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The private security industry in India has gained a strong footing in the last decade. With the largest number of private security agents – estimated at 7 million – this industry provides employment to a huge section of people. Urbanisation, and introduction of government proposals such as Mission Smart Cities and Make in India have created a demand for more and more security personnel. Current state of affairs Private security industry plays a huge role in the safety of commoners. For a densely populated country like India, the police to people ratio is not significant enough, which has made the private security industry all the more popular. However, this industry grapples with many crises every day. One of the major problems is the lack of accountability from the security personnel. Security industry in India is largely unregulated, and it’s not uncommon to see guards swapping their shifts without intimating their employer. This impersonation can be potentially harmful, not just for the customer, but also for the security company This is just one of the many problems plaguing the security service providers. Unless there’s a scheduled visit or patrolling by a supervisor, there’s no way to monitor if the guards are alert on their job. Surprise visits to the premises are not a productive alternative either. The human body which is designed to retire at sunset starts to inevitably feel tired and dull during night shifts. Therefore, it makes sense to place your trust in systems, rather than a person to supervise the security personnel. How cloud telephony can help Automated Calls with IVR based check-in To check if the guards are alert, a simple mechanism such as an automated call can be set to trigger at particular time intervals. These calls can solicit input from the guards to ensure that they’re alert. Alternatively, they can be imparted with small training modules in vernacular that are a minute long, asked a related question towards the end of the module, and solicit a response from them. A lot has been said about the lack of training for the security guards. This is an interesting and engaging way to keep them alert and awake. Their call response is an attestation to their situational awareness and alertness. Actions can be initiated by the agency if they fail to respond or answer the call. This method is more proactive than reactive, and adheres to the urgency of the situation. Apart from these call check-ins that fall into a predictive pattern, surprise check-ins can be done by triggering calls at random times. This keeps the security officers alert and ensures they don’t nod off on duty. Automated check-in calls are a more sustainable solution, and the message or structure of the call can be changed every now and then to break the monotony, which is one of the major gripes of security officers. Reminder calls for shift changes Automated reminder calls can be set to go out an hour or 30 minutes prior to the shift, which ensures that the security officer is on time to relieve the on-duty officer. This reduces the chances of no-show or turning up late to the shift. SMS updates to the customer Since the shift rotation chart is prepared in advance, the details of security personnel on duty can be setup to be sent to the customer via an automated SMS message, which they can verify with the help of the personnel identification card. This ensures no impersonation can take place, thus assuring the safety of the customer. IVR to handle new/ potential customer queries For a security services provider, it is essential to be available at all times and put the customer’s safety interests first. Instead of employing a full-scale call center solution, IVR automation can be introduced to answer FAQs. This helps to optimize existing resources better, while also ensuring that an agent does not have to be on-call at all times. A technology like cloud telephony can bring responsibility to this unorganized sector. What’s more – it is not a stand-alone solution. A virtual number that is obtained from a cloud telephony service provider can help provide all the features mentioned above. By Shivakumar Ganesan – CEO & Co-founder of Exotel  

Convergence has been a continual trend in the security industry for over a decade. It began with simple integrations of similar types of security equipment such as adding video cameras to an intrusion system or break-glass detectors to an access control system. The level of integration, however, has quickly evolved – now physical security is being integrated with systems designed with functionality outside of security applications. End users are no longer satisfied with a lack of return on investment from security equipment. Rather, their priorities have shifted from wanting to improve the effectiveness of their security systems toward finding new ways to earn a positive return on investment from these very systems. Historically, physical access control has always been a local, on-site responsibility for those in charge of security management. This is due to huge variations in the methods used to secure buildings, both regionally and by building type. As such, it has always been difficult for larger enterprises to roll out ‘one-size fits all’ access control solutions across multiple sites because of huge variances in the requirements for a given system. The result therefore is that end users responsible for managing these systems now require different training or must issue multiple credentials for multiple locations. Many of these pain points and inefficiencies could be eliminated if credentials are managed centrally; this is where logical integration becomes beneficial. Despite companies often possessing multiple access control systems (each with their own unique database of access rights), they also often have a central database, known as an active or corporate directory. An active or corporate directory is a database that companies use to keep track of employees, contractors, and even customers for a variety of purposes including human resources or IT login credential management. As this database spans multiple sites, it could potentially be used to pull user credentials to create physical access control credentials for the entire enterprise. There is already a wide variety of different levels of logical and physical access control integration. However, pulling physical security access rights from the corporate or active directory is essentially doing so in its most basic and simple form. Features and benefits of integrating these two systems Automation of credential management: Rules-based access control can be implemented by automating system assignments. For example, when a new user is added from the corporate/ active directory, the system can also look every attribute (location, job role, time with the company, etc) associated with the employee. The system then sets default access rights depending on an employee’s attributes. This can greatly speed up the process of adding new users, and it also helps sync access rights with the company’s corporate structure. Unifying credentials: Integrating logical and physical security systems also creates more opportunities to unify credentials. Access control badges or cards can be used for additional functions outside of physical security. Examples include using the credential for two-factor authentication when accessing the IT network, secure printing, or micropayments in the company cafeteria. Improved auditing capabilities and increased accountability: Across an enterprise, the summation of access right changes, on-boarding/off-boarding, and temporary access rights provisioned from its access control system equals a huge volume of requests each month. Without an overarching system, the methods available to senior management for accessing and reviewing logs are limited and inefficient. Corporate governance integration and automation: Logical integration provides the potential to roll out uniform governance across all of the company’s access control systems by enforcing company policy through identity management. Policy checks can be programmed into permission requirements, allowing companies to ensure that best practices are followed. The system also allows the company to verify whether policy was followed, further increasing accountability among employees. Barriers to further adoption Cybersecurity concerns: Connecting every access control system to the IT network, and also managing all of the identities associated with the company via a single system creates huge network risk. If the system is hacked, every identity associated with the company is quickly compromised. Additionally, connecting all the new devices offers hackers new routes into the network, which means that all of the hardware’s software needs to be updated regularly to reduce cybersecurity risk. The lack of an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution: Logical integration projects often require large commissioning and design efforts because they are highly complex both initially and after implementation, particularly with respect to maintenance. This means there is a cost involved for the entire lifecycle that the system remains in place. Lack of developed identity management infrastructure: Many smaller-sized enterprises lack identity management platforms capable of supporting physical access management. And with many larger-sized projects, end users often find that their current authorization policies and best practices have not been updated since they first adopted the identity management system. The result is that these systems must be updated before being integrated with physical access. By Jim Dearing – Analyst, Access Control & Fire, IHS Technology  

UBM India is all set to bring in the fourth edition of ‘Security and Fire Expo (SAFE) South India’ for the first time at Hitex, Hyderabad during 28 – 30 June 2018. The expo aims to bring together renowned Indian and international brands from video surveillance, access control, entrance and home automation, and perimeter protection industry to interact, network, view latest innovations, and source and gather business solutions  and invaluable expert supports – all under one roof. SAFE South India is supported by the Electronic Security Association of India (ESAI) and Asian Professional Security Association (APSA).  Highlights: Security services revenue to reach USD1.69 Billion by 2019 Central Government has shown commitment to enhance the security budget by 35% 70 plus brands showcasing their latest technological advancements Conference on the changing paradigm in security technologies With a distinguished line up of key exhibitors and thought leaders on board, the expo will add immense value to the commitment shown by the Central Government to enhance its security budget by 35 per cent for creation of a dedicated homeland security department, developing coordinated intelligence gathering, protecting critical infrastructure and upgrading maritime security. The revenue for security services accounted for 61% three years ago in 2015, and is expected to increase to 66% by 2020. Security spending on hardware, software and services in India is expected to cross the USD 1.69 billion mark by 2019. SAFE South India will be a launch pad for security companies to introduce products in this emerging market, and establish relationships with the key decision makers. The congregation will see security professionals from across industries including security and safety managers from hospitality, IT/ BPO & service industry, real estate, port authorities, power plants, logistics, construction, architecture, automobile, manufacturing, industrial, retail, jewellery, health, education, IT, networking, telecoms, automation, BFSI etc. The 4th edition of SAFE South India has attracted prime exhibitors such as Mark Electronics Corporation, Timewatch Infocom Pvt. Ltd., RoadPoint Ltd., N S Enterprises, ACJ Computronix, Advance Infotech, WYSE Biometrics Systems Pvt. Ltd., Mantra Softech (I) Pvt. Ltd., Matrix Comsec Pvt. Ltd., Prama hikvision India Pvt. Ltd., Pictor Telematics Pvt. Ltd., Axestrack Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd., R G International, Lana Technologies Private Limited, Tekno Electro Solutions (P) Ltd., Face ID Systems LLP, HiFocus Electronics India Pvt. Ltd., Enterprise Software Solutions Lab Pvt. Ltd., Futureeye Global Technologies, CAMTECH Solutions, Dahua Technology India Pvt. Ltd., and Vamo Systems Pvt. Ltd., amongst others. The event will also be organizing a unique conference on The Changing Paradigm in Security Technologies, slated for Day one. The conference will comprise in-depth speaker sessions and panel discussions on trending subjects such as ‘Security of a New-Age City,’ ‘The Role of Drones and UAVs in Homeland Security,’ ‘Visual Analytics in Ensuring Safe Cities,’ ‘IoT and Security of Assets’ and ‘The Threat of Cyber Attacks on Surveillance Systems,’ among others.  “The expenditure on surveillance and security has been increasing in the Indian market in recent years. The government has taken various initiatives to increase security services revenue which will benefit the citizens as well as the security and surveillance services industry. After all, a modern civil city should be able to showcase seamlessly safe, smart, energy efficient and technologically advanced features.  Notably, for the first time since its inception, SAFE South India is being brought to Hyderabad as a strategy to get the show closer to the end users by rotating it across the several key Indian cities that are situated in South India. SAFE South India provides an exclusive platform for the leading players in the security industry to tap into the growing South Indian market by    forging joint ventures, partnerships/associations, sourcing, dealerships and networks.”   Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India Pvt. Ltd.                           

There are several factors that make the widespread adoption now difficult, the first of which is the pitfalls of different phones and the platforms on which they run. Not everyone carries the same type of phone – or even a smartphone. When you have 3,000 people in a company who all need credentials to access a facility, it is rarely feasible to give each person a phone that will run the application needed. Another consideration is how to handle visitors and contractors that might require short- or long-term access to a facility. Perhaps more obvious is the challenge that emerges when a mobile device runs out of battery, thereby rendering it useless when trying to access a facility. Considering privacy Another challenge end users face when considering implementing a mobile-based access control solution is the concern employees may have regarding privacy. When using mobile credentials on a private mobile phone, there’s a certain level of access an employer has to the phone. Employees are concerned as to how employers are using their information with regards to location-based data, or where an employee is at any given moment. Naturally, with this level of access to personal information, there’s going to be a concern about how that data is used. While there is definite movement in the direction of mobile credentials across enterprises, another issue is the proprietary nature of the technology. Since it’s still emerging, there are no common standards in place that police can use, so end users that choose to invest in the technology are often locked into a single manufacturer’s system without the flexibility that more open-platform solutions allow. Addressing these concerns Many end users are now shifting toward a hybrid approach to access control that utilizes both traditional badges that allow access to a facility, as well as the option to use their mobile device as their credentials. The argument is that many employees will have their phones on them at all times, but might not always remember a badge or ID. Having the option to use either solution is becoming a more widespread use of mobile-based systems. With regard to privacy concerns, it’s important for security managers to work closely with human resources and other C-level executives to implement best practices for the use of this technology in an effort to better inform employees and guide implementation. Customer point-of-view We are seeing an increasing customer demand for mobile credentials, so it’s important to understand their needs when discussing which access control solutions are ‘right’ for an organization. Many want the flexibility to offer multiple options to their employees, but again, have to consider the privacy implications as well as the technology involved in trying to implement such a solution. Another consideration is the actual physical implementation. Most mobile based credentialing systems are built with bluetooth, which has a long-range capability; and this can be problematic. For example, turnstiles that are in close proximity to each other might pick up credentials that are a greater distance away. Standards such as near-field communications (NFC) that can be found in a lot of devices can address some of these concerns, but NFC’s ability to be used openly in an iPhone environment is not fully established and therefore isn’t a viable option unless the same kind of devices is used across an organization.

Joint Secretary (PM) Ministry of Home Affairs has recently issued directions to all Controlling Authorities to use CCTNS (Crime & Criminal Tracking Network System) to check the crime record of private security guards, as well as the owners/ directors of the private security agencies so that the police verification of the private security guards can be done speedily and certificates can be issued at the earliest. This will speed up the verification processes for the renewal of PSARA license. Almost 90% police stations across country have been connected through computer network under CCTNS, thereby antecedents of a person especially his/ her criminal records can be checked and verified soon. CAPSI has been persuading MHA to speed up the verification process so that every security guard is verified through its systems. This notification of the MHA will really help in renewal of pending licenses.

Over the last few years, cybercrimes have become more intense, sophisticated, and potentially debilitating for individuals, organizations and nations. Law enforcement agencies are finding it difficult to check and prevent the crimes in the cyber space because the perpetrators are faceless and incur very low cost to execute a cybercrime whereas the cost of prevention is extremely high. Targets have increased exponentially due to the increasing reliance of people on the internet. Cybercrimes which were restricted to computer hacking till some time ago, have diversified into data theft, ransomware, child pornography, attacks on critical information infrastructure (CII) and so on. “Cyber related risks are a global threat of bloodless war. India can work towards giving the world a shield from the threat of cyber warfare” Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India India is becoming increasingly vulnerable to this menace because of rapid digitization and proliferation of mobile data without matching pace of cyber security and cyber hygiene. At present, India is ranked at 3% in terms of cybercrime incidents as per data shared by a leading security vendor, which compiled data of bot-infected systems controlled by cyber criminals in different countries. As per CERT-In, one cybercrime was reported every 10 minutes in India during 2017. These statistics are quite alarming and therefore, merit focused and collective attention from law enforcement agencies (LEAs).   Expansion of cyber ecosystem and its impact The increase in technology convergence has created an extremely complex ICT ecosystem of interdependencies within and among critical sectors. This leads to an increased number of stakeholders and a larger attack surface which can be easily exploited by cyber criminals. There is no silver bullet technology which can identify or predict which element of the system (people, process or technology) is more susceptible to cybercrime, though empirically it is observed that the people are the weakest component of the cyber ecosystem. Inherent anonymity and closed nature of the dark web has turned it into a safe haven for cyber criminals and their wares. The dark web hosts a wide range of illegal online markets of cyber exploit kits, drugs, counterfeit documents, stolen credit cards, bank account credentials, human trafficking, illegal immigration etc. It has thousands of forums which operate in a tightly controlled environment. Crypto-currencies are used for transactions so that these transactions cannot be traced to individuals or organizations. Ransomware continues to be a major threat the world over. In 2017, WannaCry, Petya, NotPetya etc., caused major disruptions in the connected cyber ecosystem of the world. India was also affected. CERT-In confirmed 37 incidents of WannaCry and Petya attacks in India between May and June last year. Petya caused extensive disruption of services in India. One terminal of JNPT (Jawaharlal Nehru Port), Mumbai had to switch over to manual operations due to this attack. India was the worst affected country in Asia and seventh overall, due to Petya attack. Apart from ransomware, another area of significant concern is theft of personal identifiable information (PII) and financial credentials of individuals. In another incident of cybercrime, criminals stole personal data of over 2.74 lakh Indian users of the Ashley Madison website. Hackers, who stole 300GB of personal information of the users, put it up on sale over the dark web. Also, Cryptojacking is another lucrative method adopted by attackers to deploy a malware forcefully and unknowingly into a victim’s computer to use their hardware for generating crypto-currency. It is becoming yet another tool of choice for cyber criminals because it cannot be classically categorized as a crime. Figure 2: Top cybercrimes in 2017 “The advent of Digital India and Smart City initiatives has brought about a paradigm shift in terms of connectivity, services and threats for both urban and rural eco-systems. While greater connectivity promises wider deliverables, it also paves the way for the emergence of new vulnerabilities. Leading companies in energy, telecommunications, finance, transportation and other sectors are targeted by new-age cyber criminals. The ‘Make in India’ initiative has identified 25 core sectors as part of its effort to give a special thrust. While cyber security is not one of the sectors, it could be embedded in certain sectors like defence manufacturing, electronic systems, and IT & BPM. It is crucial for ‘Make-in-India’ to focus on cyber security as well as promote development of indigenous solutions to combat cyber-crime.” – Dilip Chenoy Secretary General, FICCI Figure 3: Rise in cyber crime Cybercrimes in the connected world One reason why cybercrimes are becoming more sophisticated, better orchestrated and increasingly ambitious is because many of the perpetrators operate outside the jurisdiction of the victim’s country. As per industry estimates, 32% of the threat vectors originate from Eastern Europe and Russia, and social engineering is the preferred mode of launch for most perpetrators. A report indicates that there are four distinct groups of cyber-criminals – traditional gangs, state-sponsored attackers, ideological hackers and hackers-for-hire. The report also states that the entrance of new participants has transformed cybercrime from isolated and individualized acts into pervasive, savage practices run by distinct groups of individuals. Outsourcing is also possible for execution of these crimes on the dark web where cybercrime is offered as a service. “Cybercrime is the biggest challenge these days with development and access to technology across the globe. Cyber space is increasingly being used to radicalize young minds” Rajnath Singh Union Home Minister of India Cybercrime-as-a-service not only allows malicious actors to leverage other cybercriminals’ resources to conduct attacks but also provides a cheap and easy option to others who are willing to enter the world of cybercrime at a very low entry cost. Netizens have increasingly become more active in leveraging these services, which is driving a surge in activities like illicit drug sale, trafficking of human beings, terrorism, child pornography and other crimes. Illustrative rates of some of the services offered are given next page. Cybercrime-as-a-service model has led to the emergence of a complex and multi-layered cybercrime economy where overt acts of crime have been replaced by a covert criminal…

The statistics don’t lie. Home burglary rates are high. According to a survey of 1,000 Australians, 1 in 5 people have had experienced a burglary or attempted burglary. When compared to the rest of the world, it’s clear we have a problem. The international average of home burglaries is 1.8%, and ours is 2.5%. This means that 1 in 40 Australian homes may be burglarized this year. These figures are startling, but you can take action to avoid becoming another statistic. Here are 4 easy ways to proactively protect your home. With these tips, you can safeguard your family, property, and home. 1.     Install a home security system Only 1 in 3 people from the above-study responded that they had a home security system. However, the presence of a home security device is a powerful deterrent for a would-be intruder. A study by the University of North Carolina found that 60% of burglars would be deterred by the presence of an alarm. Technological advances have now made it easy to install home security. As a leader in the DIY home security space for over 30 years, Swann is dedicated to helping keep your home safe around the clock with affordable solutions. Our wireless security cameras eliminate messy cabling and make installation easy. In addition, our high-definition security cameras can capture facial features, license plates, and see in the dark up to 30m. You can even check on your property remotely from anywhere in the world with your smartphone and a Swann app. Additionally, Swann has cameras with True Detect™ heat- and motion-detection and the ability to generate push notifications and video recording when the camera detects activity. Using heat-sensor technology versus only motion detection means fewer false triggers and more reliable notifications. This combination can help prevent burglaries while also capturing and recording valuable video evidence most efficiently. How do I choose between wire-free cameras or wired system? First, decide how many cameras you need and where you need them, try analysing potential break-in points around your home. Take a look at your home from the road and consider all of the potential points of entry. Next, consider whether you want to install a system that connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network or not, including the distance from your router and how many devices will be connected. Do you want a system that is hardwired into your home, or totally wire-free cameras? Hard-wired security systems give you more recording features. For example, if you’re concerned about a specific area of your property, you can set parameters to include or exclude certain areas from your camera’s view. All of these features provide you with reliable, affordable, and userfriendly home security. Also, wired cameras can offer a more stable signal at times. Installing a home security system with cameras allows you to take proactive steps to protect your family, home, and valuables before anything happens. Not only does a visible security presence at your home mean that you may be less likely to be broken into, but it also gives you peace of mind. 2.     Be vigilant Having a home security system isn’t the only action you can take to protect your home and family from intruders. A few easy steps can potentially make your home less attractive to burglars It’s difficult for a burglar to steal what they can’t see. Don’t tempt would-be burglars. It’s advisable to keep valuables hidden and your blinds closed when you leave your home. Or if you’re expecting a package, ask a neighbour to collect it for you to decrease the risk of theft and so it doesn’t look like you’re not home. While seemingly minor, these tips may help keep your property safe. Are you among the 35% of Australians who leaves a spare key outside their home? If so, it’s time to rethink the idea of hiding a key under a flower pot or somewhere outside your home. This is a common practice, so it’s often one of the first things that a potential intruder will look for. Don’t make it easy for them to enter your home by leaving a key for them. And, be aware of potential hiding spots on your property. You may not realise that you are creating the ideal blind spot outside of your home with poor lighting. Investing in simple outdoor lighting, including sensor lights, can sometimes be enough to help prevent a home break-in. 3.     Work with your neighbours You may not realise it, but you have strong allies in the fight against burglary – your neighbours. When you get to know the people who live near you, you can look out for their homes while they keep an eye on yours. Watchful eyes can be very helpful against home invasions and theft. After you get to know your neighbours, consider taking your safety efforts a step further by creating a neighbourhood watch program. Together, you and your neighbours can arrange for community meetings and nightly patrols. 4.     Discuss insurance coverage Your best efforts sometimes aren’t enough to prevent a break-in. Home or renter’s insurance can make sure that you’re prepared if something does happen. Budget Direct Home Insurance offers a number of options that protect your home and belongings from burglaries, fire, storm damage, and more. The act of obtaining insurance is another great way to protect you from the unthinkable. By following these easy home security tips, you can feel confident that you have taken proactive steps to reduce your risk of being a victim of a home break-in. We recommend taking a proactive approach regardless of if you’re going on holiday, especially if everyone in your home is gone during the day. Nothing can compare to the peace of mind that you have when you know that you’ve protected your home, property, and family.

The physical security industry is rapidly changing, ever evolving, and one that is growing faster than most other sectors of the greater global market. The latest research shows that the forecasted growth rates will be a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% and a total market revenue opportunity of $41.27B through 2022. These economic indicators make the industry a very attractive investment for entrepreneurs, and for investment from large corporations from other industries. At ISC West 2018, this was extremely evident as there was a palpable buzz from technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, cloud-based video management systems and cloud-based access control systems. New market entrants such as Amazon, and a seemingly increased interest and investment from the likes of Intel, IBM, and even Microsoft were present and contributed strongly to the buzz of the industry’s largest tradeshow. Need for education and enhanced security With the increased profile of the industry, one can clearly see that the physical security industry is expand ing globally to new consumers, bringing with it an increased need to further secure products and services with comprehensive physical and cybersecurity protocols, and the need for education. This convergence of physical security and cybersecurity will create new industry leaders that will emerge to lead a new segment of the combined market through strong investment and leadership. According to a report published from Allied Market Research (AMR), the global managed security services market is projected to reach nearly $40.97B, with a CAGR of 16.6% over the next five years. Correlating these two market data points, the forecast for the physical security market is expected to have nearly 18% of the total market opportunity comprising cloud services at nearly $7B. Sharing security service best practices In September 2017 at the Cloud+ Conference in Austin, Texas, the leaders of the Access Control as a service (ACaaS) and Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) markets, converged to share industry trends, observations of customer adoption, best practices in implementation and service, financial models, and several in-depth discussions on securing physical security of cloud implementations through cybersecurity. These cybersecurity discussions absolutely dominated every discussion with the clear message that as a cloud service provider, manufacturers and integrators must continue to create robust and scalable cybersecurity offerings to protect customer data and facilities. Interestingly, an analysis of all of the past cyber breaches was presented by keynote speaker Dean Drako of Eagle Eye Networks, who, through a powerful visual diagram, noted that all existing breaches in the physical security industry were entirely on manufacturer provided hardware solutions, VMS physically installed on customer premises, and camera specific vulnerabilities across multiple providers. Cloud versus non-cloud services The insight that one was able to glean from this information, and that of a greater analysis of cybersecurity hacks across all industries, was that manufacturers and providers of cloud services were more secure and reliable by orders of magnitude than non-cloud solutions. The reason for these phenomena also became glaringly evident; the security protocols of a cloud service provider is central to the business’s value proposition, and as such should be addressed across all levels of manufacturing, implementation and customer utilization. Conversely, non-cloud deployed products rely on field implemented cyber strategies from integrators and end users which often expose lack of skills, education and budget to fully secure these physical security products. Ensuring successful deployment As a SaaS service provider, the technical personnel make up results in an expansion of staff and expertise. Network personnel, cybersecurity personnel, firewall experts, and cloud-specific software development staff all need to be added to core physical security engineering expertise to ensure that the product developed can be successfully implemented and deployed. These new jobs in the physical security industry will astronomically expand as the market continues to grow $6 Bn in a little over 4 years providing new opportunities to existing and new personnel to enter the industry. As a leader in access control hardware and an ACaaS provider, ISONAS has taken it upon themselves to implement a process to ensure that their customers can easily implement their products and gain great peace of mind in regard to the security of the solutions. Data security strategies Implementing a process to protect millions of customer’s data records and facilities begins with mapping out a strategy to secure software and hardware. This means employing high-level, seasoned cloud deployment experts to create a strategy in our AWS infrastructure and all ancillary supporting technologies to minimize attack surfaces, create complex proprietary associations in a multi-layered and multi-tiered connection throughout the application, and lastly ensuring that all communication to and from customers’ devices are encrypted and secured. Once implemented ISONAS took it upon themselves to validate the infrastructure and the customers experience by subjecting the environments to 3rd party penetration tests. Addressing cyber threats These tests, taken up quarterly, ensure a customer that the latest in cyber threats are being addressed and that the manufacturer is providing the latest solutions available in the market. An added benefit is that customers gain the scalable benefits of enterprise corporate cybersecurity protocols at a fraction of the cost of implementing these on their individual premises. As an industry, however, it is not simply the responsibility of the cloud service provider to ensure that the customers data in video and access control are being protected. It is also incumbent on the integrator to ensure that the installation and implementation of the products and solutions are deployed in an educated and skill-based manner. Knowledge of networks and cybersecurity best practices The products and services utilized must be easy to implement, be clear in their requirements of the end user networks, and simplistic to apply. Nearly all manufacturers of these products are working diligently to ensure that the integrator has all of the tools at their fingertips to ensure a successful implementation. However, it will remain important that the integration implementation personnel gain a greater knowledge in networks and cybersecurity best practices for their solutions. In most cases, this will…

A few years back, when Gujarat government decided to deploy CCTV based city surveillance and intelligent traffic management system (CSITMS) across major cities such as Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Gandhinagar, Infinova with successful integration with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) provided a real-time surveillance system that was able to integrate digital maps, video with good quality, and high-quality evidences for challan generation as well as court proceedings. Infinova’s video analytic capabilities included red light violation detection, wrong lane detection, over speed detection, automatic number plate recognition identifying traffic rule offenders, and other criminal activities. It was an initiative taken by the Government of Gujarat for intelligent traffic monitoring and also to bring transparency in the imposition of traffic lines. Infinova’s round-the-clock surveillance system provides real-time information including audio and video to enhance quick response in all emergencies situations and heavy traffic. The integrated system helped prevent crimes, reduce threats, and enhanced safety and security in public area. Infinova deployed 220 PTZ cameras for accurately monitoring traffic across major cities of Gujarat. The IP based PTZ cameras with in-built remote control provide immediate response to the operators’ commands, making it highly responsive during emergency situations. Infinova’s smart surveillance system assures 360 degree coverage and offers highest precision in day and night. The camera system installed is dynamically efficient and resistant to bad weather conditions. The project has marked significant progress by creating smart surveillance and intelligent traffic management solutions, and generated a spectrum of scalable security solutions by executing large number of cameras over the cities. By providing extensive video management systems, picture intelligence units and geographical information systems, the project has tremendously helped deal with increase in road traffic. The integrated surveillance solutions have reduced traffic congestions by improving incident response time and optimizing traffic flow proactively. Infinova’s multi-faceted traffic management solutions have also helped analyze and even predict traffic patterns by leveraging automated information. Infinova is a leading security and surveillance product manufacturer, acclaimed globally, and is committed to technology, innovation and quality. It manufactures end-to-end analog and digital surveillance solutions and is specialized in offering integrated video surveillance solutions. Infinova has the technical ability and manufacturing flexibility that allows integrators to propose customized solutions. Additionally, it collaborates with other manufacturers of surveillance equipment and software to help the channel partners create turnkey solutions. Infinova backs-up partner’s products to assure integrator’s as well as customer’s trust.  

Video surveillance techniques since the launch of IP cameras have seen many technological advances that have delivered increased resolution and improved picture quality through better lenses, sensor and image processing technology. These advancements are capable of bringing much needed improvements in evidential image quality and enable the user to realize the investments made in CCTV through deliverable results in terms of clear identification. Delivering these advancements requires additional design thinking in terms of total bit rate throughput. Typically higher resolutions FHD & 4K require much greater bandwidths that impact on the design and cost of both the network to stream high definition images across and the recording hard drive capacity needed to store them on. System designers now not only need to think in terms of the angle of view or depth of field that a camera needs to produce but also to think of the content within the camera image in terms of what is useful and what is not. For example, streaming and recording scenes in high definition of empty streets devoid of movement, people or cars, or the skyline create lots of useless image data that requires lots of bandwidth to stream and store. Panasonic have now developed a cost viable solution to the high definition bandwidth problem by enabling important content to stream as high definition whilst economizing or eliminating on unimportant content in an image. This technology is called Panasonic Smart Coding and its employment reduces the total cost of ownership and makes the investment in high definition within the reach of a much wider section of the video surveillance marketplace. Smart Coding Technology Smart Coding is a license free feature available on Panasonic i-PRO and i-PRO Extreme cameras. Total bit rate throughput can be reduced by combining the two main technologies that make up the Panasonic Smart Coding innovation; Technology that assigns high resolution data to important content such as people or cars. Technology to reduce noise generated in low-illumination environments or at night, therefore eliminating the streaming of noise seen as movement in current compression algorisms. As we are eliminating the unnecessary streaming or high resolution data, even greater results in overall bit rate throughput can be saved by combining Smart Coding with Panasonic high-resolution 4K surveillance cameras. Panasonic’s Smart Coding Technology is based on the coding of the moving video standard, and as such special modules and the likes are not needed for display or playback by a client who is employing this technology. The two technologies that make up the Panasonic Smart Coding innovation are made of several elements that are described as follows; Technology to assign data only to subjects to be monitored Bit rate is sufficiently assigned to subject matter that is important such as people or cars, and therefore it needs to be streamed and recorded as high definition video. However, so-called background elements such as walls and roads are not so important therefore they don’t really need to be as sharp as content, and so a lower or no bit rate is assigned to them. Overall the total bit rate that needs to be streamed and recorded is reduced. This technology uses various techniques to accomplish the overall reduction in throughput. GoP Control The video stream comprises I-frame data encoded closed in the screen (as still image) and P-frame data where the difference from the previous frame is encoded. If the refresh cycle is set to 1 second (the default setting for Panasonic  cameras) at a frame rate of 30fps, stream data is generated where 29 P-frames follow after one I-frame. The data from this I-frame to the next I-frame is called Group of Picture (GoP). To playback stream data generated in this way, decoding must be done in order from the I-frame. For that reason, the I-frame is also called the reference frame. If the refresh interval (interval between I-frames) is long, much decoding is performed until playing back the end frame of that GoP. I-frames encode the entire screen, so the volume of data is large. P-frames encode the difference from the previous frame, so the volume of data becomes smaller. The GoP Control function detects motion of subjects. It makes the interval between I-frames shorter if there is a motion or longer if there is no motion. By making the interval longer in scenes with no motion, the number of I-frames with large data volume can be reduced, greatly reducing the total bit rate. In scenes with motion, the interval is made shorter to secure accessibility to scenes the user wants to view. Advanced mode utilizes the concept of long term prediction frames. Its reference frame structure consists of I-frames, and P-frames, which reference two frames (an I-frame and the previous P-frame), and key frames (P#30,#60), which reference the first I-frame (IDR) in the GoP. Figure 4 shows the reference relationship at 30fps with an I-frame interval of 60 sec and key frame interval of 1 sec. If there are no key frames in the GoP, decoding needs to be done sequentially from the I-frame at the head of the GoP. However, key frames can be decoded using just the I-frame. For example, if key frames are present in the GoP, #61 can be displayed by decoding just IDR#0, P#60, and P#61. Additionally, by inserting key frames, random accessibility can be secured. The advanced mode improves prediction efficiency by using two reference P-frames and reduces the bit rate by expanding the I-frame interval whilst maintaining random accessibility. Auto-VIQS Control Auto-VIQS (variable image quality on specified area) Control can automatically deter mine areas with and without motion and therefore reduces the data volume of those without motion. In the example below Auto-VIQS has realized two areas of importance that have a lot of movement (seen in red) and one area of little or no movement (seen in yellow). Smart facial coding Smart facial coding reduces bit rate by detecting the face and motion areas and keeping the face area at high image quality, slightly…