Physical security - Expert commentary
At the end of last year, we anticipated that data gathering and analysis would continue to be a strong trend, and that certainly proved to be the case in 2016. More and more organizations are seeing the value of the intelligence provided by diverse systems’ data. The number and variety of networked systems and devices – both security and non-security – continued to grow steadily in the last year, and the data these disparate sources create has proven highly...
As the whirlwind of 2016 quickly winds down, it is a good opportunity to look back at the significant trends from this year. As predicted, the industry experienced accelerated data growth, the continued convergence of security and IT, and the ever-expanding impact of the Internet of Things (IoT).Overall, 2016 was a good year. IT investments were strong and organizations rapidly adopted new data center advancements such as hyper converged infrastructure (HCI) to help manage the huge influx of cri...
Predicting where or how security access trends would develop in 2016 was an educated guess at best. We did, however, forecast continued growth in the areas of wireless readers; smartphone usage as a credential; and more migration to web-based software/hardware solutions.In hindsight, we were not so far off the mark. Wireless security systems proved to be a growing option for extending an access control system and a practical solution for retrofits. Smart phone credentials gained popularity by fr...
Overall, 2016 has been a great year for AxxonSoft. We have seen great progress in the industry on an economic level as well as in development. Europe’s economy has been on the rise and particularly the United Kingdom. As a result, we have seen new technologies emerging in the market and a lot more opportunities. Benefits Of Cloud Services And Future Trends From a software stance, we have noticed the benefits of cloud service, and requests are becoming more regular. In the UK, Brexit ha...
In the past year, we have continued to see that the global security market is both dynamic and evolving. The term “security” no longer means simply protecting the perimeter of a building; it also involves securing corporate networks and sensitive data. In 2016, this trend was driven by a change in organizational threats. Businesses as a whole are much more focused on cyber-threats, a growing paradigm that challenges business and security leaders to stay one step ahead of crime and fr...
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 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...
New construction has continued to grow as a result of low interest rates in 2016 and that has positively impacted the security marketplace. Yet the limited availability of skilled labor is becoming a large issue as it leads to higher cost of labor. This also creates a challenge in recruiting, training, and retraining a capable staff in building construction and maintenance activities. As a result, there is a continued desire to improve our efficiency in production, commissioning and the manageme...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Access levels of individuals based on their roles can be cross compared with their normal access patterns, it is also useful to look for anomalies in device behavior Threats to an organization’s physical and logical security are increasing in number and financial impact, according to several recent surveys. To combat this problem, security and IT professionals are fighting back with system upgrades and software solutions including advanced analytics. Using the analytics...
The Hugs Infant Protection Solution tracks the location of babies and provides protection anywhere the infant may be transported Wireless tracking and radio frequency identification (RFID) continue to improve dramatically in range and reliability, allowing Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) pinpointing people, places and things with impressive accuracy. Systems integrator Advance Technology Inc. (ATI), Scarborough, Maine, recently installed a comprehensive, hospital-wide soluti...
Deploying audio solutions would flag incidents not caught on camera With the increasing number of campus shootings and lockdowns, security is a top priority for schools. Decision-makers are looking to repair the inefficient security measures on campuses by either upgrading their current systems or installing state-of-the-art technologies to enhance situational awareness. Traditionally, security personnel have relied on video as the primary method of monitoring. However, this...
The field of artificial intelligence known as machine learning or cognitive computing has in recent years become highly popular The field of artificial intelligence known as machine learning or cognitive computing has in recent years become highly popular. The meteoric rise of “deep learning” technology over the past several years has been truly dramatic in many industries. Industry giants from Google, Microsoft, Facebook, IBM and many others have been pouring mass...
CSR applies to the security industry in many different ways and can be practised by small or large businesses What exactly is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and how does it apply to the security industry? Let’s look at how two very different companies – Axis Communications and FGH Security – each put CSR at the heart of their operations. Corporate Social Responsibility means different things to different people, and is often used as a catchall for one...
The age of robotics is fast approaching. To be successful, security systems integrators need to understand how these machines fit in the security of their clients, according to industry experts. “The integrators did not begin this trend,” says Bill Bozeman, President and CEO of the PSA Security Network, cooperative of security product suppliers and system integration companies. “They did not say, ‘Oh boy I can’t wait to introduce robotics into my portfolio'. This i...
Security Week is designed to give something back to the Seminar’s host city in exchange for its hospitality The 62nd ASIS International Seminar and Exhibits will run from September 12 to September 15 in Orlando, Florida. ASIS estimates that the Seminar may attract more than 20,000 security professionals to the Orlando Convention Center, where the event is being held. Giving Back To The Host Community The Seminar always has a major economic effect on the host community...
Web and social media platforms offer vast array of information for enhancing security, investigating breaches, and streamlining operations Over the course of the last decade, we’ve seen a blurring of lines between cyber and physical security concerns. Whether it’s the hacking of corporate information or the use of social media for nefarious activities, it’s clear that these once-separate security disciplines are often tied together. As a result, various orga...
Hospital security always counts. Patients may arrive from a crime scene and someone has to make sure they weren’t followed by trouble. Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel may come under blame for the death of a loved one and need protection. Heightened Security Needs Think for a minute, though, about the elevated need for security when the victims of a massacre — such as the Orlando massacre — arrive at the hospital. On the heels of the shooting at the Pulse Nightclu...
Part 4 of our Security in Healthcare series Secure visitor management integrated with physical access control systems (PACS) is increasingly popular Controlling visitors to hospitals and healthcare facilities can directly impact security. Traditional methods of visitor management, such as paper visitor logs and handwritten badges are insufficient given today’s variety of security challenges. A hospital using paper-based systems cannot easily cross-c...
The market for smart buildings has expanded exponentially to greater benefits including life safety, security, and intelligence Much like the term “Internet of Things” or “IoT” the concept of “Smart Buildings” brings to mind many different ideas -- from programmable thermostats to touchless faucets to other green-building initiatives, with a focus on environmentally-friendly and energy efficient designs. While the early days of smart b...
The rate of adoption of mobile credentials will progress quickly, because of its exciting value proposition Cloud computing has been around for some time now, starting with the formal public Internet in 1990. But the nature of it has changed and evolved quickly and dramatically. Now, the cloud is becoming foundational to many emerging security applications, including mobile credentialing involving Near Field and Bluetooth communications, with the Internet of Things (loT) poise...
Revolving doors have been around for well over 100 years since their invention by Theophilus Van Kannel in 1888. As the story goes, Van Kannel, working in a lobby during a cold winter in Philadelphia, complained about the unpleasant effects of the swing door at the main entrance: “Every person passing through [the exterior door] first brings a chilling gust of wind with its snow or rain, and the noise of the street; then comes the unwelcome bang!” Van Kannel decided to do something...
H.265 compression, apps and the inherent security of security systems were some of the themes to be gleaned on the first day of IFSEC International. Almost every video exhibitor I saw on day one of the show mentioned that many of their products use H.265 compression in these days of high definition, bandwidth-hungry cameras. Over at Vivotek’s stand, for example, Emilio Sanchez, project consultant, spoke of the company’s H.265 Smart Stream compression algorithm. He said this saves an...
There is a contrast between high levels of security inside Westminster and little to no security outside the safe environment The fatal attack on 41-year-old Jo Cox, a Labour member of the British Parliament, on the street in her district in West Yorkshire in Northern England, is increasing calls for greater security of Members of Parliament (MPs). Cox was stabbed and shot to death June 16th outside a library in Birstall, where she was meeting with constituents. There have be...
A security awareness program is an educational process to help employees observe events or people through a “security lens” Organizations have a duty of care to protect their employees wherever they work. But in the increasingly complex world that we all live in, the ability to deliver a risk-commensurate and cost-efficient security program that adds real value to a business is extremely challenging, according to IFSEC International 2016 speaker Frank Cannon....
