Surveillance & Security News for February 2018

The manufacturers behind today’s security technologies are a varied bunch. There are large manufacturers with deep pockets and plenty of resources. And there are smaller manufacturers who are nimble, can react faster to changing market conditions and to whom each customer represents a hard-fought win. There are also plenty of manufacturers in the middle ground. But what impact does the size of a company have on the quality of its products? We took the question to this week’s Expert P...

While there is much hype around drone technology today, initial successful drone usage for security can be dated back to the 1960s, when the US utilised the Lightning Bug 147, a camera-equipped unmanned aerial vehicle that could travel 600 miles for surveillance in Vietnam, China and Korea. Drones for effective surveillance Since this initial deployment, drones have been used for a variety of security and surveillance applications. However, as professional-grade commercial drones incorporate...

PenTesting, also known as “ethical hacking” or “white-hat hacking,” has always been viewed as the “sexy” side of cybersecurity, a task that is far more exciting than monitoring systems for intrusions, shoring up defenses, or performing compliance audits. Numerous security conferences are devoted to the fine art of attempting to hack into systems – with an owner’s full knowledge and permission – and reporting on the results. At an organisat...

Since 1967, Southside Medical Center has been providing affordable healthcare and related services to the insured, underinsured, and uninsured in downtown Atlanta. As one of the oldest and largest community health centres in Georgia, Southside Medical Center has continued to advance healthcare in the area by becoming the first Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) of Excellence to offer additional services beyond primary care. “We are in a new era and are moving forward with plans to ha...

As is the case with any medical facility, East Texas Medical Center (ETMC) has a great need for reliable security solutions. With patient and staff safety at the forefront of their business, ETMC’s security team is responsible for managing a comprehensive security system across their multi-facility healthcare organisation. Not only is that security system necessary to protect staff and patients, but also ETMC as an entity. The propensity of questionable incident reports among patients, inc...

Milestone Systems is embracing artificial intelligence and deep learning in a big way at this week's yearly Milestone Community Days (MIPS 2018) in Las Vegas. The Danish company's theme is "Creating an Intelligent World," and Milestone's stated goal is to make "the Milestone community part of every surveillance installation in the world."    Science fiction becomes reality In a presentation on opening day, Milestone CSMO Kenneth Hune Petersen pointed to the 2002 movie Th...

The organisers of Security and Counter Terror Expo 2018 have announced that Sir Michael Fallon MP, former Secretary of State for Defence and member of the National Security Council, will host the inaugural Counter Terror Awards during the event. The awards ceremony will take place at Olympia, London on 6 March 2018, with an audience of European security leaders, including senior counter terror police officers, and heads of security from both the private and public sectors. The Counter Terror Aw...

The way we purchase services and products is changing. The traditional concept of buying and owning a product is giving way to the idea that it is possible to purchase the services it offers instead. This approach has come from the consumer realisation that it is the outcome that is important rather than the tools to achieve it. For example, this approach is evident with the rise of music streaming services as opposed to downloads or physical products.   With the physical...

Organisations across the world face a new risk paradigm: one that encompasses cyber and physical threats. We’ve heard the stories associated with ATM skimming, identity theft, data breaches, scams, and phishing. Large financial services organisations are often the victim of hackers looking to steal corporate information and transactional data or funds, and criminals continue to become more sophisticated in their approach. Growth in cyber-attacks Additionally, cyber-threats have taken a...

Among its many uses and benefits, technology is a handy tool in the fantasy world of movie and television thrillers. We all know the scene: a vital plot point depends on having just the right super-duper gadget to locate a suspect or to get past a locked door. In movies and TV, face recognition is more a super power than a technical function. Video footage can be magically enhanced to provide a perfect image of a license plate number. We have all shaken our heads in disbelief, and yet, our indus...

BCDVideo, producer of purpose-built IP video storage solutions, announced the signing of an Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) agreement with Dell EMC OEM Solutions. The collaboration enhances BCDVideo’s product portfolio with the inclusion of end-to-end solutions featuring Dell EMC Server, Storage and Networking platforms, along with Dell commercial client products. Dell EMC has demonstrated a strong commitment to providing security integrators unparalleled access to a wide range of...

In a significant move for the video security market, BCDVideo has announced that it is set to become Dell EMC’s OEM partner in the video surveillance space. For nearly a decade, the Chicago-based company has been known as a key OEM partner of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), providing storage and networking technology to security integrators on a global scale. This latest partnership will allow BCDVideo to take their offerings to the next level. BCDVideo Vice President Tom Larson spoke to...

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in the UK has begun investigations into meat wholesalers after a raise in concern for food hygiene. This investigation has impacted businesses such as Wetherspoons, as well as schools and care homes up and down the country. Consumers are beginning to lose trust in businesses that are supplied by untrustworthy production companies and it seems to be becoming more common, if we are to look back to the horse meat scandal in 2013. But what are the benefits of havin...

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a rich history of innovation. Since its founding in 1984, the facility has become one of the world’s leading public aquariums and ocean conservation organisations.   Monterey Bay Aquarium has produced significant insights into the life history of sharks, sea otters, and bluefin tuna. The aquarium also was the first to exhibit a living kelp forest, and in 2004 it was the first to successfully exhibit and return to the wild a young great white...

Fly-tipping – the illegal act of dumping large amounts of waste on unlicensed land without authorisation – occurs on both private and business land and can be a real annoyance to those in the UK. Items that fall under the banner of fly-tipping include tyres, mattresses, beds, garden waste, and construction rubbish. Unfortunately, the property owner will be responsible if somebody dumps their rubbish. Although this seems unfair, following some basic steps will help handle the proble...

Until recently, data laws have differed from one country to the next. This meant that for those organisations conducting business or protecting assets abroad, they needed to localise both their infrastructure and policies dependant on the country they were operating in. However, with the impending arrival of the EU GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), which comes in to force on the 25th May this year, all of that will need to change. Data management in CCTV surveillance Surprisingly, des...

Fifth Third Bancorp, one of the top 15 banks in the U.S., is well on its way toward completing a major upgrade of its March Networks video surveillance system. A customer since 2004, Fifth Third has deployed 12,000 March Networks cameras and approximately 1,400 March Networks 8000 Series Hybrid NVRs over a period of 36 months. Identification and apprehension of suspects “By the end of 2016, we’ll have a total of 1,600 new 8000 Series recorders,” said Mike Neugebauer, Fifth Th...

How much does a security system cost? We all know that total costs associated with systems are substantially higher than the “price tag.” There are many elements, tangible and intangible, that contribute to the costs of owning and operating a system. Taking a broad view and finding ways to measure these additional costs enables integrators and users to get the most value from a system at the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO). However, measuring TCO can be easier said than done. We...

Leadership roles are changing inside enterprise companies, where higher profiles of roles like CIO and CISO are blurring the lines separating legacy security departments from the larger enterprise. The role of security – protecting the company – now overlaps with broader concerns such as business optimisation. The changes are impacting how technology is used; what was once considered a “security system” can now impact the company in larger ways. It’s not just prot...

Over the past year, we’ve heard a lot of big buzzwords in conversations at different conferences, meetings and events. Deep learning, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are hot topics, and these trends will undoubtedly define the landscape over the coming year. Other issues, mostly IT related, are also making their way into more and more surveillance-focused conversations and to me, none is more complicated — or beneficial — than hyperconvergence.   W...

The Middle East security market provides a healthy opportunity for manufacturers who can capitalise on the region’s key verticals. Intersec’s 20th edition show focused more on solutions than on products, including solutions for the growing retail sector and an infrastructure market requiring ruggedised equipment to stand up to harsh environments. Intersec hosted security, safety and fire protection exhibitors from over fifty countries at Dubai’s spacious International Conventi...

Abloy is slated to showcase its latest range of high-quality compliant locking solutions, including low energy electric locks, LPCB-rated padlocks, and its revolutionary PROTEC2 CLIQ Connect System at the Security & Counter Terror Expo 2018. Scheduled to take place at London’s Olympia Centre, from 6th to 7th March, SCTX is UK's leading national security event for professionals responsible for protecting businesses, national infrastructure, governments and entire nations against terror...

Altronix, the recognised leader in power and transmission solutions for the professional security industry, has announced the release of NetWaySP2P 2-Port Media Converter/Injector, which converts a single fiber cable into two 1Gb Ethernet ports providing PoE/PoE+. This allows multiple IP devices to be deployed at greater distances utilising fibre – reducing the need for additional cabling, equipment and installation costs. “Altronix worked closely with installers when designing the...

A week after announcing his retirement following four years leading the UK’s fight against terrorism, Metropolitan Police’s Assistant Commissioner, Mark Rowley has confirmed he will share his vast experience with delegates attending the World Counter Terror Congress, during Security & Counter Terror Expo from 6-7 March 2018. As Britain's most senior anti-terror police officer, Rowley has served in the police for over three decades and is credited for working alongside intelligen...

Ward Security has achieved Cyber Essentials accreditation following an independent assessment of its IT network and systems. The quality mark which was created by the National Cyber Security Centre is a national government standard that demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to cyber security and to maintaining the highest possible standards for its clients. The importance of gaining the accreditation not only demonstrates that Ward Security continues to strive to be the best secur...

ADT, the leader in security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in North America, announced that it has hired Jimmy Treuting to lead sales and marketing for ADT Cybersecurity. ADT Cybersecurity was formed in November 2017 with the acquisition of Datashield and is focused on delivering Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services to commercial and enterprise businesses nationwide. Treuting brings over three decades experience in sales, marketing, customer impact and operations man...

Wavestore, the British developer of innovative open-platform and highly secure Linux-based Video Management Software (VMS), has appointed Simon Shawley as its new Sales Director to oversee the company’s sales strategy and drive growth across EMEA. Simon, who joined on 1st February 2018, has over 25 years’ experience in the electronic security market having previously held senior sales and business development positions for companies including Hanwha Techwin and DVTel. Wavestore, the...

Fulfilling the demand for rugged build quality and all-round performance, 360 Vision Technology reports that their British designed and manufactured ruggedised CCTV camera technology has seen a rapid increase in demand for use by many leading temporary surveillance equipment manufacturers. “As the applications for video surveillance expand and the requirements for CCTV in diverse areas increases, temporary surveillance is fast becoming a security industry growth sector,” says 360 Vi...

Pelco by Schneider Electric, a global leader in surveillance and security products and technologies, has announced a new integrated solution based on the Pelco VideoXpert VMS with Ipsotek’s VISuite 10.1 advanced video analytics platform. Ipsotek is a leader in scenario-based video analytics across a wide variety of industries. The integration provides a solution that increases security, reduces investigation time, and takes the complexity out of managing the video and associated analytics...

At less than 1 inch wide, Orisec have launched a Covert Wireless Shock Detector which is small enough to install in almost any location, even concealed within uPVC window and door frames. Orisec designs and manufactures wireless and wired intruder alarm equipment exclusively for professional installers. Founded on invention and innovation with a focus on exceptional design and performance, Orisec has filed more than 100 patents, registered designs and trademarks. Above all, their products are r...