Top Stories


87 Percent of US Critical Infrastructure Organizations Concerned About AI-Powered Cyberthreats

84% of the US' critical infrastructure organizations have identified the use of AI to drive cyber threats as a current security concern. This dramatic rise in concern about how cybercriminals use AI is revealed in new research by cybersecurity services firm Bridewell, surveying 519 staff responsible for cybersecurity in US critical infrastructure organizations, in sectors such as civil aviation, telecommunications, energy, transport, media, financial services and water supply

Florida Healthcare System Uses Evolv Threat Detection Technology

Evolv Technology, a security technology company pioneering AI-based screening to create safer experiences, recently announced its partnership with Lee Health, one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in Florida. Lee Health uses Evolv’s state-of-the-art Evolv Express screening solution at the entrances to three of its emergency departments, with plans to install Evolv Express systems at three additional locations.

Charlie Kowalczyk Appointed Director of Support Services for AtlasIED

AtlasIED, a recognized leader in the commercial audio, voice evac, and security industries, today announces the appointment of Charlie Kowalczyk as Director of Support Services. Kowalczyk steps into the role, currently held by Dick Snider, General Manager of Support Services, who is retiring on June 1.

SIA Launches New Community for Veterans in Security

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has launched the SIA Veterans in Security Forum, an all-new community focused on the issues and concerns of veterans and active military members who are in, or are interested in joining, the security industry. SIA has appointed Jeff Huggins of ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions as chair of the new group.

7 Steps to an Effective Cybersecurity Training Regimen

Maybe it’s a phishing attack—an innocent-looking email from a company leader or reputable company but generated by a malicious threat actor.

Importance and Need for Certification in SASE Adoption

In today’s dynamic landscape, the evolution of the digital economy serves as a compelling catalyst for organizations to revamp their networks, facilitate remote work, enhance cloud connectivity, reinforce cybersecurity, and maximize productivity. In particular, the shift to cloud computing and remote work has increased the need for secure access for any user from any device and any cloud to network resources.

Survey: 70 Percent of CISOs Feel at Risk for Cyber Attack in Next 12 Months

Proofpoint, Inc., a cybersecurity and compliance company recently released its annual Voice of the CISO report, which explores key challenges, expectations and priorities of chief information security officers (CISOs) worldwide.

Leire Arbona Puértolas, Arielle Thomas Chosen as 2024 SIA Industry Advocate Award Honorees

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has recognized two industry leaders – Leire Arbona Puértolas and Arielle Thomas – as the 2024 winners of the SIA Industry Advocate Award. This award is presented to individuals making an extraordinary contribution of professional time, leadership and resources to position SIA and its members to address the public policy challenges impacting the security industry. Arbona Puértolas and Thomas were recognized with the awards at the 2024 SIA GovSummit conference.



Making Safety and Security Intrinsic to School Design

Public anxieties about school safety are escalating across the country. According to a 2023 Gallup report, 44% of parents fear for their child’s physical safety at school, a 10 percentage-point increase since 2019. Unfortunately, these fears are likely to increase if the incidence of school tragedies continues to mount. As a result, school leaders are now charged with two non-negotiable responsibilities. The first, as always, is to ensure kids have what they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Sadly, their second responsibility is to keep the children in their care safe from threats and physical danger.

The Power of a Layered Approach to Safety

In a perfect world, every school would have an unlimited budget to help secure their schools. In reality, schools must prioritize what budget they have while navigating the complexities surrounding school security and lockdown.

How a Security System Can Enhance Arena Safety and the Fan Experience

Ensuring guests have both a memorable experience and a safe one is no small feat for your physical security team. Stadiums, ballparks, arenas, and other large event venues are increasingly leveraging new technologies to transform the fan experience and maintain a high level of security. The goal is to preserve the integrity and excitement of the event while enhancing security and remaining “behind the scenes.”

Survey: C-Suite Cyber Leaders Optimistic about Defenses, but Large Percentage Suffered Recent Cyber Attack

A recent survey conducted by KPMG, the audit, tax, and advisory firm, reveals that despite a growing number of attacks and breaches, C-suite cyber leaders are optimistic about the effectiveness of their defenses. The survey also highlights the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in the fight against cyber threats. According to the survey of 200 C-suite cyber leaders at companies with revenue of $1 billion and above, 40% reported that their company had suffered a recent cyberattack resulting in a security breach, with 38% experiencing one to three attacks.

How Government Agencies Are Utilizing ID Cards To Take Control of Security

It’s a known fact that government agencies across the U.S. require a higher level of security due to the amount of sensitive information they keep on file. They must maintain control over their public facilities and require more stringent security practices than the normal building. With constant risks of attempted forgery and tampering, government agencies must ensure that only authorized personnel have access to public records and their facilities. A great way to take control and bring security to the next level is investing in a fully comprehensive ID card solution. Most agencies today are implementing an ID card policy to help ensure confidential information stays private.

Announcing the Winners of the 2024 Security Technician of the Year Awards

The Foundation for Advancing Security Technology (FAST) is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 Security Technician of the Year Awards, now in its second year. This prestigious initiative highlights the critical role that security technicians play within the industry, celebrating their excellence in the meticulous design, installation and maintenance of security systems that safeguard our communities.

The Monitoring Association’s Surveillance and Video Verification Committee Welcomes New Co-Chair

The Monitoring Association (TMA) is pleased to announce that David Charney, chief customer officer (COO), Stealth Monitoring, has accepted the position of co-chair of the TMA Surveillance and Video Verification (SVV) Committee. Charney joins seated Committee Co-Chair Wes Usie, Guardian Alarm Systems.

Protecting Data is Critical

To say that the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a part of everyday life would be a dramatic understatement. At this point, you would be hard-pressed to find an electronic device that is not connected to the internet.

Elite Interactive Solutions Unveils New Website

Elite Interactive Solutions, a remote video guarding pioneer using proprietary intelligence and integration to achieve proven crime prevention, announces the launching of its new website, eliteisi.com. Several months in the making, the site has been designed with the security end-user customer across a diverse range of vertical markets in mind, highlighting myriad benefits of Elite’s solution and company differentiation in an appealing and user-friendly format.

Mobile Access Adoption

Smartphones and other mobile devices have had a profound impact on how the world securely accesses the workplace and its services. The growing adoption of mobile wallets and the new generation of users is compounding this effect.

Changing Mindsets

We have come a long way from the early days of fuzzy analog CCTV systems. During that time, we have had to migrate from analog to digital signals. When IP-based network cameras arrived, they opened a new world of quality and connectivity but also introduced plenty of challenges. Thankfully, network devices today have become smart enough to discover themselves and even self-configure to some degree. While some IT expertise is certainly required, things are much smoother these days. The biggest change is in how fast security cameras and supporting infrastructure are evolving.

Elevating Security

Willis Tower, an iconic symbol in Chicago for more than 50 years, has undergone significant transformations to become a modern workplace and community hub that delivers the best experiences for its tenants, area residents and visitors. Originally known as Sears Tower, it was renamed Willis Tower after a change in ownership in 2009.

Security Industry Association Announces First-Ever Security Industry Community Service Day

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced the first-ever Security Industry Community Service Day, an initiative created by the SIA Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Advisory Board to rally the entire security industry to give back and make the world a better place. The 2024 Security Industry Community Service Day and supported by event sponsors ASSA ABLOY and HID – will take place on Friday, June 7, and the event will be held on the first Friday of June each year.

Digital Access in the Workplace

It is simple to set up a unified, robust access control solution for one tenant leasing one building. It is even easier if the tenant owns the property. But what is involved when multiple companies lease space in a building? And what about companies that have multiple buildings in the same city or locations across various regions in the country and the world?

Axis Communications Enhances Presence in Texas with New Dallas Experience Center

Axis Communications celebrated the grand opening of its latest Axis Experience Center (AEC) in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. The new Dallas-area facility replaces the original Irving AEC location with a larger, state-of-the-art facility built to accommodate the need for a greater Axis presence in North Texas, and to better serve customers as the Axis product portfolio expands and its partner ecosystem grows. The space also offers additional meeting space, with plans to expand staffing in the future.

Cloud and Hybrid Adoption on the Rise

The physical security industry is experiencing a time of great transformation. Cloud connectivity is accelerating, and more organizations are choosing to blend on-premises and cloud-based solutions. This transformation is affecting all aspects of security, including access control. In the Genetec annual State of Physical Security Survey, it was access control that topped the list of new technologies end-users planned to focus on in 2024.

Texas City Replaces Locks on Intelligent Traffic Cabinets With More Secure Option

The Transportation Services and Mobility department for the city of Grand Prairie, Texas recently completed a substantial project to replace the locks on their Intelligent Traffic Cabinets with a better and more secure choice. Turns out what they needed was only a few miles away with ALCEA’s Traffic Cabinet Locking Solution powered by ABLOY technology.

Security Industry Association Announces 2024 Winners of the SIA Women in Biometrics Awards

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named four women biometrics leaders as recipients of the 2024 SIA Women in Biometrics Awards, a globally recognized program presented by SIA with support from sponsor IDEMIA and organizational and media partners AVISIAN, Biometric Update and SIA’s Identity & Biometric Technology Advisory Board and Women in Security Forum.

New Report Says Vulnerability Exploitation Boom Threatens Cybersecurity

Verizon Business recently released the findings of its 17th-annual Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), which analyzed a record-high 30,458 security incidents and 10,626 confirmed breaches in 2023—a two-fold increase over 2022.

Cybersixgill Unveils Third-Party Intelligence, Exposing Threats to Organizations Stemming from Their Supply Chain

Cybersixgill, the global cyber threat intelligence data provider, broke new ground today by introducing its Third-Party Intelligence module. The new module delivers vendor-specific cybersecurity and threat intelligence to organizations’ security teams, enabling them to continuously monitor and detect risks to their environment arising from third-party suppliers and take preemptive action before an attack executes.

In The Clouds

Video data storage in the cloud was a novel concept when Dean Drako founded Eagle Eye Networks back in 2012. While cloud was being used for almost all other business systems at that time, the physical security industry took a cautious and measured approach to cloud adoption.

ZBeta Unveils Comprehensive Engagement Model to Elevate Physical Security Consulting

ZBeta recently announced the launch of its engagement model designed to transform the landscape of security strategy development and implementation. This comprehensive approach extends beyond traditional consultancy services, providing clients with a sustained advisory, advanced technology and system design, and ongoing operational support.

Featured

  • The Next Generation

    Video security technology has reached an inflection point. With advancements in cloud infrastructure and internet bandwidth, hybrid cloud solutions can now deliver new capabilities and business opportunities for security professionals and their customers. Read Now

  • Help Your Customer Protect Themselves

    In the world of IT, insider threats are on a steep upward trajectory. The cost of these threats - including negligent and malicious employees that may steal authorized users’ credentials, rose from $8.3 million in 2018 to $16.2 million in 2023. Insider threats towards physical infrastructures often bleed into the realm of cybersecurity; for instance, consider an unauthorized user breaching a physical data center and plugging in a laptop to download and steal sensitive digital information. Read Now

  • Enhanced Situation Awareness

    Did someone break into the building? Maybe it is just an employee pulling an all-nighter. Or is it an actual perpetrator? Audio analytics, available in many AI-enabled cameras, can add context to what operators see on the screen, helping them validate assumptions. If a glass-break detection alert is received moments before seeing a person on camera, the added situational awareness makes the event more actionable. Read Now

  • Transformative Advances

    Over the past decade, machine learning has enabled transformative advances in physical security technology. We have seen some amazing progress in using machine learning algorithms to train computers to assess and improve computational processes. Although such tools are helpful for security and operations, machines are still far from being capable of thinking or acting like humans. They do, however, offer unique opportunities for teams to enhance security and productivity. Read Now

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols. 3

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings. 3

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles. 3