Remote surveillance

Dahua Technology, the globally renowned video security and smart IoT solutions provider, is helping businesses reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Thermal imaging, face detection, and other technologies play key roles in screening for skin temperature and determining whether someone is wearing a mask or not. Thermal temperature monitoring “Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dahua has been devoted to providing an array of solutions to help keep businesses running wherever possible,” remarked Jennifer Hackenburg, Senior Product Marketing Manager of Dahua Technology USA. Jennifer adds, “Our offerings reflect the varied needs of different business environments – we strive to provide options for every budget and application.” SafetyTemp Thermal Temperature Station Compact and simple, the SafetyTemp Thermal Temperature Station is ideally suited for small installations Thermal temperature monitoring lets business owners get fast, accurate readings of the skin temperature of employees and customers. People pass through a checkpoint where a monitoring station measures the temperature of their skin, while no physical contact is made and the traffic flow remains smooth. Compact and simple, the SafetyTemp Thermal Temperature Station is ideally suited for small installations. It takes measurements from up to six feet away and in only 0.2 seconds, raising audible alerts if a person’s skin temperature is above a user-defined threshold. It can also help determine whether a person is wearing a mask. Dahua Thermal Temperature Monitoring Solution For medium and large installations, the Dahua Thermal Temperature Monitoring Solution is a more robust option that incorporates a hybrid network thermal camera, an NVR, and a blackbody calibration device for highly accurate skin temperature measurements (±0.54° F). Like SafetyTemp, this is a contact-free solution that makes screening fast and efficient. As people pass through the checkpoint, their skin temperatures are captured and the system can send alerts about temperature or mask status via the 4K 16-inch 1U NVR (DHI-NVR5216-16P-I) or a mobile app (DMSS). Thermal cameras deployed Two different camera options are available, including a new model (DH-TPC-BF3221-T), which is well-suited for medium-sized businesses due to a lower price point. It offers accurate readings from up to 16 feet away. The high-end model (DH-TPC-BF5421) has a higher resolution thermal lens, lower NETD, and large aperture, resulting in more pixels and less noise in the image. This, in turn, means more data points for the system to analyze and lets the camera obtain readings from up to 23 feet away. Handheld Thermal Temperature Monitoring Device Handheld Thermal Temperature Monitoring Device, DH-TPC-HT2201 features a 3.5mm camera For a portable solution, the Handheld Thermal Temperature Monitoring Device, DH-TPC-HT2201 features a 3.5mm camera that can be aimed directly at the subject from a safe distance. AI temperature measurement facilitates high accuracy (±0.9° F), and an alarm sounds when a person’s skin temperature exceeds a user-defined threshold. This simple to use, cost effective device is best employed in small applications with a dense customer or personnel base. A built-in, rechargeable, lithium-ion battery lasts more than eight hours in between charging. Smart Motion Detection and Face Detection When mask detection is the top priority, a new 5MP dome camera (N55DY82) gives users an active alarm message when it detects people without masks within its field of view. A wealth of other features, including perimeter protection, people counting, heat mapping, Smart Motion Detection (SMD) and face detection, make this high-performing camera an excellent security solution as well. Highly accurate, it can be paired with a thermal temperature camera for a complete solution. Floor-Standing Digital Signage Dahua’s 55-inch Floor-Standing Digital Signage (DHI-LDV55-INDOOR) complements digital monitoring checkpoints. It offers a 1080p display screen that is customizable to display safety requirements, provide instructions for those preparing to have their temperature measured, or simply point people in the right direction. The digital signage can also be deployed as a component of Dahua’s new flow control solution It supports a wide range of audio and video encoding formats and has built-in media player software and a USB player for displaying advertisements. The digital signage can also be deployed as a component of Dahua’s new flow control solution. This solution helps businesses maintain social distancing protocols and avoid overcrowding while streamlining efforts and reducing manpower for facilities where occupancy is regulated. People-counting camera installed A people-counting camera installed at a restaurant entrance, for example, keeps track of how many people have entered and exited. Working in tandem, the display tells customers when they may enter the restaurant, grocery store, or retail store, or when it is at capacity and they need to wait. The entire solution can integrate with the mask detection camera and thermal temperature solutions for large applications needing to manage a complex set of safety and health requirements. “Convenience and accuracy are important to our customers as they reopen their businesses,” stated Hackenburg, adding “Dahua has risen to the challenge by providing flexible options for a variety of needs and budgets, supporting a more seamless transition into this new way of doing business.”

Pulse Secure announced new features to its Network Access Control (NAC) solution, Pulse Policy Secure (PPS), that enhance endpoint and IoT device visibility, compliance, remediation, and threat response as organizations embrace expanded remote work flexibility with employees and their devices returning to a hybrid workplace. Available separately or as part of Pulse Access Suite Plus, Pulse Policy Secure (PPS) is an enterprise-class NAC solution that is easy to deploy, manage and scale. The update release includes over 30 new features and enhancements such as support for additional endpoint detection and response (EDR) and IoT / OT vendors including McAfee and Nozomi. With businesses slowly opening up more modified and social-distanced work settings and accelerating multi-cloud and hybrid IT resource use, organizations are experiencing increased attack vectors and exploits stemming from endpoint and IoT device exposures. Hybrid work environment What’s required to ensure user productivity and information security in today’s hybrid work environment is greater managed and unmanaged device oversight, expanded endpoint compliance and remediation capability, and means to unify remote and on-premise access control. In the “2020 Endpoint and IoT Zero Trust Security” Report, Cybersecurity Insider’s noted the following survey results: 66% saw an “increase to significant increase” in endpoint and IoT security incidents impact over the last 12 months, with the top 3 being malware, insecure network and remote access, and compromised credentials / weak authentication. 50% anticipate “high to likely” that their organization will become compromised due to an endpoint or IoT originated attack in the next 12 months. 48% have “moderate to unlikely means” to discover, identify and respond to unknown, unmanaged, or insecure devices accessing network and cloud resources. Threat response capabilities Pulse Secure ranked among the top 3 hybrid NAC vendors by global market share Modern Network Access Control solutions provide the agent and agentless visibility, contextual access policy control and integrated threat response capabilities necessary to prevent endpoint exposures that yield identity theft, malware and network compromise. Regulated industries, such as financial services and healthcare, need to be especially diligent in enforcing endpoint compliance and segregating IoT access. According to a recent market report by IDC, NAC is a mainstream market forecasted to grow 10.7%, reaching $1.9B by 2024. NAC has evolved from an admission control tool to enable real-time, on-premises endpoint, cellphone and IoT device discovery, assessment, enforcement and remediation capabilities. In this report, Pulse Secure ranked among the top 3 hybrid NAC vendors by global market share - offering 802.1X, non-802.1X agent-based agentless functions. High performance appliance The report’s “Who Shaped the Year” section highlights Pulse Secure’s capabilities: Pulse Policy Secure (NAC) offers the complete range of capabilities, including 802.1X and non-802.1X, agent and agentless Client, and network profiling with UEBA, which gives enterprises flexibility to deploy across a gamut of hybrid IT environments. This makes Pulse Secure's NAC ideal to support a wide range of use cases, such as: visibility only, full-featured 802.1X, agent-based BYOD (they offer a cellphone VPN and MDM), as well as agentless guest, IoT and IT/OT security. Having a built-in RADIUS server, high performance appliance (up to 50,000 concurrent sessions), centralized management (up to 400 appliances), and ecosystem integrations also provides benefits to NAC scalability and interoperability. Secure access technologies Modern NAC solutions are increasingly becoming a critical component of a multifaceted secure access program" As a Secure Access platform play, competing with Cisco, Fortinet and HP, Pulse Secure provides a portfolio of solutions available separately or as an integrated suite for hybrid IT. Pulse Secure offers all three primary secure access technologies recognized by IDC: VPN, NAC, and SDP. With unified Client, appliance, management and rules engine, this cross functionality allows corporate policy to be set across any combination of solutions. As the pandemic forces adopting organizations to prioritize securing the growing remote workforce, Pulse Secure is able to provide a comprehensive solution-set which does not requiring sacrificing the continuing need for on-premise security. Secure access program “Beyond the merits of device visibility and access enforcement, modern NAC solutions are increasingly becoming a critical component of a multifaceted secure access program, both supporting a wide variety of important uses and adding value through key integrations with other security technologies,” said Peter Finalle, Senior Research Analyst for IDC’s security team. “Pulse Secure is distinguished among Secure Access platform players as offering extensive hybrid NAC capabilities, device intelligence, scalability and key integrations while delivering user experience, endpoint security, and access management across NAC, VPN and SDP solutions.” New features enhance endpoint compliance Pulse Secure offers a portfolio of Secure Access solutions that provide exceptional usability and visibility “The latest release of Pulse Secure NAC continues to advance our deployment, usability and threat response capabilities while delivering enterprise-class functionality,” said Ganesh Nakhawa, Director of Portfolio Solutions at Pulse Secure. “With our unique means to offer a unified endpoint compliance and protected connectivity capabilities across cellphone, network and cloud environments, organizations can mitigate endpoint and IoT security risks while ensuring productivity no matter where employees work.” Pulse Secure offers a portfolio of Secure Access solutions that provide exceptional usability, visibility and Zero Trust policy orchestration to enable seamless, compliant user and device access to applications and resources across distributed network and cloud environments. Security posture assessment New PPS version 9.1R8 features and enhancements include: Endpoint security compliance enhancements with leading endpoint detection and response (EDR) vendors including new McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) integration. This allows organizations to assign role-based access based on device attribute details provided by McAfee ePO, automatically install McAfee ePO client if not detected, and limit or block connectivity based on threat alerts received from ePO, such as non-compliant or compromised devices. Agentless device discovery and security posture assessment advancements, such as expanded passive device fingerprinting using TCP and SMB protocols, to enhance endpoint access control and reduce administrative classification tasks. Greater device visibility and threat response for Industrial Control System (ICS) environments based on increased IoT/IIoT device classifications, and automated access control based on threat severity notifications from IT and OT security vendors such as Nozomi. Management UI improvements that simplify and streamline administrative tasks such as new search and custom reporting options to expedite audits, investigations and operational insight. Government contractor applications Pulse Policy Secure has FIPS 140-2 Level 1 certification and is Common Criteria certified extensive deployment in government, military and government contractor applications. Used to satisfy NIST 800-53 controls and Comply-to-Connect requisites, the solution is certified on the U.S. DoD Unified Capabilities (UC) Approved Products List (APL) and for J Joint Warfighting IT Interoperability (JTIC). NAC Upgrade Program - Organizations can take advantage of Pulse Secure’s Trade-in Program to replace current NAC solutions from companies such as Forescout, Cisco, Aruba, and Fortinet.

Milestone Systems announced a webinar panel discussion of safety and security professionals, including representatives from Nemours Children’s Hospital Health System in Jacksonville, Florida, and The City of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. They will share insights and ideas on how to address change, support their core mission and assist other parts of their respective organizations. The webinar will focus on how these three different organizations are using their video management system to help ensure a safe environment for their employees, students, patients, and the general public. Integrators and developers The panel will be hosted and moderated by Tim Palmquist, Vice President of the Americas at Milestone Systems. “Our goal with this webinar is to bring together security professionals to help them share their thoughts, concerns, experiences and new best practices with their peers,” said Palmquist. “These are unprecedented times, and I’m sure their insights will be valuable to users of any industry, as well as integrators and developers within our industry.” Remote video monitoring Topics slated for discussion include remote video monitoring, social distancing, queue management, people counting, access control and other tools that may be beneficial. The 45-minute webinar will be streamed Tuesday, September 15, 2020 with a Q&A session immediately following.

Thousands of valuable ISO management system certifications earned by UK companies may now be at risk because auditors from Certification Bodies may not have been able to attend organizations’ premises to conduct essential re-certification audits during the current coronavirus pandemic. Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of certifications are at risk of lapsing as lockdown conditions look set to continue for the foreseeable future. Current UKAS guidelines - unchanged since August 2016 - state that: If [a] recertification assessment cannot be undertaken within six months of the anniversary of the certificate being issued], the certificate should be suspended, and a new initial assessment will be required. Business compliance requirements An average of 2,500 UK certifications per month could be at risk of lapsing due to the break in audit activities" To restore their certifications, affected organizations may incur financial costs easily three times higher than they were expecting to pay for their annual audits - plus considerably higher levels of time and resources - as well as having to remove any reference to their certifications from their websites and other collateral in the meantime. The issue has been raised by InfoSaaS, a provider of industry-renowned software solutions that help customers achieve information security, data protection and business compliance requirements, up to and including ISO management system certification level. ISO management system Peter Rossi, Co-Founder of InfoSaaS, said: “Across just three [ISO9001, ISO27001 and ISO45001] of the five ISO management system standards that we help organizations to achieve, an average of 2,500 UK certifications per month could be at risk of lapsing due to the break in audit activities - never mind all other ISO standards, and notwithstanding any backlog of audits, whenever they can resume at scale.” The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) doesn’t publish figures for the number of certifications granted across every standard. However, there are more than 1.3 million certifications worldwide across 12 standards for which it has most recently published numbers, in the form of the ISO Survey 2018 (including ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO20000, ISO22000, ISO22301, ISO27001, ISO28000, ISO45001, ISO50001, ISO 13485, ISO37001 and ISO 39001). Health and safety management Some organizations may decide not to be re-audited and simply to let their ISO certifications lapse" Worldwide there are over 870,000 certifications for ISO9001 alone, indicating that - six months on from the start of lockdowns - over 70,000 per month may be at risk of lapsing should surveillance audits remain halted. “The uncomfortable truth is that, under current circumstances, some organizations may decide not to be re-audited and simply to let their ISO certifications lapse. Any such de-prioritization may, in turn, lead to an unwanted decline in standards for the likes of information security, environmental management, health and safety and quality management. This is not a good outcome for anyone,”  explained Rossi. Remote surveillance audits Remote audits are impossible when organizations rely on outdated approaches tools such as multiple spreadsheets, which require in-person explanation, justification and cross-reference. Accordingly, InfoSaaS wants to see Certification Bodies conducting remote surveillance audits where the candidate organization is using an integrated, platform-based solution such as InfoSaaS’s own Compliance Framework platform, which make it easy for auditors to conduct the necessary surveillance and auditing activities. Enhanced security control ISO certifications to various standards have become increasingly important to organizations “Frankly, it’s unnecessary and inefficient for any organization still to be using the likes of spreadsheets for this purpose. It would make achieving business compliance objectives via a modern platform even more attractive if organizations could be confident that remote audits were not only possible but preferred,”  Rossi added. InfoSaaS’s platform helps organizations achieve and retain several ISO certifications: ISO27001 (information security management), ISO27017 and ISO27018 (enhanced security control sets for cloud services), ISO9001 (quality management) and ISO45001 (health and safety risks) - as well as data protection workflows in support of GDPR. Management system certificates ISO certifications to various standards have become increasingly important to organizations operating in increasingly competitive markets around the world: having valid ISO management system certificates clearly communicates relevant or important competencies to potential customers. In particular, demonstrating certification against industry standards and evidencing a mature approach to the protection of sensitive information and personal data have become baseline requirements in many markets and for some customers.

An essential component of modern network protection, firewall technology is increasingly relied upon as organizations secure distributed networks and rapidly expanding remote and mobile workforces. To ensure cybersecurity administration is easier and more accessible, SonicWall announces new zero touch enabled, multi-gigabit SonicWall TZ firewalls with SD-Branch capabilities, along with a redesigned cloud-native management console that helps streamline operations through fresh and modern user interfaces. "The new business norm is forcing organizations to rethink security for remote users and distributed networks," said SonicWall Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Atul Dhablania. Multi-gig malware inspection “SonicWall’s new SD-Branch ready next-generation firewalls, along with re-engineered SonicOS, provide multi-gig malware inspection for increased security needs and advanced protection against threats hiding in the encrypted TLS 1.3 traffic." A cornerstone to its Boundless Cybersecurity platform, the new SonicWall TZ570 and TZ670 next-generation firewalls are the first desktop firewall form factor to offer multi-gigabit (5/10G) interfaces for connectivity with SonicWall Switches or other networking devices in SD-Branch deployments. Cloud-native management With the re-imagined OS, the speed of the interface feels like working on a powerful computer" Included on the new TZ firewall series, SonicOS 7.0 offers administrators a new security experience with modern user interfaces, intelligent device views, advanced security control, plus critical networking and management capabilities. Using SD-Branch-ready capabilities, connectivity and security to branch or distributed locations can be deployed within minutes, delivering unified visibility and threat detection from a single pane of glass. The new appliances can be managed via the new cloud-native Network Security Manager (NSM) 2.0, giving organization a single, easy-to-use cloud interface for streamlined management, analytics and reporting with innovative new user interface and user experience. 3X threat protection “SonicWall is not just a product, it's a community,” said Leaf Cloud Service Engineer Justin Archer. “It's a range of security products that work and work well, with an extremely strong team behind them who are willing to help if you get stuck. With the re-imagined OS, the speed of the interface feels like working on a powerful computer. It’s smooth and sleek and allows for a more granular dissection of what the firewall is doing. Paired with the new NSM, where the interfaces are practically identical, it is a GUI match made in heaven.” The new TZ series appliances complement the growing presence of affordable gigabit internet speeds and help organizations stop the most advanced cyberattacks without impacting network performance. Easier to deploy New TZ firewalls are easier to deploy and manage with the new SonicWall SonicExpress mobile app “The new TZ670 is the first desktop form factor firewall with multi-gig interfaces, is 5G ready and able to manage connected switches and access points,” said SonicWall Vice President of Products, Jayant Thakre. “With improved user experience and faster security inspections, the new TZ firewall series delivers SD-WAN, advanced security, and complete visibility for WAN edge deployments.” The new TZ570 and TZ670 firewalls can reach threat prevention speeds up to 2.5 Gbps, even with all security services on. Connect and secure up to 1.5 million devices or users - a 900% increase in maximum connection per appliance. For SSL/TLS connections, the TZ570 and TZ670 firewalls can secure up to 30,000 concurrent connections with DPI enabled. Already enabled for zero-touch capabilities, new TZ firewalls are easier to deploy and manage with the new SonicWall SonicExpress mobile app. This allows administrators to easily onboard TZ firewalls within minutes via an easy 1-2-3 process: simply register, connect and manage. The new TZ series also supports high-speed threat protection across traffic encrypted with the TLS 1.3 standard.

KBC Networks, the manufacturer of industrial transmission equipment for IP and high-definition systems, introduced its eCopper product line. It features Ethernet over Coax (EoC) and Ethernet over UTP (EoU) transmission in a multi-port design. It is suitable for using existing copper-cable infrastructure to accommodate IP cameras. These products offer a way to connect the latest in IP cameras using existing coax or copper wiring to a remote monitoring station. Through the copper infrastructure, eCopper powers both its transmitter and remote cameras, eliminating the need for any other power source at the camera site. Central monitoring location The product also provides Power over Coax (PoC) management, giving system operators the ability to remotely turn each port’s power on and off from the central monitoring location. This PoC feature is described as a plug-and-play solution with a GUI for set-up and system maintenance. Domenic Isola, director of strategic accounts for KBC Networks said: “Our eCopper products offer integrators an excellent alternative to rewiring an entire location when they upgrade to IP cameras. It makes retrofitting affordable and adds power and functionality while using existing infrastructure.” The products offer a single-channel transmitter and single, four, eight and 16-channel receivers, available for both EoC and EoU transmission. The single-channel transmitter and receiver can be wall-mounted while the four-channel offers a wall or DIN rail mount and the eight and 16-channel receivers come as a 1U-high rack mount.

We all know that having CCTV around your home can help to protect you and your family. Without CCTV, you could end up in danger and an intruder could get away with breaking into your house, hurting your loved ones and stealing your possessions. Similarly, without CCTV in the office, you’ll be leaving yourself open to all kinds of damage and could lose a lot of equipment in the process. In short, making sure you have CCTV is important for both home and business security. However, it can be improved to become a more effective system so that you’re better protected, and can even deter a potential intruder without having to panic. In our world of ever-changing technology, we’re able to upgrade and enhance our CCTV systems so they can become a monitored system. Remote CCTV monitoring is an ideal way to protect everyone and everything whether you’re at home or at a workplace. What is remote CCTV monitoring? For a long time, CCTV was one of the best ways to keep your home, the office and people safe. But people started to notice that it would only deter people so much of the time and often the cameras were ignored by intruders. They would just cover their faces and hope for the best as they steal from a home, office or any other premises. Remote CCTV monitoring is a system that can loop into your existing CCTV, or come preinstalled with a new system. This technology sends a feed to a control room full of trained operators that are on call 24/7. Within this control room, operators are able to respond to any sort of distress call or unauthorised movement on the property line.  How does it work? Remote CCTV monitoring works by attaching to a live feed of your CCTV system, existing or new, so that the signal and images can be passed to a team of operators. These operators are on hand 24/7 so that if there is a problem, you know that you're safe in the hands of a specialist team. The specialist team has been trained to mitigate the chances of somebody breaking into your home when the system is triggered; similarly they call the local authorities instantly so that the potential intruder has less time to flee the scene. This is especially important if an intruder is already inside your property because they have less time to steal your items and leave. Without CCTV in the office, you’ll be leaving yourself open to all kinds of damage and could lose a lot of equipment in the process One of the biggest questions that revolve around remote CCTV monitoring is the idea of operators watching the CCTV at all times. Luckily most remote CCTV monitoring systems will incorporate a motion detection system to accompany your CCTV. Motion detection offers the ability to alert a control room if there is an unauthorised entry to the property line. These motion detection systems are state-of-the-art and so, depending on the system that you choose, they can watch over your property from a number of angles. Once the motion detection system has been triggered and the alert has been sent to the control room, then and only then will the operators get involved. This means that until the motion detection system has been triggered, nobody will watch your live CCTV feed. After one of the systems has been triggered, one of the specialist operators will instantly jump into action. This means that they can take different measures to deter any potential intruder and make sure that they do everything in their power to stop any damage or theft from the premises. In addition to the motion detection system and CCTV, you are able to opt for a public address (PA) system too. This means that an operator is able to shout commands through the PA system and potentially scare away any intruder. The intruder will also be warned about the fact that local authorities have already been called to the location.  Remote monitoring versus traditional CCTV Motion detection offers the ability to alert a control room if there is an unauthorised entry to the property line Having a monitored CCTV system means that you're able to better protect yourself, your business, employees and even your loved ones. Whether you're at home or in the office, having someone looking over your shoulder protecting your every move is something that can be appreciated by everybody. The biggest problem with just having traditional CCTV, is that it is a reactive system. This means that rather than stopping crime, a CCTV system just records it. While the thought is that having a CCTV camera visible can deter some intruders, there's no real evidence to suggest that it stops anybody; anyone can simply cover their face and carry on breaking into your home, office or even your car. As mentioned, remote CCTV monitoring is going to tackle that problem and make sure that someone is on hand to protect you at all times.

Global and domestic threats have highlighted the need for tighter security across all verticals. One of the technologies that has redefined situational awareness and intrusion detection is thermal imaging. Once a technology exclusively manufactured for the military operations, thermal cameras today are deployed across hundreds of security applications and continue to see strong demand in existing and emerging commercial markets. With thermal technology, security personnel can see in complete darkness as well as in light fog, smoke and rain Technology Overview And Early Adoption What distinguishes thermal cameras from optical sensors is their ability to produce images based on infrared energy, or heat, rather than light. By measuring the heat signatures of all objects and capturing minute differences between them, thermal cameras produce clear, sharp video despite unfavorable environmental conditions. With thermal technology, security personnel can see in complete darkness as well as in light fog, smoke and rain. Originally a military developed, commercially qualified technology, the first thermal cameras for military and aircraft use appeared in the 1950s. By the 1960s, the technology had been declassified and the first thermal camera for commercial use was introduced. However, it wasn’t until the late 1990s - when FLIR Systems introduced a camera with an uncooled thermal detector - when the technology began to see substantial adoption beyond government defense deployments. Installations At Critical Infrastructure Sites In the 2000s, industrial companies were some of the first adopters of thermal, using the technology for predictive maintenance to monitor overheating and machine malfunctions. In the years following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, there was an increase in thermal camera installations across critical infrastructure sites. Stricter security requirements drove the deployment of thermal cameras for perimeter protection, especially in the nuclear power sector. Thermal cameras produce clear video in daylight, low light or no light scenarios and their sharp images result in higher performing analytics In 2010, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Committee released its 73.55 policy, which states nuclear facilities must “provide continuous surveillance, observation and monitoring” as a means to enhance threat detection and deterrence efforts onsite. Because thermal cameras produce clear video in daylight, low light or no light scenarios and because their sharp images result in higher performing analytics, thermal cameras quickly became the preferred option for nuclear facilities. Likewise, following the 2013 sniper attack on PG&E Corporation’s Metcalf transmission substation, the Federal Energy Regulation Commission introduced the Critical Infrastructure Protection Standard 014 (CIP-014). The policy requires utilities to identify threats to mission critical assets and implement a security system to mitigate those risks. This statute also led to more thermal installations in the utility sector as thermal cameras’ long-range capabilities are ideal for detection of approaching targets beyond the fence line. The demand from both industrial and critical infrastructure entities, as well as other factors, helped drive volume production and price reduction for thermal, making the technology more accessible to the commercial security marketplace. Commercial Applications In recent years, the increasing affordability of thermal cameras along with the introduction of new thermal offerings has opened the door to new commercial applications for the technology. In the past, thermal cameras were designed for applications with enormous perimeters, where the camera needed to detect a human from 700 meters away. Locations like car dealerships, marinas and construction supply facilities can be protected by precise target detection, thermal analytic cameras providing an early warning to security personnel Today, there are thermal cameras specifically designed for short- to mid-range applications. Developed for small to medium enterprises, these thermal cameras ensure property size and security funds are no longer barriers to adoption. Lumber yards, recreation fields and sports arenas are some of the commercial applications now able to implement thermal cameras for 24-hour monitoring and intrusion detection. Affordable thermal cameras with onboard analytics have become attractive options for commercial businesses Innovation And Advancements Innovation and advancements in the core technology have also spurred growth in thermal camera deployment, providing faster image processing, higher resolution, greater video analytic capabilities and better camera performance. In particular, affordable thermal cameras with onboard analytics have become attractive options for commercial businesses that need outdoor, wide area protection. Car dealerships, marinas and construction supply locations all store valuable merchandise and materials outside. Without protection, these assets are vulnerable to vandalism and theft. However, by providing precise target detection, thermal analytic cameras provide an early warning to security personnel so that they can intervene before a crime is committed. By helping to deter just one incident, the thermal solution delivers a clear ROI. New Market Opportunities Not only are there more thermal cameras in use today than ever before, but there are also more thermal sensors being integrated with other multi-sensor systems, driving the adoption of thermal in new markets. For large perimeter surveillance applications, thermal is repeatedly being integrated with radar and drones to expand situational awareness beyond the point of fixed cameras. Users get immediate, accurate alerts of approaching targets and evidentiary class video for target assessment In the commercial market, thermal imagers are combined with optical sensors, analytics and LED illuminators into one solution that integrates with central monitoring station platforms. By bringing these technologies together, users get immediate, accurate alerts of approaching targets and evidentiary class video for target assessment. The result is a lower number of false positives, reducing the total cost of ownership for the solution. These multi-sensor solutions also feature two-way audio capabilities, which enable remote security officers to act as “virtual guards” and speak to intruders in real-time to dissuade them from illegal activity. The introduction of solutions that integrate all these state-of-the-art technologies under one unit reduces the amount of capital and infrastructure needed for deployment. Consequently, more small businesses and alarm monitoring companies can implement advanced perimeter security technologies like thermal sensors, some for the very first time. Thermal cameras have gone from military defense devices to widespread commercial security cameras Multi-Sensor Thermal Solutions Multi-sensor solutions featuring thermal are quickly gaining traction and opening the door to new business opportunities for the security channel. One of the primary reasons for the strong market interest in these systems is they enable integrators to increase their recurring monthly revenue (RMR). With intense price competition and eroding margins on CCTV equipment, integrators have to rely on RMR to grow their businesses. Offering remote video monitoring services and virtual guarding technologies is one of the best ways to do so.  Additionally, there is a clear demand for it. Central stations are continually looking for new technologies to offer their customers and businesses are interested in economical alternatives to physical guards. In conclusion, thermal cameras have gone from military defense devices to widespread commercial security cameras that are a substantial segment of the outdoor security protection market. From nuclear power plants to construction locations, thermal technology is being implemented to secure sites around the globe.

In 2017, IoT-based cyberattacks increased by 600%. As the industry moves towards the mass adoption of interconnected physical security devices, end users have found a plethora of advantages, broadening the scope of traditional video surveillance solutions beyond simple safety measures. Thanks in part to these recent advancements, our physical solutions are at a higher risk than ever before. With today’s ever evolving digital landscape and the increasing complexity of physical and cyber-attacks, it’s imperative to take specific precautions to combat these threats. Video surveillance systems Cybersecurity is not usually the first concern to come to mind When you think of a video surveillance system, cybersecurity is not usually the first concern to come to mind, since digital threats are usually thought of as separate from physical security. Unfortunately, these two are becoming increasingly intertwined as intruders continue to use inventive methods in order to access an organization's assets. Hacks and data breaches are among the top cyber concerns, but many overlook the fact that weak cybersecurity practices can lead to physical danger as well. Organizations that deploy video surveillance devices paired with advanced analytics programs often leave themselves vulnerable to a breach without even realizing it. While they may be intelligent, IoT devices are soft targets that cybercriminals and hackers can easily exploit, crippling a physical security system from the inside out. Physical security manufacturers Whether looking to simply gain access to internal data, or paralyze a system prior to a physical attack, allowing hackers easy access to surveillance systems can only end poorly. In order to stay competitive, manufacturers within the security industry are trading in their traditional analog technology and moving towards interconnected devices. Due to this, security can no longer be solely focused on the physical elements and end users have taken note. The first step towards more secured solutions starts with physical security manufacturers choosing to make cybersecurity a priority for all products, from endpoint to edge and beyond. Gone are the days of end users underestimating the importance of reliability within their solutions. Manufacturers that choose to invest time and research into the development of cyber-hardening will be ahead of the curve and an asset to all. Wireless communication systems Integrators also become complicit in any issues that may arise in the future Aside from simply making the commitment to improve cyber hygiene, there are solid steps that manufacturers can take. One simple action is incorporating tools and features into devices that allow end users to more easily configure their cyber protection settings. Similarly, working with a third party to perform penetration testing on products can help to ensure the backend security of IoT devices. This gives customers peace of mind and manufacturers a competitive edge. While deficient cybersecurity standards can reflect poorly on manufacturers by installing vulnerable devices on a network, integrators also become complicit in any issues that may arise in the future. Just last year, ADT was forced to settle a $16 million class action lawsuit when the company installed an unencrypted wireless communication system that rendered an organization open to hacks. Cybersecurity services In addition, we’ve all heard of the bans, taxes and tariffs the U.S. government has recently put on certain manufacturers, depending on their country of origin and cybersecurity practices. Lawsuits aside, employing proper cybersecurity standards can give integrators a competitive advantage. With the proliferation of hacks, malware, and ransomware, integrators that can ease their client's cyber-woes are already a step ahead. By choosing to work with cybersecurity-focused manufacturers who provide clients with vulnerability testing and educate end users on best practices, integrators can not only thrive but find new sources of RMR. Education, collaboration and participation are three pillars when tackling cybersecurity from all angles. For dealers and integrators who have yet to add cybersecurity services to their business portfolios, scouting out a strategic IT partner could be the answer. Unlocking countless opportunities Becoming educated on the topic of cybersecurity and its importance for an organization is the first step Physical security integrators who feel uncomfortable diving headfirst into the digital realm may find that strategically aligning themselves with an IT or cyber firm will unlock countless opportunities. By opening the door to a partnership with an IT-focused firm, integrators receive the benefit of cybersecurity insight on future projects and a new source of RMR through continued consulting with current customers. In exchange, the IT firm gains a new source of clients in an industry otherwise untapped. This is a win for all those involved. While manufacturers, dealers and integrators play a large part in the cybersecurity of physical systems, end users also play a crucial role. Becoming educated on the topic of cybersecurity and its importance for an organization is the first step. Commonplace cybersecurity standards Below is a list of commonplace cybersecurity standards that all organizations should work to implement for the protection of their own video surveillance solutions: Always keep camera firmware up to date for the latest cyber protections. Change default passwords, especially those of admins, to keep the system locked to outside users. Create different user groups with separate rights to ensure all users have only the permissions they need. Set an encryption key for surveillance recordings to safeguard footage against intruders and prevent hackers from accessing a system through a backdoor. Enable notifications, whether for error codes or storage failures, to keep up to date with all systems happenings. Create/configure an OpenVPN connection for secured remote access. Check the web server log on a regular basis to see who is accessing the system. Ensure that web crawling is forbidden to prevent images or data found on your device from being made searchable. Avoid exposing devices to the internet unless strictly necessary to reduce the risk of attacks.

The phrase ‘eye in the sky’ is taking on a whole new meaning as the concept of home security drones becomes a plausible idea that could be realized in the not-too-distant future. It’s a possibility that came to light recently in the form of a patent that was granted to Amazon for ‘Image Creation Using Geo-Fence Data’. The patent specifies a “geo-fence, which may be a virtual perimeter or boundary around a real-world geographic area.” An unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) may provide surveillance images of data of objects inside the geo-fence. Any video captured outside the geo-fence would be obscured or objects removed to ensure privacy. Detecting break-ins and fires The Amazon patent outlines how its UAVs could perform a surveillance action at a property of an authorized party. It would be ‘hired’ to look out for open garage doors, broken windows, graffiti, or even a fire. The drone would only view authorized locations and provide information back to the homeowner. The idea is to deploy Amazon’s ‘delivery drone’ to provide surveillance of customers’ homes The idea is to deploy Amazon’s previously proposed (but not yet realized) ‘delivery drone’ to provide surveillance of customers’ homes between making deliveries. (One could say the employment situation has truly peaked when drones start taking second jobs!) In a ‘surveillance as a service’ scenario, Amazon’s customers would pay for visits on an hourly, daily or weekly basis. Drones would be equipped with night vision and microphones to expand their sensing capabilities. (The microphone aspect seems creepy until you remember that Amazon’s Echo devices already have a microphone listening to what happens inside our homes.) A remaining obstacle for such a plan is the matter of U.S. Federal Aviation Administration regulations that restrict commercial drone operations and even hobbyist or consumer drone flights outside an operator’s line of sight. Drones would be equipped with night vision and microphones to expand their sensing capabilities Amazon company officials have stressed that the plan is still in its infancy and implementation would be in the future. “The patent clearly states that it would be an opt-in service available to customers who authorize monitoring of their home,” Amazon’s John Tagle told National Public Radio (NPR). Although use of drones for security is in the future, the launch of delivery drones appears to be on the nearer-term horizon. Amazon has said it hopes to launch a commercial service in a matter of months. Amazon’s competitor – Alphabet’s Wing – has already been granted FAA approval to make deliveries in the United States. Autonomous drone monitoring Another company, Sunflower Labs, is also working on security drones and has created a prototype that uses an autonomous drone to monitor activity in conjunction with a series of motion and vibration sensors located around the house. The sensors, which can detect footsteps or car engines, are placed around the home to create a virtual map, track objects and guide the drone. The ground sensors would alert a homeowner of something moving around the house. The homeowner could then elect to deploy the drone, which would stream a live video feed to a smart phone or tablet. Smart home technologies are in the process of transforming the home security marketSmart home technologies and do-it-yourself security installations are in the process of transforming the home security market. The traditional ‘alarm service’ model is barely recognizable today among all the changes and new products, from home automation to video doorbells to personal assistants such as Siri and Alexa. Technology-loving consumers are looking at an expanding menu of options just as they are embracing new ways to protect their homes. Instead of a call to an alarm company, a consumer today may instead view a video of a burglary-in-progress live-streamed to their smart phone. Amazon and the other Big Tech companies are already playing a role in the disruption. Home security provided by a drone (on its way to delivering a package down the street) may seem like an extreme divergence from the norm. But such is the changing world of smart homes and residential security.

Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS), simply stated, is a cloud-based video surveillance solution that is packaged and delivered as a service over the internet. The price varies depending on the features of the plan (i.e. number of cameras, amount of storage, software features, etc.), and customers pay a monthly subscription price to use it. Internet Protocol (IP) cameras are installed at site locations, and the video is captured and streamed to a service provider’s data centre via an internet connection. The video management software (VMS) runs on backend infrastructure provided by the service provider’s cloud. All video processing is done in the cloud, and all that is required to view the footage is an internet-connected device and a web browser. Implementation Of AI And Deep Learning The cloud facilitates implementation of artificial intelligence and deep learning in the video surveillance marketThe cloud also facilitates implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning in the video surveillance market. One of the major challenges with developing deep learning-based applications is access to real-word data and the ability to train the applications to work in any environment. Companies need access to relevant datasets that need to iterate their solutions quickly. Cloud-based solutions are of significant advantage in this case, as they allow for continuous updates and easy collection of vast amounts of data. “We will see the continued adoption of cloud-based intelligent video solutions that aggregate business data through video and artificial intelligence,” says Andreas Pettersson, CEO of Arcules, one of our Expert Panelists. Leveraging AI and IoT technologies with video data is becoming more common as organizations strive to optimize business operations while also boosting security across their facilities.  Actionable Intelligence Gathering “The possibilities for this level of actionable intelligence gathering is endless, as markets such as hospitality, manufacturing, retail and SMEs that have multiple locations to manage, look to make sense of video in intuitive, streamlined ways,” says Pettersson. “The ability for technology to aggregate and analyze video surveillance and connected sensor data, identify trends in that data, and apply predictive analysis in businesses will have a huge impact in the coming year.” Cloud systems can solve more problems than ever using artificial intelligence and machine learning Cloud systems can solve more problems than ever using artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the capabilities expand way beyond video analytics to include analytics in general, crunching a variety of data provided by Internet of Things (IoT) sensors. Another area of interest related to video in the cloud is the development of ‘smart codecs’ that security camera manufacturers are developing and marketing as a solution that goes beyond H.264 and H.265. Maximizing Video Storage Customers are realizing that cloud implementations are more cost-effective, easier to deploy and maintainThe ongoing need to better manage network bandwidth usage and to maximize video storage is further turning the emphasis toward smart codecs, which lend themselves to cloud applications. Extremely high-resolution video can now be moved around in a fraction of the time and solves the issue of transporting many cameras over constrained WAN connections. With the elastic computing power available in the cloud, one can now envision a time where cloud computing costs could be low enough for the masses of video security solution use cases to be solved. Customers are realizing that cloud implementations are more cost-effective, easier to deploy and maintain, and in many cases, even more secure than traditional on-premise deployments. In partnership with the leading cloud providers, the security industry can carry this message to the customers and will gradually see a shift in the acceptance of cloud-based solutions in the traditional security markets.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, present a range of threats, from the careless and clueless to the criminal. While many incidents may seem harmless, the threat to any location at any time depends on a range of factors. Drones are inexpensive for criminals to buy or make, and there are continuously improving battery, airspeed, and payload capabilities. UAVs can also fly without an RF signal to jam or hack. Fortunately, sensor technologies including radar are available for security agencies and personnel to protect assets and the public. Radio-Wave Signals Radar works as a deterrent by sending out a radio-wave signal using a transmitter antenna, and a small portion of that signal reflects off objects in its path and returns to a receiver antenna. The highest performing radars use an antenna technology called Active Electronically Scanning Array (AESA), which enables all-electronic reconfiguration of the antennas. When an AESA radar detects an object, it can ‘focus’ its antennas to track the object, in much the same way as the zoom on a camera does. Multiple objects can be tracked while continuing to scan. Kirkland, WA-based Echodyne offers a radar product that brings these ESA capabilities to non-military security applications at commercial price points. Combining proprietary hardware with intelligent software, Echodyne produces a compact, solid-state, electronically scanning array Echodyne’s ESA Radar Echodyne says they are reinventing radar price-performance for security applications in the ground (people, vehicles) or air (counter-UAS) domains. Combining proprietary hardware with intelligent software, Echodyne produces a compact, solid-state, electronically scanning array (ESA) radar that is affordable for commercial, law enforcement, and governmental customers. The company is backed by high profile investors, including Bill Gates, Madrona Venture Group, Vulcan Capital, NEA, and Lux Capital. “Radar is a sensor,” says Leo McCloskey, Echodyne VP Marketing. “It is most applicable when security professionals can both understand its capabilities and define risk assessment and deployment requirements that call for those capabilities. Our customers are primarily security system integrators and consultancies, which integrate the performance of radar into a sensor array that meets mission requirements.” Radar Technology For Border Surveillance Echodyne was selected by the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for its Silicon Valley Innovation Program (SVIP) to demonstrate the performance of its radar technology for border surveillance applications. The radar was deployed both in fixed remote surveillance towers and as a lightweight rapid deployment kit for field agents. Able to surveil ground and air domains, the radar combines versatility and commercial price with surveillance capabilities. “We set out to build the world’s best compact, solid-state ESA radar sensor, and we are demonstrating that we’ve reached that objective,” says McCloskey. “We’re excited to introduce these capabilities for other security applications.” Able to surveil ground and air domains, the radar combines versatility and commercial price with surveillance capabilities MESA Technology Echodyne’s proprietary technology provides a small true electronically scanning array (ESA) radar. Unlike expensive Active ESA (AESA) phased array radars, MESA requires no physical phase shifters, thus reducing the cost, size, weight, and power by several orders of magnitude while maintaining all the benefits of fast ESA radar. Echodyne combines its MESA technology with an intelligent software suite, Acuity, to produce a configurable, software-defined radar for commercial, law enforcement, and governmental security applications. The capability is also useful for temporary events such as rallies and marathons, and many other market applications “Technology seems to make everything more available to more people over time,” says McCloskey. “What is a retail product today will be a purchased self-assembly kit tomorrow and an improvised self-made drone the following day. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is diligently at work on creating rules for safe UAV operation, though any final rules remain some distance off. As drone volumes increase, delineating friend from foe in the airspace requires clear legal and regulatory frameworks, which are nascent but would help distinguish the threat of nuisance flyers from illegal overflight.” Radar Sensor For Security Applications “Detecting and tracking airspace objects of interest is imperative for airports, chemical plants, oil and gas installations, refineries, water and energy utilities, stadiums and other public spaces”, says McCloskey. The capability is also useful for temporary events such as rallies and marathons, and many other market applications. “As with any product, our applicability will depend on variables like location, terrain, risk assessment, and existing security technologies,” says McCloskey. “Our mission is to deliver the very best radar sensor for security applications.”

Genetec Inc., a globally renowned technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, has announced that City Council District E in New Orleans has taken an innovative approach to address illegal dumping using Security Center, the unified security platform from Genetec. Countering illegal dumping menace Illegal dumping is a problem in most cities around the world, but enforcing laws to prevent it can be quite difficult and resource-intensive. To catch culprits in the act, law enforcement and other city staff have to physically watch known sites and wait to spot illegal dumping activity. Most city officials know that's an impossible task, as officers can't be everywhere all the time, and offenders take full advantage of that reality. New Orleans’ RTCC and Sanitation Department has begun installing a network of cameras at known dumping sites In response, New Orleans City Council District E Councilwoman, Cyndi Nguyen, has taken a hands-on approach tackling illegal dumping head-on as a part of a larger push toward revitalising the community she serves. Nguyen’s team, working in partnership with New Orleans’ Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) and Sanitation Department has begun installing a network of cameras at known dumping sites. All cameras are portable so they can be moved to new dumping hotspots as needed. Genetec security technology platform deployed “This security technology from Genetec certainly helps re-enforce the message I’m putting out there, that we can and will enforce illegal dumping offenses in District E. We also have this great partnership with the Sanitation Department, our local Police Department, and the RTCC, and that’s extending out into our community as well,” said New Orleans City Councilwoman, Cyndi Nguyen. She adds, “I am working hard to get more residents and businesses involved in supporting these initiatives, because keeping our city safe and clean is a shared responsibility.” Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) The Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) already uses Security Center to manage its citywide public safety improvement initiatives. To help monitor illegal dumping activities, the Crime Center’s IT department also set up an event-to-action rule in the Security Center platform to processes motion detection in a defined zone of the camera’s field of view. As soon as motion is detected, the security system bookmarks it and notifies IT staff As soon as motion is detected, the security system bookmarks it and notifies IT staff so that they can evaluate the situation and determine if collection of the debris is warranted. The system also takes a snapshot of the video and emails it to designated personnel on the team, so as to enable them to identify and investigate any potential dumping perpetrators, and take appropriate action. Crime detection with video evidence In an example of a recent case, this event-to-action led to the arrest of a repeat offender who had previously been convicted and sentenced for dumping 14,000 tires. All snapshots and video evidence were securely shared with the New Orleans Police Department so as to enable them to quickly identify the perpetrator, apprehend him and complete their investigation. “Without this technology, finding these offenders comes down to chance or it could take a police officer hours and hours of investigative work. Instead, it took us minutes to set up the event-to-action in Security Center, and just about two days from the time we were notified about this offender to the time we were able to apprehend him,” said Bill Wood, IT Supervisor at New Orleans’ Real Time Crime Center (RTCC). Bill adds, “We love working with the Genetec Security Center security platform. It’s very user friendly and helps us cut down that investigation time exponentially.”

Verkada, the provider in cloud-managed enterprise building security, announced the release of its environmental sensor product line and its initial product, the SV11. The announcement comes on the heels of Verkada’s recent Series C funding and successful launch of its access control line, further establishing the company as the provider of the operating system for modern, integrated buildings. Monitoring “Our customers are responsible for the systems that keep facilities online, and our mission is to give those administrators the best possible tools to do their jobs,” said Filip Kaliszan, CEO and co-founder of Verkada. “Whether it be monitoring the status of a server room, the temperature of a patient room in a hospital, or the air quality of a school, the SV11 gives facilities and staff unprecedented visibility and control over the sites they’re responsible for keeping safe and secure.” The SV11 is a simple-to-deploy, powerful sensing device that provides enhanced visibility into what is happening in a physical space. The cloud-managed device seamlessly integrates with Verkada’s enterprise video security solution, allowing organizations to review context and quickly associate sensor events with relevant video footage. Real-time insights and proactive alerts The interface delivers real-time insights and makes it easy to respond to proactive alerts or conduct investigations into past incidents. Customers across a range of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, education, retail, and hospitality, have already deployed the SV11 to monitor: Air quality: Protect one's environment from invisible threats like gas and chemical leaks, or detect illicit activities like vaping and smoking. Temperature and humidity: Monitor changes in temperature and humidity that may damage expensive infrastructure, materials, or food and medical supplies. Motion and occupancy: Detect motion or occupancy in bathrooms, locker rooms, and other private areas where cameras are not appropriate. Noise levels: Detect activity or disturbances without violating privacy. Receive and manage alert notifications remotely “The ability to deploy Verkada's sensor in our network closets has provided us with complete visibility into what’s happening in those rooms,” said Rick Palandro, Security and Facilities Operations Engineer at Fox Rothschild LLP. “With Verkada, I'm now able to receive and manage alert notifications remotely the moment temperature rises above a specific threshold. I can instantly mobilize the team to respond to HVAC issues. We’ve shifted from a reactive approach that often resulted in damaged equipment to a proactive one that ensures our equipment is always operating properly.” Monitoring preventative and predictive maintenance Verkada’s SV11 has empowered us to take a data-driven approach to food manufacturing" “Verkada’s SV11 has empowered us to take a data-driven approach to food manufacturing that helps us stay ahead of the curve on environmental improvements across our plant facility,” said Frank McKinney, COO and Plant Manager of Carolina Ingredients. “By pinpointing where we can set up both preventative and predictive maintenance, we can closely monitor and optimize air quality, efficiency of our HVAC units, and behaviors in the plant, which enables us to more effectively manage the business and deliver quality ingredients and superior blending services that support our customers.” Integration with video monitoring solution "We installed the environmental sensor across campuses in areas like bathrooms that are difficult to properly monitor and are therefore likely places for inappropriate activity such as vaping," said Marty Oliver, Director of Technology at Godley Independent School District. "Paired with Verkada's video monitoring solution, the SV11 provides a new level of visibility into what's happening in those spaces without infringing on students' privacy, giving principals, superintendents, and office administrators a more holistic understanding of student activity in school." Environmental sensor The introduction of the environmental sensor follows accelerated business growth in Q2 2020, highlighted by: Sixty-five percent quarter-over-quarter revenue growth (compared to Q1 2020), including new deployments with Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Rubrik, NextGen America International expansion with new Sales operations in Sydney and Latin America and deployments with Heinemann Australia, Lifeview Residential Care, and Transportes Canales A projection to double headcount by year-end 2020 (compared to year-end 2019) Expansion of its global channel partner program to more than 1,500 resellers The launch of its Access Control solution, which oversold in the first quarter of general availability and surpassed projected sales by more than 400 percent The release of the Bullet Series of hybrid cloud cameras as well as new features as part of a COVID-19 Response Suite, including People Heatmaps, Person of Interest Notifications, and Crowd Notifications Smart buildings The launch of the SV11 is the next step towards Verkada delivering on its vision to power the modern, integrated building. With security cameras at its core, Verkada is expanding its product offering with new applications such as access control and sensors to deliver the infrastructure that runs safer, smarter buildings.

Today’s medical institutions have a large number of patients who require constant supervision, risk malpractice and patient negligence claims, need to ensure hygiene compliance, and find solutions for the high security and video storage costs. When faced with limited high administrative costs, government funding, or recession, intelligent video security solutions can help hospitals relieve the pressure. Choose Ava Unified Security (formerly Vaion) to reduce liability claims, detect threats proactively, improve operational efficiency, and provide surgery documentation for educational purposes. Why Ava? Anomaly detection and analysis in real-time Ava’s pervasive, integrated video analytics use self-learning to give an enhanced understanding of all of the user’s cameras’ feeds. The staff can use the dynamic Video view with Spotlight that brings only the relevant feeds to their attention. In unusual activity cases, the operators can immediately respond when a high-risk patient leaves his room unattended or visitors are wandering in prohibited areas. Increased situational awareness Add maps of the user’s facilities and rooms to keep track of high-risk patients, visitors, and staff and their exact location. Maps include Smart Presence, a capability that lets the users track them as they move through their facilities. Combine with access control to locate patients and staff in critical moments. Administrators can also have a clear picture across their locations to improve patient care and daily operations. Quick search within minutes for insurance claims Operators can find visual evidence to prove or disprove liability claims fast and accurately or if hygiene protocol compliance is followed correctly. Smart Search allows personnel to search by appearance, events, objects, similarity, or image. The vcore VMS integrates with access control systems through the generic access control API. It is possible to get a clear picture of historical entries and exits of patients and staff and the video associated with it. Sharp images and integrated audio analytics Equipped with directional acoustic sensors, Ava vcam Dome and Pano notify security and healthcare professionals instantly when loud noises, screaming, glass breaking, and gunshots occur. The cameras also deliver unmatched video quality required to provide recordings for scientific presentations, research, and education. vcam is suitable for different settings, from parking lots and storerooms to patient wards and operating rooms. Key benefits, delivered: Build from existing investment while retaining privacy Integrates with existing cameras Hundreds of hours saved in forensic searches Add access control to extend capabilities Video and metadata storage remain securely on-premises Full site survivability and local access Safe and reliable environment Capture every detail at all times with discreet security cameras Monitor high-risk patients at all time with remote monitoring Enable preventative action through immediate response time Improve operations and services Save storage and money Automatically decrease storage demands from all of the user’s recordings Reduce bandwidth consumption on critical links with AI-based optimization Support both on-premises and cloud within a single deployment Up to 200 cameras per Ava vserver appliance - small footprint support for larger facilities Simplicity and compliance One-click Ava vcam configuration Encrypted media at rest and in transit Automatic firmware updates Digital watermarking to prevent tampering Simple subscription model without hidden costs or analytics add-ons Simple and flexible licensing With a simple licensing model, Ava always includes services and software upgrades. The users no longer have to worry about integration charges, operator charges, API fees, or the complexity between small, medium, large, and enterprise services.

When talking about penguins, people normally think of snowy Antarctica. However, many would be surprised to know that Africa is also home to penguin families. The African penguin is a unique species that has been classified endangered from a population of over a million in the 1920s to only 13,300 breeding pairs left in South Africa currently and could be extinct in the wild by 2030. Saving African penguins Historical factors of guano scraping for agricultural fertilizer destroyed the African penguins’ breeding habitat, leading to predation during the crucial fledgling stage. An estimated 13 million-plus penguin eggs were harvested as a delicacy that caused the initial crash in numbers. In addition, the African penguin also faces issues of predation by gulls/seals/sharks, oiling, marine pollution, and a lack of fish due to overfishing in their crucial hunting grounds. Hikvision and DICT partner to protect African penguins At the initial phase of the conservation project, Hikvision cameras and solution were deployed at APSS Since 2006, the Dyer Island Conservation Trust (DICT) has been rescuing birds and providing nests to help them during the fledgling stage, which improves the breeding success. In 2015, DICT opened the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary (APSS) with a fully equipped lab and the vet on standby. Now, Hikvision has partnered with DICT to protect the African penguin. At the initial phase of the conservation project, Hikvision cameras and solution were deployed at APSS, which makes it possible for the public to view the feeding and rehabilitation process, and bring the conservation message of the African penguin to a wider audience. Hikvision cameras installed at APSS “We have always wanted to share the daily work we do at the APSS with a larger audience. Through the use of cameras, this will be possible. The planning of this project started in 2019. At the time, little did we know that the lockdown caused by the epidemic would prohibit visitors from temporarily viewing the penguins. So being able to view the penguins from one’s home will mean we don’t have to forget about our feathered friends,” said Wilfred Chivell, the Founder of DICT. Ping Yu, Cape Town Branch Manager of Hikvision South Africa, elaborated on the partnership, stating “Hikvision is committed to using technology for good. We are very pleased to be able to support the efforts of APSS’s critical conservation work.” PTZ cameras for non-invasive wildlife observation Hikvision’s cameras have the latest technology that provides multiple views and high-quality images Hikvision’s cameras have the latest technology that provides multiple views and high-quality images. The pan-tilt-zoom functions of Hikvision products are ideal for non-invasive wildlife observation, part of the efforts to ensure future breeding populations. In the next phase of the project, DICT plans to deploy Hikvision cameras on Dyer Island, once a thriving colony that had 25,000 breeding pairs of the African penguins in the 1970s. They are now less than 1,500 pairs left. Deploying Hikvision cameras on Dyer Island Due to the sensitive nature of the island, it is not open for the public, but with the use of Hikvision cameras, people can observe the penguins as they interact in their natural habitat. This will help with scientific monitoring and bring the island to the general public, and the video technology and solution provided by Hikvision are expected to improve the conservation work from a few other aspects: It can help to evaluate the nesting and breeding on Dyer Island. It is an innovative method to identify possible injured or compromised birds without causing unnecessary disturbance to breeding birds. The staff and volunteers can immediately treat any birds, thereby increasing their survival rate. It is a useful tool for island rangers to spot trespassers on the island. Hikvision is committed to exploring how innovative technology can secure the sustainability and biodiversity of the world.

e-BikePort has chosen Hanwha Techwin as the single-source provider of the video surveillance systems to be integrated with its autonomous, sustainable charging stations for electric-assisted bicycles and scooters. With city dwellers and workers throughout Europe being encouraged by governments to abandon their cars and use either public transport or bicycles to get to their destination, e-BikePorts provide a convenient way to re-charge light electric-assisted vehicles, as well as other electronic equipment, such as cellphones and tablets. Secure lockers In addition to the recharging sockets, secure lockers are available to temporarily store helmets and clothes, while internet access is provided by an integrated Wi-Fi kiosk. Powered by solar panels and not requiring any civil engineering work, the environmentally friendly e-BikePorts can be quickly and easily installed in virtually any location, including education campuses, shopping centers, office complexes and campsites, as well as city centers. Wisenet Solution The bandwidth-friendly Wisenet QRN-410S supports H.265, H.264 and MJPEG compression Three vandal-resistant Wisenet XNF-8010RVM fisheye cameras are integrated into each e-BikePort, one of which is located in the middle of the station to constantly capture 360-degree images of any activity. The two other cameras are positioned on the side of the stations to provide 180-degree panoramic fields of view. The three high definition 4-megapixel cameras are powered by the e-BikePort’s solar panels during the day and by battery at night, as is the installed Wisenet QRN-410S network video recorder (NVR). The bandwidth-friendly Wisenet QRN-410S supports H.265, H.264 and MJPEG compression, as well as WiseStream II, a complementary compression technology unique to Hanwha Techwin which contributes to the ability of control room operators to view live or recorded images over a 4G network. Video surveillance system “The video surveillance system is playing a very important role in helping create a safe environment for station users and for protecting their personal belongings,” said Philippe Faye, the creator of the e-BikePort concept and a director of the company which manufacturers the stations in France. “We evaluated cameras and recording equipment from a number of manufacturers before choosing Hanwha Techwin as our partners. It proved to be an easy decision for us in that in addition to the ease of installation, high performance and reputation for reliability of the Wisenet products, we were also impressed with the technical advice and support we received from the locally based Hanwha Techwin team.“ First e-BikePort The first e-BikePort has been installed on the banks of the Vienna River within the City of Limoges in south-west France. Based on its popularity with users who, thanks to the city’s local authority, are able to use its facilities free of charge, it is expected that many more e-BikePorts are likely to be deployed across France and other towns and cities throughout Europe over the coming months.

Co-op, a large consumer co-operative in the UK and one of the largest retailers in the country, is rolling out an integrated body-worn video solution from Motorola Solutions to front-line colleagues, with a focus on further increasing safety in-store against a background of rising retail crime in the industry. The Co-op has seen in-store crime increase by more than 140% year-on-year, despite communities recognizing the critical role played by retail workers in society - true frontline workers in the days of a global pandemic. The number of violent incidents also hit record levels with 1,350 attacks having been experienced by Co-op shop workers in the first six months of 2020. Keeping colleagues safe The retailer warns of a crime and violence epidemic and its targeted deployment of a body-worn video solution forms part of an ongoing commitment to invest a further £70M over the next three years in innovative technology to keep colleagues safe. Co-op will equip front-line staff with more than 1,000 Motorola Solutions VT100 body-worn cameras in around 250 stores initially, with the ability to stream video in real-time to the Security Operations Center of Co-op security partner, Mitie. The footage is used to identify criminals and provide evidence to secure prosecution. The VT100 body-worn camera from Motorola Solutions can be worn in standby mode for up to six months, preserving battery for instances when Co-op store colleagues feel threatened by aggressive or violent behavior. The cameras are operated by a simple one-push activation, instantly recording footage to the camera itself, and streaming live video to the security operations center, allowing for a quick response from security personnel or police. Cloud-based software The cameras are supported by cloud-hosted VideoManager software The cameras are supported by cloud-hosted VideoManager software, which enables secure and efficient camera allocation, user administration and incident management. With security features such as comprehensive audit-trails, encryption, configurable retention policies and RFID camera allocation, this integrated solution ensures footage and incidents are dealt with efficiently and securely. As part of its Safer Colleagues, Safer Communities campaign, Co-op is also building awareness and support for MP Alex Norris’ “Assault on Shop Workers Bill” which has now seen its second reading in Parliament postponed until September. The Bill states that because shop workers have responsibilities to uphold the law on age-restricted products they should be afforded greater protection in carrying out those public duties. Retail crime A knife was the most commonly used weapon (43%) with axes, hammers and syringes also used to attack In its 2020 Crime Report, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) found that a quarter of violent incidents resulted in injury, with a weapon used in almost 20% of occurrences. A knife was the most commonly used weapon (43%) with axes, hammers and syringes also used to attack or threaten shop workers. In 2019, Co-op funded research into retail crime, with the hard-hitting findings reporting that shop workers were showing signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Co-op has committed a further £70M over the next three years in innovative technology to keep colleagues safer, it has introduced SmartWater Fog Cannons, the latest remote monitored iCCTV, body cameras and, communication headsets for all frontline colleagues. Protection for shop workers Cheryl Houghton, Co-op Retail Security Manager, said, “Shop workers play an essential role serving communities, yet they have to contend with unprecedented levels of violence and abuse on a daily basis. As a community retailer we see the impact of social issues in our stores. I have never seen such high levels of violence and abuse, it’s a societal issue that all retailers are concerned about and it’s having lasting effects on the lives of shop workers - both mentally and physically. It is not part of the job to be verbally abused, threatened or attacked and we’re determined to make sure it isn’t. Calling for greater protection for shop workers carrying out public duties and for the root causes of crime in communities to be addressed.” Body-worn videos in commercial organizations Richie McBride, Director of Business Operations, Video & Analytics at Motorola Solutions UK, said, “Body-worn video is becoming a critical element in commercial organizations’ strategy to keep their employees safe. As a company focused on mission-critical solutions, we provide our commercial customers with the right tools to help them enhance their operational efficiency, responsiveness and safety. We are proud to partner with one of the UK’s largest retailers in its work to further improve the shopping experience and enhance safety for both shoppers and staff,”

An aging employee population and the influx of a new generation of workers and customers is driving change in the physical security industry. Millennials – those born in the 1980s and mid-1990s – are especially impacting how the industry operates, the technologies it produces, and the customers it serves. This tech-savvy generation grew up with the Internet at their fingertips. They embrace innovation in all its glory and expect it to play a seamless role in their lives – and work. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How are millennials changing how security systems are designed, installed and/or operated?

The ability to treat patients in a secure environment is a base requirement of hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Whether facilities are large or small, security challenges abound, including perimeter security, access control of sensitive areas, video surveillance, and even a long list of cyber-risks. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security challenges of hospitals and the healthcare industry?

The reviews are in, and ISC West was another hit. Brisk attendance and a comprehensive lineup of the industry’s top companies and products contributed to another successful show for Reed Exhibitions. Our Expert Panel Roundtable, who have attended many such events, added their own reflections to the industry’s post-ISC glow. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How successful was ISC West 2018 for security industry exhibitors and visitors?