2020 - securitylinkindia

Latest

The Surge in the Worldwide Use of Private Security Prompts the Creation of IASIR S.U.R.G.E. Certification

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaDecember 16, 2020November 14, 2024018 mins

The origins of the International Association of Security and Investigative Regulators (IASIR) were formed in the United States in the spring of 1993. The objective being to enhance the ability to regulate while simultaneously promoting the professionalism of the private security, and private investigative, alarm and related industries. One of the principle goals outlined 27 years ago was to assist the industry with training and education standards. The area of greatest focus has been within the realm of private security. Various throughputs have emerged over the years, but none has been quite as significant as IASIR’s Secure Urgent Response Global Endorsement (S.U.R.G.E.) Certification™. To understand how S.U.R.G.E.™ fits into the future of private security, one must look at the industry as a whole. The vast majority of the entire world sleeps under the protection of security officers twenty-four hours per day. According to an older issue of Forbes Magazine, “The sector experienced huge growth in recent years and today there are an estimated 20 million private security workers worldwide while the industry is worth approximately $180 billion. That is expected to grow even further to $240 billion by 2020, greater than the GDP of 100 countries including Portugal, Romania and Hungary.” The job is well known – to protect life and property, assure public safety, support police agencies who are stressed to the maximum, create a sense of omni-presence, and to read, react and deter etc. Employ the best possible candidates and deploy the best possible technologies. This holds true for site security, protection of VIPs, and the ever-present cash in transit (Armored Car) services the world over. The Guardian once referred to the security industry as ‘the industry of inequality’ in a piece discussing the obsession with private security. It is true that private security officers outnumber police officers. It is an investment of significant magnitude, but one that pays huge dividends by mitigating exposures to millions of crimes each day. The proliferation of security officers is so significant and commonplace that people literally do not even notice their presence most of the time. “You stop noticing it – there are guards everywhere,” said Rita Abrahamsen, a Professor at Ottawa University. Indian Perspective This is also true in India. A country that is arguably the leader when it comes to the sheer numbers of security officers employed in the industry. Presently hovering somewhere around 9 million guards and 23,000 companies, India requires training and licensure much like anywhere else in the world. Private security is as necessary and commonplace as it comes. Take into consideration that India’s GDP is ranked sixth by the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and United Nation alike. This demonstrates that India is a global powerhouse. Despite the fact that China is three rungs up the GDP ladder, the number of guards in India dwarfs even China, who break up their statistics by those who are employed by the public security bureaus (PSB) versus those managed by PSBs. IASIR recognizes India’s position in the world, and has partnered with the Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) and the Indian government to bolster CAPSI’s efforts and accomplishment in the establishment of training standards. This is particularly so with respect to overcoming obstacles and barriers during times of need. Certification in General The United States and its global counterparts, who make significant use of the private security sector, have long struggled with matters concerning reciprocity, portability, compacts and licensure through endorsement. These are all different ways to talk about proposed solutions to barriers that exist when trying to remain compliant with licensure and certification laws from one jurisdiction to another. It is all quite complex, and each different approach to the problem has its pros and cons. Ultimately, license holders need to be able to function lawfully and professionally in jurisdictions other than their credentialing sources of origin. Be them states within nations, regions within countries or from country to country. A surge event is an incident in which the ability to provide and sustain essential services is either impacted or stressed by an over-usage of locally available resources. This could be fire, police, EMS, medical, pharmaceutical delivery and a host of other capacity-driven functions. The same holds true for private security – which is a go-to resource when local law enforcement is stretched beyond capacity, yet the need to protect is not only present but elevated. During an all-hazards or other surge type event, regulations are often relaxed through designated disaster preparedness clauses in local laws. These are typically tethered to some sort of government declaration that possesses the authority and contains the requites language to deviate from standard licensure protocols. This can occur at a municipal, local, state, or national level depending on the construct of the government. The persisting aspect of this relaxation of licensure laws and rules is the disparity between states, provinces and countries with respect to training requirements for line-level security officers, and their impact on a license or registration holder’s ability to surge in and work during the designated preparedness/ response time-frame. How is IASIR Positioned? I ASIR is uniquely positioned to facilitate a substantive change to the ongoing problem of security professionals being land-locked during disaster declarations solely based on perceived or real differences in training. While each jurisdiction is responsible for regulating the practice of private security within its borders, IASIR has developed and administers an international certification program for candidates and their employers to ensure they have the mobility to go wherever their career and emerging events takes them. This certification takes the form of company and individual designations. Process of S.U.R.G.E. Certification First, a company that meets established criteria that is tailored to their local laws and rules, can become a S.U.R.G.E.™ certified company during the first three years of the lifecycle beginning in 2021. Here is how it works. A company seeking certification from IASIR will furnish proof of all requisite documentation, on an application in the IASIR S.U.R.G.E.™ portal. Once the nominal…

Latest

Prama Hikvision Launches High Speed Entrance Control Products

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaDecember 16, 2020November 14, 202406 mins

Prama Hikvision, India’s leading video security solution provider, has launched high speed entrance control products – Swing Barrier, Tripod Turnstile & Flap Barrier. These high speed entrance control products ensure flexible solutions and fast access. It helps system integrators, installers and architects to choose any combination of identification sensors and build barrier gate solution as per the requirements. These high speed entrance control products (Swing Barrier, Tripod Turnstile & Flap Barrier) are used in airports, seaports, metro rail and railway terminals, corporate offices, banking and financial institutions, industrial complexes, government offices, education, parks, museums etc. Swing Barrier Gate Technological advances and the need for automation across various verticals is driving swing barrier gate adoption. The DS-K3B601 swing barrier gate can be installed in combination with various identification sensors such as intelligent card reader, fingerprint readers, and the facial recognition terminal (DS-K5603-Z) with Prama Hikvision’s proprietary algorithm. Whatever the need may be, they can provide the proper solution or a combination of solutions customized for a perfect fit. The card reader supports standard Wiegand 26/ 34 interface. The swing gate also supports standard Wiegand interface or 485 interface. These swing gates offer the best-in-class quality and the highest efficiency. Impeccable quality: The swing gates are made of stainless steel that meets the AISI304 standard. It has anti-crash protection with 1.5mm stainless steel. Other features include Guaranteed 5 million gate swings. 12 pairs of IR detectors. High throughput at 30-40 persons per minute. Anti-crash swing panel. Flexible options with customizable width and number of passages. Immediate response (less than 0.5 seconds). Advanced features: The users can unlock more advanced features with the professional iVMS-4200 access control software, such as alarm linkage, anti-passback, and much more. Facial recognition: Combined with the swing gate through RS232, Prama Hikvision facial recognition terminal DS-K5603-Z provides an intelligent facial recognition access control solution: 10,000 faces. HD face picture with 2MP camera Up to 99% recognition rate with excellent performance under backlight, dim light, and strong light environments. Fast facial registration. Live human face detection with 3D function, distinguishes live faces from pictures and videos. 1-meter recognition distance Target height between 1.4m-1.9m (4’7”-6’3”). Customizable swing gate direction and working modes Always open: Allowing access to all. Always closed: Limited access. Verification: Access by verification only. Adjustable open interval fits various throughputs. Gate opens automatically if power is interrupted. Works off- and online with remote management via software. Prevents unauthorized break-in and tailgating. Tripod Turnstile Stable mechanical components and turntable design. Bidirectional (entering/ exiting) lane. When the power is down, the barrier will be dropped automatically for emergency evacuation. System will cancel the passing permission if a person does not pass through the lane within the valid passing duration. LED indicates the passing direction (forbidden or available). Adjust the passing time duration via DIP switch on the control board. Multiple people can pass through the lane at a time after the continuous authentication of the passed people. Standard system input; wires with different kinds of card readers. Remote control and management. Stable system operation and low noise operation. Flap Barriers 32-bit high-speed processor. Permissions validation and anti-tailgating. Remaining open/ closed mode selectable. Bidirectional (entering/ exit) lane, the barrier opening and closing speed can be open or stop according to the visitor flow. The barrier will be open or stop working when people are nipped Anti-passback accessing. Self-detection, Self-diagnostics, and automatic alarm. Audible and visual alarm will be triggered when detecting intrusion, tailgating reverse passing, and climbing over barrier. Remote control and management. Online/ offline operation. TCP/ IP network communication, the communication data is specially encrypted to relieve the concern of privacy leak. LED indicates the entrance/ exit and passing status. Fire alarm passing.

National

Anil Puri Speaks on Union Budget 2021

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaDecember 1, 2020November 14, 202406 mins

Union budget 2021 presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Finance Minister of India on 01 February 2021 was a turning point and a landmark budget which is appreciated by all sections of industry acknowledging the bold initiatives, intent and paradigm shift in strategic planning to propel the growth of Indian economy on the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’,‘Self Reliant India’ and ‘Digital India.’ Muted criticism in a democracy like India proves the degree of acceptance. To me, it gave a feeling of ‘1991 moment’ when India took unprecedented acceleration in reforms. The major structural shift in policy reflects Central Govt’s resoluteness and strong conviction to achieve strategic independence by reduction in imports; unlike in past most of the Govt’s drafted the budget with an eye on the vote bank. Likely impact on the Private Security Industry (PSI) The private security industry does not fall into the bracket of manufacturing segment; it is grossly a service industry. This union budget is likely to have a significant impact on the private security industry in the following ways: Huge investment in infrastructure development like highways, metro rail, air ports, SEZ and sea ports etc., is going to increase business opportunity for providing security and allied services like toll tax management. Disallowing delayed deposit of PF as expenses will compel us to ensure its timely deposit. Reduced time limit for reopening of tax assessments to 3 years and establishment of faceless Income Tax Tribunals would reduce harassment. Announcement of voluntary scrapping policy to phase out polluting vehicles is likely to impact all PSIs but more so those providing CIT services. Impact of increase in custom duty on electronic items on PSI PSAs use a large number of electronic items like mobile phones, surveillance equipment, PCs, servers and related equipment. The increase in import duty on these therefore is likely to increase the cost to the private security agencies. These cost increment would be mostly applicable to the procurement of new equipment. Existing electronic equipment already being held will have the impact only in their repairs or upgrading. Rationale of Govt’s imposition of additional custom duty The government proposed to impose import duty on components of mobile phones and chargers as a part of review of 400 exemptions in customs duty including those applicable on the mobile devices segment. Govt cited following rationale for its action: To enhance local value addition. To align the thrust on easy access to raw materials and exports of value addition. To ensure twin objectives of promoting domestic manufacturing and helping India get on to global value chain and exports. Conclusion The Central Govt’s move to make India a manufacturing hub by boosting domestic manufacturing and to transform it as part of global supply chain as an intent and strategy not only sounds good but appears to be viable. Domestic manufacturing is getting a leg up in allocation of funds and recent procurement orders for instance are TEJAS from HAL with LCH in pipeline and latest version of ARJUN from DRDO, ATAG gun from Bharat Forge, drones from a startup and ship building. Domestic manufacturers of mobile phones like DIXON Technology and household electrical appliances by Amber Enterprises are likely to scale up manufacturing and reduce share of imports. Even during COVID 19 pandemic Indian domestic manufacturers played vital and major role in manufacturing of PPEs, medical devices, ventilators and ICU beds to reduce dependence on imports. In my view, the rhetoric of ICEA which is umbrella body for the mobile manufacturers should be taken with a pinch of salt. India must be able to gain a position of strength in manufacturing to counter the coercive protectionist trade policies of China and other nations to safeguard its national interests.

International

Fujitsu Strengthens Cyber-Security with AI Technology to Protect Against Deception Attacks

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaNovember 29, 2020November 14, 2024012 mins

Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. recently announced the development of a technology to make AI models more robust against deception attacks. The technology protects against attempts to use forged attack data to trick AI models into making a deliberate misjudgment when AI is used for sequential data consisting of multiple elements. With the use of AI technologies progressing in various fields in recent years, the risk of attacks that intentionally interfere with AI’s ability to make correct judgements represents a source of growing concern. Many suitable conventional security resistance enhancement technologies exist for media data like images and sound. Their application to sequential data such as communication logs and service usage history remains insufficient, however, because of the challenges posed by preparing simulated attack data and the loss of accuracy. To overcome these challenges, Fujitsu has developed a robustness enhancement technology for AI models applicable to sequential data. This technology automatically generates a large amount of data simulating an attack and combines it with the original training data set to improve resistance to potential deception attacks while maintaining the accuracy of judgment. By applying this technology to an AI model developed by Fujitsu to judge the necessity of countermeasures against cyber-attacks, it was confirmed that misjudgment of about 88% can be prevented in our own attack test data. Details of this technology was announced at the Computer Security Symposium 2020 held from October 26 (Monday) to October 29 (Thursday). Background I n recent years, AI has been increasingly used to analyze a vast range of data in fields as varied as medicine, social infrastructure, and agriculture. Nevertheless, the existence of security threats peculiar to AI represent a growing threat. Examples include attaching small stickers to road signs to confuse recognition systems, and intentionally trying to trick AI models with slightly changed attack data in order to prevent correct judgment. To help avoid these types of threats, an adversarial training technique has emerged in which simulated attack data created in advance is added to training data so that the AI model is not fooled when it encounters malicious actors. Previous technologies remain insufficient for dealing with the challenges posed by sequential data, however. AI has a wide range of applications for this type of data, including for detection of cyber-attacks and credit card fraud, and so a growing need exists to develop technologies that can be applied to sequential data to strengthen resistance against deception attacks. Issues One way that cyber-attacks can be detected is through the analysis of communication log data. For instance, when an attacker logs in from the first terminal to another terminal, executes written malware, and performs a series of attack operations to spread infection, an AI model can detect the attack from the communication log of such operations. However, attackers disguise attacks by mixing them between legitimate administrative operations, such as collecting server logs or applying patches, which can lead to false negatives in the AI detection model. In order to apply the adversarial training techniques to such series of data, it is necessary to automatically generate a large amount of data simulating a deception attack as training data. In the case of media data such as images, it is possible to generate simulated attack data easily without damaging the characteristics of the original data by processing the data in units of pixels that cannot be discriminated by humans. However, in the case of sequential data, it is not clear which element affects the characteristics of the original data, so if you simply process a part of the data, the characteristics of the original data may be lost (Figure 1). For example, the communication log data used to detect a cyber-attack is a series of log lines consisting of various elements such as the source of communication, the destination of communication, the account used, the execution command, and the command arguments. In addition, even if simulated attack data can be generated, when it’s used to train AI, it is necessary to be careful not to decrease the judgment accuracy for the original attack data. Newly Developed Technology Fujitsu has developed a technology that can automatically generate simulated attack data for training, which can be applied to AI models that analyze sequential data and enable training with less deterioration in the accuracy of attack detection. The features of the developed technology are as follows: Automatic generation of simulated attack data When creating simulated attack data, we first prepare the original attack data as a base and the data used for impersonation. In the case of cyber-attacks, the attacker wants to disguise malicious operations as benign operations, so the base data is the communication log data of the malicious operation, and the data used for the disguise is the communication log data of the benign operation. Next, the communication log data of benign operations used for the impersonation is analyzed by the AI model before the countermeasure, and the data with the impersonation effect which is easy to be judged as the benign operation is extracted referring to the result. This extracted data is combined with the communication log data of the base malicious operation, and it is generated as simulated attack data. Since the communication log data of the base malicious operation remains unchanged, a large amount of simulated attack data can be generated automatically without losing its original characteristics (Figure 2). Ensemble adversarial training techniques Using the original learning data set and the simulated attack data set generated with the new technique described above, two kinds of AI models are constructed – an AI model which works accurately for the original learning data and an AI model which works accurately for deception attack data (Figure 3) and the decision results of the two AI models are integrated by ensemble learning using features indicative of possible deception attack data. In the case a cyber-attack is detected, it becomes possible to use ensemble learning to automatically and appropriately train AI models to decide which AI model’s decision should be…

International

Honeywell Introduces Virtual Reality-Based Simulator to Optimize Training for Industrial Workers

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaNovember 29, 2020November 14, 202403 mins

Honeywell recently introduced an advanced industrial training solution that combines 3D immersive technology with industry-leading operator training simulation to create a collaborative learning environment for plant operators and field technicians. Honeywell’s Immersive Field Simulator is a virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality-based training tool that incorporates a digital twin of the physical plant to provide targeted, on-demand, skill-based training for workers. “Faced with increasingly complex technology and an experienced workforce nearing retirement, operators need robust technical training and development solutions that accurately depict real-world environments,” said Pramesh Maheshwari, Vice President and General Manager, Lifecycle Solutions and Services, Honeywell Process Solutions, “Traditional training approaches often fail to meet the mark when it comes to helping panel and field operators and maintenance technicians in process plants become better at their jobs. The result can be reliability issues and increased operational incidents.” The Immersive Field Simulator offers a smooth, virtual walk-through to familiarize workers with the plant. It includes avatars that represent virtual team members. The simulator’s cloud-hosted, device-agnostic platform, which incorporates flexible 3D models, grows with the user as plant operations change. The simulator is customizable to meet specific instructional needs and project team members and plant subject matter experts can easily create customized training modules. Honeywell’s Immersive Field Simulator transforms training for today’s digital-native workforce, enabling employees to learn by doing while increasing knowledge retention, minimizing situations that can result in operational downtime improving competencies across a variety of areas. “With our end-to-end solution, console and field operators can practice different operating and safety scenarios, including rare but critical situations, in a safe, simulated environment,” said Maheshwari, “This approach significantly improves upon current training tools and methods. VR-based training boosts confidence and retention while improving overall professional skills. Experience shows that students using VR can learn significantly faster than in the classroom.” Honeywell’s Competency Management program, which includes the simulator training, is built upon decades of workers’ experiences using integrated control and safety systems. Honeywell has incorporated this experience into state-of-the-art competency-based offerings that improve worker performance and safety.

International

Rising to Meet the INTERPOL Digital Security Challenge

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaNovember 29, 2020November 14, 202406 mins

Imagine that a well-known company has been hit by a cyberattack – criminals have conducted a business email compromise (BEC) scam against the company, compromising the email of the CEO to trick an employee into making a payment of USD 100 million to an account controlled by the criminals. Now imagine you are a police officer working at the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in your country, and you are asked to work with cybercrime investigators as well as other digital forensics examiners around the world to investigate the incident. Although this is a fictional scenario, BEC fraud is a very real crime threat which police worldwide face on an increasingly regular basis. Real-world investigation This BEC scam was the premise of the fourth INTERPOL Digital Security Challenge – where teams of experts pool their knowledge and expertise in a race against the clock to investigate a simulated real-world cybercrime incident and gather evidence to identify the perpetrators. For the first time, the event was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the challenge, the 100 participating cybercrime and digital forensics experts from 50 countries had to analyse infected computers and contents of the BEC email messages received by the fictional company to uncover evidence of the malware used and the email servers which had been compromised. After linking the malware to a command and control (C2) server, the teams identified clues that would help narrow down the whereabouts of the cybercriminals and takedown the server. Adding an additional layer to the scenario, the criminals filmed the police takedown using drones and compromised the personal details of the officers involved. But one of the drones was captured, so the teams conducted digital forensic examinations to gather data from the device which identified the criminals’ location. A computer seized at this location was also analysed for further information on the cybercriminals’ activities. Craig Jones, INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime, underscored the importance of providing hands-on experience in using the latest techniques and technological tools for investigating cybercrime. “In the ever-changing world of cybercrime, theoretical knowledge is only one component of a successful investigation,” said Mr Jones. “Practical exercises like the Digital Security Challenge, which replicate the situations investigators will face in the real world, are great opportunities to gain the critical technical capabilities necessary to follow the digital trails left by cybercriminals,” concluded Mr Jones. Cybercrime investigations are becoming more and more complex and operational exercises such as the Digital Security Challenge, which simulate some of the hurdles that investigators face every day, are vital for the development of our capacities. Public-private partnership The five-day (12-16 October) event was organized in close collaboration with private industry partners NEC Corporation and Cyber Defence Institute. Throughout the simulated investigation, virtual training sessions were conducted to develop participants’ practical knowledge on relevant topics including malware analysis, drone forensics and BEC fraud. For the first time, NEC and Cyber Defense Institute joined the Challenge. Isao Okada, General Manager said, “We strongly believe this kind of event can help attendees gain the technical capabilities required to fight the latest cyber crimes.” First held in 2016, the Digital Security Challenge helps police worldwide develop the skills necessary to tackle the latest cybercrime threats. Previous editions simulated cyber blackmail involving Bitcoin, a ransomware attack, and the hacking of ‘Internet of Things,’ or IoT, devices.

Feature

People Do People Things: The Future of Security is Human

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaNovember 29, 2020November 14, 202407 mins

As 2020 comes to an end, the importance of understanding the relationship between humans and technology is at an all-time high. Widespread shifts in the fabric of our society, prompted by the ongoing pandemic, exposed weaknesses in security tools and protocols for remote workers, highlighted issues of network reliability and accessibility, and demanded that humans find innovative ways to keep organizations running. While the fallout from the pandemic is unignorable, the ability for people to respond to seemingly endless challenges has been nothing short of remarkable. The year 2021 will continue to reflect human resilience and ingenuity. It will be the year of workarounds and self-serving insider threats, where people find ways to accomplish their goals despite dealing with personal and professional adversity. Workarounds, shortcuts, and creative work strategies are simultaneously a celebration of human creativity and a risk for organizations who are desperately trying to maintain visibility of their assets. Ultimately, people sharing data and accessing corporate networks in new and potentially unsanctioned ways carries quite a bit of risk – especially for organizations that are new to managing remote workers. The result of these changes is that successful cybersecurity strategies will stop trying to use technology as a unilateral force to control human behavior. Rather, organizations will come to terms with the reality that adding more and more technology or security does not lead to behavioral conformity, especially not conformity that aligns with security principles and adequate cyber hygiene. In fact, additional layers of security may push more people outside of the guiderails due to increasingly aggravating security friction that blocks them from completing tasks or easily accessing critical organizational assets. Understanding precedes predicting In light of this, understanding how people adapt to, respond to, and inform their environments is critical for organizations heading into the new year. For far too long, the tech world has created products with the assumption that people will use them in an expected or uniform way, or that people would conform to the rules and constraints laid out by well-meaning engineering teams. If we’ve learned anything from 2020, it is that people are not always predictable, and making assumptions about human behavior is a dangerous game to play. What’s surfaced is that expectations, guidelines, best practices, and even commands will yield every type of behavioral response – from rigid compliance to retaliatory noncompliance. What can we do? We can learn more about what motivates behavior, and how people ultimately choose to behave. We can also commit to designing and implementing security practices and tools that work with humans instead of against them. To do this, however, we have to focus on measuring and understanding behavior instead of focusing exclusively on detecting compromises and vulnerabilities. For instance, we know that people’s immediate needs often outweigh potential negative consequences – especially when the consequences do not have a direct, individual, and immediate impact. This means that when we need to accomplish our goals we often take the easiest route. Unfortunately, the easiest route is often riskier than the ‘ideal’ route. When faced with frustrating, security-heavy file and data sharing tools, we may turn to sharing via personal cloud applications. Making rules to stop people from engaging in this type of behavior is not working – so rather, we have to better understand these behaviors to find ways to mitigate their risk to organizations and organizational assets. Building behavioral understanding into systems Within the cybersecurity industry, observing and understanding behaviors must come with context. What may appear at first glance like an obviously malicious act likely to lead to data loss – for example an engineer requesting access to multiple sensitive data repositories over the course of two days – could simply be a person getting their job done. Our engineer may be doing this because she’s been added to several new projects and needs to be able to collaborate with her new team. We want people to be able to do their jobs within the constraints of our corporate network and policies, so blocking them would only encourage the human tendency to find an easier (and less secure) route for getting their jobs done. With an interdisciplinary research team, pulling experts from security, counter-intelligence, IT, and behavioral sciences together, behavioral understanding can be built into cybersecurity systems. And this is the first important step for finally starting to move cybersecurity left of breach – designing security for the human element.

Feature

Improved Alarm Accuracy with AcuSense Technology It Makes You Feel Safer

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaNovember 29, 2020November 14, 202407 mins

Video surveillance has evolved from a simple requirement for clear images to video content analysis (VCA) for improved management. Now, with deep learning, security solutions are enabled with sophisticated intelligence and efficiency at a whole new level. Prama Hikvision’s AcuSense is newly born out of this, which makes advanced VCA and deep learning capabilities available to small and medium businesses, and residential customers for the first time. Small and medium businesses have many of the same surveillance and security requirements as larger organizations. They need to identify and react to perimeter breaches in real time, and they need to automate footage searches to fast locate true events. Another example could be the security and protection for your residential area. Why you need accurate alarms? I magine, when you need to look into the security of your house, the first line you probably would consider is its perimeter. The idea is to prevent intruders from breaking in. However, conventional surveillance system may not do the job well enough. Why? Conventional surveillance systems provide certain detection features enabled by video content analysis (VCA) such as motion detection, line-crossing detection and intrusion detection, but they would simply compound all event detections, triggering frequent alarms when an object is detected. This could be an animal, a shadow, or other natural movements – we call them false alarms. As a result, you need to spend time to investigate each one, potentially delaying any necessary response and generally affecting efficiency. So being able to identify the real threats – the presence of a human or a vehicle – would greatly improve the accuracy of perimeter VCA functions. Prama Hikvision’s hassle-free AcuSense technology can help achieve this goal, and give you a cost-effective way to protect your locations and assets. Enhanced alarm accuracy saves time and worries Employed with advanced VCA and deep learning algorithms, Prama Hikvision AcuSense helps you maximize security with efficient human and vehicle detection by categorizing alarm information into human, vehicle, and other objects. With high accuracy, the system disregards alarms triggered by other objects such as rain or leaves, and delivers alarms that are associated with human or vehicle detection. With Prama Hikvision’s AcuSense, you also get a ‘quick target search’ feature that allows security personnel or local police to find footage quickly in the event of a security incident. This saves many hours rather than searching for footage manually. Efficient alerts and video clips help you in the know Now re-imagine your perimeter security system armed with Prama Hikvision’s AcuSense technology. Video surveillance is in operation when an intruder tries to sneak on a windy and rainy day. The intruder probably thought such bad weather would do him a favor, as there are no witnesses near your house. But this is not the case. The security camera incorporated with AcuSense precisely captures the intruder entering your front yard. At the same time, you receive a message on your smartphone and view the video feeds. With this verified alarm, action can be taken straight away. Prama Hikvision’s AcuSense prevents problems before they escalate into would-be emergencies. Our fully-integrated video surveillance makes it easy for you to see and capture important activity with video alerts, live feeds and 24/7 digital video recording – all easily viewed from your Hik-Connect app. Prama Hikvision AcuSense key features False alarm reduction: Reduces false alarms triggered by inanimate objects to a minimum, vastly improves alarm efficiency and saving costs; Quick target search: More efficient and effective file searching based on human and vehicle classification, preventing security personnel from having to search through footage manually; Strobe light and audio alarm: Wards off potential intruders by combing siren with flashing light. Prama Hikvision’s AcuSense technology can be found in our EasyIP and Turbo HD product ranges, which provide the ideal security solutions for small factories, residential estate and villas, small hotels, and gas stations, indoor and outdoor, to name a few.

Feature

Challenges and Solutions to Managing a Fire Detection System in a Hospital

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaNovember 29, 2020November 14, 2024133 mins

There are over 1200 NHS hospitals across the UK, spread across 223 NHS trusts, ranging in age and complexity. Very few of them are single stand-alone buildings, instead the sites usually represent complicated infrastructure networks, that have grown and developed over a few decades. This in turn increases the complexity of the fire detection system across the whole site. The challenges in managing fire detection system in such structures can be associated with: Cost of ownership: Management of aging system and replacement components availability. Contracts locked to a single supplier of the fire protection services. Structural challenges: Management of different detection systems within one hospital. Management of works and renovations in the hospital, while ensuring uninterrupted fire safety. Protection of temporary structures. Maintenance of challenging wards that do not allow for interruption of services. Management of full or partial fire system upgrades. Evacuation and fire strategy: Buildings cannot be fully evacuated. Complex fire safety strategies employed. Fire spread information is routinely used. System performance issues within specific environments: False alarms. HPV cleaning. COVID-19 nebulising spray. Contingency wards protection. Cost of ownership Many of the challenges associated with the management of an aging system and immutable maintenance contracts could quite often have been avoided if the new sites were delivered with consideration for future building evolution, system lifecycle and the total cost of ownership. Fire detection equipment is generally expected to last 10 years (FIA guidance on the life expectancy of a fire detection & alarm system issue 1). However, the same equipment will often remain in place for up to 25 years. In a national survey carried out with healthcare fire officers, 50% of respondents described their system as between 10-20 years old, with a further 13% saying it was over 20 years old. Old systems tend to be difficult to manage due to reduced system reliability. Varied faults can cause false alarms and unnecessary disruption to hospital operation, and this can result in fines. The biggest issues come when the system cannot be maintained any longer due to component obsolescence or due to becoming unsupported by the manufacturer. A system renovation often only replaces sections of the system. Equipment such as detector heads and the control panel are likely to be replaced only if proven to be troublesome or prone to false alarms. Ideally the fire detection system will have forward and backwards compatibility meaning that a modern control panel can replace the ageing one without changing the detectors and modern higher reliability detectors can be used in the current control panel to address false alarms. Thus, areas of the system can be updated and will work seamlessly with the original system. This gives the ability to manage specific issues and to be able to renovate the system in phases, spreading the cost and minimising disruption. It also ensures that even if some components have been made obsolete, there is a modern replacement available, that will work reliably on the old infrastructure. Otherwise, it is possible that the whole system will require a full and immediate overhaul due to an unforeseen component obsolescence or non-compliance. The cost and complexity of renovation itself can vary dramatically depending on the type of system installed. Some NHS sites in the past have experienced very high cost of ownership for closed protocol systems. Closed protocol can be described as a system where only a single supplier of installation and maintenance services is authorised to work with the fire system. The ownership of systems like this means that the building owner is locked into a contract and the only way out is a full system replacement. The cost of replacement usually deters end users from changing a manufacturer and therefore they usually don’t have a choice but to carry on managing a system that is expensive to run and limited in choice of service suppliers. By avoiding closed protocol solutions, a competitive tendering process can be encouraged between different fire protection service providers. A fire system that allows the customer to choose between any qualified engineer to service/ install a system is known as Open Protocol. The original cost for these systems can be higher than the closed alternative, but once the total cost of ownership is considered, over the lifetime of a system, open protocol solutions tend to be more cost effective and flexible, allowing the building owner to choose between service providers that suits their requirements and quite often between control panel manufacturers. The total cost of ownership is often overlooked due to differences in managing capital and operational expenditure within NHS trusts, nevertheless, it is paramount to ensuring the best system is chosen for the building and is future-proofed, as well as the best possible financial outcome for the NHS. Structural challenges There are usually a number of construction and renovation works happening across a hospital complex at any one time, which often creates additional challenges for the fire system. Any works being carried out must be done without any downtime and minimal disruption as hospitals are operational 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Contractors can create copious amounts of dust that can set off smoke detectors, causing false alarms. This combined with maintenance work being carried out at night can cause a headache for healthcare estates staff as personnel must be called out of hours to correct it. One option to prevent these false alarms while ensuring fire safety is to temporarily replace smoke detectors for heat detectors in the area being worked in. Heat detectors or CO/ heat detectors are not prone to contamination and therefore are less likely to falsely activate due to dust. It is important to consider that smoke detectors’ coverage area is larger than a heat detectors and therefore a point for point replacement will result in a loss of coverage. Another option is to use a multisensor with multiple modes of sensitivity such as Apollo Soteria, this detector is much more resilient to false alarms due to its advanced chamber…

Case Study

Olymbec Chooses Hanwha to Secure its Properties and Improve Rentability

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink IndiaNovember 23, 2020November 14, 202405 mins

Olymbec, one of the largest, privately owned industrial real estate holders on the East Coast has chosen Hanwha cameras to help secure its properties and improve rentability. Managing upwards of 300 properties in Quebec and 15 different States in the US, Olymbec owns more than 30 million square feet of property. Managing this much real estate means that Olymbec has to balance a variety of concerns, including providing positive tenant experiences, generating revenue, and protecting assets. When it comes to security, the company is faced with everything from accidental damage and theft to vandalism and refuse dumping both inside and outside their buildings. However, Olymbec’s existing analog-based camera systems were not meeting the company’s needs. After looking at a number of different options, the company chose Hanwha Techwin because of the range of products, the modularity of the solutions the excellent training and customer support, and the cost, which allows Olymbec to add components easily. Today, Olymbec has deployed over 700 operational cameras and carries stock for both replacement purposes and new systems. The deployed cameras are connected to either a Wisenet WAVE VMS system in their larger installations or to NVRs in their smaller installations. Through their VPN, everyone at Olymbec, from the CTO to security personnel and property managers, can access video footage from every security camera remotely from their phones and tablets. This allows them to view footage from anywhere at any time and gives them the flexibility to react quickly and appropriately when an incident occurs. Hanwha cameras have the capability to trigger alerts and alert security personnel, based on a variety of rules such as detecting motion after hours. The company has spent ¾ of a million dollars on equipment from Hanwha to deploy its new security infrastructure. The result is a robust, homogenous environment that makes it easy to manage and add new camera systems to its properties. The cameras are used as a deterrent or after-the-fact for investigative purposes. This means that Olymbec relies heavily on the quality of the video feed. To capture the best possible video, Olymbec decided to go with multi-sensor, multi-directional cameras, which are deployed across the company’s properties allowing them to cover a very wide area with just a single device. The multi-sensor cameras also work very well when it is time to pull footage. This is especially helpful because Olymbec’s security department receives video requests from law enforcement 4-5 times each month. “Using our new security system, we are able to ensure the integrity of our video evidence. This is important when local law enforcement asks us for footage to help with an investigation,” said Jack Ross, Chief Technology Officer, Olymbec USA & Canada. Olymbec remains enthusiastic about their decision to install Hanwha cameras. “It was important for us to choose a platform that is both complex enough to meet our needs and reliable enough to set up and simply let run. When it comes to reliability, as well as flexibility and ease-of-use, I think Hanwha really shines,” concluded Ross.