP devices on a networked platform. As this migr...

Three key trends will continue dominating the security industry looking ahead to 2017 – cloud video, predictive maintenance and emergency preparedness.   Cloud Video The continued integration of cloud and hosted video into security programs offers a lot of benefits for customers. The convenience of remotely viewing video footage in real-time or historic footage has been a great benefit to our customers and provides significant business intelligence. It helps with everyt...

There will likely continue to be high numbers of lone wolf and soft target attacks in the year ahead. The drivers behind these tragedies are a confluence of self-radicalization, social media, violent extremism, and mental illness. They will require our skills as security professionals — observation, investigation, interviewing, due diligence — like never before.Looming in the background of these physical attacks is the prospect of combined physical and cyberattacks that could disable...

The single largest group of consumer IoT devices being deployed is for home automation and residential security Business and technology analysts are in unanimous agreement that the number of IoT devices will explode into the many 10’s of billions within the next five years. These billions of new computing devices will produce enormous volumes of data about ourselves, our society, and our physical environment. The security industry is at ground zero of this upheaval. In f...

This executive brief explores the security risks associated with using CSN instead of reading the data protected by security mechanisms. When contactless smart cards are implemented and deployed properly, they represent one of the most secure identification technologies available. However, some manufacturers, in an attempt to sell a ‘universal’ reader capable of reading almost any contactless smart card technology, actually disable the built-in security...

Thermal cameras see heat rather than light, so they are a perfect “human detector” Safeguarding outdoor assets in a reliable and cost-effective manner often comes down to a single requirement: Accurate intruder alerts and timely information about the unfolding event. While there are many technologies available for outdoor security, smart cameras with video analytics have emerged as the solution of choice for detecting intruders in real time outdoors. Yet the best...

Vulnerability scans rely on mostly automated tools to find potential vulnerabilities at either the network or application level Security vulnerability in any network can be found and exploited by hackers and others in no time. The only questions are when this will happen and how much damage an individual could do once they’ve gained access to the network. Recognizing this reality, most organizations test their own networks for security weaknesses, whether to meet compli...

Currently some retailers operate two separate speaker systems in their stores: one for broadcasting background music and one for announcements Twenty years ago, IP network cameras launched a revolution in video surveillance. Today, network audio systems are about to do the same for the speaker market. Back in 1996, the predominant video cameras were analog. They weren’t intelligent. They required an expensive and complex head-end of recording and monitoring systems. An...

As the trend from analog to IP continues to progress, more and more security devices are IP-enabled for seamless network integration With rising concerns over organizations’ physical security and potential network vulnerabilities, it has become more important now than ever for security professionals and other decision makers to take actions that will guard against potential problems and help prevent system failures. One specific area of heightened focus is the implementa...

If all the components within a security and wider IT network have the ability to interact together, they can offer so much more than their individual capabilities The widespread use of open protocol systems is one of the most important developments in the security and safety sector for decades. With a heavy reliance upon various security softwares (even for physical security), using open systems has gone from being a desirable selling point to a necessity in the security indus...

Visitor management refers to the methods organizations use to admit and track visitors to their facilities. The concept is not new. Many facilities use some form of visitor management, ranging from simple sign-in sheets to high-tech approaches that scan government IDs to capture relevant data. But visitor management is more than a sheet of paper or a technology. It is also a policy that governs the how, why, and who of visitors. Increased Security Driving VMS Upgra...

Multi-modal biometrics refers to a technology that combines a number of biometrics working together as a multifactor solution Global terrorism is on the rise. For many years, the West felt immune to these incidents, often asserting that these were problems felt only in countries with heated conflicts, such as Syria, Iraq, Israel and Nigeria. However, recent terror attacks have taken place in both Europe and the United States: Belgium, France (Paris and Nice), Orlando, various...

The technologies behind physical access control are constantly evolving. It’s a fast-changing market that can leave end user organizations struggling to keep up. Smart cards still reign supreme, with good reason, but there are also new options today and on the horizon. Customers want to implement the most secure and up-to-date technologies, but constantly adapting their systems to keep up with the pace of change is impractical. Leveraging access control technologies in a way that both m...

If one component within the infrastructure changes, other components may need to be changed too Developing a bill of materials for an infrastructure is not difficult if you have the right information. One word of caution: Infrastructures are unique. Each is individual, so don’t depend on drop-down menus; it simply will not work. If one component within the infrastructure changes, take the time to check and see if the rest of the components need to be changed, too. Let&...

The global market for security as a service is set to grow from $921 million in 2016 to $1.49 billion by 2020 The global security as a service market is made up of video surveillance as a service (VSaaS) and access control as a service (ACaaS). With video surveillance as a service, the user pays on a yearly, quarterly or monthly basis for the ability to view live or recorded surveillance data. Using access control as a service, the customer pays a subscription to have a server...

Keen Yao responds to reports around Hikvision's ties to the Chinese state, and its role as the biggest video surveillance equipment manufacturer in the world Hikvision has been in the news in the United Kingdom recently, including a front page news story in The Times. SourceSecurity.com offered Keen Yao, Vice President at Hikvision’s International Business Centre, a chance to set the record straight regarding concerns expressed about hacking of cameras, the company&rsquo...

IP/PoE systems eliminate the need for local power, thus saving installation costs Cost considerations are an important reason to use existing installed cable as part of a new system infrastructure. Extenders in the form of media converters can help. For almost three decades, video surveillance systems existed in the form of analog systems. Video coaxial cable was the primary method of transmission with a limited distance of about 750 feet. Analog systems required separate pow...

When a manufacturer states a specific PoE power for a camera, always count on the maximum class power source Power over Ethernet (PoE) is an important consideration in IP video security infrastructures, and many people believe Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards are the last word. However, when it comes to PoE, there is a wide range of both voltages and wattages that can qualify as being within an individual IEEE power class. This applies to both...

Protecting the world’s critical infrastructure is a complex mission. Managing security for these facilities involves addressing a broad range of possible threats and vulnerabilities, from the intentional contamination of water supplies to the theft of equipment vital to electricity distribution. Vandalism, theft or deliberate sabotage — by terrorists or other criminals — are ever-present threats. The consequences of any security breach can be dire,...