Confronting Evolving Challenges

Confronting Evolving Challenges

Confronting Evolving ChallengesSignificant financial challenges continue to confront the world’s major economies, increasing the issues they face in addressing new and evolving threats to critical national infrastructure (CNI). Persistent threats of physical and data terrorism, theft and extreme weather events, have all served to concentrate the minds of those responsible for protecting critical assets.

The services upon which societies rely – among them banking, energy, transportation, water supply, agriculture and telecommunications – have become targets of adversaries working in ever more sophisticated ways. The need to take action is clearer than ever, but so are the budgetary limitations facing many.

In unveiling its vision for protecting the United States until 2016, the Office of Infrastructure Protection said its focus was to “apply and promote innovative and leading-edge programs and activities that cost-effectively manage and enhance the resilience of the nation’s critical infrastructure.” The US is not alone in its bid to blend innovation with cost-efficiency; it is a global mission.

Fortunately, evolving security technologies and enhanced surveillance integration capabilities mean that protecting people, property and data within a strict budget is entirely feasible.

Protect the Whole by Addressing the Parts

Of primary concern, when considering the holistic notion of protecting critical national infrastructure is the necessity for so many disparate entities – many of them privately owned, others aligned to the public sector - to present a united front against potential threats including:

  • Terrorism: The primary concern for national security agencies is the prevention and detection of terrorist attacks. The protection of data centers in particular is of increasing concern.
  • Environmental: Natural disasters linked to concerns about climate change are placing new emphasis on measures designed to protect citizens, national infrastructure and economies.
  • Theft: Incidents of metal theft, partly in response to rising commodity prices, illustrate the extent to which critical national infrastructure is at risk from theft, with transport and energy supply infrastructure bearing the brunt of acts of theft and vandalism.

Confronting Evolving ChallengesBut, how can this ‘united front’ ever be the case while the individual organizations that make up a country’s critical national infrastructure remain disjointed in their own approach to security?

Perimeter security, intruder detection systems, access control, ANPR, emergency incident alarms and general site surveillance – they are all used by organizations critical to our daily lives, but they are traditionally disparate elements that have been specified and implemented in isolation, and which are managed independently of each other. The net result is financial and security inefficiency.

Monitoring disparate systems independently takes time. It also limits potential information capture because information received is siloed and therefore not presented in the broader context of other events. A more integrated approach is required and now, it’s an approach more critical national infrastructure organizations are taking.

Greater Integration Means Increased Potential

Individual organizations operating within the CNI sector want to be cost-effective as well as take vital steps forward towards a more unified approach. For these organizations, connecting their own disparate security elements via an integrated surveillance monitoring and control platform is proving an increasingly popular option.

Open protocol. Today’s open protocol integrated security solutions mean that CCTV, intruder alarms, fire detection, access control, critical asset tracking and building management systems can not only communicate with each other, but can also be monitored and controlled on a centralized command and control platform, from one location. Integration of this level doesn’t just help deliver coherent and comprehensive security monitoring, it also facilitates effective and appropriate security action.

Breaches or critical impact scenarios. As well as detecting and alerting operators to threats, accompanied by live visual/audio feed – today’s high end surveillance systems can also be programmed to ‘look for’ complex breach or critical impact scenarios (data sets which individually may not mean anything but together signify threat) and respond accordingly. For example, a data center may have scheduled maintenance work, or a power distribution hub may be due to move a series of cable drums on site – nothing unusual in these facts in isolation. But, pair either of these scenarios with unusual/unauthorised staff ID movements or data downloads out of usual sequence, and the situation changes. An integrated system can be set to detect such data combinations, alert CCTV operators by streaming live footage from cameras in the ‘breach zones’ and launch a series of reactive protocols that guide operators though appropriate ‘next steps’ such as immediate area/perimeter lockdown or ID card cancellation. This doesn’t just guarantee response - it also guarantees response consistency, which for multi-site estates can be invaluable from both an efficiency and safety perspective.

Local emergency responders. Similarly, a system can be programmed to immediately alert local emergency responders should certain data sets be captured, ensuring that the right level of on-site assistance – say in the case of a protestor attack or a fire – is in place as quickly as possible.

Offsite responders. Video, audio, PIR activations and other alarm inputs, from any number of locations, can be easily streamed directly to offsite operators, ensuring any incident triggers appropriate visual and, if needed, audio data that enables immediate reaction to potential or actual threat.

These benefits don’t just apply to onsite control. Crucially for CNI organizations, which often have responsibility for managing multi-site estates spanning broad geographic areas – frequently incorporating unmanned assets, the integration capabilities outlined and benefits afforded by a ‘one platform’ approach to security monitoring and control make remote asset protection a practical solution.

A Challenge to be Met

Globally, the protection of critical national infrastructure has never been more important or more challenging. While the specifics may vary from nation to nation, the themes remain constant. It comes down to protecting the people, property and data that make our daily lives possible, all within the boundaries and constraints set by the current economic climate. And that means it’s about greater efficiency.

Unifying security operations through a single platform is a trend that is set to continue. The approach saves time, resources and ultimately makes levels of threat detection possible that simply weren’t achievable previously. CNI organizations are recognizing this fact and taking advantage of the latest trends in integrated surveillance monitoring and control to achieve security goals and streamline operations.

About the Author

Karen Churchill is sales manager at Synectic Systems Group Ltd.

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • 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.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • 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.