15 March 2021

ATG Access, has launched the next generation in bridge protection technology: the Bridge Deck Expansion Beam. The system was developed in response to a call to industry by the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure, after it identified the need for a hostile vehicle mitigation solution that could span across large bridge expansion joints. While significant advances have been made in bridge protection technology following two serious vehicle attacks in London in 2017, this new system will ensure that security measures can be consistent along the length of a bridge deck, further enhancing pedestrian and cycling safety. The Bridge Deck Expansion Beam has an unrivalled expansion capacity of more than 250mm, and can also be used within a street scene environment to span across other obstructions such as service chambers or manhole covers, to achieve a continuous line of security measures. The new system was impact tested at the MIRA testing facility fitted on two of ATG’s Populus Bridge Bollards with unconnected foundations with a span of over five metres, simulating a wide double bridge expansion joint. It achieved the IWA 14-1 standard, successfully arresting a 7,200kg vehicle travelling at 48 kph. The Populus Bollard system onto which the Expansion Beam is mounted sits in a 40 mm deep foundation. This means that the product can generally be accommodated within existing road finishes and doesn’t require a new or additional upstanding curb to accommodate the bollard structure. The beam can be removed to allow for occasional vehicle access. As an additional benefit, the Expansion Beam’s slim profile means that it can be clad to accommodate a wide range of aesthetic options, including bespoke heritage designs if desired. Robert Ball, engineering director at ATG Access, commented: “Following the tragic terror attacks on Westminster Bridge and London Bridge, the security industry has been working hard to develop new solutions to ensure pedestrians and cyclists are as safe as possible when using bridges. “Our new Bridge Deck Expansion Beam has been shown to work very effectively in tandem with our existing Populus system. While this system was already capable of dealing with normal bridge expansion joints, this next stage of innovation will now enable it to cope with large or double expansion bridge joints.” “We are very pleased to have developed a solution that will further improve the level of safety and security the Populus provides, while also complementing the surrounding aesthetics thanks to the array of cladding options available.”   To stay up to date on the latest, trends, innovations, people news and company updates within the global security market please register to receive our newsletter here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, Security Portfolio Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@securitybuyer.com

With the one-year anniversary of remote working coming up on Tuesday 16th, we wanted to share some expert comment with our readers on advice to stay secure while working from home. Mike Wood, CMO at Versa Networks   “The past year has seen rapid changes for organisations who have had to adapt to a hybrid workforce as employees worked both from home, and in the office. We have learnt that, in order to enable employees to work both remotely and in the office, they need to have reliable, fast and secure connections to the organisation’s IT network from wherever they happen to be. Organisations also need to have the ability to quickly add remote users which gives them the freedom to adjust their workforce and working practices with little notice. Because of this, we’re seeing rapid adoption of solutions, such as SASE, that can provide this flexibility while ensuring a high standard of quality, and that cost is kept down. The past year has shown us that the most successful and resilient organisations are those who have planned ahead and have those capabilities and solutions in place that allow them to be flexible and embrace change, no matter the circumstances. Looking ahead, the workforce is likely going to be a hybrid one, so those who have not adapted to this ‘new normal’ and have not accepted this change, will need to do so quickly if they are to be successful”. Ed Macnair, CEO of Censornet “Last year, organisations were forced to hurriedly shift to remote working at a pace which sometimes meant security was a secondary thought – or even an afterthought. Moving staff out of offices and into a home-working environment has created huge numbers of opportunities for cyberattacks and I think organisations are only just starting to grapple with this properly. In the coming months and years we will see more and more Solarwinds-style supply chain attacks. We’re also likely to see the problems caused by remote working continue to become apparent. If businesses want to stay safe, they should start thinking about zero trust models and install high quality email security defences to protect from phishing and ransomware. When staff are away from the office, they are vulnerable due to the relative lack of infrastructure. They could also be more likely to fall victim to email scams and threats, so need to be well-trained and equipped with the knowledge to protect themselves and their employer”. Richard Hughes, Head of Technical Cyber Security at A&O IT Group “Remote working has resulted in a disperse workforce that has not only changed the way we work but also the way we do security, for example, methods such as pen testing have had to adapt to cover more than just the corporate network and facilities. Equally, organisations, especially SMEs, have had to deal with this new form of working with little to no resources or support – with some not even having laptops when the first lockdown hit a year ago. Many have struggled over the past year without the necessary IT infrastructure in place and alongside that, a lack of clear guidance around security regulations and standards. By being unprepared and neglecting the security of employee home networks, organisations are not only finding themselves failing certifications such as Cyber Essentials, but also leaving themselves exposed to the types of cyber attacks we’re witnessing on a daily basis. In order to stay secure and protect their remote workforce from threat actors, we are advising organisations to carry out more frequent security assessments, as opposed to the norm of 1-2 a year. By undergoing regular tests businesses can have peace of mind when it comes to securing their data and protecting themselves from cyber threats. The future of working is going to be at least a hybrid one, if not fully remote for some, so it’s vital organisations have security processes in place that will ensure their security and data integrity no matter where their workforce resides”. Gregory Cardiet, Security Engineer at Vectra: “The past year has seen an acceleration of cloud migration and digital transformation, meaning organisations have had to prioritise operational continuity over security, with some even redeploying security staff into IT roles to support the rapid transition toward remote working. As security teams have adapted to this change, remote access capabilities have had to be provisioned and new cloud and collaboration projects quickly rolled out. There has also been an obvious uptick in the use of tools such as Office 365 which has provided a great amount of support for remote workers but has also contributed to an expanded remote access attack surface – something that threat actors have taken advantage of, and that many organisations have limited visibility into. In order to gain visibility into the network and protect their remote workforce from opportunistic actors, organisations can look to a robust security solution like network detection and response (NDR). By having a solution like NDR, security teams are able to monitor the network for unusual behaviours, automate data and most importantly, detect and respond to attacks in real time, rather than simply focusing on trying to prevent them. With such cyber security practices in place, organisations should have no problem in supporting a remote workforce for the foreseeable future.”   To stay up to date on the latest, trends, innovations, people news and company updates within the global security market please register to receive our newsletter here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, Security Portfolio Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@securitybuyer.com

Flexible and secure access to company buildings and premises for employees RFID cards have become an indispensable part of our everyday lives and used in numerous areas all over the world. For a good reason, they are also frequently used by companies as company ID cards or visitor cards. Especially in large company buildings and public institutions, there is a high and dynamic volume of visitors. Employees from different companies or departments, craftsmen, cleaners, service staff and day visitors enter your facilities daily.  One card, full flexibility  To maintain an overview and to provide access only to authorised persons, an access system with RFID cards is the ideal solution. The great strength of the technology lies above all in its enormous flexibility. The cards can serve as company and service IDs for employees. Depending on the department or function, different access rights to floors or rooms can be assigned. Other practical applications such as time recording or contactless payment at snack/drink machines or in the bistro can be integrated. And even temporary access authorisation, e.g. for shift work, for cleaning staff or day visitors, can be easily implemented with the appropriate configuration. There are no limits to flexibility because iDTRONIC also offers hybrid solutions. For applications with different range requirements, e.g. access to the car park (UHF) and access to the building (NFC/HF), two different chip technologies can be combined in one card. And if required, they can also be equipped with additional technologies, such as QR/ barcodes or magnetic stripes.  Personalised cards in the design of your choice  And iDTRONIC also offers full design freedom when it comes to appearance. Individual printing in the corporate design of the company makes every RFID card unique. Both CMYK offset printing and exclusive Pantone printing for special colours deliver brilliant printing results. If desired, the company/employee ID cards can also be printed with photos, writing fields or even UIDs. For visitor cards, we recommend punching holes so that they can be attached to a lanyard or neck strap. Do you want a complete access system?  The access cards from iDTRONIC can usually be integrated into all existing access systems. As a certified partner of the leading RFID chip manufacturers, iDTRONIC offers cards with all common chip technologies, such as MIFARE, Hitag, LEGIC or EM4200.  For companies that are still in uncharted territory in the field of access control, iDTRONIC also supports the commissioning of complete access systems with its other products such as turnstiles, readers/terminals and electronic locking systems. See access card page here: https://idtronic-smarttag.de/en/rfid-solutions-for-access-control/access-cards/    To stay up to date on the latest, trends, innovations, people news and company updates within the global security market please register to receive our newsletter here. Media contact Rebecca Morpeth Spayne, Editor, Security Portfolio Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922 Email: editor@securitybuyer.com

Eagle Eye Networks details the latest 2021 Trends in the video surveillance market, with a focus on cloud based solutions, AI and evolving compliance requirements   Eagle Eye Networks, global provider in smart cloud video security solutions has released an eBook detailing the latest trends in the video surveillance market. The trends are predicted to impact the industry, security and business intelligence analytics.  2020 imparted a worldwide pandemic. Social unrest. Political divisiveness. Unprecedented wildfires. And a near record-breaking hurricane/typhoon season. As relieved as the world may be to put this challenging year behind us, all these disparate-yet-connected events didn’t magically disappear once the ball dropped on midnight, December 31.  In fact, this continued uncertainty around the globe is the underlying issue for most, if not all, of the security industry trends we’re predicting for 2021. For example, it’s accelerating the move to the cloud, amplifying the call for safety coupled with privacy and emphasising the need for accurate data and analytics with which to make faster, better, more informed decisions.  Here’s how our experts see the coming year unfolding for the video security industry. Customers are asking for cloud Some 90% of companies report doing business in the cloud. Its adoption started to ascend a few years ago when Millennials – who had become a dominant generation in the labor force – pushed hard for the flexibility to work from anywhere, anytime. Fast forward to 2020 and we saw the remote workforce trend accelerated by COVID-19, as the business world scrambled to maintain productivity with a home-bound workforce.  All that said, approximately only 10% of video surveillance is on the cloud. The rest is still being recorded on a server or a machine or computer located in the facility where the cameras are installed.  But, that’s changing. And, it’s changing primarily because the benefits of cloud in the video surveillance space are powerful and undeniable, including major cost savings, heightened data security, remote access and maintenance, flexible storage and retention, scalability, increased stability and disaster recovery. In addition, bandwidth challenges are no longer a feasible argument against cloud computing, as tremendous advances have been made in internet bandwidth availability. Finally, the cloud also enables an open platform, which promotes flexible, fast technology innovation and longevity. Advanced analytics (AI) will transform video surveillance systems into even more valuable business solutions Video surveillance systems are not just for security anymore, they’re also a valuable tool for business intelligence (BI). Many video management system (VMS) providers have been preaching this, but most of the industry has failed to deliver. Widespread availability and adoption of AI and BI to transform video surveillance mirrors the Gartner Hype Cycle. They have progressed through the cycle from “Technology Trigger” to “Peak of Inflated Expectations” down to the “Trough of Disillusionment” and gradually back up toward the “Slope of Enlightenment.” It’s now reaching the “Plateau of Productivity,” meaning AI and BI in video security are becoming the norm. Ultimately, smart cloud video surveillance with appropriate privacy and cybersecurity protections will make businesses and communities much safer, for example, by detecting dangers such as weapons, erratic driving, active robberies and suspicious loitering. Furthermore, businesses will analyse their customer behaviors, service and overall retail operations to provide a significantly better customer experience. And, manufacturers will provide higher quality products, in a safer and more timely manner.  To drill down a bit, AI is also reducing false alarms, a major issue in the security industry. Analytics can ensure the system won’t trigger unnecessary alarms due to benign motion, such as animal movements or billowing curtains. Simultaneously, sophisticated algorithms are now able to identify age groups, genders, clothing colors and even details, like whether or not visitors entering a building are wearing face masks or maintaining social distancing. Video surveillance compliance requirements are constantly evolving As video surveillance becomes a more widely adopted tool across industries and continents, regulating its use is becoming more prevalent. For example: The Cannabis Industry In 2020, cannabis legislation continued to change around the world. With increased legalisation comes increased regulatory requirements for those businesses hoping to survive and thrive within the rules. And regulations that encompass things like video resolution and retention, remote accessibility for law enforcement and offsite video backup vary widely from state to state and even municipality to municipality.   Body-Worn Cameras Policies dictated by law enforcement commissions regarding when, where and how police officers operate their body-worn cameras are prevalent and divergent. And, in the not-too distant future, we predict these policies will also expand to commercial body-worn cameras for in-home service providers, such as nurses, cleaning crews, massage therapists and food deliverers. In fact, the body-worn camera market is expected to register a 16% compound annual growth rate between now and 2025. Payments Any business that regularly comes into contact with credit card information must remain compliant with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). To ensure card data isn’t compromised or for quick incident investigation, monitoring physical access to sensitive areas and retaining collected surveillance data are necessary The Education Sector Compliance requirements are expanding for special education classrooms, with a number of states requiring districts to conduct surveillance intended to protect students who may not be able to report abuse or mistreatment themselves.  Healthcare This industry is tightly regulated by government regulations. As part of this, video security is used by healthcare facilities to safeguard patients and their medical records, as well as staff, visitors and the facility itself.  IT departments are now engaging with and in many cases owning video surveillance For decades, the security team owned the video surveillance system in an office setting. However, in recent years, IT leaders have not only gotten involved in the video management system, they’re actually owning it. As part of their IT strategy, corporations are leveraging video for business process improvement to maximise the benefits of surveillance investments while reducing unnecessary operational overhead.  The main driver for this shift is their deep understanding of the importance of cybersecurity. As