Security training

Pluralsight, the technology workforce development company, today released its 2024 Technical Skills Report. This annual survey asked 1,400 executives and IT professionals how organisations can leverage technology to drive business value in a world where budgets and headcount are decreasing and technology is evolving at a rapid pace. The findings highlight the top areas for upskilling and learning opportunities, the biggest benefits of continuous learning, and the greatest impediments to adopting upskilling programmes. Need for foundational skills The results were unanimous across markets and career levels: cybersecurity, cloud, and software development, which are considered the most imperative tech skills to learn, are the top areas where skills gaps persist. Cybersecurity and cloud have been named the two largest skill gaps since 2021.  This sends a clear message: before prioritising skills for tech trends, an organisation needs solid foundational skills in security, cloud, and software development. Notable findings Sixty-five percent of respondents said cybersecurity skills were lacking most within their organisations, followed by cloud (52%) and software development (40%). Cybersecurity skills were cited as the most important to learn in the next year (63%), followed by cloud (47%), and software development (45%). Despite the hype in the news feed, Pluralsight’s report found that AI/ML skills gaps are the lowest priority to address, but demand is growing. Compared to last year, 11% more technologists are interested in building AI/ML skills. Cybersecurity skills rank at the top “While we know AI/ML skills are increasingly critical, we’ve also found that organisations have other, more immediate upskilling priorities,” said Aaron Rosenmund, Pluralsight’s Senior Director of Security & GenAI Skills. “Considering that the average cost of a data breach is $4.45 million and that successful cyber-attacks are continuing to exponentially increase year-over-year, it becomes clear why cybersecurity skills are top of mind for organisations.” Hiring vs. upskilling Sixty-six percent of organisations say hiring takes longer or the same amount of time as upskilling When a skills gap is identified, organisations have two options: hire new talent or upskill current employees. Hiring is often regarded as a quick way to find top talent with the right skills but the findings say otherwise. Sixty-six percent of organisations say hiring takes longer or the same amount of time as upskilling existing talent. Upskilling’s benefits come to life in the numbers. The average cost of hiring new tech talent in the US is more than $23,000 and takes 10 weeks. According to respondents, more than half of organisations (57%) spend only $5,000 per employee on upskilling.  Financial benefits of upskilling “This year’s report highlights the financial benefits of upskilling current workforces and how continuous learning boosts the confidence of employees and empowers them to thrive in their roles as the technology landscape continues to shift,” said Will Clive, Pluralsight’s Chief People Officer. “It’s clear that investing in tailored learning paths to assess and address specific knowledge gaps can lead to significant business outcomes.” A culture of learning  Organisations struggle to implement successful upskilling programmes has not changed in the last three years The power of upskilling is undeniable but putting it into practice with employees is the real challenge. The top reason organisations struggle to implement successful upskilling programmes has not changed in the last three years of this study: lack of time.  Despite clear barriers, organisations can unlock upskilling engagement with a culture of continuous learning. The first step is to identify existing skills to see the gaps. Pioneers need to stay engaged in this process: only 33% of executives completely understand the skills their IT teams need and 68% of technologists say leadership at their organisation is not aware of a tech skills gap. Performance and innovation When it comes to discovering what drives employees to upskill, a new #1 motivation to participate emerged this year: stronger job security and improved confidence. This is yet another proof point in upskilling contributing to higher employee engagement that can drive performance and innovation. With 78% of organisations abandoning projects partway through because of not having enough employees with the right tech skills, there is no time to waste in closing the gap. 

Johnson Controls, the global pioneer for smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings released its 2024 Sustainability Report, marking significant progress and unwavering focus on decarbonising the built environment. Scope 3 emission reduced Notably, the company reduced absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 43.8% since 2017, putting it ahead of schedule in achieving its 2030 science-based target of a 55% reduction. The company also reported a 27.1% reduction in Scope 3 emissions derived from its products, exceeding its 2030 science-based target of achieving a 16% reduction in the use of sold products by 2030. Focus on sustainability "At Johnson Controls, our focus on sustainability is a force multiplier accelerating our strategy, cutting our operating costs, and helping us attract and retain the best and brightest talent in the industry," said George Oliver, chairman and CEO. "Putting our operating technology and OpenBlue digital platform to work achieving our own ambitious decarbonisation goals enables us to be a trusted partner to our customers, accelerating their climate progress and success. I am proud of our progress and am excited by the many initiatives underway that make the promise of sustainable buildings a reality." Energy Efficiency and decarbonisation Buildings represent some of the fastest—if not the fastest—paths to meeting global climate targets Buildings are responsible for nearly 40% of global carbon emissions and buildings represent some of the fastest—if not the fastest—paths to meeting global climate targets. Throughout the report, Johnson Controls highlights key innovations and initiatives that deliver energy efficiency and decarbonisation in buildings. This includes the solutions and services that form the smart building trifecta: energy-efficient equipment, clean electrification, and digitalisation. OpenBlue and heat pump technologies These solutions are making a difference in buildings like the Children's of Alabama Medical Center, where OpenBlue and heat pump technologies are delivering $450,000 in annual savings and reducing the use of natural gas by 69%. In Norway, OpenBlue is helping create the largest net energy-positive building in the northern hemisphere.  Chillers and AI-driven solutions Johnson Controls chillers and AI-driven solutions are reducing carbon by 30% In Dubai Silicon Oasis, Johnson Controls chillers and AI-driven solutions are reducing carbon by 30% and delivering guaranteed energy savings of 4.2 million kWh per year. In 2023, OpenBlue Enterprise Manager and OpenBlue Central Utility Plant helped customers avoid an estimated 70,000 metric tons of CO2e, more than four times the avoided emissions of 2020. Supporting net-zero journey "We have very purposefully created a company that is uniquely qualified to meet the needs of customers at every level, creating the products, installing and servicing them, investing in advanced technologies like AI, and creating the financing structure to support net-zero journeys end-to-end," said Katie McGinty, vice president and chief sustainability and external relations officer at Johnson Controls. "The numbers show we are having a tremendous impact in cutting energy, emissions, and cost in our operations and for our customers. We are moving the needle on net zero buildings fast and we realise every day that decarbonising buildings is a winner for the climate and for smart, cutting-edge organisations that are determined to be best in class." Investment in innovation Johnson Controls remains committed to innovation, investing 90% of new product R&D into climate-related technologies Against the backdrop of the hottest year on record, Johnson Controls remains committed to innovation, investing 90% of new product R&D into climate-related technologies. The company is also addressing hard-to-abate steel production and embodied carbon with more than 80% of steel purchases in the United States and 50% globally produced from recycled scrap materials using low-carbon, electric arc furnace steel-making technology.  Net Zero Buildings as a Service Johnson Controls is also helping customers overcome financing challenges with innovative structures like "Net Zero Buildings as a Service," which establishes outcome-based, net zero financing. It redefines risk by guaranteeing energy savings and paying project costs out of the savings. The company also offers performance-contracting projects, with guaranteed energy and operational savings realised over time. Since January 2000, Johnson Controls performance-contracting projects have helped partners and customers avoid over 39 million metric tons of emissions and they are set to save partners over $8.4 billion in energy and operational costs over their project terms. Energy savings performance contract The project span includes upgrades to HVAC equipment, building automation systems, water conservation At NRG Park in Harris County, Texas, a 20-year energy savings performance contract is expected to generate more than $54 million in savings that will fund the entire cost of the complex-wide upgrades, while also providing surplus savings that will be reinvested back into the Harris County community. The project spans much of the complex, including upgrades to HVAC equipment, building automation systems, water conservation, life safety systems, and lighting, as well as high-efficiency chiller upgrades and the integration of Johnson Controls OpenBlue Central Utility Plant. Scholarship, training, and community engagement Johnson Controls attributes its global sustainability leadership to its global workforce. In 2023, Johnson Controls employees volunteered over 61,000 hours, the most volunteer hours recorded in one year since 2017, with more than 82% of the volunteer hours supporting one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The company is also investing in the rising generation of diverse, sustainable pioneers through a wide range of scholarship, training, and community engagement programs. Recent Johnson Controls Recognition CDP 2023 Climate Change 'A List'  2024 EcoVadis Gold, the top 5% percent of companies assessed ISS ESG Prime Status, awarded to companies with an ESG performance above the sector-specific Prime threshold. Ethisphere 2024 World's Most Ethical Companies list for the 17th time Named to the Clean200 every year since its inception in 2016 2023 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations by Corporate Knights Newsweek  America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity Forbes Best Employers for Diversity list Newsweek Excellence 1000 Index Fortune 2023 Change the World list TIME World's Best Companies list Received HRH The Prince of Wales' Terra Carta Seal

Aqua Security, the pioneer in cloud-native security announced another consecutive year of exceptional channel growth. The company continues to build on its momentum and solidify its position as the go-to pioneer for service providers and partners in cloud-native security. The services-led approach of the Aqua Advantage programme, led by Jeannette Lee Heung, Senior Director, of Global Channel & Alliances, and a distinguished 2024 CRN Channel Chief, has been instrumental in driving this upward trajectory.  60% revenue growth Under Lee Heung's leadership, Aqua Advantage experienced impressive growth in 2023. The partner pipeline was the fastest-growing pipeline within Aqua, and channel-driven revenue grew to over 80% of Aqua’s overall revenue. In addition, Lee Heung expanded Aqua’s channel team and strengthened relationships in key European markets, including the Netherlands, France, and the UK. In the UK, channel-driven revenue has seen an astounding increase of 60% over the past two years, showcasing the growing trust and preference for Aqua Security solutions amongst UK customers.   Quality over quantity “In 2023, Aqua has made substantial strides in its partner programme,” said Lee Heung. “We prioritise quality strategic partnerships over quantity. Our collaborations with esteemed partners such as PwC, Accenture, Guidepoint, and Evoila showed strong growth in solutions development and contributed to a highly active pipeline this past year.”  Streamlining partner needs Aqua Advantage goes beyond a product-centric approach, aligning technology, consulting services Aqua Advantage goes beyond a product-centric approach, aligning technology, consulting services, and customer needs to help partners reach their goals and drive their company forward, faster. By prioritising enduring partnerships and positioning partners as trusted advisors, Aqua helps its partners streamline their needs.   Sales and technical training In 2023, Aqua Advantage significantly enhanced sales and technical training, pioneering over 200 Aqua Certified Sales and Technical accreditations. This investment empowered partners with the necessary resources to efficiently deploy and manage Aqua’s technology on a broader scale, even for customers with limited staff or skill sets. Aqua further invested in the channel organisation by adding headcount and elevating MDF investments and market development activities globally.   Digital transformation “At GlobalLogic, the ability to advise and secure our client's key applications and delivery pipelines to become cloud-native has been a key component to our growth and success for our Digital Transformation offering,” said Janil Purohit, Strategic Alliances at Globallogic, an Aqua Security Partner.   “As the threat landscape evolves, GlobalLogic’s continued partnership and close collaboration with Aqua Security has been instrumental in bolstering our expertise and capabilities in the cybersecurity realm." Innovation and security excellence  "Aqua’s commitment to innovation and security excellence aligns seamlessly with our service offerings, particularly in the finance sector." "Together, we've delivered robust solutions to our customers, solidifying our position as trusted advisors in the UK. We're eager to leverage this expertise to further solidify our partnership and drive increased business opportunities, ultimately delivering impactful outcomes for our clients.”  Advisory and consulting services Looking ahead to 2024, Aqua’s partner programme will focus even more on driving strong customer outcomes through advisory and consulting services delivered by partners.  Aqua’s channel successes are further recognised by CRN, which named Aqua a 2024 Cloud 100 and 2024 Security 100 company, in addition to including Aqua Advantage in their 2024 Partner Programme Guide.  

Tamworth-based trade association, the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF), has announced that from 1st April 2024, it will be subsidising ABBE Accreditation fees for all courses, with Level 2 Awards costing £40 instead of £50, and Level 4 Awards costing £50, reduced from £60. As the Building Safety Act comes into effect, and the demand for a skilled workforce increases, individuals will be required to prove that they are competent to do their job on-site. DHF is urging learners to upgrade to accreditation to gain a formal qualification recognised by the construction industry. Academic quality and public accountability Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens, Commercial Director, says, “More and more of the industry is being asked to prove competence." "Although a recognised qualification doesn’t do this on its own, it does fulfill the ‘knowledge’ aspect of the SKEB (Skills, Knowledge, Experience, Behaviours) model. The purpose of accreditation is the improvement of academic quality and public accountability."  Theory-based course "DHF’s accredited courses are a formal qualification and the first in the industry to be offered as a theory-based course." "The course complements, but doesn’t replace, the NVQ Door & Gate Systems Engineer Level 2, and for the public, promotes the company who employs a trained workforce. It is invaluable for those who tender for jobs in the pre-qualifying questionnaire process.” Regulates qualifications, examinations, and assessments DHF continues to offer the only accredited theory-based courses in the industry “Regulated accreditation of courses demonstrates the quality of an educational programme that prepares for entry into a recognised profession,” continues, Patricia. DHF continues to offer the only accredited theory-based courses in the industry. It remains an Approved Assessment Centre of ABBE, regulated by Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, which regulates qualifications, examinations, and assessments in England. Formal qualifications “With the introduction of competency frameworks within the industry, it will become the ‘norm’ for contractors to ask for formal qualifications and will become part of the question set within PQQ’s. Having formally qualified members of staff, an installation firm with properly accredited staff will have an ‘edge’ over competitors without accredited staff when promoting its business to clients." "So DHF is encouraging more learners to opt for a formal accreditation and that’s why we’re supporting the industry by subsidising the fees. DHF believes this will go some way to help provide evidence toward competence in individuals,” she concludes. To add accreditation, tick the 'Accreditation' box when booking and paying online.

ZBeta, a pioneer in delivering comprehensive physical security consulting services, has announced the launch of its Enterprise Security Risk Practice, setting a new standard in security consulting services. This initiative represents a significant leap forward, providing tailored, data-driven strategies, assessments, and solutions to meet the complex security needs of businesses today and form the baseline for creating a strategic security programme and infrastructure. Enterprise Security Risk Practice ZBeta's Enterprise Security Risk Practice heralds the start of a dynamic and comprehensive security programme specifically designed for enterprise-level organisations. This initiative goes well beyond simply identifying vulnerabilities, it signifies the onset of an ongoing partnership. A suite of security strategies ZBeta offers unmatched expertise and a track record of proven success ZBeta provides its clients with a suite of security strategies, expert consulting, and the necessary technological infrastructure to weave security seamlessly into the fabric of their overarching business strategy.  With a team of world-class consultants adept at navigating the intricacies of security breaches and developing effective programmes, ZBeta offers unmatched expertise and a track record of proven success. Custom solutions and a data-driven approach Unlike traditional consulting firms, ZBeta's Enterprise Security Risk Practice is built on the foundation of custom solutions and a data-driven approach, ensuring maximum returns on security investments. It is designed to help organisations assess their overall threat landscape, identify potentially exploited vulnerabilities, and provide the necessary insights for informed decision-making on risk, protection, and holistic security strategies. Strategic approach ZBeta's commitment to integrating security with broader business objectives is evident in its strategic approach ZBeta's commitment to integrating security with broader business objectives is evident in its strategic approach to assessments conducted across the full spectrum of its client’s real estate portfolios, ensuring business continuity and resilience. The team's extensive experience with Fortune 50 organisations and global high-net-worth pioneers adds a layer of strategic value, aligning security strategies with organisational goals today and enhancing security innovation for the future. Risk management priorities and recommendations "The company's growth and our services portfolio have been organic and entirely client-driven,” said Zack Brunette, CEO, of ZBeta. He adds, “We have remained committed to the perfection of one practice before adding another, and the time was right for us to integrate Enterprise Security Risk consulting into our model. We have regularly helped our clients translate risk management priorities and recommendations into actionable strategies and tangible solutions that fit their organisations, people, and properties." Advanced analytics and intelligent technologies Zack Brunette continues, "We see the advantage of the ZBeta Enterprise Security Risk Practice as advisory services from a company that knows the realities of actually planning, engineering, implementing, and managing the programmes and solutions it might recommend." The heart of ZBeta's methodology is data, revolutionising the way the value of security initiatives is demonstrated and measured. The emphasis on data-driven decision-making enhances the ability to develop security programmes that leverage advanced analytics and intelligent technologies, showcasing the impact of security initiatives on the overall business framework.

The CMOOR Group, a global provider of cloud-based compliance and continuous education solutions for the security, fire, and life safety industry, has announced the appointment of Dan DeBlasio as Director of Business Development. DeBlasio brings over 25 years of experience in enterprise software and enterprise sales, with a specific focus on security solutions, making him a valuable asset to The CMOOR Group team.  Dan DeBlasio's responsibilities In his new role, Dan DeBlasio will spearhead efforts to strengthen The CMOOR Group's brand recognition within the security, fire, and life safety markets. He will target key verticals including manufacturers, integrators, and dealers, focusing on both direct sales growth and strategic relationship building. This will involve cultivating a robust sales pipeline and establishing high-level connections with existing customers and potential partners. Dan DeBlasio's work experience DeBlasio's impressive background includes diverse leadership positions within the security sector DeBlasio's impressive background includes diverse leadership positions within the security sector. Before joining The CMOOR Group, he served as an account manager at Xerox, senior director and consultant at Secure Consulting, and director of business development for HID Global, Security Dealer Marketing, and Irvine Sensors. His experience encompasses the convergence of physical and logical access solutions, along with a proven ability to bring licensing and certification offerings to market successfully.  Dan DeBlasio's contribution Dan DeBlasio will actively contribute across all of The CMOOR Group's divisions. This includes SecurityCEU.com, ShowMYBadge.com, the SUTRA Learning Management System, License Consulting, Custom Content Development, and the Obsequio Compliance Management System.  "Dan's extensive experience in the security industry, coupled with his strong network of contacts and dedication to building relationships, makes him a perfect fit for The CMOOR Group," said Connie Moorhead, CEO of the company, adding "We are confident that he will significantly contribute to our customer base and the continued growth of The CMOOR Group."  Training and services "I am incredibly excited to join a company as respected as The CMOOR Group, a pioneer in delivering exceptional training and services within the security domain," said Dan DeBlasio, adding "I look forward to collaborating with the team and contributing to the company's ongoing success." 

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 antiquated and no longer cutting. The now and future of overnight security is in remote guarding. Pioneered by companies like Los Angeles-based Elite Interactive Solutions, which was founded back in 2007, remote guarding is revolutionising the overnight security business. Minimising criminal activity Remote guarding is fast becoming the most popular choice among commercial end-user property owners Remote guarding utilises a combination of cutting-edge technology, “digital guards,” highly trained security agents, and local law enforcement if and when necessary to minimise the potential of criminal activity. For those adequately enlightened to its overwhelmingly impressive crime prevention capabilities, remote guarding is fast becoming the most popular choice among commercial end-user property owners to secure and protect their investments. What Is remote guarding?  Remote guarding is a revolutionary concept and increasing trend in security systems that utilises a combination of methods to effectively analyse potential threats to property. Cameras and/or other monitoring devices running highly advanced algorithmic software are installed in strategic areas or vulnerable places onsite and remotely located security agents are immediately notified of any activity within a designated perimeter of the property. A blend of AI, cybersecurity, and video analytics When properly deployed by an expert provider, the technology stack includes a proprietary blend of video analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and more. Done right, “noise” is effectively filtered out, allowing agents to act on legitimate alerts and achieve zero false alarms communicated to first responders. Today, there are a lot of terms and descriptions tossed around about remote guarding, remote video, virtual guarding, etc., but those attributes must be present to represent the true definition of the offering and its many virtues. Realtime situational awareness Many systems have a two-way speaker that allows the security agent to give a verbal warning When specially trained security agents are alerted to trespassers, possible intruders, or other suspicious activity, they analyse the situation in real-time and determine the necessary level of action. Many systems have a two-way speaker that allows the security agent to give a verbal warning, known as a voice-down, to the individual(s) that they are being watched. Most perpetrators, often believing the response is emanating directly from security personnel on the property itself rather than from a remote command centre, flee immediately. However, if the threat persists, the security agent enlists local law enforcement to get on the scene.  Customised remote guarding When properly deployed, remote guarding systems are also customised to specific properties. A team of consultants visits the client’s property to evaluate its vulnerabilities and where to best place cameras and/or other monitoring devices for system efficacy. Traditional security shortfalls  According to Keith Bushey, a retired commander for the Los Angeles Police Department, there is much frustration between law enforcement officers and potential victims of crime due to the historically unreliable performance of traditional burglar alarm systems and central monitoring stations. He states about 90% of security-related calls are false alarms, a problem that has been well-documented through the years. Onsite challenges When a legitimate emergency does occur, the perpetrators have often already done their damage When a legitimate emergency does occur, the perpetrators have often already done their damage and/or escaped by the time law enforcement arrives.  Onsite security guards are not the remedy either as they bring their own set of issues and challenges.  Unexpected costs Traditional security systems can also have unexpected costs. The cost is not only in the security guards’ paycheck or the cost of the equipment itself. The cost comes when an actual incident occurs. In worst-case scenarios, the security guard(s) are injured, the business suffers inventory loss, and/or damage is sustained to the property.  The medical and other costs for the security guard(s), the loss of inventory, property damage, deployment of law enforcement resources, and possible fallout of legal expenses all add up. Even in the best-case scenario, false alarm expenses incur if law enforcement is dispatched. These, among many others, are some of the primary issues that remote guarding resoundingly answers as a superior alternative. A bounty of benefits Remote guarding systems have been proven to cut costs and be more effective than traditional security systems. Even though the monthly monitoring costs of remote guarding are significantly higher than traditional intrusion detection system monitoring, the much higher effectiveness in crime reduction, elimination of false alarms, and augmenting or replacement of manned guards result in a substantially higher return on investment (ROI) to the end user. Easy tracking of threats The security cameras already have their image captured on record, making them easier to track down For example, case studies have demonstrated reduced security costs for clients by 60%, on average. These reductions have come from the costs of security staff, inventory, or property loss, plus saving money on insurance premiums and deductibles. The nature of remote guarding reduces the risk and costs of false alarms, with professional security agents able to determine an actual threat before law enforcement is called. In a rare instance when a perpetrator escapes before law enforcement arrives or can detain the individual(s), the security cameras already have their image captured on record, making them easier to track down and identify. Reduction of false alarms The significant reduction in false alarms is greatly appreciated by law enforcement, as it allows them to focus on real emergencies or crises. Better relationships are also developed between clients and law enforcement, as remote guarding systems are highly reliable in providing accurate and real-time information to officers as they approach the scene. In short, it assists law enforcement in doing their job more effectively, as well as more safely thanks to having eyewitness information before engaging in an active crime scene.  Partnership When you combine the decreased cost with the increased efficiency and success rate, it is easy to see why many commercial end-user property owners across the country are making the shift to remote guarding. It’s also an outstanding opportunity for professional security dealers and integrators to partner with a remote guarding services provider to bring a superior solution to their end customers and pick up a recurring monthly revenue stream in the process.

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 security. This exploration delves into a selection of these trends, unraveling their importance and the potential implications they carry  1. AI security tools will increase  Artificial Intelligence is also being used in the development of smart attacks and malware The introduction of Artificial Intelligence in the data security industry brought significant changes, especially in cybersecurity. AI has been the golden standard for face detection, natural language processing, automated threat detection, and automated security systems. Additionally, Artificial Intelligence is also being used in the development of smart attacks and malware, bypassing even the latest security protocols in data control. And as time progresses, AI security tools will flourish and dominate the scene. Let’s take a more in-depth look at three of the top AI security tools. Targeted attack analysis tool  Manufacturers utilise targeted attack analysis tools to uncover targeted and stealthy attacks. Artificial Intelligence can be applied to the program’s capabilities, processes, and knowledge. For instance, Symantec launched this tool to combat the Dragon 2.0 attack in 2022. The phishing attack reprimanded multiple energy companies while trying to gain access to their operational networks. Targeted Attack Analysis Tools can analyse incidents and look for similarities from previous situations. They also help detect suspicious activities and collect all the necessary data to determine whether a specific action is malicious. Intercept X tool  Results from the Intercept X Tool feature high accuracy and a low false positive rate Sophos, a British security hardware and software company, launched the Intercept X Tool. It engages a neural network that records and analyses data like a human brain. Sophos’ Intercept X Tool can extract features from a single file and perform a deep analysis. It detects malicious activities within 20 milliseconds. Plus, it’s also trained to work on bi-directional sharing and real-world feedback of threat intelligence. Results from the Intercept X Tool feature high accuracy and a low false positive rate.  IBM Watson Technology  IBM’s QRadar Advisor uses IBM Watson Technology, a unique AI tool for fighting cyber attacks. Artificial Intelligence can auto-investigate activities and indicators for potential exploitation or compromise. With cognitive reasoning, IBM Watson Technology can present critical insights to accelerate the response cycle. Security analysts can utilise this technology to search for threat incidents, reducing the risk of letting them fly under the radar. 2. Blockchain as a security solution  It guarantees no points of failure or hackable entrances that can expose datasets inside the system Blockchain is a type of distributed ledger technology (DLT) that aims to establish trust within an untrusting ecosystem. Today it’s one of the most robust cybersecurity technologies in the industry. Blockchain utilises a decentralised ledger system, but your team members can still gain access to transparent information in the cloud. Members can also record, pass along, and view necessary transactional data in the blockchain. The entire blockchain process maintains data integrity within the system while establishing trust among team members. It guarantees no points of failure or hackable entrances that can expose datasets inside the system. Cybersecurity, biometrics Cybersecurity primarily benefits from these features because blockchain can create a secure and robust wall between data and hackers. On top of that, blockchain ledgers can include biometrics like fingerprints and retina scans. These prevent hackers from accessing any private data. Because blockchain is decentralised, it also limits hackable data. Together with the technology’s record-keeping system, each node is provided insight into data manipulation exposing real-time cybercrime attempts.  3. Increased and widened access control  Without access control, expect your company to be open to security issues, including theft, data loss, and breach of data Access control is critical in data security. More than a valuable security tool, business leaders can use access control to regulate people accessing any given resource. A company with an IT security setting can control who has the liberty to edit certain files. One of the primary goals of access control is to minimise threats or attacks to organisations and businesses to keep people and data secure. Without access control, expect your company to be open to security issues, including theft, data loss, and breach of data protection laws. Benefits The benefits of increased and widened access control include: Identifying who can access and control your data at specific time intervals. Protecting data from overwriting, accidental deletion, and malicious intent. User permissions that can be readily changed. Compliance and regulation with data privacy laws. Central management of access to data through a reporting portal or a dashboard.  Multi-factor authentication Access control comes in various types and systems, so it’s critical to know the features of what you’re looking for. The most common type is multi-factor authentication or MFA. It involves multiple steps before logging in, requiring the user to enter other relevant information besides the password. Some other examples of information include biometrics, answering a security question, or entering a code sent to the user’s email address. Two-factor authentication, role-based access control Two-factor authentication further prevents unauthorised entries that can result in unnecessary data possession Two-factor authentication further prevents unauthorised entries that can result in unnecessary data possession.  Another type of access control is role-based access control. In this setup, only one individual can set up access guidelines and grant permissions to specific team members within an organisation. 4. Greater use of the zero-trust security model  The zero-trust security model is a framework that requires every user within and outside the organisation to undergo authentication, authorisation, and validation. These are all essential to ensure proper security configuration before access is granted to the company’s applications and data. A zero-trust model assumes that anyone can cause data breaches and that a traditional network edge is not taken into effect. Moreover, it addresses the following modern-day challenges: Hybrid cloud environments. Security of remote workers. Ransomware threats.  This framework utilises the combination of multiple advanced technologies, including:  A risk-based multi-factor authentication. Endpoint security.  Identity protection.  Cloud workload technology.  The zero-trust model uses all these innovative tools for system identification, user verification, access consideration, and system security maintenance. Constant validation and monitoring Enforcing strict policies and compliance with data privacy laws are also essential Additionally, it also considers data encryption, email security, and asset verification before establishing connections with applications. The architecture of a zero-trust framework requires constant validation and monitoring of the users and the devices they are using. Enforcing strict policies and compliance with data privacy laws are also essential. More importantly, the zero trust architecture requires all organisations to be aware of all their available services and accounts to gain complete control of data handling and manipulation. 5. Increased privacy regulations  Privacy regulations and policies guide organisations in proper data control, handling, and security. These policies guide organisations in proper data control, handling, and security. As a responsible business owner, you must comply with these regulations to avoid legal issues. With cybersecurity attacks becoming common, expect increased and stricter privacy regulations to be released in the next few years. While current policies are still taken into effect, various modifications and adjustments will occur to compete with the rising numbers of data breaches, thefts, data loss, and more.  California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) Currently, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) is the most comprehensive legislation on state data privacy. It only started to take effect on January 1, 2023. The CPRA introduces the following principles: Broad individual consumer rights. Significant duties of people who need to collect sensitive and personal information. Additional definitions of data privacy and security. An individual’s duties include releasing information about data collection to concerned data subjects and proper access, correction, and deletion of information. Final thoughts  2023 is a big year for data security. Trends such as increased adoption of zero-trust policies, a greater reliance on AI security tools, and the implementation of blockchain as a security solution are all things we expect to see shortly.  Staying up-to-date with these trends is important for keeping your business current and ensuring that you’re adhering to new and changing regulations. Doing so can give you an edge over the competition and keep you out of legal hot water.

Daniel May of Consort reviews the integration of access control systems in healthcare settings, outlining the benefits and key considerations decision-makers must make throughout product specifications.  From patient safety and traversal to the protection of sensitive data and pharmaceuticals, healthcare environments are faced with several operational challenges. And where security remains at the forefront of decision-making, modern access control systems may often hold the answers. Physical security systems Hospitals in particular have developed into multi-faceted spaces that house hundreds to thousands of patients, staff and visitors at any one time. In England for example, research has found in the three months leading to June 2023, an average of 44,626 people visited major hospital A&E departments each day, with over 16 million attendances typically recorded over the course of a year-not to mention an additional nine million logged at other minor units. For any building, this level of sustained footfall can request severe security difficulties For any building, this level of sustained footfall can invite severe security tests. With that, the need to deploy effective physical security systems in healthcare is clear. And so, as access control continues to become more readily adopted and new products enter the market, decision-makers are reminded to consider the requirements of their building, ensuring they select the solutions most suited to their settings and budget. Security controlled Patient safety will always remain the top priority in healthcare settings, and where matters of health and social care come into question, a diverse set of professional regulatory bodies are tasked with setting and maintaining high standards. When it comes to healthcare premises specifically, patient security and perimeter security often come hand in hand and are amongst the most pressing of challenges that decision-makers must face. To help address operational planning and potential design concerns in the NHS, the Health Building Note (HBN), provides general design guidance for healthcare buildings under HBN 00-01-citing the use of access control measures as a way of maintaining security and protecting the safety of patients, staff and visitors. Use of access control Hospital buildings control varied levels of access for a number of security purposes Hospital buildings, for example, must control varied levels of access for a number of operational and security purposes. Routine scenarios exist where vulnerable patients are under monitoring and thus refrained from exiting the premises for their own safety, while at the same time, permitted staff must be able to reach their patients and medicines when required. For this, the use of access control is key. Equally, access credentials can also help management teams keep track of those who may be entering or exiting rooms with equipment and pharmaceutical supplies, deterring any unwanted visitors and opportunists in the process. Incorporation of access control systems On a similar note, regulations have set a minimum standard for how personal data should be stored and managed in healthcare environments, giving decision-makers an added responsibility to regulate staff-controlled areas with patient medical records. While instances of personal data breaches are rare, healthcare facilities and professionals are at legal risk should confidential data be found misused or missing. As such, the incorporation of access control systems has become essential in keeping data storage areas secure, with intuitive online systems capable of permitting access to staff with the correct credentials while simultaneously tracking who has requested clearance at digital entry points. HBN guidance Healthcare experts are better fitted to control the sheer volume of people entering and exiting To function effectively, healthcare facilities must always be perceived as safe places by the people who reside within them, and as HBN guidance implies, a unified physical security system can help address key safety and security concerns while enhancing patient and staff experience. Opportunely, access control systems are more accessible and adaptable than ever and combine several technologies such as mechanical locks and automatic doors with electronic access credentials in the form of smartphone apps, badge readers and biometric scanners.  By integrating these systems into the building’s existing infrastructure, healthcare professionals are better equipped to control the sheer volume of people entering and exiting the premises without impairing the general flow of movement and coordination around the facility. Better by design Despite the clear benefits offered to healthcare facilities, there are a number of considerations to be mindful of when choosing an access control solution. Poorly implemented systems can have an adverse effect on security and functionality - quickly costing healthcare organisations time and budget to rectify and replace the inadequate products that don’t meet the building’s requirements. For that reason, decision-makers and design teams are reminded that there is no single solution that fits all healthcare buildings. As such, it’s crucial for decision-makers to understand the systems that are being put in place throughout each of the touchpoints in their facility. Clear collaboration is required during periods of specification, where together, teams can ensure the selected product works on all angles, from meeting fire safety and sustainability standards to aesthetics and scalability. Modern access control products Scalability is a key area that decision-makers must review when selecting access control systemsFrequently overlooked, scalability is a key area that decision-makers must review when selecting access control systems. Such is their diverse nature; healthcare facilities can often change and develop as years go by, and by selecting a system that facilitates growth, such as a cloud-based solution-security and efficiency is long-established. While modern access control products are known for seamless integration, there are some systems that may restrict the ability to use different vendors throughout the remainder of the building’s infrastructure. This, in effect, causes a monopolisation of products throughout the estate, which can have an adverse effect on growth by increasing costs and reducing the levels of service associated with the security system already in place. Improve security and safety A scalable and reliable access control system will continue to improve security and safety by adapting to a building’s new requirements-and all while having minimal impact on its operational network.  And so, while technology will no doubt continue to influence and transform the access control market, healthcare facilities and their professionals must continue to remain educated on their own systems, ensuring they have the best options in place to keep their patients, staff and visitors safe and secure for years to come.

Active shooter situations grab the most attention, but there is a long list of other threats facing schools, including bullying, vandalism and emergency medical situations. Broadly speaking, a comprehensive approach to school security should prioritise prevention, preparedness and response to all threats.  Holistic security approach “Fostering a culture of safety within a school, which involves strong relationships, trust, and communication, is highly effective and does not require significant costs,” says Christin Kinman, End User Sales Consultant with Allegion, a security manufacturer. “It is crucial to educate stakeholders about the unintended consequences of quick fixes, like barricade devices, to ensure informed decision-making and a holistic security approach. The goal should be to promote safety and security for all, every day, in every situation.” Integrated and successful security plans  While this might solve a particular challenge, it can also create unintentional conflicts" "Creating an integrated security plan requires a multi-faceted approach," says Kinman. "Too often, security measures are implemented as a reaction to either an event or a specific vulnerability. While this might solve a particular challenge, it can also create unintentional conflicts," adds Kinman. “Creating a successful security plan involves a comprehensive approach,” she says. “An effective, systematic approach begins with assessing, identifying, and valuing assets, identifying threats and vulnerabilities, quantifying the impact of a loss, analysis and prioritisation, and finally, development of mitigation measures.” Safety and security An effective resource is the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS), which provides a framework to help with school assessments, including identifying and valuing assets, identifying external threats and internal vulnerabilities, assessing the impact of loss, and analysing and prioritising mitigation measures.  Safety and security are words used seemingly interchangeably when it comes to schools, but they mean different things. “How we define these terms influences planning and addressing challenges,” says Kinman. “It is easiest to think of these terms as being either external or internal to the individual.” Coordinated security Safety is internal to the individual and relates to the individual’s perception of being free from harm Security is external to the individual and encompasses the protective physical, emotional, and environmental measures implemented in conjunction with policies, procedures, and training, as well as mental health measures and social and emotional learning.  Safety is internal to the individual and relates to the individual’s perception of being free from harm or danger. Coordinated security measures create an environment of safety. Four main elements of physical security Kinman lists four main elements to physical security, often referred to as the 4D’s. These elements are deter, detect, delay, and deny:  Deter refers to measures implemented to prevent an attack or threat from happening. These are usually visual deterrents that communicate legitimate use. Detect refers to measures that can detect the presence of a threat, such as video surveillance and monitoring. Delay refers to measures that slow down an attack or increase the level of effort needed for an incident to occur. Finally, deny refers to measures that prevent or restrict access to valued assets. Four layers of ground perimeter A layered approach to school security creates “layers” that must be defeated for an event to occur, says Kinman. Typically, the four layers are the ground perimeter, the private grounds around the building, the building perimeter, and the building interior. The ground perimeter layer demarcates public vs private space, and deterrence is the primary objective. The grounds layer allows for identification of legitimate vs illegitimate users and detection is the primary objective. The building perimeter layer prevents illicit users’ intent on harm from gaining access. The primary objectives at this layer are delay/deny. The building interior protects the most valuable assets, and the denial of an unauthorised individual is the primary objective. Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety The second element is impact, also rated on a scale of 1-5 and ranging from negligible to catastrophic “Quantifying loss and assessing risk is one of the most important steps in creating an integrated security plan,” says Kinman, who explains that the two elements that guide this step are probability and impact. Probability is the likelihood that an event will occur, typically rated on a scale of 1-5 ranging from rare to almost certain. The second element is impact, also rated on a scale of 1-5 and ranging from negligible to catastrophic. “Probability multiplied by impact equals risk, which has a score ranging from 1-25,” says Kinman. “The higher the score, the higher the risk.” An analysis of vulnerabilities and threats using a matrix yields a systematic approach to prioritise improvements and identify mitigation measures. For statistics on crime and safety in schools, visit the Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2022. Security improvements “The costs of school security encompass various aspects, including physical measures, personnel, training and policy enforcement,” says Kinman. “While there is no fixed amount, it often involves investments in technology, such as access control and emergency response systems. Many security improvements do not require additional funding, like training staff and students on security protocols and implementing policies to create a culture of safety.” Generally, funding for public school security is a shared responsibility among federal, state and local governments; communities also contribute. “Striking a balance between shared responsibility and ensuring adequate resources is crucial for effective school security,” says Kinman. K-12 school security  Community members and parents can donate by being vigilant and noting any suspect activities Various stakeholders play crucial roles in enhancing K-12 school security in addition to schools and communities. Stakeholders include community members, parents, local government, local law enforcement, first responders and non-profit organisations.  “Engaging these stakeholders fosters a comprehensive approach to school security,” says Kinman. Community members and parents can contribute by being vigilant and reporting any suspicious activities. Local government can support schools with funding and resources, while local law enforcement and first responders can provide expertise, conduct drills, and establish emergency response protocols. Safe and secure learning environment In addition, non-profit organisations can offer valuable resources, training, and support programmes to address specific security concerns.  “By involving all these stakeholders, schools can tap into a diverse range of expertise, resources and perspectives, pioneering to a more effective and comprehensive approach to school security,” says Kinman. “Collaboration and communication among these entities are vital to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for students and staff.”

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 summarise 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 centres. 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 focussing 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 focussing 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 colour 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 colours. 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 analysing 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 colour 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 optimise 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.

Technology is driving new opportunities in the security industry. Innovation trends include artificial intelligence (AI), edge-based systems, mobile systems, a greater focus on software, and efforts to simplify operation of security systems, even as capabilities become more complex. ISC West 2022 reflected these changing trends. “In addition to emphasising technology innovation, ISC West also reflected an industry that is resilient, dedicated and passionate,” said Mary Beth Shaughnessy, the Event Director of ISC Security Events. ISC West 2022 “Almost 12,000 dealers, installers, integrators, end users and consultants reconnected at ISC West 2022, and there were nearly 20,000 total industry professionals in attendance (including manufacturers),” adds Mary Beth Shaughnessy. The 550 exhibitors and brands on display reflected an industry that has come through the COVID-19 pandemic in better shape than ever, poised for even greater success in the years ahead. Turning video and access control into knowledge Deployment of AI to ‘watch video’ can inform users of what’s happening in real-time Motorola Solutions emphasized several themes that were heard repeatedly throughout the show. “One trend is fulfilling the need to turn video and access control into sources of knowledge, inside the enterprise,” said John Kedzierzski, Motorola Solutions’ Senior Vice President of Video Security and Access Control. Deployment of AI to ‘watch video’ can inform users of what’s happening in real-time, while monitoring access control yields the equivalent of an operating system inside a building. Using the Cloud offers consumer ease-of-use to systems The second trend listed by Motorola Solutions is working to bring the consumer ease-of-use experience into enterprise security solution applications. Professional security systems were previously complicated to buy, install, manage and upgrade. However, using the Cloud, even distributed enterprises can bring consumer ease-of-use to systems, from improving the out-of-box installation experience to boosting the ability to manage the system. Transition to ‘mobile first’ interfaces The third trend emphasised by Motorola Solutions is transition to ‘mobile first’ interfaces, reflecting the need for busy security executives to be on-the-go, but with full access to their systems, without being chained to their desks. Since the last springtime ISC West show in 2019, Motorola Solutions has grown rapidly, both organically and through acquisition of IndigoVision, Pelco, Openpath, Envysion, and Ava Security. Cloud-based Orchestrate system Integration is simple through a ‘drag-and-drop’ approach that doesn’t involve writing code In addition, the company is making it easier to integrate video and access control systems with Motorola’s radio systems, typically carried by security guards. The cloud-based Orchestrate system translates ‘events’ from access control and video, to trigger notifications on a mobile radio. Integration is simple through a ‘drag-and-drop’ approach that doesn’t involve writing code. Simplifying implementation of AI Artificial Intelligence (AI) has traditionally been associated with the use of large servers or even intelligence in the Cloud. Several exhibitors at ISC West helped to change that misconception. For example, Oosto offers a simpler and more economical approach. They supply edge appliances for AI. The purpose-built Vision AI appliance, a small box, puts intelligence at the ‘near edge’, by connecting to up to five cameras. Easy and dependable ‘failover’ ensures redundancy without a big investment, and the system can work with any IP camera, including an end user’s installed base of cameras. Oosto’s TCO (total cost of ownership) calculator Oosto’s TCO (total cost of ownership) calculator spells out how much a customer can save versus using a big server, including lower costs such and power and cooling. AI was probably the biggest buzzword at ISC West, but there was also emphasis on the practical results of applying AI to physical security. Artificial Intelligence (AI) - the biggest buzzword at ISC West I believe our purpose is to bring buzzwords, like Cloud and AI together in a way that is useful to end-users" “What surprises me (at the show) is that there is a lot of generic marketing of AI, but we are trying to step back from our analytics and look at applications that serve certain end-users,” said Jeff Corrall, Vice President - Product Management at March Networks, adding “As an industry, we are still at the stage of AI as a buzzword.” Jeff Corrall further said, “I believe our purpose is to bring buzzwords, like Cloud and AI together in a way that is useful to end-users. We have to live with the buzzwords, but what we really want is to apply them. That creates a stickiness with the end-user — when high technology is making a difference.” March Networks Labs address specific end-user problems and then apply their systems to provide a solution. Jeff Corrall adds, “A lot of AI is responding to what the customer is asking for, and we are stepping back and making sure the end-user will use it on a consistent basis.” ‘Edge versus cloud’ was a common theme at ISC West Edge versus Cloud ‘Edge versus cloud’ was a common theme at ISC West, pondering where in a system the ‘intelligence’, such as AI and machine learning, as well as other functionality, should reside. Among the companies addressing the quandary was Axis Communications, which focused on the issue using a racing theme at their presentation to the industry press. The winner of the ‘race?’ - The combination of both approaches working together as a team, of course. AXIS Speed Monitor on exhibit One introduction at the show was the AXIS Speed Monitor, a speed detection app available using ACAP Axis Communications also highlighted the deep learning analytics of the ARPEC 8 camera chip (introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic), which will be deployed across their camera line. One introduction at the show was the AXIS Speed Monitor, a speed detection app available using ACAP (Axis Camera Application Platform), the capability to load ‘apps’ onto camera chips at the edge. They also introduced the D4100-E Network strobe siren (a smart edge device), the Audio Manager Pro (a cloud-based software system enabling zoning and callouts for specific areas in a building), the W101 body worn cameras with GPS capabilities, and a Barcode Reader for doorstop applications (another ACAP app). ‘App Store’ approach to expanding applications Azena is at the centre of expanding applications at the edge, promoting new applications through an ‘App Store’ approach that sells software apps that can be loaded onto cameras that are equipped with Azena’s operating system. In the last couple of years, the company (formerly known as Security and Safety Things) has expanded its offerings. There are currently 108 apps in the store from 30 to 40 app developers. There are 14 camera models (from six manufacturers) that are commercially available and run their operating system. The newest camera is a fisheye model from Vivotek. “What we have seen is that a lot of the use cases are pretty unique,” said Fabio Marti, Vice President - Marketing for Azena. Two examples are an application that monitors a flame to ensure it is burning cleanly (no smoke). Another system monitors nets covering fish farms to avoid birds getting tangled up in the nets. Fabio Marti said “A challenge is to find new business avenues for integrators. Everybody is not eager to look beyond their comfort zone.” Focusing on software to ensure user experience Software systems are one of the major focal points for innovation in security systems Software systems are one of the major focal points for innovation in security systems and Verkada is focusing on how software innovation can improve systems. “For decades, innovation was on the hardware front,” said Filip Kaliszan, Verkada’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), adding “We saw an opportunity for more innovation on the software side. The customer experience revolves around software.” Ensuring an end-to-end experience “We want to guarantee an end-to-end experience,” adds Filip Kaliszan. As a new company with a ‘hybrid cloud’ approach, Verkada focused on appealing to end users to convince them of the value proposition. Once an end user was convinced, Verkada brought in an integrator partner to deliver the solution. In effect, Verkada finds demand and brings that demand to the integrator. Software-centric operation of a modern building Verkada is broadly focused on ‘software-centric operation of a modern building.’ After starting out in video, Verkada has since expanded into systems for access control, alarm systems, and other categories. They use a combination of third-party hardware and equipment that is custom designed to work seamlessly with their software systems. Verkada’s end goal is to put the various systems together into a platform. They will continue building each product category, which will eventually be unified into ‘the operating system for the building of the future.’

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 proactive AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness platform has been selected by Woodbine Community School District in Woodbine, Iowa, to protect students, faculty, and staff from individuals attempting to bring illegal guns onto the campus. U.S. school shooting rates continue to surge. Enhancing school safety Woodbine Community School District, a rural pre-K-12 public school district that operates two schools and serves 500+ students, adopted ZeroEyes to address these growing safety concerns.  “We are dedicated to enhancing school safety so that our teachers can focus on education and students can concentrate on learning,” said Justin Wagner, superintendent, of Woodbine Community Schools.  Instant verification, validation, and communication Step in a series of proactive mitigation and safety precautions we are taking to keep students and staff safe" “Choosing ZeroEyes means instant verification, validation, and communication to local law enforcement of anyone wishing to harm students or staff with a gun." "Their outstanding team and 24/7/365 in-house operations centre provide us with the utmost confidence that we are providing the most advanced notification system available. This is an important step in a series of proactive mitigation and safety precautions we are taking to keep students and staff safe.” Actionable intelligence If ZeroEyes detects a gun on campus, the software will instantly send images to the ZeroEyes Operation Centre (ZOC), staffed by specially trained U.S. military and law enforcement veterans, 24/7/365. These experts will verify the threat and dispatch alerts and actionable intelligence, including visual description, gun type, and last known location, to local Woodbine staff and first responders in as fast as 3 to 5 seconds from detection. AI gun detection technology "We're proud to see Woodbine Community Schools adopt our AI gun detection technology,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder, of ZeroEyes.  “We see it as our duty to help create a safer learning environment for children. We hope to see a day where schools are free from violence, ensuring students, parents, and staff can live without fear of gun-related threats.”

Screencastify, the end-to-end video creation platform announced its partnership with Modern Classrooms Project, a nonprofit organisation that empowers educators to build classrooms that respond to every student’s needs. Student-centered learning Screencastify’s video creation tools will enable MCP educators with fresh resources to improve teaching outcomes and fuel the future of K-12 learning. The partnership provides all educators who are enrolled in Modern Classrooms Project’s Virtual Mentorship programme with unlimited premium access to Screencastify, helping more teachers open new possibilities by creating dynamic, differentiated instruction and student-centered learning. End-to-end platform An end-to-end platform that makes recording, editing, sharing, assessing, and viewing video simple and accessible Screencastify, an original video creation tool via an internet browser, has become an end-to-end platform that makes recording, editing, sharing, assessing, and viewing video simple and accessible, so anyone can become a more effective communicator. Nearly 13 million users worldwide have used Screencastify to make nearly 500 million videos since 2016.  Full access to creative tools “Screencastify has always had a singular goal of empowering teachers and students of all kinds to improve learning through the power of video,” said Vishal Shah, CEO of Screencastify. “This next evolution of our partnership with Modern Classrooms Project ensures that teachers and mentors within their programme will have full access to our entire suite of creative tools to create the best video possible for students. We’re excited to continue to build on our partnership with Modern Classrooms Project and do our part in building the modern classroom and helping shape the classroom of the future.” Modern Classrooms Project Modern Classrooms Project has trained and certified over 700 Expert Mentors and Distinguished Educators Modern Classrooms Project is a nonprofit organisation that leads a movement of educators in implementing video to drive blended instruction in a self-paced, mastery-based instructional model that leverages technology to foster human connection, authentic learning, and social-emotional growth. Modern Classrooms Project has trained and certified over 700 Expert Mentors and Distinguished Educators who implement its instructional model effectively in classrooms all around the world. New methods “Anyone who has spent time in the classroom knows that the task at hand perpetually feels unconquerable. But one place to start is in equipping educators with new methods that fundamentally restructure how they use space and time in the classrooms,” said Kareem Farah, CEO and co-founder of Modern Classrooms Project. According to a 2021 survey, the Modern Classrooms Project has helped 85% of teachers enjoy teaching more and feel more optimistic about their future in education and has made 72% more likely to continue teaching as a career. Video creation tools “With our partnership with Screencastify, the Modern Classrooms Project is investing in supporting teachers and unleashing their capacity." The partnership puts simple yet powerful video creation tools into the hands of leading K -12 educators who will implement the classroom of the future. Seamless assignments Each educator chosen was allowed to learn how to use instructional videos to carry on the mission “Screencastify is very intuitive. So, going into the Modern Classrooms Project mentoring programme having already used Screencastify, it just made the assignments flow seamlessly,” said Cecelia Gillam, a teacher at St. Charles Parish School Board and MCP expert mentor.  In 2021, Screencastify used $25,000 to recognise and sponsor 50 educators to learn the nonprofit organisation’s innovative and research-backed instructional model. Each educator chosen was allowed to learn how to use instructional videos to carry on the Modern Classrooms Project’s mission to improve learning outcomes for every student and give them more control over their education. Flexibility to pause and rewind “Screencastify does a great job of giving students the flexibility to pause and rewind the video and make notes … and give them a sense of control of their own pace of learning,” said Monte Woodard, Science Teacher at The Field School in Washington, D.C. and MCP expert mentor. Screencastify has remained laser-focused on helping empower K -12 educators with the right tools to implement blended and hybrid classroom environments that are necessary today. Screencastify is used by educators in more than 70% of U.S. school districts.

Alarming increases in vehicle thefts, unsolved traffic collisions, and stolen cargo in the Mexican State of Tlaxcala, motivated the Executive Commission of the State Public Security System (CESESP) to expand and upgrade its video security system. To counter the rise in crime, the CESESP sought a flexible, scalable, open-platform video management system (VMS) that could seamlessly incorporate existing cameras as well as over 800 new cameras and edge devices from a range of hardware and software providers.  Tlaxcala Located in East-Central Mexico, Tlaxcala is one of 32 states within the Federal Entities of Mexico. With a population of approximately 1,343,000, based on the 2020 census, Tlaxcala is the smallest yet one of the most densely populated states in Mexico.  The CESESP of Tlaxcala is tasked with safeguarding residents across the state's 60 municipalities. C4 centre C4 centre has multiple teams of six security professionals who monitor the system around the clock At the core of all security operations, including the 911 emergency response and 089 confidential tip line, is the CESESP's Control, Command, Communications, and Computing centre (C4). The state’s C4 centre has multiple teams of six security professionals who monitor the system around the clock on a large, 24-screen video wall. The C4 also houses the system’s HP and Lenovo servers.  Flexibility, scalability, and budget “Flexibility, scalability, and strictly adhering to the budget were top requirements for this critical, state-wide project,” said Maximino Hernández Pulido, Executive Commissioner of the State Public Security System. “We considered a variety of proposals and providers, but we ultimately followed the advice of our integrator, Digital Information Systems, and selected XProtect Corporate from Milestone Systems.”  XProtect Corporate The new system includes cameras from Hanwha Vision, Bosch Security and Safety Systems, Hikvision, and Pelco The new system includes cameras from Hanwha Vision, Bosch Security and Safety Systems, Hikvision, and Pelco, all integrated within the system and managed by XProtect Corporate VMS from Milestone Systems. The system is also fully integrated with the BriefCam Video Analytics Platform, delivering video intelligence for system managers to identify, monitor, investigate, and visualise incidents plus video data to make smarter decisions.   Efficient and cost-effective integration “Because state officials rely on their video system 24/7, the update needed to be gradual with no downtime. As new cameras were integrated into the Milestone platform, the previous system slowly disappeared,” said Isaac Sánchez Morales, an engineer at Digital Information Systems (SDI), an integrating company. “The XProtect Corporate open platform VMS allowed us to leverage our existing cameras and servers, integrate new equipment and devices, making the process very efficient and cost-effective, and we never had a gap in service.”  Data-driven video for fast response times  BriefCam video analytics technology The solution detects, identifies, and classifies video metadata to drive more efficient investigations The BriefCam video analytics technology seamlessly integrates into Milestone’s XProtect Smart Client. The solution detects, identifies, and classifies video metadata to drive more efficient investigations and business decisions, such as finding missing persons, investigating the vandalism, theft, assaults, accidents, injuries, or acts of violence, as well as extracting and analysing through heatmaps, dashboards, and visualisations. The analytics have proven beneficial in accelerating investigations, attaining situational awareness, and optimising operational intelligence for enhanced video search, alerting, and data visualisation.  Real-time alerts, situational awareness “We installed the BriefCam Insights and Investigator products, and regularly use the platform’s RESPOND and RESEARCH capabilities. One of the advantages of all these XProtect-integrated analytics is that operators do not have to open additional windows or enter new credentials to access them,” said Sánchez. “With this integration of technologies, operators can trigger real-time alerts based on complex object classifications and filter combinations to increase situational awareness meaning authorities can react to events as they unfold.”  Proactive policing with LPR With the BriefCam RESPOND solution, object characteristics and licence plate recognition tools can be used" Sánchez added, "With the BriefCam RESPOND solution, object characteristics such as a vehicle, person, or animal, and licence plate recognition tools can be used to trigger rule-based alerts." "These tools can help overcome the challenges of urban video surveillance and drive proactive policing in Tlaxcala."  Video technologies reduce state crime rates  Following the comprehensive expansion of the security infrastructure, statistics from the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security Systems revealed Tlaxcala boasted the lowest crime rate nationwide. With the modernised system in place, officials documented a 93% reduction in pilfered freight from transport companies. Similarly, vehicle theft declined by 22.5%.  A cost-efficient and flexible way Milestone Interconnect provides a cost-efficient and flexible way to gain central surveillance According to Sánchez and the SDI team, it is expected that each municipality within the territory will soon have its own locally focused VMS. With the use of Milestone Interconnect, all the municipality subsystems will integrate directly with the state-wide platform. Milestone Interconnect provides a cost-efficient and flexible way to gain central surveillance of multiple sites spread across a region.  C4 video surveillance operation “The integrated solution delivered through Milestone is a robust, efficient, and secure system that provides all the necessary tools for the C4 video surveillance operation,” added Executive Commissioner Hernández-Pulido. “In addition, the excellent technical and post-sales support from Milestone and SDI has led us to meet the system and performance goals we set for ourselves.”

Athena Security’s Concealed Weapons Detection System was selected by Champions Club Texas to protect patrons, members and staff at a first-of-its-kind hospitality destination in Houston that features a full-service hotel, lounge and bar with Southern-inspired cuisine and private-membership poker. Located in Houston’s expanding Westchase community, Champions Club Texas is celebrating its grand opening as a destination offering something for everyone, from business travellers seeking comfortable accommodations with well-appointed amenities to locals looking for a unique night out. Weapons detection system Athena's Concealed Weapons Detection System (WDS)/Walk Through Metal Detector is engineered to detect a wide range of mass casualty threats like handguns, shotguns, and rifles without requiring individuals to stop as they pass through the detector. There is no need to have individuals remove phones, wallets, or other extraneous items from their pockets due to the proprietary multiple-sensor detection method. The system adheres to Federal Standards while allowing both auditory and visual alert options, as seen in the best practices of Homeland Security for WDS. The concealed weapons detection system is designed to scan walking at an average speed of one person per second. Unintimidating approach Athena Security is a solution that detects weapons upon entry and is one of the many layers of security “At Champions we are raising the bar in hospitality and gaming, and that includes ensuring the most comfortable and safe atmosphere for our valued customers,” said Trent Touchstone, Director of Security, Champions Club Texas. “Athena Security is a solution that detects weapons upon entry and is one of the many layers of security protocols in place at Champions that improves operational efficiency of our security team as a workforce multiplier.” Athena Security’s low profile, unintimidating approach is a welcome differentiator from historic metal detector tech by eliminating the need to check cell phones and keys, allowing for a better flow into the venue. Modest-full time security team Advanced analytics and management protocols allow for deep visibility and flexibility to maintain staffing levels providing the highest level of safety. Touchstone, a 28-year veteran of the United States Marshals Service Chief with a long history of threat analysis, notes that given the hotel and membership club will require 24/7 attention with a modest-full time security team, he appreciates Athena Security’s ability to provide a feature-rich entryway security experience with the ability to automate and accomplish so much remotely.

Ipsotek, an Eviden Business at Atos Group, has announced that it was appointed to provide its AI video analytics technology at the soon-to-be-opened new Midfield Terminal Building at Abu Dhabi International Airport, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Delivered in partnership with Atlas Security, deployment of Ipsotek’s AI video analytics solutions is anticipated to improve operations, security, and safety across various areas of the Midfield Terminal Building, which is renowned for its iconic architecture and recently gained international attention as a filming location for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One. Advanced surveillance capabilities Ipsotek's AI video analytics technology is well-equipped to address these circumstances Safety and security are clearly paramount in any airport environment, and Ipsotek's AI video analytics technology is well-equipped to address these concerns. The advanced surveillance capabilities of the solution enable operators to detect and identify potential threats across various zones of the airport.  By leveraging intelligent algorithms and machine learning, the system can recognise suspicious behaviours, unauthorised access attempts, or other pre-defined security risks in real time, allowing for swift response and mitigation. Ipsotek's AI video analytics By leveraging Ipsotek's cutting-edge video analytics solutions, the airport aims to enhance its security measures by effectively detecting abandoned baggage scenarios. Security teams at the airport will be able to quickly identify and respond to any unattended baggage, reducing potential security risks and ensuring a safe environment for passengers and staff. "The deployment of Ipsotek's AI video analytics solutions at the Midfield Terminal Building signifies a significant leap forward for the aviation industry," said Sophiene Marzouk, Ipsotek’s UAE Country Manager. Sophiene Marzouk adds, "We are proud to collaborate with Atlas Security to deliver state-of-the-art technology that enhances operations, security, and safety in one of the world's most iconic airport buildings." Ipsotek's solutions Ipsotek's solutions also play a crucial role in optimising queue management and crowd control “Atlas Security aspires to implement the best technology for security systems in airports and we therefore look to partner with companies bringing innovation in security applications with Artificial Analytics. One company that brings this cutting-edge technology is Ipsotek and Atlas Security is proud to work in the Midfield Terminal Building with Ipsotek,” said Khizer Rehman, Project and Technical Manager at Atlas Security. Ipsotek's solutions will also play a crucial role in optimising queue management and crowd control throughout the airport. By analysing video feeds, the software can determine queue lengths and alert airport staff to potential bottlenecks. New standards for excellence The intelligent system will empower operators to proactively manage queues, allocate resources effectively, and ensure a smooth flow of passengers. As travellers eagerly anticipate the unveiling of the Midfield Terminal Building, the deployment of Ipsotek's AI video analytics solutions is set to improve the airport experience, from safety to security and operations setting new standards for excellence in the aviation industry and turning an impossible mission into a successful deployment.

Located in Kerala, India, the Somatheeram Ayurveda Hospital with a Resort Ambiance is the best place for not only visual rejuvenation but also physical and mental rejuvenation. Through Ayurveda, Somatheeram provides a means to shed all worries, anxieties, and illnesses.  With the objective of combining Ayurveda and Tourism, the Somatheeram Research Institute & Ayurveda Hospital was founded in the year 1985, thus making it the world’s first-ever Ayurvedic Hospital in a Resort Ambiance. The Somatheeram Group of Companies came into being with the efforts of the Founder Managing Director, and Architect Mr. Baby Mathew. Challenges Multi-location transmission proves to be an expensive affair if devices are not chosen wisely Somatheeram has multiple resorts, located at different locations. Multi-location communication can prove to be an expensive affair if communication devices are not chosen wisely. Their dependence on public service providers for communication added to their woes of communication between their resorts. To elaborate: Feasibility of existing telephony: Existing telephony became impracticable considering the frequent communication between multi-located properties. Managing different protocols: Interface with different telecom networks requires managing different protocols, which can be cumbersome, time, and energy-consuming. Absence of modern phone features: The lack of advanced features like abbreviated dialing, call pick up, and internal call restriction, prevented them from becoming efficient in day-to-day operations. Transition to modern communication with existing infrastructure: Their investment in existing infrastructure needed protection while also a provision had to be made to modernise the communication using existing infrastructure. Solution The solution offered was based on the fundamentals of multi-location communication solutions Matrix analysed the challenges of communications for Somatheeram, and crafted a solution that was the best fit. The solution offered was based on the fundamentals of multi-location communication solutions. This included the Matrix range of IP-PBX (ETERNITY GENX12S) and GSM Gateway (SIMADO GFX11 and SIMADO GFX11 4G) that optimised the feasibility of communication and helped the firm become more efficient. Solution includes: The Hybrid IP-PBX included ETERNITY GENX12SAC, which enabled them up to 240 Analogue users with 64 CO Ports.  Another Hybrid IP-PBX included ETERNITY PENX, which allowed them access to 100 IP Users, onboard IP User Support, LDAP Client support, support of 4G VoLTE ports, COSEC Door Integration, and much more. The GSM gateway included SIMADO GFX11 and SIMADO GFX11 4G which enabled them to make and receive calls from analogue extensions. The capability to integrate with almost all industry-pioneering PBXs enabled them a smooth transition to modern communication while maintaining existing infrastructure. Results The solution so implemented enabled all properties to work as a single communication platform and proved to be beneficial for Somatheeram and its properties in more than one way.  The Hybrid IP-PBX enabled them, unified communication facilities like Email to SMS, audio/video calling, unified messaging facilities, and multi-location collaboration features like UC client integration, one-number reach, etc.  The Hybrid IP-PBX also enabled, investment optimisation through universal network connectivity, easy and centralised phonebook management through LDAP client support, mobility convenience through 4G VoLTE support, and much more. The GSM/4G gateway enabled them, GSM/4G connectivity to existing infrastructure, hotline extension dialing, emergency number dialing even in the absence of a sim card, etc. through secure network bridging.

Headlines of violence in our schools are a reminder of the need to keep educational institutions safe. In fact, if there is a positive aspect to the constant bombardment of headlines, it is that it keeps our attention perpetually focused on how to improve school security. But what is the role of physical security systems? As the new school year begins, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Are schools safer because of physical security systems? Why or why not? 

As physical security technologies become more complex, it is incumbent on the dealer/integrator to have the skills and expertise needed to ensure that a system operates smoothly. The value of integrators increasingly rests on the skill sets they bring to bear when installing a system. If the skills are missing, there is a problem. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What missing skills among security integrators can cause problems for customers? 

Driving the smart homes market is the convenience of simple technology solutions. Almost every home now has a “smart speaker” that makes it easier than ever for homeowners to interface and control their technology. But where does security fit into the new landscape of smart home systems? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What’s new in smart homes and residential security systems?