3 Security Technologies to Invest Time in Researching

How researching and investing in these three technologies will change your business

• By Todd Kleperis
• Oct 30, 2017

Businesses everywhere are on high alert considering the headlines that fill the news these days. If it isn't a hacked company, its a theft or mass shooting. In order to keep your company in the know, here are three topics you should invest some time in researching.

Cybersecurity

Hackers, phishing, malware, ransomware – oh my! How many new words can they come up with that translate into, “You’re in serious trouble?” Technically, some of these are worse than others. Could someone hack your network and find out what you are doing?

Yes.

Should you run out and grab a firewall protection system and anti-virus software? Of course. Have you? Probably not. Why haven’t you? Probably because it’s pretty complicated for a small business (that’s not in the IT field) to run an IT department.

Fortunately, firms like Darktrace, Axiom Cyber Security and others like KnowB4 exist. These firms focus on defending your network and protecting against cyberattacks. It was years ago when people said we needed to “just defend the walls and wait for people to put up ladders and try to enter.” Now, smart criminals don’t even let you know they are on your network.

How are they breaking into networks? Cyberattacks can come in emails from a bank or from someone you know. The impact is devastating: cyberattacks cost businesses billions of dollars annually. The best way to protect against cyberattacks is to have a system with encryption and to require all users on the system to change passwords regularly.

Firms like KnowB4 offer “phishing exercises” that train employees how not to open suspicious looking emails – almost taunting them into opening the wrong message. It is a smart and effective way to teach people how to stay away from fraudulent emails.

Axiom uses the same algorithm that Darktrace uses for large enterprise systems. Their approach is proactive and is based on being on offense – taking down threats before they even get to your network – rather than a reactive, or defensive, approach. Look for devices like these to make your enterprise network secure from cyberattacks.

Bitdefender, Kaspersky and Norton are reputable software developers that provide anti-virus and cybersecurity protection. Choosing one becomes more of a personal selection, but using any of them is better than not being protected at all. You can conduct your own research, but we found Bitdefender to be the best overall, especially since it can be bundled for use by larger companies.

Almost all businesses large and small have employees that use laptop computers that contain sensitive company data. To address lost or stolen laptops, (www.preyproject.com) provides simple and free tracking software. With millions of devices on networks worldwide, Prey Project is robust enough to quickly find a lost or stolen laptop and wipe important or critical data.

Speaking of laptops, employees often use company computers in airports, hotels or at Starbucks to access the Internet via free Wi-Fi networks. Free network access now could mean a “free for all” on your machine later, so it’s essential to protect against the increasing cyberattacks in these free Wi-Fi locations. One of the simplest ways to protect against cyberattacks from vulnerable public Wi-Fi networks is to use a Virtual Private Network like Tunnelbear or the host of other VPNs available.

Hidden Weapons Detection Systems

Garrett, Rapiscan and CEIA are standard issue weapons detection technology systems. They have been around for years and beep when you go through. The reality is that criminals are smart and are willing to do just about anything to get around your weapons detection systems. Therefore, it’s best to have a hidden system and not let them know that they are under scrutiny with that telltale beep.

Firms like Viewsystems are built for the military while others like Patriot1 are built for commercial settings and can be hidden in walls or placed just about anywhere. These systems have a better chance of catching someone entering your location with a weapon, particularly if the system is hidden.

Interestingly, Patriot1 is only releasing 300 systems this year. They are astute enough to know they have to deploy them correctly first before mass adoption of the technology can happen.

Other manufacturers, such as might be more expensive, but they work extremely well. Depending on your needs, the Evolv threat detection system might be a better fit, for example, in a mini airport system where people raise their arms and walk through the detector.

Robotics

Recently, at a robotics expert there was a pretty famous wave-powered platform. It was a challenge, to say the least, when a floating robot patrolling waters off coastlines in Asia was like a shiny fish in the water. There have been a number of instances where glider was found to be going 20-plus miles per hour. That was not the design specification for these devices. It could be just another occasion for someone to pick up the glider, thinking they could make a few bucks with it. Now all of that has changed. A large military firm has come in to make sure that doesn't happen for protection of coast lines.

What has changed? The need and the technology. When we were younger, robots on TV from Lost in Space, The Jetsons, or even more advanced ones, like from the movie Robocop, were all fantasy. Most of those robots still don't exist, but the Roomba sure does what Rosie used to do. It vacuums.

Now, how did that happen? A few years, the movie Avatar was introduced with all its robotics. Anyone else think that wouldn't happen? Rough terrain on other planets will require this type of equipment. Robots on the ground, deployed in remote locations, and working thousands of hours unmanned? Think of Caterpillar. They have done it for years and they now even have a school for their own engineers.

How does this impact security? About 10 years ago, a firm in Hong Kong developed an iRobot-type-of-device that would patrol outside facilities. Nicknamed the "Bull Dog," it used a body from a kid’s go-cart built by Earlylight and had a host of new sensors. It was bulky, expensive, and introduced far too early. Now, the same types of devices are coming out from stall worth firms like Sharp Electronics. Sharp has been around for more than 100 years and prides itself on solid manufacturing. Other startups, like Gamma2 Robotics and NXT Robotics, are fighting to gain market share. 

Robotics cost a lot to bring a product to market. Not some science fair under the hood. Some firms are doing this with inexpensive parts by focusing on reducing the bill of materials/cost of goods (BOM) and not focusing on functionality and reliability. Those two things happen when you are a startup trying to save every penny and still attract a big client order. 

We have seen more firms adopt robotics, but why security patrols? Simply because it's a better use of resources. If robotics can do the dull, dirty, dumb work of cruising around a facility to detect changes in, say, an open gate, or an air conditioning temperature variation, then why have a human suffer in 110-degree desert heat or frozen temperatures?

The good news is that the cost of adopting these technologies has come down. Now robotics can be purchased for much less and the idea of reducing the chance of the guy who falls asleep on the job or, even worse – is part of an inside job – is an affordable reality. The time has come for people to take first adopter looks and see what’s available in the market.