Intrusion detection - Expert commentary
2017 was a very interesting year within the security industry. Although the overall economy seems to be in a stable and growing state, security spending seems to have become more “thought-out” and strategic as opposed to some of the impulsive spending on the latest pieces of technology to hit the marketplace. Many end users and integrators are thinking more long-term and some of the biggest concerns have been scalability and interoperability. Unified management platforms One of the...
As a grocery store or supermarket owner, it is very hard to fight theft. Shoplifting and retail theft may not seem like a major deal, but to the small business fighting for survival, it has a big impact on the bottom line. A disadvantage of traditional tools for fighting shoplifting is that they are most effective when the shoplifter is caught red-handed. Once the shoplifter has concealed the stolen product in his or her clothing or bag, it is very hard to see whet...
The number of security cameras in use today is growing exponentially. At the same time, resolutions are getting higher and higher. These two factors are placing heavy demands on servers and storage equipment. Of course, the capacity of these systems is also increasing, but that alone does not make the equipment truly suitable for the most demanding applications - such as camera surveillance. A video stream is not comparable to 'normal' data, for which storage systems are usually designed. This a...
The threat of international terrorism has changed the way the domestic security industry thinks about protection, just as much as it has for national security services. Whilst violent attacks and terrorism were once predominantly aimed at government, military or political establishments, an uncertain global political climate means the ability to rapidly lock down facilities has risen to the top of any organisation’s security wish list. In reality though, just how easy is it for most organ...
The smart home market has seen significant growth since 2010. Specifically, less than 0.5% of homes in the American region had connected home devices such as thermostats, lighting, security and entertainment in 2010; by the end of 2017, nearly 12% of households in the region will have connected home devices, an average of six devices per home. The success of smart homes started with professional security providers offering bundled packages, focused mostly on security monitoring. However, due to...
In the digital age, speed has never been more critical. Customers expect an instant response to a query. Executives expect sales data on their tablets in front of them in real-time. A site manager at an oil refinery needs an instant alert about a defective valve. An IT manager expects to know about a phishing email before it hits his employees’ inboxes. The 'need for speed' is impacting the physical security sector too. Customers increasingly expect their security systems to identify and...
After a lot of studying and getting ready for what seems like an endless stream of exams, teachers and students alike will enjoy having some much-needed time off — whether it’s just for a weekend, a break during the school year or the long summer holidays. Schools that are left empty for a sustained amount of time obviously increases the risk of arson attacks, thefts and vandalism. Staff members at an establishment should therefore work through this checklist before they leave the c...
Adoption of the cloud is not slowing down. In fact, what’s happening is quite the opposite. According to IDC, worldwide spending on cloud computing is expected to reach $162 billion USD in 2020, growing at a compound annual rate of 19%. This isn’t surprising when you consider that more organisations are looking outside their own environment for solutions that will help them become more agile, maximise resources and save money. Yet, while this study and countless others show that mo...
Today, almost every employee carries with them a smart device that can send messages, capture, and record images and increasingly live-stream video and audio, all appended with accurate location and time stamping data. Provide a way for staff to easily feed data from these devices directly to the control room to report an incident and you have created a new and extremely powerful ‘sensor’, capable of providing accurate, verified, real-time multi-media incident information. You need...
Manufacturers depend on consultants to get their technologies specified in customer projects. Consultants often depend on manufacturers to provide them current information about the technologies that are the building blocks of their projects. It’s a symbiotic relationship, but not always a perfect one. We recently gathered three consultants to discuss what they want from manufacturers, and a representative of HID Global to add a manufacturer’s perspective. Manufacturers also look to...
The new scanner can quickly screen large groups of people without needing them to stop or slow down Most body scanners are designed to work one person at a time, checkpoint style. QinetiQ has developed a scanner that can be used in crowded places without having to slow down or stop moving targets. The body scanner, capable of detecting hidden explosives or weapons on a person, has been demonstrated publicly in the United Kingdom for the first time. The QinetiQ SPO-NX SPO-NX...
Cloud-based solutions with mobile credentials and capabilities are simplifying multi-site management Facility managers and security operations staff are often bombarded with calls from multiple tenants, across several sites — each with unique needs — but traditionally they had no insight or control on the spot. Now, cloud-based solutions with mobile credentials and capabilities are simplifying multi-site management — enablin...
The border with Mexico is an obvious starting point for the security community. Many had assumed that 'wall' would mean a high-tech fence or possibly just a virtual barrier of perimeter intrusion detection systems (PIDS), video surveillance with analytics and thermal imaging. However, during a press conference shortly before inauguration, Mr Trump put journalists straight. Unless there is a mountain or river already doing the work along the 2,000 miles to be protected, this really...
Counterterrorism tells antiterrorism about threats and antiterrorism tells counterterrorism about unusual or suspicious activities The most terrifying thing about terrorism is its reliance on the element of surprise. Most people don’t see the attacks coming, or don’t recognise the indicators when they see them. When terrorists strike, law enforcement is disadvantaged, the victims shocked and by the time an effective response is mounted the perpetrators are oft...
With the current state of economic uncertainty, there is a huge opportunity in 2017 for perimeter intrusion detection (PID) manufacturers to reach the commercial market. Petty crime rates, such as theft and vandalism, are on the rise and, as a result, small business owners are looking for new security options to enhance their current camera and alarm systems. Often thought of as complicated, expensive, and only for high-value applications, PID has a chance to change its perception in the years...
The emergence of smart technology into the security sector is changing risk management economics and strategy in unique ways. Such technology leverages information management at its core for a more effective security program. Case in point is the burgeoning role of autonomous data machines (ADMs or robots) that are purposely built for security. Will the advent of robots eliminate physical security officers at a site? Not any time soon, but robots are a real force multiplier by adding effec...
The holiday season generates 34% of annual sales for retailers but accounts for 37% of annual losses It is that time a year again, when shoppers and shoplifters converge on our retail outlets looking for that all important deal or steal. Peak shopping season This year, the National Retail Federation estimates holiday spending will rise 3.6% from 2015 to more than $655 billion. While the peak shopping season used to be defined as the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas Ev...
Thermal cameras see heat rather than light, so they are a perfect “human detector” Safeguarding outdoor assets in a reliable and cost-effective manner often comes down to a single requirement: Accurate intruder alerts and timely information about the unfolding event. While there are many technologies available for outdoor security, smart cameras with video analytics have emerged as the solution of choice for detecting intruders in real time outdoors. Yet the best...
Currently some retailers operate two separate speaker systems in their stores: one for broadcasting background music and one for announcements Twenty years ago, IP network cameras launched a revolution in video surveillance. Today, network audio systems are about to do the same for the speaker market. Back in 1996, the predominant video cameras were analogue. They weren’t intelligent. They required an expensive and complex head-end of recording and monitoring systems....
The age of robotics is fast approaching. To be successful, security systems integrators need to understand how these machines fit in the security of their clients, according to industry experts. “The integrators did not begin this trend,” says Bill Bozeman, President and CEO of the PSA Security Network, cooperative of security product suppliers and system integration companies. “They did not say, ‘Oh boy I can’t wait to introduce robotics into my portfolio'. This i...
The market for smart buildings has expanded exponentially to greater benefits including life safety, security, and intelligence Much like the term “Internet of Things” or “IoT” the concept of “Smart Buildings” brings to mind many different ideas -- from programmable thermostats to touchless faucets to other green-building initiatives, with a focus on environmentally-friendly and energy efficient designs. While the early days of smart b...
Revolving doors have been around for well over 100 years since their invention by Theophilus Van Kannel in 1888. As the story goes, Van Kannel, working in a lobby during a cold winter in Philadelphia, complained about the unpleasant effects of the swing door at the main entrance: “Every person passing through [the exterior door] first brings a chilling gust of wind with its snow or rain, and the noise of the street; then comes the unwelcome bang!” Van Kannel decided to do something...
A “smart home” featuring networked security devices and other home automation products will be new to IFSEC International 2016 in June. This replica smart home will be at the heart of the new home automation zone at IFSEC International (London, 21-23 June). The smart home will feature CCTV, intruder alarms, biometric readers, door entry solutions and locks, as well as wireless blinds, lighting and heating control, and 4K video and audio distribution. “These features, along wi...
Drones can satisfy five commercial needs, today: surveillance, patrolling,incident response, mapping and site assessment The military uses drones. So do the police. Drones serve as weapons and surveillance tools.Today, businesses and institutions are applying drone technology to a variety of private security surveillance challenges. Private uses include patrolling facilities and installations such as pipelines from the sky. To be sure, private contractors sometimes weaponise d...
The disaster training exercise took place at four sites, with the primary locationbeing a disused power station in Kent (Image credit: London Fire Brigade) Europe's biggest-ever disaster simulation provided a test to evaluate London’s ability to "detect, prevent and if necessary to withstand, handle and recover from disruptive challenges." Exercise Unified Response replicated the aftermath of a tower block falling into Waterloo Station, a transport hub on the south bank...
Energy efficiency extends beyond a company’s running costs vs. its carbonfootprint, to using security technological intelligently to the company’senvironmental advantage Even as manufacturers are becoming greener and innovation is reducing our industry’s carbon footprint , is there more we could be doing? Can we adapt our general operational methods to be smarter and help save the planet? Are we learning from other industries, do we absorb things quickly...
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...
Capital spending continues to open up in 2015, providing funding for security projects that may have been delayed from prior years. Overall, it was a solid year for the security industry. From a SightLogix perspective, we have seen an increased rate of repeat business as existing customers expand the number of assets they need to secure. Smart thermal cameras provide ideal outdoor intrusion detection 2015 saw an accelerated adoption of thermal cameras with video analytics...
Command centres allow physical and IT security to collaborate for greatersituational awareness and responsiveness Conventional command centres focus on video and access control system monitoring. When something happens at a door, the video system reports the event to one monitor in the command centre, while the access control system reports to another monitor. It is up to the operator to imagine the possibilities, draw the right conclusions, decide on a response and, if necess...
Physical and cyber security convergence, perimeter intrusion detection systems and fibre optic-based sensors were some of the security trends that picked up pace in 2015 and will continue to grow in the coming year as well. The beginning of 2015 started out slowly as the implementation of security projects by a number of organisations was postponed for various reasons. Mid-year picked up momentum, and the year is ending on a strong note. A significant trend was the gradual progression of conve...
