Security devices - Expert commentary

Proving ROI, setting proper customer expectations and training is imperative tothe success of biometric implementation End user customers increasingly expect their security systems to provide measurable benefits beyond protection of people, facilities and assets. The biometrics sector is undergoing a similar shift in mindset: The benefits of using biometrics to drive business operations and other corporate functions are becoming part of the return on investment (ROI) “e...

FirstNet’s network would provide dedicated support to law enforcement on the scene not only from a local standpoint, but from a Federal standpoint as well Someday in the not-too-distant future, first responders – from police to EMS will have access to a secure broadband network. It will keep them connected with other agencies while ensuring their data is protected even in the midst of natural and manmade disasters.   At least that’s the idea behind the...

A more strategic approach to corporate security can better align departmentsin an organisation to achieve better results of shared goals The alignment of corporate security with the business strategy of an organisation is a topic that has been on the agenda of many senior security professionals. A corporate security department’s inability to demonstrate a clear thought process of how they arrived at proposing the strategic direction, or failing to make a compelling busin...

A number of misconceptions exist about the capabilities and technology ofbiometrics, perpetuated in popular culture by films and TV Like many categories in the security marketplace, the biometrics market suffers its share of misconceptions, ranging from misunderstanding of the technology to underestimating its utility for a broad range of uses. Misunderstandings created by pop culture Contributing to the problem of understanding is the popular culture. “Popular mo...

Wireless offers many opportunities for security contractors to increasethe base of installations and add subscribers Security installation contractors have many different choices when it comes to wireless signalling technologies for their customers. Radio frequency (RF) communications have become more reliable, more robust and include inherent safeguards, such as encryption, to prevent hacking or takeover of wireless devices. Wireless can also allow for remote programming, de...

Secure payment card technology at the point of sale and a strong authentication are effective defences against data security threats Data security is one of the top concerns to a retailer’s reputation and its customers’ privacy. The fall-out can be catastrophic, and organisations must understand the threat and take all necessary steps to protect their assets and customers. The challenge has become more complex with the explosive growth in mobile device usage throug...

Facial and body behavior analytics can identify people “without interferingwith the pace of life” Biometrics companies throughout the security marketplace are expanding the functionality of their systems for a variety of uses. This article will take a look at what several companies are up to. SRI International’s identity solutions seek to bring convenience, speed and security to existing workflows. SRI’s Iris on the Move (IOM) biometric systems ca...

With increased demand for high-security door locks in all the vertical markets we serve, the last year has been very good for Securitech. Looking forward, we expect this across-the-board growth to continue, as we continue to listen and respond to customer demands and closely monitor industry trends.   In recent years, the security industry has witnessed a growing trend towards development of user-friendly access control solutions that enable customers to have complete control...

2015 has been a huge success for key and asset management company Traka. The manufacturer is predicting growth between 20 and 30 percent. It attributes a large part of its success to the extensive work completed in previous years in the U.S. markets, as the foundations set are now coming to fruition.   However, Traka has also encountered a real culture shift within the industry. Where previously key management systems and intelligent lockers for asset management were seen as a...

HID Global is looking forward to a long term investment in a complete range of secure identity solutions. Also, focusing on its global partnership program will be on the agenda. An increasingly global market for identity and access management is undergoing very rapid development due to technological advances, particularly in communications, where digital mobile solutions are experiencing strong demand. The year 2015 was a good one for HID Global, which has a strong global position and is invest...

Siklu further expanded its presence in the video surveillance market in 2015. The company released the world’s smallest outdoor Gbps radio to address the issue of densified coverage, which results in the need for high capacity connectivity in surveillance networks – a trend that has snowballed in past years.  Growing video surveillance networks demand greater bandwidth capacity Developments in video analytics and resolutions, requiring high-quality video at the surveillance ne...

Although 2015 seemed like the year of data breaches, it was also the year that the Internet of Things (IoT) achieved real traction. Key management systems and most other advanced security solutions can now be integrated with the networked security system (i.e. identity management, access control, IP video surveillance, intrusion and other systems) to strengthen risk management strategies. Specifically, Morse Watchmans’ KeyWatcher Touch can now be integrated with Lenel’s OnGuard Acce...

2015 was one of the more stable of the last five years. We’re seeing a fundamental increase in confidence that is freeing up capital spend. There’s a good bit of pent-up demand, and larger projects are being funded. We’re seeing more M&A deals, not an explosive change, but a marked increase and more quality deals. These deals reflect an interest and demand for services and solutions. The commoditisation of cameras and NVR/DVRs is putting pressure on long-term players as we...

How did the overall economy impact the security marketplace in 2015? In as much as security is more and more becoming a necessity, it would be difficult to gauge whether the economy had any direct effect other than at a budget level. With the introduction of 4K technology, video storage with longer retention time has become the need of the hour. Being a manufacturer of IP video storage solutions, BCDVideo has been able to work with security integrators and camera manufacturers from around the wo...

We in the industry have talked about IT’s growing influence in security technology decision-making for a number of years. This year, we have seen the trend accelerate rapidly. Significant changes are occurring in data centre infrastructure technology, creating major disruption to the large enterprise server and storage providers. This is fundamentally changing the way the security industry thinks about IT. 2015 trend – emergence of hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) One of the bi...

The KISI system has been installed in hundreds of tech startups in New York City and is currently targeting other areas of the US Based in Brooklyn, New York., KISI Inc. is a relative newcomer to the access control industry, targeting tech companies and co-working spaces for it cloud-based system. With its first round of funding secured in March 2015, the company partnered with Cushman & Wakefield to roll out its mobile access control solution at the real estate firm&rsquo...

Hikvision USA enjoyed tremendous success in 2015, thanks in part to the continued growth of the security industry. As we see a broader variety of vertical markets showing an increasing need for video surveillance, security vendors must be versatile in their product offering. The products themselves must be highly scalable and must provide high performance at a competitive price. Hikvision has been able to accomplish all of these things with a product suite that includes high definition analogu...

The ESA Summit is offering registration for “Rising Leaders” to gain valuableleadership skills and business tactics Leadership Summit presented by the Electronic Security Association (ESA), Irving, Texas, has penned the slogan: “Link. Learn. Lead.” for its 2016 event. Scheduled for January 31 through February 3 at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino in Chandler, Arizona, the ESA Leadership Summit is a testament to a quickly changing security landscap...

Technology can safeguard other motorists, and help highway authorities to communicate with wayward drivers to avoid accidents There has been a spate of accidents worldwide in which cars have been driven either knowingly or unwittingly against the flow of traffic and into oncoming vehicles. Existing and imminent technology from the security sector can prevent such occurrences, alerting responsive drivers to their error and safeguarding other motorists. I write this shortly af...

Risk, in a security context, is the product of threat, vulnerability, and consequence Security as a discipline has been an important feature of society since cavemen started using the environment around them to protect themselves and their families.  As a discipline, security has developed exponentially and that trend is continuing; however, somewhere along the way key elements of physical security design have been forgotten. All too often solutions are deployed in a pre...

Dortronics continues to focus on custom solutions in addition to its line of standard devices Security installers have new ways to add value to their specifications with switches and door controls that can be deployed in a wide range of applications to meet emerging needs of end-users. John FitzPatrick, president of Dortronics Systems Inc., Sag Harbor, New York, says the company continues to work closely with security integrators and their end-user customers to provide co...

CPSE Shenzhen showcased security productsacross 11 halls. The show is arguably thelargest and most influential in Asia  China is the largest security market in the world. This makes the annual China Public Security Expo (CPSE) a force to be reckoned with and a place to be seen for every security company. Boasting 11 halls over an area of 110,000 m2 and more than 6,000 booths, CPSE is listed as one of the largest and, certainly, one of the most influential s...

The CertAlarm scheme is today the only European certification scheme that has been endorsed by the EA Today, manufacturers who plan to sell their fire and security products in different European countries are faced with uncertainty regarding the standards against which their products should be developed, tested and certified. There are no harmonised EU-wide standards or certification schemes for security equipment, instead there is a suite of EN standards plus a variety of co...

Major art heists often feature audacity that defeats even the most thorough security protocols  Museum security, like art, is ever-changing. Traditional security practices like manned guarding alone are not sufficient to keep thieves at bay. Modern security technologies such as video surveillance, motions detectors, intruder alarms and other physical security devices also play an equally important role in securing museums and its art work. Regrettably, having all the...

Derren Lu, CEO of Synology Inc and Scott Lee,Senior Manager of Software DevelopmentGroup for Surveillance Synology – a company founded by two former Microsoft employees – began as a storage solution provider and grew to include surveillance in its product offerings. While many security companies in Taiwan are voicing their concerns over falling sales, Synology is seeing its products grabbing shares in the security market and the sales figures are continuing to grow...

The security industry’s continued migration to networked IP-based systems ensures that PoE will be integral in their design and installation Power over Ethernet (PoE) has without question become the de facto choice of security installers for delivering power to security and access control devices. This should come as no surprise given PoE’s ability to reduce labour and installation costs by delivering power and data over a single cable, thereby increasing overall t...

NVRs make it easy to benefit from HD solutions and integrations to access control, alarm systems, intercoms and other technologies Developments in the IP video camera market have a direct impact on the other components in a system. With the emergence of higher definition cameras – whether 4K cameras or 8K or even higher – the market now needs back-end devices that can perform the decoding work. Also, more intelligence is needed, including smart functions such as pe...

How do you get all of your various vendors, services, resources, manpower, and technology to integrate and work together? Creating an efficient operating environment in physical security is no small feat - especially when the organisation undertaking such an endeavour has a nationwide presence. How do you get all of your various vendors, services, resources, manpower, and technology to integrate and work together? How do you aggregate all of the data being recorded into in...

It’s dangerous to compromise on safety features in search of a low-cost security solution, as it can put employees at serious risk Driving quality in the private security industry is vital to the ongoing effectiveness of the products and services that the industry provides. Figures show that, post-recession, buyers are increasingly aware of the importance of quality when it comes to choosing security providers, with 20% citing quality over price as a crucial factor i...

The worst insider threats are existential, dangerous enough to literally destroy an organisation The key to maintaining an effective security system is timely detection of security breaches. Widespread use of technology has resulted in massive amounts of data transfer which in turn makes organisations vulnerable to both internal and external threats. Mass shootings, data thefts and other internal breaches of security have cast a spotlight on the issue of insider threats. Accor...