Security software

Interface Systems, a renowned managed service provider of security, actionable insights, and purpose-built networks for multi-location businesses, has announced the launch of an enhanced intelligent voice-down system. This updated solution now seamlessly integrates with Interface Systems’ Interactive Security Operations Center (iSOC), allowing for immediate intervention by remote specialists to augment AI-powered automated deterrents. Voice-down system As quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and retail establishments continue to battle loitering, vandalism, and burglaries, they are looking for effective solutions to automatically detect and discourage loitering and other suspicious activity. Interface’s intelligence voice-down system can proactively detect individuals and vehicles loitering or behaving suspiciously by leveraging state-of-the-art AI-enabled cameras. Live video and audio feeds If the threat persists even after delivering automated voice-down commands, the system will escalate the issue It uses customizable audio messages, auxiliary lighting, and sirens to effectively alert potential troublemakers to the security presence and possible law enforcement response. If the threat persists even after delivering automated voice-down commands, the system will escalate the issue to remote intervention specialists at the iSOC. Using live video and audio feeds, intervention specialists can quickly assess the situation and take appropriate action, including notifying law enforcement. Proactive security measures "Interface Systems remains committed to delivering innovative solutions that enhance security, streamline operations, and provide peace of mind for businesses nationwide," said Steve Womer, SVP of Engineering at Interface Systems.  He adds, "Our upgraded intelligent voice-down solution represents a significant step forward in proactive security measures for our customers." AI-detection technology Steve Womer continues, "By integrating remote intervention capabilities directly into our intelligent voice-down system, Interface is responding faster than ever to potential threats, safeguarding customer premises and ensuring the safety of their customers and staff." The enhanced voice-down solution can also be deployed for retail, restaurant, and car wash chains that are already leveraging Interface’s Virtual Security Guard services. This integration offers a comprehensive security solution that combines cutting-edge AI-detection technology with expert human oversight.

The Cyber Safety Force (CSF) has launched to change the way businesses manage their cybersecurity. Forming a consortium of renowned cyber experts, the CSF takes a data-driven, collaborative approach to revolutionize the way businesses think about and manage threat defense and risk aversion – moving from ‘cybersecurity’ to ‘cyber safety’. The CFO recently found that 75% of security professionals have observed an increase in cyber attacks over 2023, with the global average cost of a data breach hitting $4.45 million – a 15% increase over three years (IBM). Businesses manage cybersecurity Guy Golan, Founder of the CSF and global cybersecurity firm Performanta, believes it has never been more imperative for such an initiative to drive real change across organizations. Guy comments: “The way most businesses manage cybersecurity is through compliance. Experts understand that this forms the bare minimum when striving for cyber safety. The CSF has been created to combat this misunderstanding and introduce principles to reform the way businesses think about cybersecurity. Clear demand for better protection has enabled us to combine field-pioneering expertise and actionable data to form a new set of best practices. It’s an exciting time for the CSF as we gain momentum toward sparking true change for businesses globally, ushering in a new, vastly more impactful method of managing risk and achieving cyber safety.” Organizations to reconsider Guy is joined by a group of pioneers in this initial launch of the CSF, including Greg Sim Guy is joined by a group of pioneers in this initial launch of the CSF, including Greg Sim, Founder of cyber group 2020 Partners, Simon Hodgkinson, ex-CISO of BP and strategic advisor to pioneering cybersecurity firms, and Wolfgang Selzer, Co-Founder and CEO of myResilience GMBH, among others. Simon Hodgkinson believes the initiative will create a talking point and a platform for organizations to reconsider the way they view cybersecurity within their organization. He comments: “Cybersecurity is too often viewed as the technical team’s problem. In fact, CISOs are often fired for poor cybersecurity while the CEO remains in their position. It’s time to take cybersecurity as seriously as physical security and adopt a cyber safety mindset. I’m proud to be pioneering this mission with some of the very best in the business.” Cyber safety approach More information and events will be announced on the CSF website throughout the year for industry pioneers to collaborate and make change happen. The website will also feature advice and insight that will help other pioneers to adopt a cyber safety approach within their organizations.

Over three in ten US-based critical infrastructure organizations (36%) that have fallen victim to a ransomware attack have risked legal repercussions by paying a ransom. The findings are in new research by pioneering cybersecurity services firm Bridewell, surveying 519 staff responsible for cybersecurity at US critical infrastructure organizations in sectors such as civil aviation, telecommunications, energy, transport, media, financial services, and water supply. Infringing UK and US laws 66% of organizations surveyed have experienced at least one ransomware attack over the previous 12 months. More than a third (38%) suffered up to five ransomware attacks, but a small percentage of organizations (32%) experienced more than a hundred attacks. 66% of organizations polled have shared at least one ransomware attack over the last 12 months In certain situations, for example, when an organization has no ability to recover from a successful attack, there may be no choice other than to pay the ransom. However, payment can risk infringing UK and US laws that prohibit dealings with sanctioned individuals or entities. At present, prosecutions are uncommon, however, the UK and US governments have floated the idea of implementing a payment ban. Consequences of a ransomware attack The research findings expose the multiple consequences of a ransomware attack on the US critical infrastructure. Over a third of respondents, for example, cited a psychological impact on employees (36%). Downtime (43%), data loss (43%), and reputational damage (41%) are all repercussions that respondents say their organizations have suffered, along with operational disruption (40%). But, over a third of organizations (36%) are also facing increased insurance premiums, and 35% have also incurred financial losses from legal fees or fines. The average cost of a ransomware attack on US critical infrastructure organizations is now $509,942, the research reveals. Challenge of response delays Threats are on the rise through increasing professionalization in the ransomware world Impacts are exacerbated by the length of time it takes organizations to respond to ransomware attacks, with the average now being 16 hours. Without a proactive strategy to address this significant challenge of response delays, more organizations risk paying a ransom. Over nine-in-ten (91%) US respondents in the research agree that attacks are more sophisticated, with ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) deployed with greater knowledge and cunning. Threats are on the rise through increasing professionalization in the ransomware world and the entry of organized crime groups from other areas of criminality. Challenges faced by critical infrastructure “If you fall victim to a ransomware attack, paying the ransom should always be your last resort. Aside from the risk that cybercriminals may not restore access upon payment, there are also potential legal consequences to consider,” said Anthony Young, CEO at Bridewell. “That being said, there are certain situations where organizations have no choice other than to pay. If the organization has no ability to recover, then paying the ransom may represent the only viable option to resume operations other than rebuilding their systems from scratch." "However, this difficult choice is avoidable by having a security strategy to reduce the risk of threat actors gaining access and transversing through your systems without discovery and effective removal. Building a relationship with a trusted security partner who understands your environment and the complex challenges faced by critical infrastructure can help you mitigate this risk by having the right expertise, resources, and support if the worst was to happen.”

Gunnebo Entrance Control has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability, with a bold ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2045. Grounded in the principles of employee empowerment, ethical business practices, and environmental stewardship, Gunnebo Entrance Control is taking decisive steps to embark on a pathway or gateway to a sustainable future aligned with the ambitious targets of the Paris Agreement. Project Earth As part of its sustainability approach, Gunnebo AB has launched Project Earth, as a dedicated Greenhouse Gas inventory project. The desire is to ensure the global organization participates in and aligns with its targets and the project has already completed its baseline year of 2022 calculations. To ensure Gunnebo Entrance Control achieves its goals, a dedicated sustainability team has been established, responsible for setting, tracking, and reporting BU-level Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices and Science-Based Targets initiatives. Addressing climate changes "We recognize the urgency of addressing climate change and are fully committed to playing our part in safeguarding the planet for future generations," said Tina Hughan, Gunnebo Entrance Control Global Marketing and Sustainability Director.  She adds, "Our journey towards sustainability is guided by a clear vision shared across our global presence and supported by concrete actions across all aspects of our operations." ESG initiatives Newly appointed sustainability champions engage in many initiatives including recycling schemes Supporting the sustainability team is a cross-departmental network tasked with conducting local-level ESG reporting and carrying out initiatives across the business contributing towards the company’s course to become an ethical and sustainable business. Newly appointed sustainability champions engage in many initiatives including recycling schemes, such as Computers for Charity where over 3 tons of CO2 were saved in 2023 through donating their surplus IT equipment. Sustainability journey Tina Hughan said, "We firmly believe that actions speak louder than words, which is why we are committed to delivering tangible results in our journey towards sustainability." She adds, "Our products, processes, and corporate culture are all geared towards securing a more sustainable future for Gunnebo Entrance Control and our valued customers."

76% of the UK’s critical national infrastructure (CNI) organizations have identified the use of AI to drive cyber threats as a current security concern.  This dramatic rise in concern about how cybercriminals use AI is revealed in new research by pioneering cyber security services firm Bridewell, surveying 521 staff responsible for cyber security at UK CNI organizations in sectors such as civil aviation, telecommunications, energy, transport, media, financial services, and water supply. AI-powered phishing attacks The research found that 78% of respondents are worried about AI-powered phishing attacks The research found that 78% of respondents are worried about AI-powered phishing attacks in which criminals use AI to radically improve the accuracy and wording of their email lures at scale. Criminals can also employ AI to complement basic coding skills, reducing the barrier to entry for exploits and enhancing the sophistication of their malware. These developments are why 78% of respondents also said they have fears about:   Adaptive AI cyber-attacks that constantly evolve their tactics AI-driven exploit development  Automated hacking using AI  All of the AI-driven threats listed in the research are of concern to more than 70% of respondents – including polymorphic malware which mutates with every infection. 73% said they fear this emerging threat. Current deployment of AI The research found the current deployment of AI in cyber defenses is in its early stages The research also explored how CNI organizations are using AI to combat the increased use of AI by cybercriminal groups. AI-driven exploits or techniques are not yet as effective as conventional cyber tactics, and businesses are able to use AI-focused tools to protect their systems and infrastructure. With its ability to analyze large datasets rapidly, AI can be a useful tool in detecting malicious activity in a system or network, spotting anomalies and suspicious behavior.   The research found the current deployment of AI in cyber defenses is in its early stages. Fewer than three-in-ten respondents’ organizations are using AI-powered threat intelligence platforms (29%), AI-driven data-loss prevention (28%), AI-enhanced endpoint protection (27%), or AI-based phishing detection and prevention (27%). Almost all organizations (94%) are, however, using some AI tools – a trend certain to gain momentum as cyber threats escalate and become even more sophisticated. Stages of AI-driven cyber attacks “While we are at the early stages of AI-driven cyber attacks, concern among CNI organizations is not unfounded as the technology presents itself as a future threat,” said Martin Riley, Director of Managed Security Services at Bridewell. “Businesses can prepare for the impending AI arms race by incorporating the technology into their cyber defense strategies. AI can be a force for good by helping CNI organizations to enhance threat intelligence capabilities and accelerate detection and response strategies.”

Cryptomathic, a global pioneer in data security and encryption, and Utimaco, one of the most trusted names in global IT security, have strengthened their partnership to provide complete solutions in cryptographic key management, eSignatures, and payments issuance and authorization. The enhanced partnership will deliver closer alignment between Cryptomathic’s industry-pioneering security software and Utimaco’s hardware security modules (HSMs), boosting security and business readiness for the threats of a post-quantum world. Concurrent management of HSMs In key management, Cryptomathic’s CrystalKey 360 – an all-in-one solution for managing cryptographic keys and HSMs through a single web-based application – will work in lockstep with Utimaco’s u.trust general purpose HSM. This will deliver joint customers unparalleled, industry-pioneering support, true crypto-agility and post-quantum computing (PQC) readiness. CrystalKey 360 is HSM agnostic and feeds concurrent control of HSMs from multiple suppliers CrystalKey 360 is HSM agnostic and provides concurrent management of HSMs from multiple suppliers, so Utimaco customers can be confident of a smooth transition from their incumbent HSM supplier to the market-pioneering u.trust general purpose HSM. eIDAS regulation As part of the partnership, Utimaco’s CryptoServer General Purpose HSM CC eIDAS version, combined with Cryptomathic’s Signer, has been jointly certified to offer the highest level of legal certainty under the eIDAS regulation. Customers will benefit from a certified Qualified Signature/Seal Creation Device, which makes it easy to demonstrate compliance as the devices and software are certified together. In addition, technical standards enable interoperability, making the solution simple to integrate with anything from national ID schemes to legacy technology. The recent addition of e-sealing capability means that joint customers can use electronic seals to prove the integrity and origin of documents like invoices, government documents, or product manuals. Utimaco’s AT1000 payment HSMs The strengthened alliance also boosts support for issuers as they move from on-premise solutions Finally, Cryptomathic’s modular payment platform for issuers now seamlessly integrates with Utimaco’s AT1000 payment HSMs, offering joint customers the ability to manage all issuer jobs from a single point of access. This includes management and issuance of payment cards (including virtual cards for wallets), advanced PIN management functionality (including ‘PIN select’ or ‘PIN change’ on mobile), highly scalable transaction authorization and an EMV® compliant Certificate Authority for private payment schemes. The strengthened partnership also boosts support for issuers as they move from on-premise solutions to the cloud. Moving through a hybrid model, joint customers will be able to modernize their payment setup without risking PCI compliance or negatively impacting the customer experience. Cryptomathic’s cryptographic security solutions Cryptomathic’s Chief Revenue Officer, Anna Russell, explained: “As the scale of digital threats continues to grow every day, it is more important than ever to protect sensitive digital assets. By bringing together Cryptomathic and Utimaco’s jointly-held, industry-pioneering expertise in security solutions, we are making it easier than ever for enterprises to streamline and future-proof their security operations.” "Cryptomathic and Utimaco have been working together successfully for many years,” said Scott Kemish, Vice President of Channel Sales and Partnerships at Utimaco. “We are happy to build on and strengthen this relationship in the context of our new u.nity partner program, to maximize partners’ business and drive growth, while providing the highest level of security for our joint customers.” Further details on Cryptomathic’s cryptographic security solutions are available on its website.

For K12 education pioneers, embarking on a journey to upgrade security controls can present a myriad of questions about finding the best-fit solutions and overcoming funding hurdles. A majority of public-school districts today are faced with outdated infrastructure and security controls, requiring necessary upgrades. By addressing these concerns head on, schools will ensure a safer environment for both students and staff, mitigating risks posed by unforeseen physical and digital threats. Common K12 security pain points There’s no one-size-fits-all solution in school district security. School districts may have big plans to implement upgraded security systems but to set out on the right foot, pioneers must have a clear vision of their long-term strategy. When embarking on their security journey, education pioneers often wonder where to start and what exact steps are they need to be taking to identify and address weaknesses. Local K12 and government pioneers are promoting and mandating security assessments to uncover safety gaps on campuses and mitigate these risks with advanced technology solutions. Not only do assessments provide detailed, customizable roadmaps for district pioneers, but they also recommend technologies and funding opportunities to help close threat gaps. K12 school districts are mainly vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to the sensitive nature of student records  In today’s climate, schools face a growing number of physical and digital security threats. From a cybersecurity standpoint, K12 school districts are particularly vulnerable to cyber-attacks due to the sensitive nature of student records. However, only one-third of these districts have adequate staffing to address threats effectively. In addition, according to a recent survey from Johnson Controls and Forrester Consulting, security decision-makers are having trouble receiving actionable insights. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said that they struggle to receive information from all necessary systems regarding their security threats. To gain more clarity into what school districts need in terms of security tools and threat mitigation, implementing system-wide monitoring and optimization can be invaluable. This approach enhances equipment and operational efficiency, while providing necessary resources and expertise for critical patch updates across all systems, strengthening their overall security posture. Achieving a well-rounded security program In the past few years, AI technology has emerged as a trending solution and is generating considerable attention. While the allure of implementing cutting-edge technologies is undeniable, it’s important to recognize that a robust security program hinges on solid access control. Access control technology provides administrators with the means to oversee and regulate entry into facilities, serving as the foundation for basic physical security. The technology helps administrators and staff control access to multiple areas from web-enabled devices, even during lockdowns which is crucial in emergency situations. School district pioneers should utilize available digital risk assessment tools to uncover threat areas Once basic security controls are in place, school districts must address their next set of security pain points and identify which solutions meet their specific needs. This involves identifying and prioritizing the highest need and most cost-effective investments that will have the greatest impact on enhancing security measures. To accurately determine which security solutions are needed for a specific environment, school district pioneers should utilize available digital risk assessment tools to uncover threat areas and determine levels of priority. By focusing on these priority areas, districts can allocate their resources and efforts where they are needed most, ensuring maximum effectiveness in mitigating risks and vulnerabilities.  Securing funding before approaching deadlines A major challenge for school districts surrounding campus security is identifying and securing the necessary funding to implement solutions aligned with their goals. Leveraging available funding sources is critical, especially considering certain programs are approaching their deadline, like the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund. Announced during the pandemic, ESSER is a funding program that has allocated nearly $190 billion in aid to U.S. public school districts to fund projects benefitting the well-being of occupants.  Notable ESSER funding deadlines to keep in mind as the clock winds down include September 30, 2024 Notable ESSER funding deadlines to keep in mind as the clock winds down include September 30, 2024, when schools must attribute all of their funds to assigned contracts. Following this date, pioneers will need to complete all ESSER spending by January 2025 unless approved for an extension into March 2025. As ESSER wanes, school districts are acutely aware of the fiscal cliff in budgets through 2025. However, many states are ramping up grant funding to close the deficit gap. Administrators should become familiar with these grant opportunities at a local and state level. Get started on security plans The time for school district pioneers to act is now. While the safety and well-being of students and staff are always top priorities, it’s crucial to acknowledge that a lack of insight into necessary security upgrades and available funding options will leave districts behind the curve. Seizing the final months of ESSER funding presents an ideal window to address security pain points and build a safer future for K12 facilities. Looking beyond ESSER, pioneers must proactively seek out and leverage other funding avenues to help ensure the continuity of their security efforts and maintain a proactive stance in safeguarding healthy and safe educational environments.

As we head into a new year, it’s fair to say that it isn’t easy out there for the security integrator community. That’s understandable given the big ruptures felt in the market for physical security in 2023. Typically, Commercial Real Estate (CRE) landlords are the biggest and most influential buyers of physical security hardware and software, but this is starting to wane as heightened borrowing costs and biting inflation cause real estate valuations to plunge. Building security upgrades A lot of CRE landlords are in a fight for survival which unfortunately doesn't leave much room for budget spend on building security upgrades. This state of affairs is a problem for security integrators with extensive connections in the CRE space. Where do they pivot their services to keep their business growing in 2024? From the conversations I’ve been having with integrators and customers alike over the past few months – the answer is that the growth potential lies in the enterprise space. The trajectory of enterprise IT and physical security Aren’t enterprises carrying out cost-cutting efficiency drives and downsizing office space to reflect hybrid working It might initially feel unnatural to see the enterprise segment as a potential driver of demand for physical security services and products. Aren’t enterprises carrying out cost-cutting efficiency drives and downsizing office space to reflect hybrid working habits? These things are true but also present an opportunity for the right physical security proposition. Standardization of enterprise IT Take efficiency drives as an example. A key element of such efforts is an acceleration toward the standardization of enterprise IT platforms, hardware, and solutions, using the cloud. What was once a focus on moving on-prem systems and workloads to the cloud has shifted to efforts to keep cloud OpEx costs down by centralizing as much as possible. Practically, this means utilizing APIs to plug disparate IT applications and services into central platforms that boast a “single pane of glass” view. APIs APIs drive consumption, open new business models, and foster cross-industry partnerships APIs aren’t anything new to enterprises. They drive consumption, open new business models, and foster cross-industry partnerships. However, the use of APIs in the physical security sphere has been surprisingly slow to take off. There are multiple elements to this but a key reason is that some security software products on the market aren’t cloud-based. Adding cloud-based solutions to network Others are cloud-based, however, and these are the solutions that security integrators need in their portfolio to serve the influential enterprise market segment and its approach to IT networks. Selling the value of these solutions requires integrators to take it a step further by speaking the language of the enterprise IT buyer and understanding their goals. The power of Cloud-based access control in the enterprise Hybrid working and the occupancy rate fluctuations it brings require closer monitoring of access events The continued relevance of physical security for enterprises can’t be understated. After all, hybrid working and the occupancy rate fluctuations it brings require closer monitoring of access events – not less. Despite the discourse around office downsizing, the reality for most enterprises is that the office can’t be done away with completely and there’s always going to be growth experienced by successful companies that require an upgrade in physical square footage. Physical security  Access control systems that are cloud-based will be preferred by the enterprise to fulfill the essential function of physical security. That’s because they align with the push towards centralization in the cloud that enterprises are carrying out business-wide. Access control has the potential to result in lots of disparate dashboards and apps. Think video management, license plate recognition, building management software, elevator monitoring, hot desking solutions, guest booking software, room booking functions, and more. Uniting all of these functions in one platform suits enterprise security teams well. Access control solutions Linking employee databases to an IAM solution, or creating seamless experiences by tying access credentials But this only scratches the surface. Access control solutions that can be integrated with hugely popular corporate software applications like Okta, Azure Active Directory, and Google Workspace quickly catch the eyes of enterprise IT security teams by pulling in the same direction as the broader tech stack. Whether it’s applying AI analytics to anomaly detection, linking employee databases to an Identity Access Management (IAM) solution, or creating seamless experiences by tying access credentials to things like meeting room bookings, it’s through APIs that cloud-based access control can thrive in an enterprise setting. Security integrators It’s worth also noting that as enterprises grow, access control gets harder. Managing the access requirements of thousands of employees across a global real estate footprint requires the scale that cloud computing is best placed to bring. Security integrators who can join the dots to make that link are well-positioned to pivot toward the enterprise. Broadening horizons Concepts like smart access and applying AI to access data to automate the monitoring of occupancy rates This pivot is understandably a daunting prospect but the potential for natural synergy shouldn’t be overlooked. Concepts like smart access and applying AI to access data to automate the monitoring of occupancy rates and security anomalies won’t be completely alien to cloud-first enterprises. That’s an opportunity for integrators to upsell more sophisticated security set-ups in a way that they may have found more difficult with CRE clients and prospects. Tailored propositions It would be remiss to avoid mentioning that ‘enterprise’ is a very loose term that encompasses businesses across multiple industry verticals. To better pivot, security integrators need to offer tailored propositions specific to set verticals that cover all bases as opposed to offer, for example, piecemeal alarm or video product solutions. Enterprise industry verticals Security integrators should be weary of all-encompassing narratives in 2024. Whether or not the global economic picture darkens, there are always going to be pockets of growth within certain enterprise industry verticals. Plus, anecdotally, the indicators point to enterprises being the driver of demand for cloud-based access control as we head into the new year. Integrators who can dial into that shift have a lot to gain and nothing to lose.

Amidst the challenges of a prevailing economic downturn, the retail sector finds itself grappling with an unparalleled rise in incidents of shoplifting, theft, and burglaries. The disconcerting scenes witnessed on London’s Oxford Street in August 2023,​ where crowds gathered, looting as many stores as possible, sent shockwaves across the nation’s retailers. This alarming surge in retail crime has put retailers on high alert, as they contend with a rising tide of security concerns.  Shoplifting concerns Recent data from the Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), has raised alarming concerns: shoplifting rates have surged by an unprecedented 24%.​ In the first half of 2023 alone, there were approximately 8 million reported shoplifting incidents. With the ongoing burden of the cost of living crisis and the approaching festive season, it is expected that these figures will keep surging.  Implementing robust security measures Theft and prevention strategies cost retailers approximately £2 billion in 2021/2022 While more help from the Government to support retail workers and the businesses shoplifters target is certainly needed, the implementation of robust security measures will significantly contribute to deterring these crimes from occurring in the first place. British retailers spend millions on tools to deter and catch shoplifters inside stores, from CCTV and security guards to electronic tagging and alarms. The Grocer reported that theft and prevention strategies cost retailers approximately £2 billion in 2021/2022. Despite these initial costs, other threats are at play beyond the shop floor. Break-ins by criminal gangs For many large town center stores and supermarkets, and units in retail parks, the rear doors and delivery areas are commonly targeted by criminal gangs. It’s not uncommon for thefts to occur from pallets or cages that have been unloaded from lorries and sit waiting to be moved into the building. After-hours break-ins are a risk for all store owners too, particularly over the festive season when a lot of high-value stock has been delivered to shops and supermarkets. Addressing anti-social behaviour  The additional fencing was deemed an essential measure to safeguard the community Anti-social behavior also poses a challenge for retailers. In 2022, an Aldi based in Derby​ invested in security fencing to protect staff and deter loitering groups. The additional fencing was deemed an essential measure to safeguard the community, as dangerous items were frequently found outside the store, including weapons and hypodermic needles.  So how do physical security solutions such as fencing and gates help better protect retail establishments such as supermarkets and edge-of-town retail park shops? Fencing and gates: a critical component of retail security  1. Risk assessment and target hardening  A thorough risk assessment will identify potential weak spots that require protection. ‘Target hardening’ involves implementing physical security measures that become more robust as they approach the target. This helps deter intruders while ensuring ease of access for customers and staff.  2. Effective perimeter security  Opt for difficult-to-climb security fencing that provides a robust obstacle against thieves, vandals, and intruders Selecting fencing solutions according to the potential threats, site characteristics, and topography is crucial. It is important to specify fencing that strikes a balance and maintains a welcoming appearance while safeguarding external areas of the store or warehouse from potential harm and unauthorized access. Solid fencing which provides concealment can help to conceal expensive goods and remove them as a target for opportunistic theft.  Opt for difficult-to-climb security fencing that provides a robust obstacle against thieves, vandals, and intruders. I recommend selecting a sufficiently tall and robust fence such as an acoustic barrier. Its noise-reducing properties are often beneficial for these types of sites too.  3. Controlling vehicular speeds and access  To enhance security, consider controlling vehicular speeds and access. One effective approach is the installation of bollards at the ends of traditional high streets. This practice is already commonplace as a means of safeguarding against hostile vehicle attacks, but it can also play a pivotal role in preventing quick getaways of vehicles involved in potential heists. Additionally, employing road blockers and sliding gates at the rear entrances of delivery areas would serve to fortify security further. These measures can help in delaying vehicles, allowing for necessary checks to be conducted.  4. Balancing security with aesthetics  The presence of high-security fencing can also make a site more of a target for vandals and burglars Another challenge is avoiding creating an imposing presence, especially important for areas situated near residential communities. The presence of high-security fencing can also make a site more of a target for vandals and burglars. To minimize this risk consider specifying timber fencing and traffic barriers to secure car parks, providing both security and a welcoming atmosphere for shoppers.  Taking an integrated approach Combine secure perimeter fencing with effective lighting in places with shaded areas and at doors, gates, and shop windows, alongside Perimeter Intrusion Detection Systems (PIDS), and strategically placed CCTV. These measures will hinder unauthorized entry and escape, increasing the likelihood of detection and apprehension.  Prioritising employee wellbeing  Installing robust security fencing, complemented by CCTV, good lighting, and guarding, creates a safe environment Installing robust security fencing, complemented by CCTV, good lighting, and guarding, creates a safe environment for employees. This not only safeguards their well-being but also provides peace of mind that they are protected effectively in the case of a burglary or crime.  When selecting security products for retail sites, it is advisable to opt for items that have undergone rigorous testing and carry relevant certifications for their security level. Each component should meet industry-specific standards for its intended purpose and originate from manufacturers accredited under ISO 9001:2015. This ensures a high standard of quality and reliability in safeguarding the premises.  High-quality security fencing As the cost-of-living crisis continues, crime rates increase, and the festive season approaches, the time to act and implement on-site security is now. By investing in comprehensive security measures, retailers can protect their assets, employees, and customers, ensuring a safer and more secure shopping environment for all. High-quality security fencing is also a sound investment, that requires little or no maintenance once installed. The best fencing solutions are extremely weather-resistant, and won’t suffer from rust or corrosion. With all sectors preparing to ride the rapids of recession in the coming year, improving on-site security while selecting cost-effective measures, is one surefire way to protect your people, your property, and your profits from harm. 

Companies at GSX 2023 emphasized new ways that technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the cloud can address long-standing issues in the security market. Among the exhibitors at the event in Dallas were companies seeking creative ways to apply technology, lower costs, and make the world a safer place. Reflecting on the exhibition, here are some additional takeaways. Expanding AI at the edge  i-PRO is a company reflecting the continued expansion of edge AI capability in the security market. Today, more than half of the company’s lineup supports AI at the edge so the customer has a wide choice of form factors when seeking to leverage the feature set.  AI processing relay, extended warranty i-PRO is increasing their warranty period from 5 to 7 years, which could be a lifetime warranty in some cases I-PRO also has an “AI processing relay” device that accepts non-AI video streams and applies edge analytics. AI has progressed from a high-end technology to a feature available in a variety of cameras at different price points. i-PRO is also increasing its warranty period from 5 to 7 years, which could be a lifetime warranty in some cases depending on a customer’s refresh schedule and lifecycle management. Active Guard, MonitorCast The company’s video management system (Video Insight) is continuing to build new features including “Active Guard,” an integrated metadata sorter. Their access control platform, MonitorCast, is a Mercury-based solution that is tightly integrated with Video Insight. Their embedded recorders now have PoE built in.  “We can move at a faster pace to fill out our product line since leaving Panasonic,” says Adam Lowenstein, Director of Product Management. “We can focus our business on adapting to the market.” Emphasis on retail and other verticals  Shoplifting is a timely issue, and retail is a vertical market that got a lot of attention at GSX 2023. “We see a lot of retailers who are primarily interested in protecting employee safety, but also assets,” says Brandon Davito, Verkada’s SVP of Product and Operations. “Shrinkage is a CEO-level priority.”  “Retailers are getting more engaged with security posture, instead of letting perpetrators walk,” Davito adds. Intrusion detection Verkada has an intrusion product that will notify a central station if there is an alarm On the alarm side, Verkada has an intrusion product that will notify a central station if there is an alarm, and operators can review videos to confirm the alarm. Other capabilities seeking to discourage trespassers include sirens, strobes, and “talkdown” capabilities.  International expansion Verkada continues to expand internationally with 16 offices in all, including Sydney, Tokyo, and London. The core value proposition is to enable customers to manage their onsite infrastructure more simply, including new elements such as PTZ cameras, intercoms, and visitor management. Verkada emphasizes ease of use, including a mobile application to allow access to be managed across the user base. Forging partnerships “We are committed to the channel and industry, and we continue to build relationships and expand our reach,” says Davito. Among the industry relationships is a new partnership with Convergint, which was hinted at during the show and announced later the same day. They are also expanding their partnerships with Schlage, Allegion, and ASSA ABLOY.  Working with other verticals They offer new features for K -12 schools, and a new alarm platform is easier to deploy and manage Verkada has also found success across multiple other verticals, notably healthcare, where they integrate with an electronic medical records system. They offer new features for K-12 schools, and a new alarm platform is easier to deploy and manage. They are integrating wireless locks to secure interior doors in schools, looking to secure the perimeter, and installing guest management systems. Transitioning the Mid-Market to the Cloud  Salient is squarely focused on the “mid-market,” a large swath of systems somewhere between small businesses and enterprise-level systems. Pure cloud systems are not as attractive to this market, which has a built-out infrastructure of on-premise systems. Adding a camera to an existing system is easier and less expensive than tying it to the cloud. Benefits of cloud It’s a market that may not be ready for pure cloud, but there are benefits to be realized from adding a cloud element to existing systems. “We are continuing to augment our premise-based solutions with added cloud capabilities and flexibility,” says Sanjay Challa, Salient’s Chief Product Officer.  The feedback Salient hears from their customers is “I want to own my data.” The hybrid cloud approach offers the right mix of control, flexibility, and unit economics. Cloud add-on capabilities We want to provide the flexibility for customers to go full-cloud as it becomes more economically attractive" Cloud add-on capabilities include bringing more intelligence about system operation to the user via the cloud. Over time, Salient expects to sell more cloud-centric offerings based on feedback from integrators and customers. “We want to provide the flexibility for customers to go full-cloud as it becomes more economically attractive over time,” says Challa.  Vaidio AI technology Salient seeks to be a transition pioneer to help customers realize the path to the cloud. Their approach is “crawl, walk, run,” and helping customers make the transition at each stage. Salient has added AI to its product offering, incorporating Vaidio AI technology from IronYun into a powerful suite and broad array of on-premise analytics, which are gaining traction. The seamless approach makes it easy for customers to embrace AI analytics, although Salient remains broadly committed to open systems. Addressing ‘Soft’ Features for Integrators AMAG is in the process of enhancing its product line with the next generation of access control panels. However, “product” is just part of the new developments at AMAG. In addition to “hard” features (such as products), the company is looking to improve its “soft” features, too; that is, how they work with the integrator channel. Integrator channel Rebuilding a process to make your organization more efficient, is relatively easy; it just takes a lot of persistence" “We have the depth of our legacy customer base we can learn from, we just need to close the feedback loop quicker,” says Kyle Gordon, AMAG’s Executive Vice President of Global Sales, Marketing, and commercial Excellence, who acknowledges the value of reinstating face-to-face meetings after COVID. “We are laser-focused on nurturing our integrator channel,” he says.  “Developing new features takes time, but rebuilding a process to make your organization more efficient, that’s relatively easy; it just takes a lot of persistence,” says Gordon. More cohesive internal communication is another useful tool, he says.  Disrupting the cloud based on price  Wasabi is working to make cloud applications less expensive by offering a “disruptive” price on cloud storage, $6.99 per terabyte per month (80% less than hyperscalers). Contending “hyperscalers” like AWS are charging too much for cloud storage, Wasabi is using its own intellectual property and server equipment co-located in data centers around the world. Wasabi sells “hot cloud storage,” which refers to the fact that they only have one tier of storage and data is always accessible. In contrast, a company such as AWS might charge an “egress fee” for access to data stored in a “colder” tier.  Cloud storage “We saw that several video surveillance companies had not yet adopted cloud storage, and we saw an opportunity to make it easy to use,” said Drew Schlussel, Wasabi’s Senior Director of Product Marketing. “We just install a little bit of software that allows them to store data in the cloud and bring it back from the cloud.” Performance, protection (cybersecurity), and price Wasabi works with integrators, resellers, and distributors and also integrates with VMS companies Wasabi works with integrators, resellers, and distributors and also integrates with VMS companies such as Genetec and Milestone. Emphasizing performance, protection (cybersecurity), and price, their data centers are certified to SOC 2 and ISO 27001 standards.  Faster throughput for weapons detection Xtract One is a young company focusing on weapons detection in a time of accelerated concern about gun issues post-COVID. Founded in Canada and based on technology developed at McMaster University, Xtract One has found a niche in providing weapons detection at stadiums and arenas. These customers already have budgets, and it is easy to shift the money to a newer, faster technology. Madison Square Garden in New York City is among its customers.  Cost savings solution Xtract One can increase throughput to 30 to 50 people per entrance per minute (compared to 5 to 6 people per minute when using metal detectors). The solution doesn’t require anyone to empty their pockets and the system alarms on items beyond guns and knives. Using Xtract One allows customers to reduce the number of screening lanes and security staff, providing additional cost savings, all while getting fans through the screening process in half the time. Purpose-built sensors The system uses purpose-built sensors looking for specific characteristics, such as reflective and density properties In addition to stadiums and arenas, Xtract One, formerly Patriot One, is also getting “inbound” interest from schools, hospitals, manufacturers, and other verticals that makeup 50% of their business. “We’re on a rocket ride, mainly because the weapons issues are not going away,” says Peter Evans, CEO and Director at Xtract One. The system uses purpose-built sensors looking for specific characteristics, such as reflective and density properties, all correlated by an AI engine.  Providing early warning of violence ZeroEyes is another company focused on weapons detection. Their AI gun detection system works with video images to identify if someone is “brandishing” (carrying) a weapon. In other words, the system does not detect concealed weapons. Identifying someone carrying a weapon provides early warning of a possible violent act. Increased response with AI-enables images Images are identified by AI and sent to a monitoring center where a human confirms the image before contacting first responders. Knowing the location of a shooter enables staff to lock entry points, move people to safety, and direct first responders. The company was founded to leverage existing camera views to stop mass shootings and gun violence by reducing response times. 

A pioneer in the access control sector since 1971, AMAG Technology is looking to the future and the next generation of products that will expand its services to customers. “In our vision, we have advanced approaches that will not only provide our partners with advanced technologies but also ones that are easier to install with tools to expand their services,” says David Sullivan, who was appointed President of the venerable access control company in September 2022. New challenges at AMAG Sullivan brings a new outlook to the AMAG business, a part of Allied Universal, and a new vision to lead the company into the future. We caught up with David Sullivan to discuss his new challenges at AMAG and the journey ahead as the company looks to the future. Q: How does your background inform your approach to leading AMAG? I believe that it helps me to define a vision for AMAG that will be unique and on the leading edge of our industry David Sullivan: With the exception of only a few short years, my career has been in access control. I have experience with several systems and have had the privilege to manage several successful access control companies. As a result, I bring a great deal of experience into my role at AMAG. I believe that it helps me to define a vision for AMAG that will be unique and on the leading edge of our industry. Q: How would you describe AMAG’s journey over the last several years and how do you see the future? Sullivan: Prior presidents of AMAG always shared their leadership vision and direction with senior leaders located in the United Kingdom. This had an impact on the full direction of the business, sometimes limiting its ultimate success. Before I became a part of AMAG, these senior leaders that were located in the UK retired, placing for the first time the full management responsibilities of the president. This has allowed me to integrate the business into a single team, with single objectives, and a single vision. We expect to begin to reveal this new vision in the coming weeks. We are excited about the future of AMAG and believe we will surprise the industry with our new products and approach in the coming months and years. Q: How important is it that a manufacturer provides both hardware and software solutions? How does AMAG’s approach (in general) differentiate it in the market? We can design the complete solution, providing functionality that others may find more difficult to accomplish Sullivan: Regardless of the manufacturer, we all provide hardware and software. An access control solution is not complete without both. Some of us choose to make our panels, and others do not. Those who are dependent on third-party suppliers are restricted to the developments and direction of that company, and while it might be perceived to be an open technology, it still is proprietary to the hardware manufacturer. AMAG has controlled its manufacturing of panels from day one. The result means that we can design the complete solution, providing functionality that others may find more difficult to accomplish. Q: How does the breadth of AMAG’s product suite provide advantages to customers and/or integrators? Sullivan: AMAG’s product portfolio is unique and provides the end user with an end-to-end identity management solution from one company. Our Control Room PSIM, Symmetry CONNECT Identity Management Solution, Symmetry Access Control, and Symmetry GUEST solutions all integrate to provide the user with a broad set of features and capabilities from a single provider. There is no finger-pointing when we come to support your system. We hold full responsibility for making it work and can quickly provide a resolution to any application difficulties the user may be experiencing. Q: How does AMAG address the divide between on-prem and cloud systems? How do you help customers make the transition and/or plan for the future? We are in the early stages of developing our next generation of access control in which we intend to provide on-prem Sullivan: In our current product portfolio, we have three products that are cloud-based. Our mobile credential platform (Symmetry Mobile), our visitor management solution (Symmetry GUEST), and our physical identity and access management solution (Symmetry CONNECT) are all offerings that operate in the cloud. We are in the early stages of developing our next generation of access control in which we intend to provide on-prem, web client, and cloud-based offerings. One of the primary objectives is to ensure that the large installed base of systems that are out there today will be able to migrate not only to our next generation but as well to the cloud if the client so desires. Q: What is AMAG’s approach to mobile credentialing? Sullivan: As an access control provider, adding Symmetry Mobile credentialing to our portfolio just made sense. We want our customers to have a forward-thinking solution with the opportunity to save money not only on the physical badges but the cost of printing and distributing badges. Mobile credentials can be easily issued and revoked remotely, reducing administrative overhead, and eliminating the need for physical inventory management. Organizations can centrally configure what devices are used and the read range for each type of device and operating system, thus providing flexibility. Symmetry Mobile offers a customized questionnaire that controls access and reduces liabilities. Q: What has surprised you the most in your first year or so leading AMAG? Not many companies are blessed with such a broad portfolio that is supported by a resource-rich company Sullivan: I wouldn’t say I was surprised by this as much as happy to see, but I would say that the quality of our people was a pleasant surprise. As well, the AMAG product offering is broad and has some unique elements. When coupled with the depth of the resources that we have in AMAG, I know that we are second to none. Not many companies are blessed with such a broad portfolio that is supported by a resource-rich company that has so many talented people. Q: Please describe your dealer channel, and how you are seeking to expand it. Sullivan: The AMAG products are sophisticated and typically are installed for higher-end applications. With this sophistication comes a need to be well able to install such a solution. We have a strong group of certified and loyal partners who help us to deliver these enterprise solutions. We desire to provide our existing partners with updated and competitive systems to offer to their end users. Q: What is the security industry’s (and/or AMAG’s) biggest challenge in the next five years? We need to find ways to provide both our channel partners and the customers with solutions that are easily integrated Sullivan: I believe that the advancements that we are seeing in technology provide our industry with the opportunity to truly change how security is provided to our collective customers. As we advance these solutions, we will need to do so responsibly and in a way that helps the channel’s abilities. We need to find ways to train our partners to both install and support these more complex solutions. At the same time, we need to find ways to provide both our channel partners and the customers with solutions that are easily integrated, moving away from proprietary closed systems to open and cohesive solutions. This will ensure that the users get the best, and most complete solutions. Q: What does the industry as a whole misunderstand about AMAG -- time to set the record straight! Sullivan: Well, I am not ready to openly share where we are heading. We are in the process of putting together some advanced approaches to how we will do business with our partners. We are focused on providing tools that will enhance their services to their customers, and with products that are leading edge. I can only state that all should keep their eyes on AMAG, because over the next few years, we are going to surprise some people, and more importantly make our loyal partners quite powerful.

When it comes to security cameras, the end user always wants more—more resolution, more artificial intelligence (AI), and more sensors. However, the cameras themselves do not change much from generation to generation; that is, they have the same power budgets, form factors and price. To achieve “more,” the systems-on-chips (SoCs) inside the video cameras must pack more features and integrate systems that would have been separate components in the past.  For an update on the latest capabilities of SoCs inside video cameras, we turned to Jérôme Gigot, Senior Director of Marketing for AIoT at Ambarella, a manufacturer of SOCs. AIoT refers to the artificial intelligence of things, the combination of AI and IoT. Author's quote “The AI performance on today’s cameras matches what was typically done on a server just a generation ago,” says Gigot. “And, doing AI on-camera provides the threefold benefits of being able to run algorithms on a higher-resolution input before the video is encoded and transferred to a server, with a faster response time, and with complete privacy.” Added features of the new SOC Ambarella expects the first cameras with the SoC to emerge on the market during early part of 2024 Ambarella’s latest System on Chip (SOC) is the CV72S, which provides 6× the AI performance of the previous generation and supports the newer transformer neural networks. Even with its extra features, the CV72S maintains the same power envelope as the previous-generation SoCs. The CV72S is now available, sampling is underway by camera manufacturers, and Ambarella expects the first cameras with the SoC to emerge on the market during the early part of 2024. Examples of the added features of the new SOC include image processing, video encoders, AI engines, de-warpers for fisheye lenses, general compute cores, along with functions such as processing multiple imagers on a single SoC, fusion among different types of sensors, and the list goes on. This article will summarize new AI capabilities based on information provided by Ambarella. AI inside the cameras Gigot says AI is by far the most in-demand feature of new security camera SoCs. Customers want to run the latest neural network architectures; run more of them in parallel to achieve more functions (e.g., identifying pedestrians while simultaneously flagging suspicious behavior); run them at higher resolutions in order to pick out objects that are farther away from the camera. And they want to do it all faster. Most AI tasks can be split between object detection, object recognition, segmentation and higher-level “scene understanding” types of functions, he says. The latest AI engines support transformer network architectures (versus currently used convolutional neural networks). With enough AI horsepower, all objects in a scene can be uniquely identified and classified with a set of attributes, tracked across time and space, and fed into higher-level AI algorithms that can detect and flag anomalies. However, everything depends on which scene is within the camera’s field of view. “It might be an easy task for a camera in an office corridor to track a person passing by every couple of minutes; while a ceiling camera in an airport might be looking at thousands of people, all constantly moving in different directions and carrying a wide variety of bags,” Gigot says. Changing the configuration of video systems Low-level AI number crunching would typically be done on camera (at the source of the data) Even with more computing capability inside the camera, central video servers still have their place in the overall AI deployment, as they can more easily aggregate and understand information across multiple cameras. Additionally, low-level AI number crunching would typically be done on camera (at the source of the data).  However, the increasing performance capabilities of transformer neural network AI inside the camera will reduce the need for a central video server over time. Even so, a server could still be used for higher-level decisions and to provide a representation of the world; along with a user interface for the user to make sense of all the data. Overall, AI-enabled security cameras with transformer network-based functionality will greatly reduce the use of central servers in security systems. This trend will contribute to a reduction in the greenhouse gases produced by data centers. These server farms consume a lot of energy, due to their power-hungry GPU and CPU chips, and those server processors also need to be cooled using air conditioning that emits additional greenhouse gases. New capabilities of transformer neural networks New kinds of AI architectures are being deployed inside cameras. Newer SoCs can accommodate the latest transformer neural networks (NNs), which now outperform currently used convolutional NNs for many vision tasks. Transformer neural networks require more AI processing power to run, compared to most convolutional NNs. Transformers are great for natural language processing (NLP) as they have mechanisms to “make sense” of a seemingly random arrangement of words. Those same properties, when applied to video, make transformers very efficient at understanding the world in 3D. Transformer NNs require more AI processing power to run, compared to most convolutional NNs For example, imagine a multi-imager camera where an object needs to be tracked from one camera to the next. Transformer networks are also great at focusing their attention on specific parts of the scene—just as some words are more important than others in a sentence, some parts of a scene might be more significant from a security perspective.  “I believe that we are currently just scratching the surface of what can be done with transformer networks in video security applications,” says Gigot. The first use cases are mainly for object detection and recognition. However, research in neural networks is focusing on these new transformer architectures and their applications. Expanded use cases for multi-image and fisheye cameras For multi-image cameras, again, the strategy is “less is more.” For example, if you need to build a multi-imager with four 4K sensors, then, in essence, you need to have four cameras in one. That means you need four imaging pipelines, four encoders, four AI engines, and four sets of CPUs to run the higher-level software and streaming. Of course, for cost, size, and power reasons, it would be extremely inefficient to have four SoCs to do all this processing. Therefore, the latest SoCs for security need to integrate four times the performance of the last generation’s single-imager 4K cameras, in order to process four sensors on a single SoC with all the associated AI algorithms. And they need to do this within a reasonable size and power budget. The challenge is very similar for fisheye cameras, where the SoC needs to be able to accept very high-resolution sensors (i.e., 12MP, 16MP, and higher), in order to be able to maintain high resolution after de-warping. Additionally, that same SoC must create all the virtual views needed to make one fisheye camera look like multiple physical cameras, and it has to do all of this while running the AI algorithms on every one of those virtual streams at high resolution. The power of ‘sensor fusion’ Sensor fusion is the ability to process multiple sensor types at the same time and correlate all that information Sensor fusion is the ability to process multiple sensor types at the same time (e.g., visual, radar, thermal, and time of flight) and correlate all that information. Performing sensor fusion provides an understanding of the world that is greater than the information that could be obtained from any one sensor type in isolation. In terms of chip design, this means that SoCs must be able to interface with, and natively process, inputs from multiple sensor types.  Additionally, they must have the AI and CPU performance required to do either object-level fusion (i.e., matching the different objects identified through the different sensors), or even deep-level fusion. This deep fusion takes the raw data from each sensor and runs AI on that unprocessed data. The result is machine-level insights that are richer than those provided by systems that must first go through an intermediate object representation. In other words, deep fusion eliminates the information loss that comes from preprocessing each individual sensor’s data before fusing it with the data from other sensors, which is what happens in object-level fusion. Better image quality AI can be trained to dramatically improve the quality of images captured by camera sensors in low-light conditions, as well as high dynamic range (HDR) scenes with widely contrasting dark and light areas. Typical image sensors are very noisy at night, and AI algorithms can be trained to perform excellently at removing this noise to provide a clear color picture—even down to 0.1 lux or below. This is called neural network-based image signal processing, or AISP for short. AI can be trained to perform all these functions with much better results than traditional video methods Achieving high image quality under difficult lighting conditions is always a balance among removing noise, not introducing excessive motion blur, and recovering colors. AI can be trained to perform all these functions with much better results than traditional video processing methods can achieve. A key point for video security is that these types of AI algorithms do not “create” data, they just remove noise and clean up the signal. This process allows AI to provide clearer video, even in challenging lighting conditions. The results are better footage for the humans monitoring video security systems, as well as better input for the AI algorithms analyzing those systems, particularly at night and under high dynamic range conditions. A typical example would be a camera that needs to switch to night mode (black and white) when the environmental light falls below a certain lux level. By applying these specially trained AI algorithms, that same camera would be able to stay in color mode and at full frame rate--even at night. This has many advantages, including the ability to see much farther than a typical external illuminator would normally allow, and reduced power consumption. ‘Straight to cloud’ architecture For the cameras themselves, going to the cloud or to a video management system (VMS) might seem like it doesn’t matter, as this is all just streaming video. However, the reality is more complex; especially for cameras going directly to the cloud. When cameras stream to the cloud, there is usually a mix of local, on-camera storage and streaming, in order to save on bandwidth and cloud storage costs. To accomplish this hybrid approach, multiple video-encoding qualities/resolutions are being produced and sent to different places at the same time; and the camera’s AI algorithms are constantly running to optimize bitrates and orchestrate those different video streams. The ability to support all these different streams, in parallel, and to encode them at the lowest bitrate possible, is usually guided by AI algorithms that are constantly analyzing the video feeds. These are just some of the key components needed to accommodate this “straight to cloud” architecture. Keeping cybersecurity top-of-mind Ambarella’s SoCs always implement the latest security mechanisms, both hardware and software Ambarella’s SoCs always implement the latest security mechanisms, both in hardware and software. They accomplish this through a mix of well-known security features, such as ARM trust zones and encryption algorithms, and also by adding another layer of proprietary mechanisms with things like dynamic random access memory (DRAM) scrambling and key management policies.  “We take these measures because cybersecurity is of utmost importance when you design an SoC targeted to go into millions of security cameras across the globe,” says Gigot. ‘Eyes of the world’ – and more brains Cameras are “the eyes of the world,” and visual sensors provide the largest portion of that information, by far, compared to other types of sensors. With AI, most security cameras now have a brain behind those eyes. As such, security cameras have the ability to morph from just a reactive and security-focused apparatus to a global sensing infrastructure that can do everything from regulating the AC in offices based on occupancy, to detecting forest fires before anyone sees them, to following weather and world events. AI is the essential ingredient for the innovation that is bringing all those new applications to life, and hopefully leading to a safer and better world.

The University of California San Diego (UCSD) Police Department is a full-fledged law enforcement agency responsible for patrolling, investigating, and preventing crime within its jurisdiction. Spanning over 1,200 acres and comprising 900 buildings, UCSD’s campus presents unique challenges for law enforcement. The department’s Communications Division serves as the nerve center, coordinating responses to emergencies, managing communications, and ensuring coordination among officers. Garrett Williams, a seasoned Sergeant at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Police Department, oversees the Communications Division. With over two decades of experience, Williams understands the critical role technology can play in public safety. The challenge Before partnering with RGB Spectrum, UCSD faced significant obstacles in its dispatch operations Before partnering with RGB Spectrum, UCSD faced significant obstacles in its dispatch operations. Dispatchers juggled multiple computers, including a CAD, radio, and phone computer, each requiring separate keyboards and mice. “I didn’t look to RGB to solve all my problems. However, I understood all that could be accomplished once the team showed us how the technology operated and what was possible,” Garrett Williams, Sergeant, University of California San Diego Police Department. “Three separate mice and operators constantly moving side to side to look from one to the other and then having to move their hands back and forth between control devices - anytime they have to do that, it’s slowing their workflow down; we figured there had to be a better solution,” shared Williams. “And up to 25% of our operators were suffering from repetitive movement and neck Injuries, resulting in downtime and light duty restrictions.” Why UCSD chose XtendPoint KVM-over-IP UCSD wanted a seamless KVM solution that integrated multiple systems over IP under a unified interface. It explored various options before discovering RGB Spectrum’s XtendPoint™ solution, which provides local and remote access to source computers, consolidates separate monitors into multi-view displays, and unifies control for more streamlined operation and enhanced efficiency. With RGB’s XtendPoint KVM system, UCSD grew access to the fire alarm system at each operator’s station UCSD’s key selling point was its ergonomic benefits. It offered a solution to the ergonomic challenges plaguing dispatchers by minimizing the need for multiple keyboards and mice. So did replacing monitor clutter. With the XtendPoint solution, single-signal monitors are consolidated on each console using multiview displays that can handle up to four computer signals each or up to eight signals displayed on just two pieces of glass. A notable feature of this solution is the ability to offer each operator customized display viewing, even in a multi-shift operation. A KVM-over-IP backbone offers additional benefits. Before, only one dispatcher station could see the fire alarm system. With RGB’s XtendPoint KVM system, UCSD expanded access to the fire alarm system at each operator’s station. Now, no matter where dispatchers are seated, they have access to all needed systems. How UCSD uses RGB’s solution The RGB Spectrum solution marked a significant turning point for UCSD’s dispatch operations. Dispatchers experienced a dramatic improvement in efficiency, ergonomics, and situational awareness. Gone are the days of dispatchers juggling multiple control devices. With a unified interface, dispatchers can control all systems from a single keyboard and mouse. A streamlined workflow accelerated response times and reduced errors. Video integration proved invaluable. Dispatchers can now access live video feeds and additional mission-critical systems directly within one system interface, providing them with real-time visual information as required. With a unified interface, dispatchers can control all systems from a single keyboard and mouse Additionally, support for video integration with a video wall provided opportunities for enhanced collaboration and situational awareness. Commented Williams, “The flexibility of the RGB system also allowed UCSD dispatchers to leverage video wall capabilities. They can easily share critical information and task lists with colleagues. A more collaborative environment has facilitated communication and coordination among dispatchers, ensuring that tasks are efficiently managed and prioritized during high-stress situations. We can use the RGB system to throw things up on the wall so other dispatchers can see what’s happening and interact as needed.” “In addition," said Williams, “the resilience of the RGB XtendPoint system is invaluable in maintaining operational continuity. For example, in the event of a problem at a station, technicians can work on the issue while the dispatcher moves to a backup computer or station, allowing dispatchers to continue critical work without interruption. This proactive approach to system maintainability and resilience saves time and resources and ensures that dispatch operations remain fully functional at all times.” The result The impact of XtendPoint KVM-over-IP on UCSD’s dispatch operations has been profound. UCSD witnessed significant improvements in efficiency, ergonomics, and situational awareness. Efficiency soared as dispatchers seamlessly controlled multiple systems from a single interface. Ergonomic issues were mitigated, and dispatcher morale improved, enabling dispatchers to respond more effectively to emergencies. Future plans with RGB Spectrum Williams is enthusiastic about the wraparound monitors RGB has announced Looking ahead, UCSD sees opportunities to leverage RGB Spectrum’s technology further to enhance operations. RGB system’s versatility also enables UCSD to adapt to evolving threats and emergencies. In the event of, say, a building evacuation or siege, for example, UCSD could almost immediately establish a satellite facility. Williams is enthusiastic about the wraparound monitors RGB has announced. “We are looking at RGB’s new, yet to come to market, 43-inch curved monitors that will be the finishing touch for even better ergonomics and a customized workspace.” Another potential interest is a “flyaway” kit, a transportable command-and-control system with integral radio access. This mobile system would enable UCSD to monitor special events, such as festivals, where real-time situational awareness is crucial for ensuring the safety of attendees and staff. Williams notes, “We can have a mobile command post set up near a festival or special event, take one of our dispatch systems and put it there without having to move a lot of equipment or figuring out how to get it on the network.” Implementing RGB Spectrum’s solutions UCSD also aims to extend the reach of its dispatch operations by providing in-the-field personnel with access to real-time information. By equipping mobile units with RGB’s AV-over-IP systems via smartphones, police officers could receive critical updates and better collaborate with dispatchers to respond to incidents. “If you think of the unthinkable, like a school shooting, it would be ideal to share live coverage of what’s happening, detailed building schematics, and info on weapons the assailant might be using. Who doesn’t want to know what’s potentially happening behind closed doors before walking in? It’s situational awareness on a whole new level,” commented Williams. The partnership between the UCSD Police Department and RGB Spectrum has proven successful. By implementing RGB Spectrum’s solutions, UCSD transformed its dispatch operations to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency, ergonomics, and situational awareness. And it is just a start.

ZeroEyes, the creators of the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform that holds the US Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation, announced that its solution has been selected by Iowa’s Murray Community School District to identify illegally brandished guns on campus and help protect students and faculty against gun-related violence. Murray Community School District serves 300 students in Murray, Iowa in grades pre-K-12. The district provides an educational environment that challenges the status quo and makes it its mission to clear away any roadblocks that constrain creativity and innovation. New layer of security “While we are a small, rural community, if there is anything we have learned it’s that gun-related violence can happen anywhere,” said Tim Kuehl, superintendent of Murray Community School District. “We are prioritizing the safety and security of our students and faculty, and ZeroEyes ensures that our campus is protected from gun-related threats 24/7. We are proud to add this new layer of security to make our community safer.” Existing digital security cameras ZeroEyes' AI gun detection and clever situational grasp software layers onto security cameras ZeroEyes' AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software layers onto existing digital security cameras. If a gun is identified, images are instantly shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center (ZOC), staffed 24/7/365 by specially trained U.S. military and law enforcement veterans. If these experts determine that the threat is valid, they dispatch alerts and actionable intelligence — including visual description, gun type, and last known location — to local law enforcement and school staff as quickly as three to five seconds from detection. AI gun detection solution “Gun-related violence in school communities is far too common,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. “Murray Community School District is addressing this problem head-on by adopting our AI gun detection solution. We are grateful to have the opportunity to proactively combat this issue and alert local authorities of a potential threat before it happens.”

San Luis Obispo (SLO), the gem of California's central coast, is renowned for its picturesque vineyards, historic architecture, and vibrant community life. Quiet but lively, it is also home to the California Polytechnic State University, located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Ensuring safety and security Because of its distance from major metropolitan areas, SLO has retained its rural, small-town character, along with a bustling downtown and beautifully preserved Spanish Mission.  The San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) is focused on ensuring safety and security across expansive terrains, reducing crime, and enhancing the quality of life while upholding the principles of service and integrity.  The challenge The secluded Reservoir Canyon is just one area that has been a hotspot for vehicle break-ins For San Luis Obispo, two priorities were crime prevention and the protection of sprawling outdoor spaces popular for hiking and biking. Hidden from public view, the secluded Reservoir Canyon is just one area that has been a hotspot for vehicle break-ins. However, its remote nature made installing a traditional security system nearly impossible. The initial cost to secure three city parking structures was also cost-prohibitive, with quotes of over $1 million for network connectivity alone. Need for a robust and reliable solution "We've dealt with products that were essentially consumer-grade equipment repackaged as professional security solutions,” said Chad Pfarr, Administrative Lieutenant. "We needed a more robust and reliable solution. Creating our own was time-consuming and beyond our expertise, highlighting the need for a specialized, cost-effective solution.” Why Verkada A system that could operate in remote locations, areas typically beyond the reach of standard CCTV “We were drawn to the hardware and software quality. But what truly set Verkada apart was the willingness to innovate in ways that traditional security solutions did not. We can now bring Verkada devices into the wild, in the middle of nowhere, without traditional city network infrastructure." A system that could operate in remote locations, areas typically beyond the reach of standard CCTV technology was a leap forward for community safety. Use cases include: Protecting remote locations with the GC31 Cellular Gateway. Licence Plate Recognition (LPR) monitoring to streamline vehicle investigations. Protecting evidence in cold storage with Air Quality Sensors. Improving check-in and registrant compliance with Workplace solutions. "Verkada's willingness to venture into uncharted territory with us to ensure security systems could be deployed where they were most needed, regardless of existing connectivity, was what got us so excited. Beyond just adapting to what’s available, it’s continuously improving to meet our needs." Protecting remote locations with the cellular gateway In San Luis Obispo, the GC31 Cellular Gateway bridges the gap between the need for remote security and limited infrastructure. The police department protects areas previously deemed inaccessible without the high costs of traditional network installations, leading to savings of over $1 million for connectivity alone. Bridging the connectivity gap "Before Verkada, the idea of installing a security system in remote locations was a logistical nightmare. The cost of establishing connectivity alone was prohibitive, not to mention the technical hurdles of operating without power or a network." "But with the Cellular Gateway, we've been able to overcome these barriers, bringing security and peace of mind to once vulnerable areas." License Plate Recognition (LPR) capabilities SLOPD can install Verkada products in locations that are hard to wire or lack connectivity SLOPD can install Verkada products in locations that are hard to wire or lack connectivity, such as parking lots, construction sites, trailheads, and natural terrain. Within the city, the GC31 also protects busy intersections by supporting cameras with License Plate Recognition (LPR) capabilities. streamline vehicle investigations Paired with the cellular gateway, CB62 outdoor bullet cameras are deployed on streetlight poles to monitor moving traffic, covering up to three lanes with a single camera. Using Verkada’s edge-based processing and computer vision technology, the LPR solution captures licence plates at speeds of up to 80 mph (128 kph). Flexibility and versatility The cameras' versatility in both covert and overt operations allows SLOPD to adapt its security tactics The cameras' versatility in both covert and overt operations allows SLOPD to adapt its security tactics to each location. This includes monitoring busy intersections, remote trailheads, or railroad crossings. This flexibility is crucial in a community that values its open spaces and balances accessibility with safety. "We've not only deterred potential criminal activities but also enhanced the overall safety for residents and visitors alike. The ability to monitor these areas remotely has been a game-changer, allowing us to extend our reach without stretching our resources too thin." Protecting evidence in cold storage with air quality sensors The introduction of Verkada's air quality sensors into the SLPD’s evidence management protocol has marked a significant improvement in securing critical evidence that requires refrigeration. “Sensors protect the evidence entrusted to us." "They monitor the conditions within our cold storage facilities in real-time, ensuring that any deviation from the norm is immediately flagged. This allows us to act swiftly to address any issues before they impact the evidence.” Sensors mitigate the risk of loss and help maintain the overall integrity of the evidence, which is crucial for the judicial process. Ensuring that evidence is stored under optimal conditions preserves its validity and reliability, which can be decisive in court cases. Guest and Workplace Solutions Verkada Guest supports security and compliance as well as administrative processes At the police department, Verkada Guest supports security and compliance as well as administrative processes and community interactions.  "We're not just looking at improving how we manage security systems; we're also opening up opportunities to better serve our community in every interaction they have with us. This is about making our department more accessible, efficient, and responsive to the needs of San Luis Obispo.” Automated notification "Registrants can sign in digitally, similar to the check-in process at a doctor's office. This system automatically notifies the assigned detective, who can then prepare before meeting the registrant." "It's a welcome shift from our current, more manual process, and we're excited about the potential to make our operations more efficient while improving the experience for everyone involved.” Digitisation of visitor check-in The registration of certain types of visitors is a legal requirement that, until now, has placed a burden The registration of certain types of visitors is a legal requirement that, until now, has placed a burden on the department's space and resources. By digitising the initial check-in and form completion process, the department can handle sensitive registrations with greater discretion and efficiency. "We can integrate specific forms and requirements into the Guest system." Minimizing congestion "This customization ensures that we can maintain legal compliance while respecting the needs of our community and the constraints we operate under." "Guest reduces wait times, frees up essential space in the lobby, and minimizes the congestion that can occur during peak registration periods.” Solar and Battery SLOPD is also exploring alternate power options to enable more deployments across San Luis Obispo, further ensuring the safety and security of their community. "Our partnership with Verkada has already improved our operations. The next step involves incorporating solar and battery backup systems for our cameras and bridge devices. This will not only expand our public safety reach but also ensure that our security measures are sustainable and resilient against power outages."

ZeroEyes, the creators of the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform that holds the US Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation, announced that Georgetown-Ridge Farm Community Unit School District (CUSD) has adopted ZeroEyes' proactive AI-based gun detection and intelligent situational awareness solution to protect students, faculty, and staff against gun-related threats. Georgetown-Ridge Farm CUSD is a rural, public school district in Georgetown, Illinois that is committed to providing a positive learning environment and shaping productive members of society who are successful, self-sufficient, and well-rounded individuals. 880 pre-K and K-12 students are enrolled in its three schools. Multi-layered security plan ZeroEyes has been added to its multi-layered security plan to detect illegally brandished guns on campus The district prioritizes school safety by forming close relationships with local law enforcement and implementing a range of high-tech security measures across its campuses. ZeroEyes has been added to its multi-layered security plan to detect illegally brandished guns on campus and reduce response time in the case of a gun-related incident. “ZeroEyes provides a proactive layer of security that further enhances our comprehensive safety plan,” said Dr. Jean Neal, Superintendent, Georgetown-Ridge Farm CUSD. “Integrating ZeroEyes will allow us to improve security in more vulnerable areas like athletic events and parking lots. We are grateful to have their protection 24/7 to help our community feel safer during these times of uncertainty.” CUSD’s existing digital security cameras ZeroEyes' AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software layers onto Georgetown-Ridge Farm CUSD’s existing digital security cameras. If a gun is identified, images are instantly shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center (ZOC), staffed 24/7/365 by specially trained U.S. military and law enforcement veterans. If these experts determine that the threat is valid, they dispatch alerts and actionable intelligence — including visual description, gun type, and last known location — to local law enforcement and school staff as quickly as 3 to 5 seconds from detection. “We are happy that Georgetown-Ridge Farm CUSD is taking proactive steps to protect its rural community from potential gun-related threats,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. “In today's climate, safety concerns are on the rise and schools must take every precaution possible.”

RecFaces, a facial recognition software company, has announced the successful deployment of its flagship product, Id-Guard at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru. This implementation marks a significant milestone in bolstering security measures at one of South America's busiest airports, underscoring the importance of maintaining a high level of safety at public transportation hubs. Jorge Chávez International Airport Jorge Chávez International Airport serves as a vital gateway for travelers and cargo, welcoming more than 20 million international and national passengers every year. With such a high flow of people, ensuring the safety and security of passengers and airport personnel becomes crucial. Recognizing this need, RecFaces collaborated with airport authorities to implement their state-of-the-art Id-Guard solution and help ensure the safety of the facility.  Enhanced security measures The solution's features enable airport authorities to prevent suspicious individuals from accessing the site The implementation of Id-Guard has significantly enhanced security measures, allowing for proactive monitoring and rapid response to potential security threats. The solution's features enable airport authorities to prevent suspicious individuals from accessing the site, thereby safeguarding the safety of passengers and staff. Highest level of security “Airport representatives felt the need for facial recognition to strengthen the security structure within the airport as a whole,” notes Maria Kazhuro, Business Development Director for the LATAM region, RecFaces. Maria Kazhuro adds, “Our goal was not only to provide the highest level of security but also to simplify work processes for security guards. We can confidently say that the installation of an ID guard has significantly improved security in the facility. Now both airport visitors and employees can be sure that they are under even greater protection than before.”  Id-Guard facial recognition The deployment of Id-Guard at the Peruvian airport demonstrates RecFaces' dedication to excellence and innovation in the field of facial recognition technology. As airports worldwide continue to prioritize security and passenger experience, RecFaces remains at the forefront of delivering advanced biometric solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the aviation industry. 

Wetlands, the "kidneys of the Earth", are considered one of the three major ecosystems on Earth, along with forests and oceans. Hosting a diverse range of terrestrial and aquatic plant and animal species, wetlands serve as crucial habitats for numerous bird species. Red-crowned cranes Beautiful Wetlands vs Critically Endangered Cranes The Red-crowned Crane is considered as the "God of Wetlands" and is highly sensitive to environmental changes. It is one of 14 bird species in China classified as critically endangered, with only around 2,000 wild Red-crowned Cranes remaining worldwide. Monitoring these rare bird species not only aids in their effective protection but also reflects changes in the wetland ecosystem to some extent. Red-crowned Cranes migrate between the regions of East China and Northeast China In China, during spring and autumn seasons, Red-crowned Cranes migrate between the regions of East China and Northeast China, requiring wetland management personnel to make all necessary preparations in advance every year. Recording and tracking data (e.g. time of arrival/departure, and total number) play a significant role in monitoring both the Red-crowned Cranes and the wetland ecosystem. Hence, monitoring rare bird species is essential not only for their conservation but also for understanding the changes in wetland ecological environments. Vigilant cranes, eager for improved, smarter observation However, Red-crowned Cranes have extremely strong vigilance. Even while foraging or resting, there are often adult birds designated to be on alert, making warning calls and taking flight if any danger is detected. Therefore, it becomes challenging for monitoring personnel to observe them up close, as they need to maintain a distance of several hundred meters using binoculars to avoid disturbing the cranes. Such limitations in observation pose difficulties in monitoring the population distribution and activities of Red-crowned Cranes. To achieve efficient and intelligent monitoring while minimizing human interference, many wetlands have enlisted the assistance of an intelligent "avian expert". Dahua: the guardian of cranes with smart technologies In recent years, avian intelligent recognition systems have been increasingly applied in wetland monitoring. Dahua Technology actively explores the integration of technology and wetland conservation to support the monitoring and protection of bird species across multiple wetlands. Rare bird species like the Red-crowned Crane can be automatically identified and counted By employing high-point video footage combined with avian intelligent recognition algorithms, rare bird species like the Red-crowned Crane can be automatically identified and counted. This allows monitoring personnel to discover and observe various bird species clearly and promptly without disturbing them. Additionally, techniques such as background removal and contour deformation processing help reduce the interference caused by lighting conditions and backgrounds, ensuring that the footage presents the identifying characteristics, location, and time for each bird. With this approach, comprehensive and accurate data recording and result analysis can be achieved without disturbing the Red-crowned Cranes up close. A brighter future for biodiversity using intelligent analysis In addition to population counting, vocalizations play a crucial role in bird research. By utilizing voiceprint recognition, it becomes possible to track and study the population distribution of rare bird species. Many regions have established and improved databases of avian vocalizations, creating a foundation for biodiversity monitoring and analysis. These databases, combined with visual identification, are being cataloged in order to facilitate more comprehensive research and analysis, optimize timely conservation measures, and enhance dynamic and diverse science communication and education. Dahua Technology continues to empower biodiversity conservation through technology. The Dahua AI platform enables continuous algorithm training that helps reduce the development cycle of recognition algorithms for specific species. At present, Dahua has developed over 800 bird recognition algorithms, with more than 500 focused on waterfowl and migratory birds primarily inhabiting wetland environments. This extensive collection of algorithms greatly supports and contributes to biodiversity conservation efforts around the globe.

When it comes to protecting the environment, the security industry has historically been perched on the sidelines. For instance, the amount of electricity that physical security systems use is minimal when compared to the total energy usage in a typical building. However, as awareness of environmental issues has surged, and as some of the "low-hanging fruit" has been harvested, attention has come back to opportunities for additional, if small, savings. The lifecycles of security products are also being more closely examined, including the environmental impact of using plastics and other chemicals. We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: How can the security industry contribute to protecting the environment?

Technological leaps in the last several decades have revolutionised biometrics. The technologies are constantly evolving, spanning facial recognition to iris scanning to fingerprints, to provide new levels of security and convenience. Biometrics are everywhere, from smartphones to border control, constantly evolving to meet the needs of our increasingly digital world. They are also more accurate and easier to use than ever. We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: What’s new with biometrics?

In the complex world of physical security systems, standards can enable disparate systems to be combined to function together as a cohesive whole. Standards help to ensure that all the “pieces” fit together to create a clear, unified picture. More broadly speaking, standards also play a role in ensuring best practices are deployed in a range of security-related situations. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Which standards have had the greatest positive impact on physical security?