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“On the way, we are bracing ourselves to deal with Biological threats” – Chairman CAPSI CAPSI signed MoU with Security Institute UK   Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) held its Midterm Conference 2021 and their Governing Council Meeting virtually on 18th June 21 in association with Businessworld. Anurag Batra, Chairman and Editor in Chief of Businessworld was the Guest of Honour. Important dignitaries like M L Kumawat, former Chairman of Rajasthan State Service Commission, Lt Gen Balbir Sandhu, and Ramesh, CEO of Quality Austria Central Asia (QACA) graced the occasion. The meeting was enthusiastically joined by members from across India. Kunwar Vikram Singh, Chairman, CAPSI commenced the meeting highlighting the number of initiatives taken by CAPSI for the growth of private security industry (PSI) during last six months, especially after the 15th Annual Security Leadership Summit held on 17th December 2020. He shared his vision of raising the standard of PSI to global level.  He highlighted that the number of MoUs that CAPSI has signed so far is the testimony of initiatives in right directions.  One of such MoUs was signed with Security Institute of UK which is one of the largest security institutes in the world. CAPSI had joint event with them on Terrorist Threat or Protect Duty Law of UK. The chairman highlighted that all of them have faced the threats of COVID.  It is high time that we understand this type of biological threats to humanity and economy, and PSI must take appropriate measures.  As a step forward, a MoU was signed with ISIO of USA to introduce security protocols against biological threats. MOU with SASA enables entry of CAPSI in African continent, and the similar with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), Ahmedabad enables collaboration for high level of security courses and training.  He mentioned another proud moment when delegation of CAPSI represented India in Round Table on Compliances organised by DCAF in Geneva. The chairman highlighted yet another major milestone reached by CAPSI was Star Rating for PSA, vision for which was set by him in 2013. CAPSI and QCI jointly launched the scheme in Feb 2019.  Due to continuous follow up, GEM has now made Security Star Rating a requirement before uploading a tender. The chairman said, “This is like a dream come true.”  Certification process for Star Rating is very tough. Both QCI & CAPSI have put in a lot of efforts in identifying and creating the basic tools that would be essential for the certification. QCI has provisionally granted accreditation to two certification bodies – they are TQ Services. apart of Tata Projects Ltd, and Quality Austria Central Asia Pvt Ltd. (QACA) –both organizations are of international repute.   There has been very good response from PSAs and the process for implementing Security Star Rating for PSAs is going on. He mentioned that a number of meetings of Central Committees were organised since Feb. The Committees contributed immensely by recommending positive changes in respective fields for the benefit of PSI.  The reports were circulated with members in Mid Term Conference.  The chairman complimented the efforts by the committees.  He also mentioned one major achievement that is ‘one nation one contract,’ and a model contract was shared with all members.  He also complimented Legal and Conflict Resolution Committee for finalising this document. The chairman highlighted that during second wave of COVID, CAPSI took the challenge and a number of initiatives for the welfare of PSAs.  Notable among them was to approach central as well as state government for the priority in vaccination for the security personnel.  Oxygen concentrators were bought for the benefit of members.  A toll free number was activated; sticker was issued to our people to enable their hassle free movement from and to the place of duty. Chairman thanked the Governing Council, NOBs and all members for the whole hearted support to CAPSI and exhorted them to continue to support the initiatives by the CAPSI. Mahesh Sharma presented the Mid Term Report which was already shared with the members.  He brought out that the security industry has done a lot especially during COVID time and whole nation now recognises the contributions of PSIs.  He asked the members to be united and help each other.  The state chapters are doing good works in representing CAPSI to controlling authority. Dr Anurag Batra complimented the chairman for his selfless contribution which is the true reflection of a great leader, and said that the last eight weeks have been very tough for every one due to COVID. He endorsed the views of the chairman that every small can become big, and  spoke of biological threat and economy to brace itself for that. As presented at the forum, state chapters are doing yeoman’s work for the PSI in their respective states  — especially during COVID times, they went out of their ways to help security personnel and remained united.  Most of the states had excellent views of controlling authorities of their respective state.  A couple of states mentioned of problems in renewal of licenses.  Chairman mentioned that state chapter presidents must coordinate with respective controlling authority and in case problem persists, approach CAPSI which has always promptly taken up case to appropriate level. Sudhir Bhasin, National Vice President, CAPSI spoke on COVID security management by PSAs.  The subject was very live – more or less everyone was affected with the impact of COVID in last one and half year. The subject Common Service Level Agreement was presented by D P Singh, State President, CAPSI Bihar Chapter.  It was found that the contract for PSI is very important and it was noticed that the service provider i.e., PSA was at receiving end – with the vision of the chairman to have ONE NATION ONE CONTRACT. Vikram Mahurkar, Vice Chairman, CAPSI covered security guards as first responders. He highlighted that end users feel that the security guard employed by him is known to all individuals.  Whereas the service takers need to understand that the guards need to…

BIWIN, a chip manufacturer for flash storage, reached an agreement with Acer to bring Acer-branded memory and personal SSD storage products to customers in India. The product offerings will take advantage of BIWIN’s manufacturing capabilities and Acer’s global brand recognition to provide the latest memory and storage solutions for both professional and home users. The new Acer-branded SSD portfolio offers a range of 2.5 & SATA, M.2 SATA and M.2 PCIe NVMe storage drives. The entry-level 2.5 and SA100 offers performance and reliability and is available in capacities from 120GB to 1.92TB. The RE100 is available as a standard 2.5” SATA drive as well as in a smaller M.2 SATA form factor. With capacities from 128GB up to 1TB (M.2) and 4TB (SATA), and with read and write speeds of 560MB/s and 520MB/s, the RE100 performs close to the SATA interface´s maximum speed and is an extremely reliable solution in terms of speed and capacity to upgrade any desktop PC or laptop to the latest SATA technology. Rajesh Khurana, Country Manager, Consumer Business, BIWIN commented, “We believe that we will be able to contribute to the Indian market through experience, expertise and strong network of Fortune Marketing. These advanced quality products will give us the opportunity to provide mind-blowing experiences to our customer like never before. We are looking forward to work closely with Fortune Marketing to promote best of Acer branded storage and memory products to the market. On this association, Manoj Gupta, MD, Fortune Marketing added, “We are glad to partner with BIWIN for their Acer branded memory and storage products in India. Their cutting-edge technology and quality products will be a value addition to our portfolio. It will further enhance our B2B solutions range to the Indian market by offering best-in-class products through our strong distribution network’’ . In terms of maximising performance, an Acer-branded M.2 PCIe Gen3 NVMe storage drive – the FA100 – is available in capacities from 128GB up to 2TB, reaching up to 3300MB/s read and 2700MB/s write speeds. This exceptional performance is six times faster than standard SATA SSDs. An Acer-branded DRAM module lineup includes standard SO- and UDIMM-modules with speeds in a range from 2666MHz up to 3200MHz and capacities from 4GB up to 32GB per single module. The perfect upgrade for any desktop PC and laptop – especially as demand is continuously growing for higher capacity memory modules. For high-performance computing enthusiasts, BIWIN will also offer an Acer-branded HT100 module with a heat spreader and a unique design. The densities (from 8GB up to 32GB) and the offered speed rates (from 2666MHz up to 3600MHz) meet a wide range of customer needs. For these newly launched product segments, Fortune Marketing Private Limited has been appointed as National Distributor in India.  

Adani Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Its diversified businesses include resources, logistics, energy sectors and agri-business. Adani group is the largest port developer and operator in India with Mundra being the country’s largest commercial port. With multiple ports, branches, manufacturing units and corporate offices at various locations, Adani Group is one of the largest business units. In all, this business group has 15,000+ employees with 900+ third-party contractors involved in the incorporation of various work orders across all business units. CHALLENGES Adani is widely engaged in multiple business units and ports with 50,000+ workers under 900+ contractors employed at various locations. Maintaining and managing entire attendance, diverse shifts and leave policies for the various locations and numerous workers at a central place was critical for them. Moreover, task allotment to workers based on its requirements, skills under a contractor and its verification against the respective contractor’s report were tedious tasks for the management. To provide approved and appropriate induction to each worker at a defined level, monitor the progress status of each work order and its segregation based on reports were quite challenging. Report generation to eliminate the fraudulent and erroneous payment of wages at contractors’ end had been the need of the hour. Moreover, their requirement of timely and error-free payroll processing was arisen to improve overall productivity. SOLUTION After comprehensive discussion regarding problems and requirements, Matrix offered COSEC Contract Workers Management solution for their workers under various contractors spread across four locations in India. COSEC Contract Workers Management offers centralized attendance management solution for various branches spread across multiple locations which automates all processes right from recording entries and exits up to processing salaries. COSEC Contract Workers Management facilitates enrolment of the worker credentials along with a photograph, documents, and induction details. It helps contractors to manage workers efficiently using contractors’ self-service portal. The solution provides multiple connectivity possibilities via Ethernet, Wi-Fi and mobile broadband. It eases the tracking of work order progress. It offers seamless integration with SAP using the database to database linking and offers the feature of real-time notifications in cases of exceptional situations via e-mail and SMS. RESULTS Enhanced security with effective worker’s enrolment process abiding by various induction levels. Increase in productivity of admin by 20%. Easy decision making due to the generation of customized reports. Smooth and effective monitoring of work orders. Improved security with centralized control and monitoring – reduced time spent by the security department. Error-free man-hours’ computation for quick & effective wages’ calculation. Minimized manual interventions.  

“AI-powered End-to-End Thermal Video Technology Solutions can Protect Businesses” Ashish Dhakan FOCUS (Forum of Critical Utility Services), recently hosted its 3rd knowledge series webinar with the theme ‘Best Practices in Managing New Normal’ – CCTV & movement control by adopting latest technologies (artificial intelligence & machine learning). In his opening remark V. Suresh, President, Forum of Critical Utility services, said, “The pandemic has permanently changed the nature and landscape of work, and both employees and employers are already adjusting to this new reality. Technology plays a central role in this new normal, which will change the definition of the workplace. Deployment of new solutions will provide additional safety for those who are working in healthcare, hospitality industry, government, educational institute, retail, project management, manufacturing, worship places. This event is aimed to provide you knowledge on practical implementation of solutions.” In his keynote address as a Chief Guest, Ashish P. Dhakan, MD & CEO, Prama Hikvision India and Chairman – Security at FOCUS, briefly gave an overview of the ongoing efforts to minimize the pandemic risks through AI enabled thermal technology and solutions. He said, “In these challenging times FOCUS is doing lots of good works, which is an incredible thing. Being proactive and creating awareness about security technology is an empowering vision for all the stakeholders’ of critical utilities. The need of thermal screening technology in the Security and surveillance industry under the present circumstances is felt more than ever.” He further added, “The challenge today is how to ensure public safety as efficiently as possible, without affecting the 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 AI-powered end-to-end video technology solutions can support businesses of all sizes in this endeavour.” After the keynote address, Vinay Mishra, Senior Vice President, Prama Hikvision India Pvt. Ltd. gave his presentation on AI-powered end-to-end thermal video technology solutions related to temperature screening, mask detection, flow control and social distancing solutions. He elaborated on the key features of the technology and the advantages it offers in various application scenarios like hospitality, healthcare, retail, banking, education and transportation verticals. He further added, “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. AI-powered cameras can intelligently identify whether someone is wearing a mask, while can also effectively checking their skin-surface temperatures. Equipped with this information, staff can take appropriate action to reduce the risk of viral spread.” As a co-presenter in the FOCUS webinar, Ashish Gujarathi, AVP, Non CCTV products (access control, intrusion alarm, VDP and perimeter security) explained the key functions of thermal technology, contactless facial recognition terminals with temperature screening and mask wearing alerts, walkthrough metal detector door with temperature screening, flow control, people counting and social distancing solutions. He further elaborated on key aspects of thermal technology and systems that are helping to protect people and businesses. He explained, “Intelligent video cameras such as those within 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,” At the webinar, the Prama Hikvision representatives had a Q&A session with the participants and answered the queries. The webinar was moderated by K.P. Dominic, Chairman of Marketing & Events, FOCUS. A.L. Narasimhan, General Secretary, FOCUS, thanked all the participants, presenters and the chief guest for making the 3rd Knowledge Series webinar a resounding success. The webinar had the convergence of end-users, industry leaders, academic experts, system integrators and partners, which provided a unique opportunity for sharing the latest technology knowledge, experience, and ideas to provide a solution in the times of pandemic.  

Anil Puri CMD, APS group 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 chairman of a corporate group. Training has been very close to his heart and has always occupied center stage in planning the businesses. He has been instrumental in building a team of highly qualified training professionals on Pan India basis to develop security protocols and deliver client and site specific training to enable the security personnel at premises of esteemed clientele. He has established ‘APS Centre of Excellence’ a training institution, a state-of-the-art training facility accredited with MEPSC and approved by PSARA Controlling Authority which has earned a place for itself in skilling of security personnel in PSI domain. He has also pioneered the virtual training of security personnel within the APS Group. Concept of Mobile Training Van was also his brain child which has risen in popularity chart. Here he has chosen to share his thoughts on the impact of Covid pandemic and future of the virtual training in PSI domain. INTRODUCTION It’s been unprecedented time across the globe. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to many significant changes in the way we live, learn and work. The novel Coronavirus or Covid-19 has changed how millions around the globe are educated and skilled. The spread and the fear of infection of Coronavirus has shut down almost all training centers and educational institutions. In the wake of an unprecedented lockdown period, the skilling ecosystem/ educational system is moving online as far as possible, turning classrooms into online spaces and teachers into virtual educators. Various authorities in their respective domains and realms, at the MNC corporate level/ at the higher educational institutions, and/ or at the school level, have been proposing the setting up of virtual classrooms for e-learning. The institutions for the past one year have geared up in full stream to conduct remote learning. The new paradigm shift in approaches to learning have not only narrowed down the equality gaps but also introduced innovative solutions for skilling in the sector. Many training academies, schools and universities throughout the country are attempting to provide some form of virtual learning with the help of virtual teachers and virtual platforms available. The government is formulating policies to foster digital skilling. There is a concerted effort to enhance the digital infrastructure to help facilitate the use of innovative educational tools. In the near future, digital skilling will no longer remain a novelty but an essential mode of imparting education. With digital transformation, parallel to the education sector, skilling system in PSI is bound to readjust itself by redefining how we learn and what we learn. Digital technology is also helping overcome language barriers – for learning material to be made available in multiple regional languages is a more feasible option when effected digitally. Innovative e-learning platforms have been gaining huge popularity. Students can attend classes and participate in discussion forums online, at their convenience, from their offices, homes and so on. Over the past few months, millions of students and teachers have adopted online education and skills. This includes the vocational education apparatus like technical training institutes focused on practical and shop-floor training, which have also transitioned to online delivery. TRADITIONAL MODE OF TRAINING IN PSI Traditionally, training in PSI domain has been predominantly run on ILT (instructor led training) pattern – face to face basic training conducted at PSA owned training centers as mandated by PSAR 2005. Post basic training – OJT and on site training – are conducted at client’s premises through ILT by trainer. Bulk of the time, this takes the shape of instructor mainly refreshing the skill sets acquired during the basic training with special emphasis on practical handling of security and safety equipment, access control, visitor management, material management, crowd control, handling of unruly customers, handling of emergencies, prevention of theft & pilferage, POSH and fire safety training. At most of the times this training is imparted outdoors at the space earmarked by the client. Client specific training is also conducted using same modus operandi. Most of the MNCs and organizations from IT & ITES domain have dedicated training rooms but balance of 99% employers premises are devoid of any dedicated indoor training rooms/ areas. Most of the times, the dedicated training rooms are occupied for conduct of ‘in house training programs’ as part of the corporate trainings which are being regularly run for the regular employees on their pay roll. These in house corporate training programs are not security related but generally have linkage to adoption of new technology, new processes, awareness drives about new business initiatives in specific domains and up gradation of skill sets required to be acquired by the employees to take it forward. Security personnel are always the last priority. The open space in the premises within the tight time window of availability of few minutes of change of deployment shifts of security personnel thrice in a 24 cycle. Duration of training is limited to 30 to 40 minutes and limited to the scope illustrated above. Indoor training is limited to PPT and training videos on standalone mode but no interface with client network because of cyber security protocol. Selected few have started using the mobile training vans to fill in the void of the dedicated training room at client premises. However, this has proved to be an effective tool of delivery of training but did not offset the requirement of the virtual training necessitated by Covid pandemic. IMPACT OF COVID PANDEMIC When Covid-19 struck in early 2020, everything changed dramatically. Forced into lockdown mode…

Anil Puri CMD, APS group 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 onground. 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 chairman of a corporate group. His acumen for handling crisis management has prompted him to share his exclusive and niche experiences in past through the series of articles. Here he will be discussing the Counter Terrorism. The topic in specific here is – the ‘Protect Duty.’ The proposed legal framework currently under process of consultation before implementation in UK. His analysis goes on to decipher the implications for stakeholders in UK & its global ramifications with particular reference to the cues Indian PSI can pick from ‘Protect Duty.’ Introduction The terrorist threat is multifaceted, diverse, and continually evolving prominently with global footprints. Most prominent amongst these the tragic events of 9/11 and 26/11 which forced the nations to consider the threat of terrorism seriously. Stringent procedures were evolved and enforced yet the perpetrators of terrorism find new ways & newer technologies to beat the security system. The new millennial fundamentalists have beaten all the traditional security systems hollow. The incidents of the terrorism have risen exponentially world over. They have used internet for creation of fake IDs, digital banking for financing, hacking of data & telecom devices for communication and GPS to navigate into unchartered territories to their optimum advantage. The police, private security services, counter terrorist forces and public at large do all they can to combat this threat but the acts of terrorism continue unabated. Since March 2017 UK police and security services have foiled 27 plots, including eight motivated by Right Wing ideologies. Since terrorists enjoy the freedom of selection of target & time of strike coupled with the most decisive factor – the element of surprise – it will never be possible to stop every terrorist attack despite best planning, preparation and response matrix. The terrorist attacks in UK, particularly since 2017, have resulted in colossal loss of lives and casualties amongst common people going about their everyday routine business, often in open, public places; and have changed the lives of many people. What is non-debatable is that the first duty of any Government is to protect the public. The Government in UK has come forward to improve the safety and security of public venues, as outlined in the 2019 General Election Manifesto of the Conservative Party. The proposals are based around the set of safety and security protocols known as ‘Martyn’s Law,’ developed as a result of the Manchester area attack in 2017. The proposals have been open to consultation for 18 weeks till 25 July 2021. This consultation considered how all stakeholders can work together to develop proportionate security measures to improve public security. It also considers how those responsible for publicly accessible locations are ready and be prepared to take appropriate action, if terrorist attacks were to happen. UN Guiding Principle 1 I t will be of relevance to quote that the United Nations Human Right Council (UNHRC) unanimously adopted the UN Guiding Principles in 2011. The first pillar of the UN Guiding Principles on Human Rights (hereinafter UN Guiding Principles) underscores that the duty to protect human rights lies with the state. Under international law, states are obligated to respect, protect and fulfill human rights. In practice; “States must protect against human rights abuse within their territory and/ or jurisdiction by third parties, including business enterprises. This requires taking appropriate steps to prevent, investigate, punish and redress such abuse through effective policies, legislation, regulations and adjudication.” Protect Duty – Definition and Status It is the name given to the UK Govt’s legal initiative to improve protective security and safety at public spaces and events under which the Govt intends to set out a legal framework for ‘publicly accessible locations’ to ensure that they are prepared for and protected against terrorist attacks. The current status is that the proposed legal framework is under consultation till end July 2021. Government is working with all stakeholders including public, private, outside organizations and counter-terror police in order to seek views on exactly: Who the Protect Duty should apply to? What will be required of stakeholders? How compliance should work? How is a ‘publically accessible location’ defined? Publicly accessible locations are defined as – ‘any place to which the public has access, on payment or otherwise, as of right or by virtue of express or implied permission’ and they include – retail stores, shopping centres and markets, transport hubs, commercial ports, schools and universities, medical centres and hospitals, hotels, pubs, clubs and casinos, sports stadium, music venues, festivals and visitor & tourist attractions, places of worship, Government offices, including town halls and job centres, high streets, public squares, parks and beaches. Publicly accessible locations would be split into sectors including health, education, retail, leisure, faiths zones and individual sites. Private venues such as places of employment or other locations where there is no public access are not intended to fall within the scope of the Protect Duty. What Protect Duty law will require from owners of public and private places? This new law would require venue operators to consider the risk of a terrorist attack and take proportionate and reasonable measures to prepare for and protect the public from such a terrorist attack. In essence there are five elements to it: To engage with freely available counter-terrorism advice and training. To conduct vulnerability assessments of their operating places and spaces. To mitigate the risks created by the vulnerabilities. To have a counter terrorism action plan. To plan for the threat of terrorism including enforcement of stringent physical security…

CrowdStrike, a global player in cloud-delivered endpoint and workload protection, recently announced its India Partner of the Year Awards for 2020. The awards recognise channel partners that meet or exceed assigned revenue targets and create successful customer relationships through the delivery of CrowdStrike-based solutions for the calendar year 2020. Value Point Systems, headquartered in Bengaluru won the India Partner of the Year Award for delivering the most net new revenue to CrowdStrike in 2020, and also secured the Best Corporate Partner Award. ACPL Systems took home the Best Enterprise Partner of the Year for 2020 for its successes in working in a number of key strategic verticals, Inflow Technologies scooped Best Small Medium Business (SMB) Partner, and Foresight Software Solutions was awarded Rising Star for 2020. Ryan Kern, Head of Sales at South Asian Technologies has been inducted into the CrowdStrike Hall of Fame as a Friend of CrowdStrike. Additionally, Narsimman V at Foresight Software Solutions, was recognised as CrowdStrike’s Best Partner Representative of the Year while Rohit Tanvar from ACPL Systems was named Best Partner Sales Executive for 2020. Girish Gargeshwari, Channel Director, Asia at CrowdStrike said, “We are pleased to announce the award winners across each category and recognise the efforts of our Indian partners during a year full of uncertainties. Last year’s many challenges were ably dealt with thanks to the combined effort and commitment shown by our partners and our team. It is a privilege to work with such partners who have become a key component in sustaining relationships with our customers. We are confident that we will continue to engage with our partners in a mutually beneficial way and grow together for many years to come.” Ashok Prabhu, Chief Executive Sales, Value Point Systems on winning the India Partner of the Year Award said, “We were the first channel partner for CrowdStrike in the region and they have completely changed the way we view the cybersecurity sector. CrowdStrike has helped us deliver a truly unique cloud-native security solution which has been highly appreciated by our customers. Winning the Partner of the Year Award is a testament to our combined efforts in the region. Our partnership has gone beyond just reselling; CrowdStrike has helped us build strong services and incident response teams that shows CrowdStrike’s commitment to the growth journey of their partners.” CrowdStrike works with partners through the CrowdStrike Elevate Program providing the training, support and services which partners need to achieve outstanding results in their particular markets and areas of specialisation. “In our journey in India so far, we have been fortunate to work with amazing partners who have shown resilience and sustained commitment to supporting our endeavour to serve our customers. We will continue to grow our strategic partnerships in the region and support more Indian enterprises with their security requirements,” added Girish Gargeshwari.  

Kartik Vig, Director, Security Consulting, Netrika It’s a competitive world, and not everyone plays by the book. Sadly, gathering competitive intelligence is one of the ways being used to not only stay abreast of competition, but may be even try beating the competition to the finishing line. It is an ever-increasing threat in today’s data-driven world, and it ranges from criminals trying to obtain business critical information for commercial or technical gains, to sophisticated state-sponsored organisations looking for political and military gains. While it is not always possible to know every threat present around us, a robust security policy encompassing physical security, cybersecurity, and protection from electronic surveillance is necessary to ensure that your secrets remain secret. Devices being used by perpetrators for surveillance and gathering intelligence are increasingly becoming more sophisticated, small and inexpensive, which can compromise not only your sensitive information, your private conversations, your plans as well as secrets but also the entire security of your building. Critical and sensitive information whether of business or personal nature, can be misused by any detractor and may lead to financial loss and/ or loss of reputation. With our unique approach and state of the art TSCM equipment, we offer a comprehensive TSCM solution, which could greatly improve the security of your organisation. TSCM helps ensure safeguarding of critical/ sensitive information in a professional and comprehensive manner. What is Technical Surveillance Counter Measure? Technical Surveillance Counter Measure (TCSM) is a term that was coined by the United States government, that describes the action of sweeping for devices that may be spying on you. TSCM was initially aimed at sanitising rooms for listening devices by detection of emission of radio waves. The process of TCSM has evolved to the point where non – radio emissions can also be detected. It encompasses securing communications technology, thoroughly inspecting and fortifying information technology and ensuring a heightened protocol of physical security. With a proper TSCM sweep, one can counter the risk of corporate spying, ensure confidentiality and safeguard inside information – losing which could impact your firm. The goal of a TSCM sweep is to identify existing security gaps and potential weaknesses in technical and communications security and to recommend corrective actions to neutralize the identified risks. Mentioned below are some of the most used surveillance tools, that maybe used by perpetrators trying to steal your information: Mini audio/ video cameras and recorders, as in everyday use items. Radio microphones, IP and wireless microphones and cameras. Wired microphones or cameras. Devices intercepting the electromagnetic radiation. Eavesdropping software monitoring GSM phones, computers, laptops and tablets. Microphones transmitting information through electrical grid, internet cables. Technologies used in Technical Surveillance Counter Measure and Caution I n today’s technologically vibrant world, there are a number of TSCM technologies available in the market, from radio signal analysers to spectrum analysers, non-linear junction detectors to IR detectors, camera detectors etc. However, one needs to be cautious as use of inexpensive and local devices for conduct of TSCM may lead to a false sense of security and loss of all security efforts envisioned for securing critical information. It is therefore highly recommended to adopt a comprehensive approach using state-of the art technology to counter the threat of illicit surveillance. To Conclude Deploying TSCM measures will help safeguard your edge over your competition, your trade secrets and your conversations from illicit surveillance/ intelligence gathering. It is also one of the best ways of mitigating such risks. Scheduling regular TSCM sweeps can safeguard your trade secrets as well as ensure peace of mind.  

Hikvision has announced the launch of newly updated HikCentral Professional 2.0 security software (HCP 2.0), which blends feeds from multiple systems onto a single platform. HCP 2.0 can be configured to link video security devices, alarm and access control systems, and more, including third-party systems through the OpenAPI – for easy centralized management of a variety of security and business applications. Frank Zhang, President of Hikvision’s International Product and Solution Center, said, “This is an important release for us, and a significant leap forward in our security management software offerings. HikCentral Professional 2.0 will help our customers manage a variety of activities seamlessly on one platform. We’re excited to see the value it delivers.” Nine key applications for numerous business needs HikCentral Professional 2.0 integrates multiple business and security systems with nine key applications, making it valuable to a wide variety of common security and business scenarios seen in buildings, factories, stores, apartments, and the like. Among them, video cameras and security alarms are integrated into the platform to deliver fluid live viewing and timely alarm notifications. Furthermore, access control can be included to assign a variety of access permissions using multiple methods including facial recognition, ID cards, fingerprints, QR codes, and more. HCP 2.0 also allows various personnel such as HR managers to set flexible attendance rules including schedules for shift work while delivering full reporting facilities. Additionally, site managers can also employ vehicle management and visitor management applications to streamline entrance management as well as on-site parking. Users can further rely on HCP 2.0 with intelligent analysis and reporting – an application that collects data and transforms it into easy-to-understand reports and dashboards. This includes flow status, people density and more. For systems management teams, HCP 2.0’s system maintenance application visualizes alarm and device notifications, as well as the full network and device topology for rapid, targeted action in unusual events. Last but not least, HCP 2.0 lets users deploy digital signage systems to display advertisements and announcements. The software comes with eight pre-installed templates for users to present content optimally. This can be crowd numbers and temperature status in a supermarket scenario, for example. Creating truly unified systems with enhanced security and greater operational efficiency With HCP 2.0, users will flexibly unite applications and build a tailored system to match their security and business needs. The unified approach not only creates greater situational awareness of their security environment, it also reduces real day-to-day management resources previously required by disparate systems. For example, users can integrate visitor management with vehicle management to enhance daily operational efficiency for building facilities. Facility managers can register visitor information into the HCP 2.0 system, and – by linking to an ANPR system – can set visitors to be automatically permitted into on-site parking. Similarly, the system can also pre-authorize visitor access to specific areas of an organization’s premises. Personalized user experience HikCentral Professional 2.0 can be tailored to deliver specific information to assigned users. The system comes with three pre-configured roles – ‘system installation and management,’ ‘security control and management,’ and ‘attendance management.’ In this way, HR staff can customize their feed to show employee attendance status, for example, while management staff can monitor security of the facilities. There is also one custom role, which can be tailored to specific needs. Perhaps most importantly, HikCentral Professional 2.0 features an improved user interface. Users can customize the control panel to suit their viewing preferences, simply dragging and dropping key video and device feeds into the dashboard, adjusting where they sit and how they look. Dynamic and intuitive user interface HCP 2.0 also incorporates multiple visualized dashboards that display key security and business insights generated from various applications, facilitating decision-making processes with more accuracy and efficiency. What’s more, users apply 3D E-maps that vividly demonstrate device monitoring statuses in different locations, and manage instant alerts interactively by clicking and watching associated live videos and other integrated system information. Easy setup and maintenance HikCentral Professional 2.0 is easy to deploy and quick to set up for a multitude of projects with single applications. Customers with minimum system requirement of Intel i3-CPU and 8 GB RAM can get up and running with a one-click installation procedure that makes HCP 2.0 setup a breeze. Operations guidance wizards are conspicuously displayed to support users in configuring key applications. In addition, the visualized health monitoring dashboards enable more focused and efficient IT maintenance.  

The first live and in-person B2B expo was inaugurated by Satyendar Jain, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Industries, Home, Public Works Department, Power, Urban Development and Transport, Government of NCT of Delhi. Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, MoHUA, sets the tone at the City Leader’s Conclave on Day 2. 500 participating brands, 250 speakers and 50 conference sessions; the expo demonstrated the power of in-person networking. The 28th Convergence India and the 6th Smart cities India expo 2021was recently inaugurated with a cutting-edge exhibition showcase and engaging conference sessions, along with business meetings and knowledge papers at India’s biggest tech and infra expo. Hosted by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and Exhibitions India Group (EIG), the expo marked the resurgence of live and physical events. The expo supports the Government’s vision of transforming India into a digitally and sustainably empowered economy. Convergence India is at the forefront of India’s digital revolution, while the Smart Cities India expo is a reflection of India’s emerging modernization and development landscape. The combination of these two leading expos, supporting India’s Digital & Smart Cities Missions, delivered an event that accelerated technological innovation, opening with key discourses on the growth of India’s digital economy and enabling entrepreneurship as a driving force for socio-economic development. The expo was inaugurated by Satyendar Jain, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Industries, Home, Public Works Department, Power, Urban Development and Transport, Government of NCT of Delhi, who stressed the importance of events such as the Convergence India expo and the Smart Cities India expo, in creating a digital and smart India.     Speaking at the opening session on ‘Building Cities for People’ at the Smart Cities Conclave, he said, “The idea of smart cities should also incorporate the idea of sustainability, for without it, no city can be smart. In building and developing smart cities, not only do we need to think about people but also work towards involving them in the process of planning and development. Water is going to be one of the biggest problems going forward, and we must think about solutions. Also, integrating new-age technologies such as AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) in the making of smart cities is the need of the hour. ”   A key highlight of the event was a stellar line-up of senior government representatives, leaders from large corporates and young tech start-ups, along with a mix of entrepreneurs, accelerators, incubators and academia, who addressed packed rooms and responded to queries from an inquisitive audience. Some distinguished and eminent industry experts included Kunal Kumar, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; Shobhit Agrawal, Partner KPMG India; P D Vaghela, IAS, Chairman, TRAI; Puneet Narang, Partner, Urban Transformation and Major Projects Advisory, IGH, KPMG in India; Dr. Renu Khosla, Director, CURE; Satish Jamadagni, Vice-Chair, TSDI; Dr. S K Gupta, Secretary, TRAI; Amit Kumar Ghosh, IAS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways; Puneet Anand, AVP-Corporate Affairs Unit, Hyundai Motor, India, and many more, who graced the conference sessions to share their vision and ideologies. After a successful day of in-person networking on day one, Day 2 marked the launch of the City Leader’s Conclave, with the inaugural session on ‘Building Better Cities.’ The Guest of Honour, Durga Shanker Mishra, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Govt. of India, paid a tribute to the Late Shri Prem Behl, Chairman & Managing Director, Exhibitions India Group, and expressed appreciation for being part of the 6th Smart Cities India. He referred to the event as the key platform for all technocrats, stakeholders, and city leaders to come forward and learn from each other and collaborate on the best practices they can highlight to build better cities. Speaking on ‘Building Better Cities’ at the City Leader’s Conclave, he said, “The first learning is that cities are for people, for its citizens, and not just for corporations and bureaucrats. Citizens have demonstrated that they can come together to think, aspire, benchmark, and create targets for what their city needs to do and what will be best for citizens. The main learning from smart cities is to identify how to get more from less and how to make cities more inclusive.” He further said, “There is no definition or specific explanation of smart cities. A smart city is a city which is able to provide the best services to its citizens, in terms of liveability, and one that can provide a conducive liveable environment, wherein citizens can realize their highest potential.” The occasion was also marked by the launch of a Knowledge Paper by KPMG in India, titled – “Road to sustainable smart cities – Challenges, opportunities and emerging trends.” This paper hopes to serve as a set of insights into the longer term nature of urbanization in India to help the various stakeholders introspect and prepare for the next generation of inclusive urban development programmes in India. It has attempted to evaluate the smart city programme across key aspects, ranging from simplified governance to complex programme implementation. Speaking on the occasion, Elias George, Partner and Head – Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare (IGH), KPMG in India, said, “ The knowledge paper findings reveal that while considerable headway has been made in attaining the objectives of the programme, further interventions are required at the regulatory, policy & programme management and design levels. It is hoped that this document will be of practical use for the key actors involved in the smart cities programme, to critically evaluate its status across these domains, and to undertake further reforms and corrections as may be warranted.” The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread turbulence across the world. As part of an emergency response to the pandemic, the Indian government leveraged the pioneering Smart Cities Mission (SCM) to enable cities to effectively leverage technology in improving citizen services and the overall quality of life. To deliberate on these challenges and the future roadmap of smart cities and learnings from them in India, various smart city…