Intruder Alert - Since 9/11, airport and aviation security has generally been terminal centric with increased checkpoint screening for passengers and air cargo, increased protection of the flight deck with both physical security and air marshals to secure planes while in flight.

Intruder Alert

Why hi-definition and thermal network cameras are crucial for airport perimeter security

Since 9/11, airport and aviation security has generally been terminal centric with increased checkpoint screening for passengers and air cargo, increased protection of the flight deck with both physical security and air marshals to secure planes while in flight. Given these high security measures and what passengers experience at TSA checkpoints and throughout terminals, it may surprise you to learn just how vulnerable airport perimeters may be. While there’s no question that airports work hard to secure their perimeters, the sheer size of some airports and the historical technology deployed to protect them have led to some serious gaps in airport security.

A WAKE-UP CALL: DISTURBING STATISTICS ON PERIMETER BREACHES

The sad reality is that perimeter breaches aren’t a rare occurrence for airports. For example, in April 2015, there was a perimeter breach at San Jose International Airport, their fifth occurrence in less than a year. Unfortunately, the breach only added to the ever-growing list of high-profile intrusions at airports around the world.

An Associated Press investigation found 268 perimeter breaches at 31 major airports since 2004. This number represents only a fraction of the incidents because Boston’s Logan Airport and New York City’s three major airports refused to release any information citing security concerns. In addition, these statistics don’t include smaller airports or those that had incomplete data.

The TSA data is even more disturbing, stating there were 1,388 breaches at 450 U.S. airports between 2001 and 2011. Collectively, this data highlights how critical the need for accurate, dependable intrusion detection system is.

In October 2015, the Russian Metrojet 9268 tragedy in Egypt raised worldwide awareness to the importance of tightening security measures around airport erimeters and ramp operations.

As airports search for solutions, one tool that keeps coming to the forefront is network video surveillance. As versatile perimeter protection systems they continually monitor activity in and around the premises providing airports cost-effective protection of assets, staff and passengers.

A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PERIMETER SECURITY

Video surveillance systems, on the other hand, provide a more holistic approach to perimeter detection and verification that rarely yields false alarms. There is generally no better way to validate a physical sensor than with an image from a camera. New, more cost-effective thermal imaging cameras offer additional benefits for airport perimeter environments. Automated detect-track-notify solutions, enabled by recent advances in camera hardware and video analytics software, further improves effectiveness by enhancing real-time situational awareness and response capability.

THE BEST OFFENSE IS AN EARLY DEFENSE

The first goal in perimeter protection is to detect a threat or an intrusion at the earliest possible stage. One of the best early warning tools is a modern thermal network camera. Unrivaled in detection sensitivity and accuracy, this technology is ideal as a first line of defense. Thermal cameras do not require any light at all to operate. They are able to spot a person or an object by the thermal radiation they emit.

Today’s HDTV and megapixel-resolution network cameras make facial identification or license plate recognition possible even at great distances. Special lowlight technology that reduces noise and maintains full color fidelity even in very dark conditions greatly enhances recognition and identification of people, vehicles and critical incident details.

Operators can use remotely operated PTZs and well-placed fixed cameras to track the whereabouts of intruders while guiding an employee or a guard patrol to intercept the trespasser. The archived video of the intruder’s movements and activities can then be used as irrefutable evidence for detention and prosecution.

TRUE OR FALSE? NOW YOU KNOW

Misinterpreting alarms raises all sorts of problems when it comes to airport perimeter protection. With judicious use of advanced network camera surveillance, coupling hi-definition PTZ and fixed cameras with thermal cameras and video analytics, airports can not only detect possible intruders far earlier than before, but can also verify the extent and severity of a breach and provide essential situational awareness to initiate an appropriate and effective response.

Nutkamol komolvanich / Shutterstock.com

This article originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

Anthony Incorvati is the manager of business development, transportation, at Axis Communications.

Featured

  • Survey: 54% of Organizations Cite Technical Debt as Top Hurdle to Identity System Modernization

    Modernizing identity systems is proving difficult for organizations due to two key challenges: decades of accumulated Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical debt and the complexity of managing access across multiple identity providers (IDPs). These findings come from the new Strata Identity-commissioned report, State of Multi-Cloud Identity: Insights and Trends for 2025. The report, based on survey data from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), highlights trends and challenges in securing cloud environments. The CSA is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Read Now

  • Study: Only 35 Percent of Companies Include Cybersecurity Teams When Implementing AI

    Only 35 percent of cybersecurity professionals or teams are involved in the development of policy governing the use of AI technology in their enterprise, and nearly half (45 percent) report no involvement in the development, onboarding, or implementation of AI solutions, according to the recently released 2024 State of Cybersecurity survey report from ISACA, a global professional association advancing trust in technology. Read Now

  • New Report Series Highlights E-Commerce Threats, Fraud Against Retailers

    Trustwave, a cybersecurity and managed security services provider, recently released a series of reports detailing the threats facing the retail sector, marking the second year of its ongoing research into these critical security issues. Read Now

  • Stay Secure in 2024: Updated Cybersecurity Tips for the Office and at Home

    Cyber criminals get more inventive every year. Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve and are a moving target for business owners in 2024. Companies large and small need to employ cybersecurity best practices throughout their organization. That includes security integrators, manufacturers, and end users. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises. 3

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions. 3

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3