Protect Your Customers

• By José Daniel García Espinel
• May 24, 2022

In this digitally connected world, innovation and technology are at the forefront of security and safeguarding. As the landscape continues to evolve, businesses today are combining guarding services and technology to create a new security approach and elevate operational intelligence, primarily based on the security operations center (SOC) environment.

Innovation technology, such as video analytics, for example, has transformed physical security by combining the knowledge of breakthrough artificial intelligence (AI) with the expertise of human operators to improve security services for businesses worldwide. The market for video analytics in the security sector is expected to reach $21.7 million by 2027 and become more accessible as new and emerging innovative technology and security solutions emerge.

From improved alarm monitoring to management and response, data and technology enable security teams to increase real-time monitoring, resulting in better security and faster response times. As security professionals, it is our responsibility to stay up to date on the latest data and technological developments to provide businesses with the best protection and surveillance possible, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

So, why should security teams integrate cutting-edge technologies beyond the SOC? Here are a few key reasons why improving your operational intelligence and incorporating advanced technologies into your security operations is advantageous.

Cost effective monitoring of large facilities. Advanced technologies have been democratized, with the majority of items now affordable to the general public. This is evident in popular items such as AI-powered home security cameras and IoT devices that are used in a home's security system. However, doing so on the larger scale required by professional security would be an expensive endeavor.

Installing surveillance cameras on large facilities like solar power plants would require a significant financial outlay to cover every square meter. Robotics enables security companies to cover large areas while integrating with existing technology such as 4G or 5G networks or artificial intelligence to automatically detect threats.

When it comes to protecting people and assets on large facilities, and gathering intelligence data, this cost-effective approach outperforms a traditional virtual surveillance monitoring system.

Expands and unifies security footprint. With more than 1 million guards in the workforce, security should not rely solely on technology or human intelligence and strength but rather on the two working together. Remote monitoring from our security operations centers, combined with manned guarding, is critical in larger areas. Guards typically concentrate their efforts on internal operations while relying on our operators from security operation centers to support them in remotely monitoring suspicious activities or threats.

To communicate any threats detected in situ, guards use mobile technology that acts as a conduit for bi-directional communication with security operation centers. Once a threat is identified, modern SOCs can connect with manned guarding that are located at client facilities using mobile technology. This results in a system in which technology and humans collaborate to create a more effective and safer security response experience.

Quicker and smart threat response. Incorporation of artificial intelligence to analyze video streams of surveillance cameras allow operators to avoid analyzing false alarms. The SOC uses AI technology to respond quicker and better, so guards can prioritize response whenever it is needed. Operational intelligence through AI-based surveillance provides a more proactive response to threats, avoiding waste of time analyzing false alarms.

Data collected helps fill in security intelligence gaps – The security industry has progressed due to technological advancements, particularly in the last 20 years. However, much more growth and development are required to combat potential threats' increasing number and complexity.

According to the 2022 State of Protective Intelligence Report, in comparison to the beginning of 2021, 88 percent believe that companies are now experiencing a dramatic increase in threat activity. The community as a whole lacks intelligence on potential threats, which is a general trend in security. The data provided by surveillance cameras, intrusion sensors and IoT devices aid in closing the intelligence-gathering gap, resulting in a more effective and comprehensive method of protecting citizens, staff and assets.

Technology enables SOCs to go beyond security – The SOC not only monitors the security of buildings but also monitors the security of employees. The exchange of real-time information between manned guarding on the ground and operators in the security operations center, aided by data captured by IoT devices and managed at the SOC via technology such as Prosegur's GenzAI™ platform, means security teams can provide more value to our customers, monitor processes, and contribute to business continuity.

This technology provides additional information that is used for its operators to support our customers with their processes and even notify the guards who are on-site at the location to act when a problem in a process is detected. To summarize, it enables our security professionals to be much more valuable for our customers and cover more functions at the same time that go beyond security and include business continuity.

Protects the physical world from the digital world. Digital twins technology enables us to create digital replicas of buildings and facilities of our customers and to represent data from security devices, like surveillance cameras or intrusion sensors. When a sensor detects something and sends an alarm to our security operation center, our operators could use the digital twin to quickly verify all cameras that are around the sensor that has sent the alarm message and analyze dangerous zones quickly.

Digital twins give contextual information about where the incident has started and even the risk associated with that alarm allowing a quick and precise response from our manned guarding services.

Businesses in today's physical and digital worlds must be prepared to combat both physical and digital threats as the world becomes more integrated and technologically advanced year after year. Through a combined security approach, technology and guarding services can be a perfect tool to protect against security threats, contribute to operational intelligence and efficiency, and protect the physical world using tools from the digital world.

This article originally appeared in the May / June 2022 issue of Security Today.