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Year: 2021

Eagle Eye Networks Forecasts Key Video Surveillance Trends For 2021

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India05 mins

Eagle Eye Networks, the leading global provider of smart cloud video security, recently shared the trends that will have the biggest impact on video surveillance, security, and use of analytics to drive business intelligence and improvement in 2021. Customers are asking for cloud – advanced analytics will transform video surveillance systems into even more valuable business solutions, compliance requirements are constantly evolving, IT departments are engaging with, and in many cases owning video surveillance, and customers are expecting systems to be open and connected. “A number of factors are driving the video surveillance trends in 2021,” said Hans Kahler, Vice President of Operations at Eagle Eye Networks, “Innovation from companies like Eagle Eye Networks and our partners is leading and meeting the demands of customers for their video surveillance systems to provide business insights in addition to security. Combine the promise of AI and cloud video surveillance with the volatility, instability, and remote work environment of 2020 and we have an environment where people are looking for their video surveillance and security systems to deliver more business value than ever before. The acceleration of cloud adoption and use of analytics to provide improved security and drive business improvement will make 2021 a transformative year for the industry.” Video Surveillance and Security Trends for 2021 Customers are asking for cloud: The shift to 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. Analytics and AI turn security systems into business solutions: Video surveillance systems are not just for security anymore, they’re also a valuable tool for business intelligence (BI). While AI has been talked about for several years, its deployment has lagged. This year, we’ll see AI move from the lab to practical adoption. Compliance requirements are constantly evolving: As video surveillance becomes a more widely adopted tool across industries and continents and more industries are using video for compliance purposes, regulating its use is becoming more prevalent. IT departments more engaged and owning video surveillance: 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 while reducing unnecessary operational overhead. Demand for open, integrated systems: An open and connected ecosystem makes it possible for businesses and developers to integrate any number of applications on a single video management system (VMS) platform. The platform handles all the heavy lifting of interfacing with the cameras, recording video, securely transmitting and storing video to the cloud, and making video available for use in the integrated applications. The days of vendors ‘locking’ users into their cameras or touting ‘hybrid’ systems (which require upgrades to vendor hardware to get new features) will not be accepted.  

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Top 10 Security Industry Trends in 2021

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India016 mins

In spite of a highly unusual 2020, the security industry’s constant transformation has not stopped. Several significant shifts in the use of technology are even accelerating – for example the increasing applications of multi-perception technologies, the convergence of security systems, the popularity of artificial intelligence, and the rise of cloud solutions. These changes are expanding and reshaping the scope of the security industry, from keeping people and assets safe to creating more secure, efficient and intelligent environments. Looking ahead at 2021, we have high hopes, and Hikvision would like to share some encouraging ideas and thoughts here regarding key trends that may affect the security industry in both the short- and long-term. Intelligent video technology helping during the pandemic In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are prioritizing finding ways to resume operations safely. Intelligent video technology has shown great potential to help companies keep their employees and customers safe while getting back to work. Powered by AI, security cameras monitor densely populated locations to ensure employees follow vital safety precautions – including social distancing, mask wearing and flow control – and provide initial temperature screenings. Employees are avoiding unnecessary physical contact with shared hardware in this tense era, accelerating the touchless access control system trend we have seen in the market. Numerous modes of touchless verification – face recognition, palmprint recognition, NFC and QR codes – are being heavily promoted. Multi-dimensional perception For a long time, capturing visual images was the core and only perception capability for video security systems. But with the development and application of sensing technologies, more powerful edge computing and intelligent algorithms, integrated security devices and systems that employ multiple sensors are becoming possible. Now, more perception capabilities such as radar detection, multispectral imagery, humidity and temperature measurement, and gas pressure detection, are being integrated with video cameras and systems. This integration extends perception capabilities of these video cameras and systems, and widens their applications by enabling the collection and use of multi-dimensional information. For example, a promising approach right now integrates cameras with centimeter- and millimeter-wave radar technology, which can extend perception beyond the visual range to object detection and movement tracking up to and over 100 meters in the distance. Multispectral imagery is another good approach for cameras to perceive information from the non-visible light spectrum. For instance, innovative ultraviolet (UV) detection boosts the perception capabilities of cameras as far as even capturing invisible electric arc phenomena; this technology finds a key application in safety-checks at aging power grids. Multi-dimensional perception capabilities will play a fundamental role in taking the video security industry to the next level, and we constantly see growing numbers of integrated security devices and systems with multiple sensors. Visibility – Any time, any condition Users have come to expect uninterrupted performance from their video cameras, regardless of season, the weather, and certainly the time of day. It’s vital to have cameras that can respond effectively to capture clear images, no matter what time of day or night or how bad the weather is. Nowadays, low light imaging technology that provides colorful images in dark environments and at night is becoming popular in the security industry, and customers have shown a preference toward cameras with color imaging 24/7. More front-end cameras are now equipped with low light imaging technology to make sure they can ‘see’ and reproduce image color both day and night. And in other extreme conditions such as heavy rain, snow, fog or smog, how do cameras ensure visibility? Industry professionals are tending to choose thermal imaging that measures heat – or thermal radiation – to generate images from their field of view. With thermal imaging, the rendered image is far less affected by even the most light-obscuring of these conditions. 5G technology for UHD and wireless video security 5G technology may bring great changes to the security industry. 5G’s greater bandwidth and lower latency makes the regular transmission of high quality images possible, and, with the widespread adoption of ultra-high-definition (UHD) cameras, could bring new opportunities for video security. Furthermore, reliable wireless transmission over 5G technology will revolutionize the currently-wired video security market. In the forthcoming 5G networks, wireless cameras will proliferate, and more edge devices will be connected in remote locations. This will also facilitate wide and fast deployment of AI applications in edge devices. Convergence of multiple security systems We operate in an industry where users expect comprehensive solutions. The concept of systems working seamlessly together has long been desired by the vast majority of security professionals. The benefits of converging multiple security systems – including video, access control, alarm, fire prevent and emergency management – into a unified platform are manifold, with efficiency and cost-effectiveness the most obvious. For example, when an alarm goes off, an integrated system automatically links that alert to the output of the nearest camera, so the whole situation can be easily witnessed from the monitoring center. This translates to a considerable reduction in time and effort, and most importantly, costs. Savings in workforce, installer time, separate maintenance costs, separate software licenses etc., all add up to create an attractive package for customers. What’s more, convergence makes security solutions scale. Existing infrastructure will meet and manage future needs on the same central platform. Digital transformation of enterprises enabled by video security systems Aside from security and protection, the added value video security systems offer has expanded to assist enterprise-level businesses in their digital transformation process and gain insights into development opportunities. Empowered by AI analytics, today’s smart video security solutions are designed to improve automation and operational efficiency in various vertical markets including traffic, retail, manufacturing, building, education, and more. Retailers, for instance, better understand foot traffic in their stores and optimize their merchandising strategies with help of smart video solutions. These solutions have been designed with digital dashboards to display data and information that come from the integrated in-house enterprise information systems. Operators can use these systems to get real-time status updates to help them make the…

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MIPS 2021: A Glimpse Into The Future Of Video Technology

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India04 mins

With its 16th annual MIPS, 100 % virtual and free of charge, Milestone Systems invites partners, customers and media to explore the future of video technology under the theme of ‘Shaping the New Next.’ With more than 2,000 registered attendees from across the globe, MIPS (Milestone Integration Platform Symposium) is where the Milestone Systems community comes together to share insights, experiences, best practices and the latest innovations. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, this will be the first virtual MIPS conference, and the first where attendance is free. We will investigate how video technology is transforming business and society, and why video management systems are at the core of this change. During the two-day event, Milestone Systems will share inspiration from global innovation experts and Milestone Systems executives, and present success stories and industry insights from partners. Milestone Systems’ newly appointed CEO Thomas Jensen will talk about how video technology has moved beyond security and how we will be working with partners to embrace this shift. The CTO Bjørn Skou Eilertsen and CSMO Kenneth Hune Petersen will discuss macro-technology trends, accelerated technology adoption in key industries, and why Milestone Systems believes that video technology is the electricity of the 21st century. The event also offers a deep dive into the impact of video technology on city management, how video technology is improving every facet of transportation, and how computer vision and analytics are creating new opportunities in the retail industry for automation, personalization and even combatting Covid-19. Moreover, Milestone Systems will share insights into the latest deployment possibilities of our video management software, give an exclusive intro to Milestone Systems’ future direction, and present a new product launch. “Not only does MIPS bring together Milestone Systems’ global partner community to discuss our vision of where we are going and how we can contribute to each other’s success. This year, we are looking into how our technology is transforming how we work and live and how we can empower people to make the most of video technology – in security and beyond,” says CEO Thomas Jensen, Milestone Systems. MIPS will be held on March 1-2 for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and March 2-3 for both the Asia-Pacific and Americas events.  

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Cisco 2021 Data Privacy Benchmark Study Forged by the Pandemic: The Age of Privacy

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India026 mins

The COVID-19 pandemic led to dramatic changes in 2020. At a time of disruption and uncertainty due to the pandemic, people have been suddenly expected, and at times required, to share their personal information such as personal lives, routines, social circles, health status and other data with governments, employers, and also with strangers while learning to interact remotely and in new digital way to help curtail the spread of COVID-19. People have shifted much of their lives online, accelerating a trend that normally would have taken years. These mass-scale shifts in human interaction and digital engagement presented many challenging data privacy issues for organizations who aim to follow the law, stop the spread of the pandemic, while also respecting individual rights. It put strains on privacy as the need to protect individual’s data was often in conflict with the need to protect public health. Consumers and the general public are growing increasingly concerned about how their personal data is being used. Fortunately, privacy protections established over the last decade helped decision makers strike the right balance between individual concerns and community needs. Cisco recently published the 2021 Data Privacy Benchmark Study, its fourth annual look into corporate privacy practices worldwide, which found enhanced importance of privacy protections during the pandemic and increasing benefits for businesses that adopt strong privacy measures. The independent, anonymized survey analyzed the responses of 4,400 security and privacy professionals across 25 countries and explored attitudes towards privacy legislation and the emergence of privacy metrics being reported to executive management. In this year’s Data Privacy Benchmark Study, we’ve found strong evidence that privacy has become an even more important priority during the pandemic. Privacy budgets have increased over the last year, organizations have more resources focused on privacy, and privacy investments going above and beyond the law are translating into real business value. Privacy legislation and external certifications are providing assurance in a business environment where it’s hard to know whom to trust. Consumers are exercising their privacy rights and demanding enforcement of existing privacy protections. The reaffirmation of privacy’s value even during the pandemic positions it as a priority for years to come. Privacy is no longer an afterthought; it is core to how we work and interact with each other. The age of privacy has arrived. KEY FINDINGS In this study, we continue our exploration of privacy practices and maturity levels at organizations around the world, their financial investments in privacy, business benefits from these investments, and the forces driving these behaviors. In this year’s research, we also included several questions related to the pandemic and its impact. Some of the key findings include Ninety-three percent of organizations turned to their privacy teams to help navigate and guide their pandemic response. Privacy budgets doubled in 2020 to an average of $2.4 million. RoI was slightly down compared to 2019, but remains attractive with 35% reporting benefits at least 2 times their investments. Privacy laws are viewed very favorably around the world, with 79% of organizations indicating they are having a positive impact (and only 5% negative impact). External privacy certifications (e.g., ISO 27701, APEC Cross-Border Privacy Rules, and EU Binding Corporate Rules) are an important buying factor for 90% of organizations when choosing a product or vendor. Organizations with more mature privacy practices are getting higher business benefits than average and are much better equipped to handle new and evolving privacy regulations around the world. Data privacy has become a top area of responsibility for security professionals, with 34% of survey respondents indicating privacy is one of their core competencies and responsibilities. Ninety-three percent of organizations are reporting privacy metrics (e.g., privacy program audit findings, privacy impact assessments, and data breaches) to their Boards. These findings provide strong evidence that the commitment to privacy has been strengthened during the pandemic. Organizations that get privacy right improve trust with their customers, operational efficiency, and both top-line and bottom-line results. FORGED BY THE PANDEMIC: THE AGE OF PRIVACY 1. Helping organizations overcome the challenges of the pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic forced many changes on society in 2020, including a rapid shift to remote working and an often-urgent need for personal health information to support public health initiatives. Rather than being pushed aside, privacy teams and privacy principles have attained greater prominence as they have helped organizations manage this shift and balance the competing interests of individual rights and public safety. Ninety-three percent of organizations said their privacy teams played a significant role in helping them navigate and respond to the challenges brought on by COVID-19. These challenges included the shift to remote working, determining when and how to share personal information, and implementing controls to limit access and use of any shared personal data. During the pandemic, the percentage of organizations where most employees were working remotely jumped from 40% to 67%, and 91% of organizations had at least a quarter of their employees working remotely. Unfortunately, many were unprepared for this transition. Only 41% of organizations described themselves as fully prepared for this shift from a privacy and security perspective, and 87% of individuals expressed concern with the privacy protections involved in the tools they needed to work and interact remotely (See figure 1). In responding to the pandemic, governments and organizations needed health-related personal data to understand co-morbidity factors and exposure risk to keep their communities and workplaces safe. Despite the need, consumers generally supported few if any exceptions to the privacy protections for their data. Thirty-six percent of respondents in the consumer survey wanted no change to existing privacy laws, with another 26% supporting only limited exceptions. Only 10% thought privacy should take a back seat to safety during the pandemic (See figure 2). In considering specific use cases, 57% were supportive of employers’ need for health information to keep their workplaces safe, but most other use cases were only supported by a minority of respondents. These included location tracking, contact tracing, relaxing medical restrictions, disclosing information about infected individuals, and using individual…

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Union Budget 2021 Industry Comments

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India023 mins

The Union Budget 2021-22 has been the most awaited, and most anticipated event in the country. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister of India presented the Budget in parliament on 1 February 2021 amidst various expectations and speculations. The COVID 19 all through 2020 has brought a regime of doubts, uncertainty and speculations, and in the time people of India has been looking at the budget with great expectations. The Budget was pronounced and brought mixed reactions from the people. We spoke to the industry and some of the industry experts have passed their following points of view – some excerpts: The Union Budget FY 2021-22 is a transformative budget with positive resolve for India to grow further with a vision of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan that compliments the ‘Make-in-India’ initiative of the Government. Atmanirbhar Bharat is an expression of 130 crore Indians, who have full confidence in their capabilities and skills. The union budget has identified the six pillars of Atmanirbhar Bharat’s vision. On behalf of Prama Hikvision, we welcome the progressive and visionary budget and look forward to economic growth and stability. The budget has sincere intent to provide momentum to strengthen local manufacturing capabilities. The production linked incentive scheme (PLI) is a welcome move by the government. The review of the customs duty structure is clearly seen as a move towards promoting the domestic manufacturing. We hope that the review of the custom duty structure will be done after extensive consultation with the key stakeholders. As India is set out to become the third-largest security industry in the world, we are striving to accelerate and build on this momentum of local manufacturing. The Indian security industry has seen the self-reliance push in the union budget 2021. We are hopeful that the proposed customs duty hikes on key electronic components will further give boost to the ‘Make-in-India’ 2.0. Smart cities mission is an important driver of growth in the security industry, which has got a big boost in the union budget 2021-22 with allocation of Rs.6450 crore. The move to strengthen the overall research ecosystem to boost innovation and R&D in the country, an outlay of Rs.50,000 crore has been announced for National Research Foundation. It is a big step for accelerating innovation and R&D in India. The budget clearly shows government’s mega thrust on developing infrastructure, road transport, waterways, airports, railway, metro rail, ‘MetroLite’ and ‘MetroNeo.’ It is commendable for its inclusive growth agenda, overall a gradual step toward Atmanirbhar Bharat. 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…

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SeeClear: Focus on Excellence with 5 Hikvision Core Technologies

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India04 mins

Achieving excellence requires an eye for detail, a vision for success and the focus to see it through. It’s a rare combination that Hikvision has created with Hikvision #SeeClear: a set of core technologies that ensure our cameras record the finest details, while always capturing the bigger picture. Hikvision is dedicated to achieving excellence, which is one of our core values, and that’s why we’ve created #SeeClear: a set of technologies designed to give you a precise, uninterrupted view of every situation. Equipped with this comprehensive outlook, you are empowered to make rapid decisions for an optimal outcome every time. Here are 5 examples of how Hikvision core technologies can help you achieve excellence: Hikvision Super Resolution: Always get a precise and clear view To optimize your business operations, you need to see and understand everything. Hikvision Super Resolution allows you to capture both the wider view and the smaller details – all in super-high resolution – so you can maximize your visibility, and focus on achieving your goals. Hikvision Smart Rapid Focus: zoom in on what’s most important Success depends on your ability to focus. With Hikvision’s Smart Rapid Focus, you can zoom in from a bird’s eye view to a close-up image without losing clarity, even for a split second. In this way, you can monitor large areas with just a few cameras, capture critical events in vivid definition, and react quickly to every situation your business faces. Hikvision Image Stabilization: smooth video in unstable locations In locations where movement and vibrations are a constant feature, recording clear video footage is a major challenge. With Hikvision’s Image Stabilization technology, you get smooth, balanced imaging across your camera estate, making shakiness and poor video quality a thing of the past. Hikvision Defog: crystal clear video in adverse conditions Weather can make conditions in outdoor environments extremely changeable and unpredictable – and that can make it tough for video cameras to perform well. In particular, heavy rain, snow, and fog can limit visibility, rendering traditional cameras ineffective. Hikvision’s innovative, defog technology can enhance the color and detail of the field of view, so you never have to battle against poor visibility. Hikvision DarkFighter: clear video in ultra-low light Dark or low illumination conditions can be challenging to your business, whether you are protecting your premises, or actually working in low light. Hikvision’s Darkfighter technology provides high quality video imaging in very low light conditions, ensuring you can monitor and continually optimize your activities 24×7.  

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How to Survive an Abduction or Hostage Situation

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India023 mins

A thought leader and an action catalyzer rolled into one – Anil Puri is a rare combination of a visionary, and one who has mastered the art of strategic and tactical thinking to the core. He has been using this combination to seed new ideas and to lead them to their implementation on-ground. This has been a consistent feature of his career. He has rich experience of approximately 35 years in corporate in diverse domains & from functional managerial level to apex as the chairman of a corporate group. His acumen for handling crisis management has prompted him to share his exclusive and niche experiences. He is discussing the topic in three distinct parts in separate articles; Part 1 – Hostage situation & Role of the Corporate Security; Part 2 – Negotiation Skills; and finally Part 3 – How to survive an abduction or hostage situation. He will take you through realistically at ground zero in visualization and response matrix through series of these three articles. His third article in the series dwells on the survival techniques in an abduction or hostage situation. This will be the closing article in the series.   It’s really scary to think about being abducted or taken hostage, but knowing how you should handle the situation can help you feel calm and focused if it does happen. While the best thing you can do is to avoid an attack in the first place, if someone attempts to kidnap you, try to get away before they can incapacitate you. If you are taken into captivity, comply with your kidnappers and observe your surroundings until you can escape or be rescued. Fighting off an Attack Run away from someone who tries to take you if you can. If you’re ever in a situation where someone tries to abduct you, do anything you can to avoid going with them. Try to pull away from them, then run as fast as you can in the direction of the nearest people or building that you can see. Especially avoid getting into a vehicle, since it will be much harder for authorities to find you if your attacker drives you a long distance. If you’re taken hostage, the situation may unfold very quickly, and you might not have the opportunity to run. Yell to draw attention to the situation. If someone makes an attempt to kidnap you, start shouting right away, especially if you know there are people nearby. Even if the attackers manage to subdue you, keep yelling to try to get someone’s attention. If someone hears a shout and they see what’s happening, they may be able to help you before you’re taken away. Try yelling something like, ‘Help!’ or ‘Call the police!’ As a suggestion, yelling, ‘FIRE!!’ is your best bet. People are more likely to respond to fire, and this can summon help faster. At the very least, an onlooker can contact the authorities and let them know that an abduction has taken place. They may also provide critical details like the kidnapper’s physical appearance or the type of vehicle they’re driving. They may really try to get the license plate to see if the car was stolen or to see if it is really their car. Fight your attacker as hard as you can. It is really hard not to panic, but if you can stay calm and focused on survival, you may be able to fight off an attack if someone grabs you. Fight in any way you’re able, whether that’s hitting, kicking, biting, or scratching. As you do that, try to target your kidnapper’s eyes, nose, throat, or groin, as these are especially sensitive targets. As long as there’s still a chance you could break free and run, it’s worth fighting for. This is your best chance to escape, because the moment it is hectic, and there’s a chance someone will see what’s happening and intervene. Look for objects in your environment to use as weapons. As you’re fighting off your attacker, try to gather yourself enough to scan around you. Look for anything that’s close enough to grab that might give you an edge in the fight. If there’s nothing that you can use as an offensive weapon, check for anything you can use as a barrier between you and your attacker, like a chair or a table. For instance, even if your attacker knocks you down, you might spot a loose chunk of sidewalk that you can grab to hit them with. In your home, you might be able to grab a heavy vase or lamp, a fireplace poker, or even a large book. Dealing with Being Captured Follow your captors’ instructions once you are in captivity. If at any point it becomes clear that your captors have gained the upper hand, stop resisting right away and comply with any orders they give you. You’re more likely to be hurt or killed if you continue fighting after you’re overpowered such as if you’re being held by multiple people, put in restraints, or placed in a vehicle or other confined space. Once you’re abducted or taken hostage, it’s best to take a measured approach to escaping, rather than an impulsive one, so start evaluating the surroundings rather than fighting to get away. If you’re put into a vehicle while you’re conscious, try to pay attention to as much about the trip as you can, like how long the car travels without stopping, the direction of any turns, or any sounds you notice on the road. If you’re in the trunk of a car, look for a glow-in-thedark handle that you can pull to release yourself from the trunk. If this release cord isn’t present, try to kick out the tail lights and wave your hands to alert other motorists that you’re trapped inside. Stay calm and focused on survival. It might be really hard, but once you’re taken captive, try to dig deep within yourself to find your composure. Try to…

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Major Data Breaches that Happened During the COVID Pandemic

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India012 mins

  The COVID pandemic has caught everyone unaware. While we’ve all been busy adjusting to the new normal, cybercriminals have been making merry. They are taking advantage of the disrupted environment to carry out cyber attacks. This is evident as a recent study shows that the number of data breaches in 2020 has almost doubled with 3,950 confirmed breaches against 2,103 recorded breaches in 2019, with the year far from the end. About 80 per cent of the data breaches have occurred due to simple brute force attacks, which should raise serious concerns regarding data security. These cyber-attacks are also not limited to technologically weak enterprises but rather impacted big names that have strong data security measures in place. Here’s a look at six such enterprises that faced major data breaches during the COVID pandemic. Whitehat Jr. Whitehat Jr. recently reported a data breach exposing data of 2.8 lakh students and teachers due to multiple vulnerabilities in their infrastructure in November 2020. The exposed data contained student names, age, gender, profile photos, user IDs, parents name, and progress reports of minor students forming a major part of the exposed data. Salary details of WhiteHat Jr employees, as well as its internal documents and dozens of recorded videos of online classes being conducted by the platform, were also exposed, according to the researcher. Big Basket BigBasket, the popular Indian online grocery vendor was reported to have faced a data breach that affected the data of over  2 crore customers. As a result of this data breach, personal information such as email IDs, full names, IP addresses has been compromised and is reported to be put up for sale on the dark web. The data lost in the BigBasket breach, which was mostly that related to customers’ personal details, more than being critical to business operations warrant an extra degree of security. That’s because losing this data can not only be disastrous from a public relations perspective but can also land companies in legal trouble which can last for years and cost crores of rupees in damages. Twitter The Twitter data breach occurred on the 15th of July 2020. Cybercriminals hacked verified accounts of influential and well-known personalities on Twitter. How influential and well-known, you ask? Well, the hacked accounts included the names of Elon Musk, Barack Obama, and Bill Gates, to name a few. The criminals behind the hack then proceeded to post fake tweets from the compromised accounts. The tweets promised USD 2,000 for every USD 1,000 sent to a Bitcoin address. The hackers had a big payday as they managed to make over a hundred thousand dollars in Bitcoin transactions. Marriott International The Marriott data breach happened on March 31, 2020. The data breach exposed data of more than 5.2 million guests who used the hotel’s loyalty application. The attack was carried out by using the login credentials of two Marriott employees. These employees had access to the customer data regarding the hotel chain’s loyalty program. Hackers accessed names, birthdays, travel and loyalty program information data in the data security breach. This is the second such attack faced by the hotel chain. The company reported a data breach in 2018, which compromised the data of around 500 million guests. Zoom Zoom, a video conferencing app, gained massive popularity during the pandemic. It simplified business meetings by allowing 100 participants for video conferencing at a time when enterprises over the world faced difficulties communicating with their workforce. This rising popularity made it the subject of a major data breach shortly. In the first week of April 2020, Zoom faced a major cyberattack. Around 500,000 Zoom account passwords were stolen and were available for sale on the dark web. Besides, the victims’ personal meeting URLs and HostKeys were available too. Clearview AI Clearview AI, a major firm dealing with facial recognition technology, became a victim of a data breach on February 26. The perpetrator of the attack gained unauthorized access to the Clearview AI’s entire client list. The data breach also left exposed around 3,000,000,000 photos scraped by the firm from social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Moreover, the number of user accounts opened by clients and the number of searches they had conducted were also compromised. The firm’s clientele includes major law enforcement agencies in the US, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, and other corporate firms. The firm is already mired in controversy regarding its use of facial recognition technology for matching social media images against suspected criminals’ photos provided by the police department. The data breach further adds fuel to the fire. While most of the data security breaches were due to external cyber attacks, there were some instances where data breach was internal and unintentional. The main reason for these data breaches were poor data security standards that left the data exposed to unauthorized individuals. Let’s have a look at some of these instances. Social media accounts data breach On August 1st, 2020 it was discovered that around 235 million Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube user profiles were compromised. This data security breach happened due to an improperly secured cloud database. A HongKong based company, Social Data was storing the data without password protection on their clouds. The data could be accessed by any individual easily as it was available freely on the internet. The data contained the following records: Profile name. Full real name. Engagement statistics. Number of followers. Age. Gender. Follower demographic. While most of the data mentioned above are available publicly, what’s alarming is that the database contained about 20% of the records contained a phone number or an email address. Such private information is susceptible to cyberattacks, and hence, a cause of major concern. 2. Virgin media A Virgin media database that contained personal details of 900,000 users were accessible online for about ten months before being discovered. The data security breach occurred due to an unsecured database, as it is reported that the database was ‘incorrectly…

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DS-K1T642 Series MinMoe

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India04 mins

Prama Hikvision, India’s leading video security solution provider has introduced DS-K1T642 series MinMoe face recognition terminal product range for touch-free access control and attendance checking with a special feature of Face Mask Wearing Alert. Hikvision’s DS-K1T642 series MinMoe face recognition terminal adopts deep learning algorithm, which helps to recognize the face faster with higher accuracy. It also supports multiple authentication modes – face/ card/ fingerprint authentication etc. It can be applied in multiple scenarios such as buildings, enterprises, financial industries, and other important areas. Hikvision DS-K1T642 series MinMoe face recognition terminal comes with a 4.3-inch touch screen 2MP wide-angle dual-lens. It has the face anti-spoofing feature. Embedded with deep learning algorithm, this face recognition terminal has 6,000 face capacity, 10,000 card capacity, 5,000 fingerprint capacity for device support fingerprint related functions, and 150,000 event capacity. Hikvision DS-K1T642 series MinMoe face recognition terminal has two special features (face mask wearing alert and forced face mask wearing alert) to support the organisations in the times of pandemic. Face mask wearing alert: If the recognizing face does not wear a mask, the device will prompt a voice reminder. At the same time, the authentication or attendance is valid. Forced mask wearing alert: If the recognizing face does not wear a mask, the device will prompt a voice reminder. At the same time, the authentication or attendance will be failed. Its other features include the following: Face recognition distance: 0.3m to 3m. Face recognition duration <0.2s/ user. Face recognition accuracy rate ≥ 99%, capture linkage and captured pictures storage. Transmits card and user data from or to the client software via TCP/ IP protocol and saves the data on the client software.  Imports pictures from the USB flash drive to the device or export pictures, events, from the device to the USB flash drive. Stand-alone operation, manage, search and set device data after logging in the device locally. Connects to one external card reader via RS-485 protocol. Connects to secure door control unit via RS-485 protocol to avoid the door opening when the terminal is destroyed. Connects to external access controller or Wiegand card reader via Wiegand protocol. Two-way audio with indoor station and master station. Supports 6 attendance status, including check in, check out, break in, break out, overtime in, overtime out. Supports multiple languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Thai, Indonesian, Russian, and Vietnamese. Supports voice prompt customization for Hindi and Indian regional languages. Configuration via the web client, remotely opens door and starts live view via Hik-Connect. Supports ISAPI and EHome 5.0 protocol.  

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How to Manage the Flow of People through Very Busy Buildings

MassMediaLink India LLP SecurityLink India06 mins

Normal daily life involves a lot of people moving around the inside of buildings. In bustling transport hubs, busy shopping centers, office blocks and warehouses, people are constantly moving past each other and between rooms and floors. But for the moment, this way of life has been forced to a halt – and understandably so. Within an enclosed space, there is a greater chance of transmission of illness. So to restrict transmission, businesses must also control the movement of people through very busy buildings. The challenge today is how to do this as efficiently as possible, without affecting business interests. As we adjust to a new way of life, businesses must embrace innovative ways to optimize the density and flow of people through their premises, to protect workers, customers and visitors, while also protecting their businesses. The good news is – AI-powered video technology can support businesses of all sizes in this endeavor. Protecting people and businesses with AI video I ntelligent video cameras such as those within Hikvision’s Flow Control Solution, use people-counting technology coupled with dynamic digital signage to display how many people are entering and leaving a building or indoor area. The cameras feature highly accurate 3D binocular vision and deep learning algorithms to accurately count the number of people flowing through, even in the busiest sites with multiple entrances and exits. The same cameras can also support social distancing in areas where crowds and standing in line is unavoidable. When the camera identifies that people are standing closer than the pre-determined threshold, it will trigger an alarm. The cameras can also be linked to digital signage, to display a visual notice. For even greater reassurance, businesses can add in thermal and mask-detection camera technology, to help ensure people are safe to enter a location in the first place. Hikvision’s AI-powered cameras can intelligently identify whether someone is wearing a mask, while also effectively checking their skin temperatures. Equipped with this information, staff can then take appropriate action to reduce the risk of viral spread. Putting the technology into practice At a time when it’s incredibly hard for businesses to balance profitability with safety, Hikvision knows from the projects that they’re working on that AI-powered video can offer business value. Hikvision technology enables people managing office blocks, warehouses and supermarkets to accurately count everyone that enters and leaves the premises, to ensure they never exceed safe capacity. This data can also be linked to access control solutions, to physically prevent people from entering until it is safe to do so. Retailers, especially, can make use of digital signage to display how many people are in a store, so that customers understand why they may need to wait in line. Indeed, in retail – where it’s normal for people to wait at checkouts or crowd together in narrow aisles – making use of a Hikvision dual-lens camera can help businesses to maintain vital social distancing rules. Meanwhile, in indoor transport hubs – where people are not only gathering, but travelling on to new locations – adding in thermal screening and mask detection is especially valuable. Safe building capacity can be managed, while any travelers that may show signs of a raised temperature or who are not wearing masks can be informed. Technology such as Hikvision’s can essentially help businesses to reopen as safely and profitably as possible. Get the full back-to-business story However, choosing the right technology is only one part of the back-to-business story. Businesses should also be aware of the compliance, legal and HR requirements when installing and using this technology. And the technology must be effectively and expertly installed, to ensure it achieves its full potential.  

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