CLIQ - ASSA ABLOY Access Control Softwares  (6)

How AI and humans can work together is a longstanding debate. As society progresses technologically, there’s always the worry of robots taking over jobs. Self-checkout tills, automated factory machines, and video analytics are all improving efficiency and productivity, but they can still work in tandem with humans, and in most cases, they need to. Video analytics in particular is one impressively intelligent piece of technology that security guards can utilise. How can video analytics help with certain security scenarios? Video analytics tools Before video analytics or even CCTV in general, if a child went missing in a shopping centre, we could only rely on humans. Take a crowded Saturday shopping centre, a complex one with a multitude of shops and eateries, you’d have to alert the security personnel, rely on a tannoy and search party, and hope for a lockdown to find a lost or kidnapped child. With video analytics, how would this scenario play out? It’s pretty mind-blowing. As soon as security is alerted, they can work with the video analytics tools to instruct it precisely With the same scenario, you now have the help of many different cameras, but then there’s the task of searching through all the CCTV resources and footage. That’s where complex search functions come in. As soon as security is alerted, they can work with the video analytics tools to instruct it precisely on what footage to narrow down, and there’s a lot of filters and functions to use. Expected movement direction For instance, they can tick a ‘human’ field, so the AI can track and filter out vehicles, objects etc., and then they can input height, clothing colours, time the child went missing, and last known location. There’s a complex event to check too, under ‘child kidnap’. For a more accurate search, security guards can then add in a searching criterion by drawing the child’s expected movement direction using a visual query function. A unique function like this enables visual criteria-based searches rather than text-based ones. The tech will then narrow down to the images/videos showing the criteria they’ve inputted, showing the object/child that matches the data and filter input. Detecting facial data There are illegal demonstrations and troublesome interferences that police have to deal with A white-list face recognition function is then used to track the child’s route which means the AI can detect facial data that has not been previously saved in the database, allowing it to track the route of a target entity, all in real time. Then, security guards can confirm the child’s route and current location. All up-to-date info can then be transferred to an onsite guard’s mobile phone for them to confirm the missing child’s movement route, face, and current location, helping to find them as quickly as possible. Often, there are illegal demonstrations and troublesome interferences that police have to deal with. Video analytics and surveillance can not only capture these, but they can be used to predict when they may happen, providing a more efficient process in dealing with these types of situations and gathering resources. Event processing functions Picture a public square with a number of entries into the main area, and at each entry point or path, there is CCTV. Those in the control room can set two events for each camera: a grouping event and a path-passing event. These are pretty self-explanatory. A grouping event covers images of seeing people gathering in close proximity and a path-passing event will show when people are passing through or entering. The video analytics tool can look out for large gatherings and increased footfall to alert security By setting these two events, the video analytics tool can look out for large gatherings and increased footfall to alert security or whoever is monitoring to be cautious of protests, demonstrations or any commotion. Using complex event processing functions, over-detection of alarms can also be prevented, especially if there’s a busy day with many passing through. Reducing false alarms By combining the two events, that filters down the triggers for alarms for better accuracy to predict certain situations, like a demonstration. The AI can also be set to only trigger an alarm when the two events are happening simultaneously on all the cameras of each entry to reduce false alarms. There are so many situations and events that video analytics can be programmed to monitor. You can tick fields to monitor any objects that have appeared, disappeared, or been abandoned. You can also check events like path-passing to monitor traffic, as well as loitering, fighting, grouping, a sudden scene change, smoke, flames, falling, unsafe crossing, traffic jams and car accidents etc. Preventing unsafe situations Complex events can include violations of one-way systems, blacklist-detected vehicles Complex events can include violations of one-way systems, blacklist-detected vehicles, person and vehicle tracking, child kidnaps, waste collection, over-speed vehicles, and demonstration detections. The use of video analytics expands our capabilities tremendously, working in real time to detect and help predict security-related situations. Together with security agents, guards and operatives, AI in CCTV means resources can be better prepared, and that the likelihood of preventing unsafe situations can be greatly improved. It’s a winning team, as AI won’t always get it right but it’s there to be the advanced eyes we need to help keep businesses, premises and areas safer.

Recent cyber-attacks have disabled and even shut down physical assets. Robust foundational security and training staff, able to recognise an attack can help mitigate the threat, as ABB’s Rob Putman explains. Edge devices and data analytics As cyber security specialists, we must navigate an ever-changing threat landscape, one that is made even more complex by the increased interconnectivity between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT), as companies look to leverage edge devices and data analytics, as well as remote connectivity, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the threat surface evolves, the industry must guard against attacks on key physical infrastructure, carried out by a range of malicious actors, including nation states and criminals intent on blackmail. The chemicals sector, a high-value target for cyber-criminals Cyber-criminals view the chemicals sector, as a high-value target, because of the potential cost In 2017, not long after a ransomware attack that targeted Maersk, the world’s largest shipping firm, made the news around the world. Another cyber-attack, this time targeting physical industrial assets, generated fewer headlines, and yet could have resulted in both real, as well as financial, damage. Cyber-criminals view the chemicals sector, as a high-value target, because of the potential cost, both financial and reputational, to the operator, should production be interrupted or stopped entirely. Cyber security vulnerabilities put physical assets at risk The attack in question, a ‘Triton’ custom malware attack on a petro-chemical facility in Saudi Arabia, targeted a safety system, taking over system controllers. Bugs in the code triggered an emergency shutdown, but could have led to the release of toxic and explosive gases. It was a vivid reminder of how cyber security vulnerabilities are increasingly putting companies’ key physical assets at risk. Two more-recent high-profile incidents illustrate my point. In February, a Florida water treatment plant was hacked. The malicious actor remotely accessed the system for three to five minutes, during which time they opened various functions on the screen, including one that controls the amount of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in the water. The hacker changed the NaOH from about 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million, which could have resulted in a mass poisoning event. Colonial Pipeline cyber-attack incident Then, in May, the Colonial Pipeline system that originates in Houston, Texas and carries gasoline, and jet fuel, suffered a ransomware attack. Using a VPN, hackers targeted back-office IT systems, forcing Colonial to shut down IT hosts and network infrastructure, severing communication with those OT systems that are responsible for communicating ‘transactional data’ associated with fuel delivery. In this instance, a single compromised password disrupted Colonial’s ability to invoice its customers. This dependency on OT data stopped pipeline and business operations, and the company was elected to pay the hackers an initial ransom of US$ 4.4 million, in order to restore operations. The Colonial attack was multi-dimensional, in that it not only impacted Colonial’s business, but also the wider US economy and national security, since the pipeline transports nearly half of the east coast's fuel supplies. Outdated IT system elevates physical risk The increased interconnectivity between IT and OT can also create vulnerabilit Attacks such as these prove that, armed with little more than a laptop, an email account and access to the dark web, determined hackers can cause disproportionate damage to physical infrastructure. As mentioned at the outset, the increased interconnectivity between IT and OT can also create vulnerability. Producers often want to know: Is it risky to connect a production asset or their operational environment to the Cloud? My answer is, if you do so without having done any risk audits around people, processes and technology, or without enhancing and maintaining that environment, then yes, that is risky. For example, we often observe that the life cycle of a production asset far outlasts the IT systems that are used to run it. Take a cement kiln. Several generations of plant operators may have come and gone, but that asset may still run, using legacy software, such as Windows XP and why not? Need to replace aging distributed control systems Well, that’s fine, if you are not concerned about having that asset compromised, and all that entails. A ‘flat’ IT network, an aging distributed control system, and machines with legacy versions of Microsoft Windows, all these elements, which are still commonplace in many industries, make it much easier for attackers to find and infiltrate a company, without needing sophisticated tools. The age-old mantra of not interfering with a piece of equipment or software that appears to be working, often applies to the individual assets. For example that cement kiln that are still controlled by the same Windows XP-based control software. However, if we’re honest, things have changed quite a bit, not because something was broken, but because innovation came in. That same kiln control system is most likely connected to other systems, than when first commissioned and that opens it to exposure to threats that it was never designed for. The human element There is a misconception that IoT-connected devices can open companies to risk There is a misconception that IoT-connected devices can open companies to risk, but many recent, high-profile cyber-attacks have been conducted from a laptop, by hacking someone’s VPN, or are a simple phishing/malware attack. In all these cases, the human element is partly to blame. Take the Florida attack. The compromised computer at the water treatment facility was reportedly running an outdated Windows 7 operating system and staff all used the same password, in order to gain remote access via the Teamviewer app, which the hacker was then able to use. Physical and human assets, key to robust cyber security Discussion on the best way to mitigate the threat is often framed solely around specific technical solutions and ignores the fact that robust foundational cyber security is really driven by two very different, but equally important, types of capital: physical assets (e.g. production machinery), and human assets. The truth is that smart digital software and industry-renowned cyber security applications, while critical, are in many cases, only as good as the weakest human link in the chain. Industry would, therefore, do well to ask itself the following question: Do we have a security problem, or a complacency problem? At this juncture, it is important to point out that the majority of companies that ABB works with, are at least aware of the threat posed by cyber attackers, and the potential impact of an attack, on their revenues, reputation and bottom line. User error and human-generated exposures Making sure staff are aware of the threat and training them to respond properly, if they are targeted, is vital However, user error and human-generated exposures are where most of these attacks occur. Those human failures are mostly not due to malicious intent from employees, but to the lack of training of the employees on secure behavior. Making sure staff are aware of the threat and training them to respond properly, if they are targeted, is vital. However, there are also age demographics at play here. Much of the operations employee base is heading towards retirement and often, there is no plan or ability to backfill these people. Need to invest in new digital and automated technologies If you think you don't have enough people now, in order to stay on top of basic care and feeding of the OT environment, with regards to security, what is that going to be like in 20 years? For this reason, there must be a major industry reset, when it comes to its workforce. Companies must invest in new digital and automated technologies, not only to ensure that they stay ahead of the curve and mitigate risk, but also to attract the next generation of digitally literate talent. Robust cyber security is built on solid foundations When we talk about foundational cyber security, we mean fundamentals, such as patching, malware protection, high-fidelity system backups, an up-to-date anti-virus system, and other options, such as application allow-listing and asset inventory. These basic controls can help companies understand their system setup and the potential threats, identify vulnerabilities, and assess their risk exposure. The Pareto principle states that around 80% of consequences come from 20% of the causes. In the context of cyber security, that means 80% of exposure to risk comes from 20% of the lack of security. If companies do the foundational things right, they can manage out a significant amount of this risk. Importance of maintaining and upgrading security controls However, having basic security controls, such as anti-virus software in place, is just the first step on that journey. Equally important is having someone within the organisation, with the requisite skill set, or the extra labour bandwidth, to operate, maintain and update those security controls, as they evolve. Educating, training and recruiting existing employees, and the next generation of talent, along with forging partnerships with trusted technology providers, will ensure that industry can leverage the latest digital technologies, in order to drive business value, and secure physical assets against cyber-attacks.

The COVID-19 pandemic is only accelerating the expansion of Automation, Robotics, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and changing how people live their daily lives. This expansion leads the way with technologies that are developed to solve problems, improve operations, streamline processes and assist people, to focus on learning new skills, creativity, and imagination. Transformation of the physical security industry One of the latest industries to be permanently transformed is physical security. The era of utilising security cameras is slowly changing into more advanced and more efficient technological applications - security robotic solutions. SMP Robotics is a California-based company, which is a pioneer in developing robotic technologies, powered by AI, to assist, improve and deliver on new expectations in today’s world. One of their services is smart surveillance systems. This represents a proactive approach to security. The company, SMP Robotics’ Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Leo Ryzhenko, stated “Autonomous robotic technologies will become a driving force in future security solutions.” Robotics and AI in autonomous security solutions The robots can patrol 24/7, counteracting intrusion and communicating via voice message with guards The company uses robotics and AI technology to implement autonomous security solutions, which reduce liability and overhead, as well as improving the quality of services. Robotic guards are capable of patrolling all types of facilities, in both urban and rural contexts. The robots can patrol 24/7, counteracting intrusion and communicating via voice message with guards. The inspection robots, deployed by SMP Robotics, are easily integrated with many existing security technologies, armed with obstacle avoidance and anti-collision measures, automatically recharge, and can recognise faces up to 50 metres. As the world grows increasingly complex, technology like this is essential to ensure safety for all. AI-enabled autonomous video monitoring ground vehicles The advancements in technological breakthroughs of SMP Robotics position the company and its AI-powered, autonomous video monitoring ground vehicles, to be the most adaptable to any industry, cost-effective for clients’ business needs, in providing various types of services from public safety, crime prevention, to asset protection and physical security. SMP Robotics continues to implement new innovative solutions and groundbreaking technologies in its latest generation of autonomous models. Currently, many were already deployed or in a process to be delivered to a number of key clients, in various industries throughout the globe, from oil & gas, nuclear power plants to data centers, healthcare facilities, and amusement parks. Smart security robots Tal Turner, the Vice President (VP) of Business Development and Partnerships, SMP Robotics, said “We provide autonomous, artificial intelligence, all-weather, all-surface, smart security robots that are turnkey and operate independently on their own, using real-time obstacle avoidance, face recognition, and other cutting-edge technological advancements.” According to Coherent Market Insights, the Robots as a Service (RaaS) market direction will grow by 15.9% by 2028 and reach the threshold of 41.3 billion dollars. SMP Robotics stands at the forefront of the security robotic revolution, making an impactful change to make the world a safer place.

Security at healthcare premises has never been higher on the agenda. Patients expect safety and privacy. Yet many medical locations must be open and accessible around the clock. The protection of drugs, vaccines, equipment and data makes it critical to know who accesses where, and when. Mechanical lock-and-key security was not designed to meet these challenges. Wireless locking devices provide the easiest upgrade or replacement for any access system based on mechanical or magnetic locks. Smartcards, programmable keys or secure mobile keys stored on a smartphone can replace cumbersome physical keys. Online locking systems When access control extends throughout a hospital, healthcare professionals waste less of their valuable time searching for the right key. A personalised credential is pre-programmed to open every door, lock or store they need to access. A personalised credential is pre-programmed to open every door, lock or store they need to access For building managers and healthcare agencies, wireless devices make it cost-effective to add electronic control to many more areas of a building. With online locking systems, facility managers monitor and manage premises in real-time, viewing the status of doors, medicine cupboards and server racks from one software interface. Physical key management Example #1: Upgrading to intelligent physical keys - Physical key management can hinder patient care, as pharmacy nurses at the UK’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham discovered. An older, mechanical system made it difficult to find who held the right keys for medicine stores. Nurses were wasting valuable time searching. Managers identified a better solution: CLIQ® electromechanical locks. With CLIQ, power to each access control lock is supplied by a standard battery inside every key. No wires are required, so this is an easy retrofit solution for doors, cabinets and drug trolleys. Each employee carries one programmable key to open all authorised locks. “The message from nursing staff is that patients are getting medicines much easier and in a more timely fashion,” says Inderjit Singh, Chief Pharmacist at QE Birmingham. “For us, the key return on investment is the quality of service we’re providing.” Swapping mechanical lock The hospital added secure doors without excessive installation or operating costs Example #2: Integrating hardware to extend access control - Swapping a mechanical lock for a battery-powered device can link another door to an existing access control system. It instantly upgrades security for sensitive offices and drug stores. At the Haute Savoie region’s new hospital, managers selected Aperio locking integrated online with an ARD security system. Because Aperio locks are wireless and integrate easily with any access system, the hospital added secure doors without excessive installation or operating costs. Staff no longer waste time hunting down keys. “Having just a single badge — and not having to carry around heavy keys — has been a major advantage,” says Béatrice Dequidt, Health Executive at CHMS. “We have implemented internal HR management procedures, creating badges that are automatically integrated into ARD's operating software,” adds Alain Gestin, CHMS’s IT Systems Architect. Access control system Example #3: Mobile keys to reducing shared touchpoints - Multiple key systems; varied openings including fire doors, glass doors, offices, pharmacies, car parks and lifts; hundreds of workers and contractors whose access permissions constantly change. Faced with these challenges, Hospital MAZ, in Zaragoza, upgraded their mechanical locking to a new SMARTair Wireless Online electronic access control system. Because SMARTair Wireless Online updates in real-time via communications hubs, security managers handle everything from the central system. Staff and contractors carry a single smartcard ID, programmed with individual permissions Staff and contractors carry a single smartcard ID, programmed with individual permissions. At any time, hospital managers can upgrade to SMARTair Openow mobile access without changing lock hardware. This option offers contactless entry for employees, who keep mobile keys updated on their own smartphones. "We have achieved all our objectives with the installation of the system,” says Miguel Angel Hernández Jerez at Hospital MAZ. Electronic PIN lock Example #4: Door security without software - In any busy medical facility, it is easy to leave a door unlocked. With expensive equipment or controlled drugs on the other side, any opening invites opportunists. Installing a Code Handle® electronic PIN lock takes the worry away — without the need for any complex installation or software activation. In Spain’s Basque Country, Fylab chose this simple solution for three consulting-room doors. “I am no artist or handyman, but I managed to fit the handles within 10 minutes,” says Fylab founder, Borja Saldias Retegui. Their Code Handle devices secure both wooden and glass doors, keeping equipment and personal belongings safe.

Running a unified locking system for multiple municipal services may bring operational efficiencies. However, if the system is based on mechanical locks, it can also create time-consuming headaches. When keys go missing, for example, or user access requirements change, mechanical security does not have the flexibility to adapt quickly. For this reason, Vincennes city administrators sought a modern, electronic replacement for a master-key system whose lock-chart ran to 4,000 keys. Several locations around Vincennes — among them schools, nurseries, and the Town Hall elevator — relied on this complex locking solution. The costs and risk when keys went missing had become a growing logistical burden. Electronic locking system Vincennes officials tasked their city security director with finding a more responsive solution: An electronic locking system that is easy to install; does not require power to be cabled to every door or lock; and gives municipal staff the ability to tailor access rights for different people, to trace keyholder and lock interactions and to amend or revoke permissions when required. They also needed an established, trusted security partner able to offer all the necessary training and system support. An electronic locking system that is easy to install; does not require power to be cabled to every door or lock “A wired access control system was rejected because it required too much work to bring the power to each door,” says Fabrice Pain, Director at the Municipal Technical Centre. “Now eCLIQ provides us access control without wiring at all.” Interior and exterior doors at buildings including the Hôtel de Ville, 11 nurseries, 12 schools, and the Municipal Technical Centre are equipped with more than 650 programmable, electronic eCLIQ cylinders. Almost 1,000 battery-powered eCLIQ programmable keys have been issued to authorised staff. Solving the lost key problem and reducing thefts With eCLIQ, lost keys no longer threaten building security: They can simply be blacklisted by the city’s central eCLIQ management software, which saves the money spent on replacing mechanical locks. And because every key, lock, or user may be audited at any time, thefts from public property have dropped. The eCLIQ cylinder range brings almost any opening into an access system. Robust, durable eCLIQ locks can protect lifts, machines, mailboxes, cabinets, and more with the same security as sensitive doors. Robust, durable eCLIQ locks can protect lifts, machines, mailboxes, cabinets, and more with the same security as sensitive doors Certified and available in multiple sizes and formats — including the EURO format first patented by an ASSA ABLOY Group brand nearly 100 years ago — eCLIQ cylinders maintain security and regulatory compliance across the city. During installation, no wiring or cabling was needed at the doors. A standard battery inside every programmable eCLIQ key powers the electronics inside the lock. Every authorised building user brings their own power to the door. Security solution Now, the city security team issues granular access to everyone who needs it and only where they need it from a single admin point. The new solution is popular with school and municipal staff, especially since a successful implementation of Vincennes’ integrated Vigipirate plan, in which eCLIQ plays an important role. With eCLIQ, Vincennes has found a security solution to match their image as a young, dynamic, tech-savvy place to live and work. More important still, eCLIQ key-based electronic access control has simplified security management and solved their lost key problem.

The responsibilities of the modern facilities manager combine site security with employee health and safety. At Hydreaulys, a French water and waste management utility, a simple switch to programmable key-based access control helped them make improvements on both counts. Complex security and workflow challenges throughout the utilities sector can push static, mechanical master-key systems beyond their limit. To upgrade their mechanical locking system, the Hydreaulys facilities team prioritised access control technology which was already trusted in the sector — and supplied by a manufacturer with deep industry expertise. Electronic access control Quality guidelines laid down by the utility’s Group Risk Manager were stringent: Alongside filtering access, the locking system should ensure only those with clearance can access potentially hazardous materials stored. Safety and security at their sites must go hand in hand. The solution was eCLIQ. Its programmable cylinders and padlocks are wire-free, so swapping existing mechanical locking for eCLIQ electronic access control was quick and easy. The installation did not require any cabling: Power is provided by the battery inside each user key. As a result, security and site safety is improved, because unauthorised staff is kept away from potentially dangerous materials. Secure system management Access control needs flexibility as our organisation and management of the site is evolving" Now, no one can handle risky products without access authorisation, which is programmed on their personal eCLIQ key and changed whenever needed. Secure system management via the web-based CLIQ Web Manager software puts Hydreaulys’ security managers in total control of access rights: They can filter by building, zone, function or time period. “Access control needs flexibility as our organisation and management of the site is evolving, and the reliable eCLIQ system is evolving with us,” says Jean-Pascal Chuzel, Deputy Agency Director at Water France – Paris Seine Ouest. Devices in the eCLIQ range are robust enough for the demanding environment of a wastewater treatment site: Alongside weather and extreme climate, eCLIQ devices are also resistant to chemicals, humidity and reagents. Facilities management team Their durability saves Hydreaulys both the time and cost of replacing locks regularly. With their new eCLIQ electronic access control system, Hydreaulys has total flexibility in issuing access rights. Fine-grained access permissions ensure only accredited staff and visitors enter designated areas of their premises — enhancing safety. And because every interaction between key and lock is recorded and can be checked, thefts have been reduced. When a key does go missing, it is easily blocked by the facilities management team, maintaining the security, health and safety of everyone who works at or visits Hydreaulys.