Factory security - Expert commentary

The average business owner or investor has some kind of security precaution in place, especially in the after-hours when there are fewer deterrents to inhibit criminal activity. Security guards, video surveillance systems, motion sensor lights, or even just fake cameras placed around the property are some of the common options people choose.  Future of overnight security Smart business owners are starting to realise, however, that some of these traditional security measures are becoming...

It’s no secret that the data security sector is constantly changing. It has an annual CGR of about 12.3%. Future trends in data security Much of this has to do with the rise of cybercrime in recent years, with reports showing that cyberattacks happen as often as every 39 seconds. To combat the growing rate of cybercrime, data security has been on the rise. As we journey further into this era, it becomes evident that a spectrum of significant trends is molding the future of data se...

Security systems represent a significant investment, yet many organisations still only use a small percentage of their physical security systems’ capabilities. That’s before we even begin to consider the different ways that the likes of video, access control and ANPR can add additional value beyond security by serving the needs of other business functions. Whether that be to obtain additional insight, streamline compliance or drive operational efficiencies.  Consumption...

Physical security is essential for a modern production facility, users don’t want just anyone entering the building or accessing secure areas. But what about production machinery? Machine authentication is often a missing link in the security plan for manufacturers. Why machine authentication?  Most manufacturers have made significant investments in physical access control (PAC) for production facilities. Few shops currently hand out physical keys to employees or leave the building...

We believe in integrated security solutions, so while a solid gate could prevent sight lines from the house, combining it with other measures such as alarms, motion sensing lighting, and CCTV will allow a good level of surveillance to keep you and your valuables safe. Burglary prevention tips Very few burglars are opportunists; instead, they may be regularly scanning and looking for weaknesses to capitalise on. It is therefore crucial never to give a burglar an opportunity to strike. Of cours...

Two trends in recent years are combining to exacerbate insider threat risks at companies. First, companies continue to foster cultures of openness and collaboration that often run contrary to the needs of a security-oriented mindset. Second, the mainstreaming of hybrid work has made companies’ control over data and device usage during work more tenuous. Addressing insider threats We’ve seen repeatedly that companies have the tools, structural choices, and decision-making power acro...

With Black Friday on the horizon and shops and warehouses busier than ever, Elliot Roddy, Operations Director at CDX Security Group has shared some tips on how to keep the must-have gift items safe and secure: Regular monitoring and CCTV, Stock control and audits, and Partner with a trusted security firm. Staying alert with the must-have items  Each year, we see certain items gain popularity and become the year's must-haves. This year, social media and the rise of TikTok have accel...

In the past five years, the retail landscape and the relationship between consumers and businesses has shifted drastically. It wasn’t too long ago when shopping at malls was considered a family activity and consumers shopped at local stores where they knew and interacted with sales personnel. Today, however, malls and interactions with employees are relics that accurately portray the way retail used to work. Retail companies have shifted their consumer model to focus on the online market...

Redevelopment, restoration, retrofit. No longer are these terms modestly viewed as construction buzzwords. Across the world, there’s an increasing appreciation and a budding culture that maintaining older buildings is the way forward for the planet and its people. Globally, cities are said to be responsible for 78% of the energy consumption, of which, buildings account for around a third of the total. And when users consider that up to 80% of the current buildings are expected to still be...

The smartphone is an integral part of our daily routines. The communication and entertainment device of yesteryear has become a serious player with which we increasingly handle sensitive processes, such as payment transactions. BLE or NFC authentication At the supermarket checkout, more and more customers are pulling out their smartphones instead of their wallets. Apple Pay, Google Pay, or specific banking apps make it possible: to hold the smartphone in front of the reader of the checkout sys...

The world around us is full of technological innovation. Smart locks are commonplace in our homes and control access to buildings, but when it comes to industrial locking and access control for equipment cabinetry, options can seem limited. Equally, there’s not enough accessible information to act as a guide. The development of new technologies and cabinet capabilities feels as though it is being held back. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Common problems are seen across the l...

As a result of COVID-19, artificial intelligence (AI) has become table stakes for factories. Google’s 2021 Cloud Manufacturing Report found that 76% of manufacturing executives increased their adoption of disruptive technologies, including AI, during the pandemic. AI-based facial recognition technology AI has long been used in the sector to monitor the pace of work and anticipate machine failures, a trend that is expected to continue this year as factories look to optimise operations. Ho...

With the continued rolling back of COVID restrictions in the UK, there is a palpable sense of relief. A mixture of mass vaccinations, widespread testing, and track and tracing of the infection is helping to enable a healthy bounce back for businesses – with secure access control taking an important role in facilitating this. However, rather than just being a reaction to the wake of the pandemic, there is every sign that the economy, and consequently the security sector as well, are both r...

The FSMA Final rule will protect the food supply against intentional contamination due to sabotage, terrorism, counterfeiting, or other illegal harmful means The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is due to release the Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA) Final Rule on Intentional Adulteration on May 31, 2016. Food Industry Security Professionals will soon be tasked with assessing their facilities to reduce supply chain food adulteration vulnerabilities. Food Secur...

Customers are looking for more than simple plug-and-play cameras. They wantgood, high-definition cameras to protect their driveways, garages & shops Surveillance and CCTV applications are poised for continued growth in 2016 and beyond as security dealers and their end-user customers turn to video technology for physical security, loss prevention and gathering data and intelligence to assist business management and operations. Overall, the CCTV industry is benefitting from...

Cybersecurity is a fast-changing field and 2015 was no exception. The proliferation of cybersecurity issues continued to make headlines, including the very dramatic hacking of a vehicle to allow for remote control over steering, brakes, the transmission and other critical functions. There was also state-sponsored hacking that targeted government, defence and other strategic sectors of the marketplace. Staying on top of these breaches still remains a challenge.   Securing the I...

High-sensitivity aspirating smoke detectors (ASDs) excel at providing very early warning of fires. Because of their high sensitivity chamber, their ability to cover large areas, and their ability to detect smoke in high-airflow environments, ASDs are ideal solutions for many common smoke detection applications. New ASD technology is enabling fire system designers to solve a much broader range of fire detection challenges, enabling them to take aspiration anywhere. In this art...

Video surveillance systems can be used in a variety of ways within the mining industry The development of specialised, integrated video security systems for specific environments has vastly increased the benefits they deliver to users. However, the mining industry has considerable scope for exploiting the more sophisticated functions provided by integrated systems with data mining techniques which have added significant value in other business environments. In this article Jan de Be...