Smarter Security’s ReconaSense access control solution awarded FICAM certification for federal markets

3 Jun 2021

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Smarter Security, Inc. proudly announces GSA’s approval of the ReconaSense PACS Infrastructure for FICAM (Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management), meeting and exceeding the highest level of requirements for securing government agencies and military installations.

Physical access control system

ReconaSense is the first Risk-Adaptive Physical Access Control System (RAdPACS) using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Mercury hardware that is certified to validate Personal Identity Verification (PIV) and PIV-I for federal employees and contractors utilising high-assurance credentials for physical access.

This development provides contextual authorisation and mission-focused management of physical interactions between authorised personnel, resources, and federal facilities for the first time.

Real-time analytics

ReconaSense’ open architecture and real-time analytics provide practitioners with advanced access control requirements

Designed for user-definable environments, ReconaSense’ open architecture and real-time analytics provide practitioners with a standard toolkit for custom applications and advanced access control requirements.

Executive VP Clayton Brown said, “In fewer words, federal facilities can control access based on the real-time situation without hiring more guards or programmers.”

Proactive security postures

ReconaSense is architected to provide physical security with the same interoperability, analysis, and adaptivity saw throughout the rest of the enterprise. These modern control capabilities enable the next generation of security practitioners to build proactive security postures that better protect personnel, resources, and facilities against traditional, existing, emerging, and unforeseen threats.

Multi-layered physical access control

“Risk-based decisions drive management everywhere except where it’s most critical: the front door,” Brown continued. Unlike legacy COTS solutions, ReconaSense provides a multi-layered and risk-based approach to physical access control management.

When permissions are granted based on a combination of factors, practitioners can make personnel safer, assets better protected, and operations more resilient. “Legacy solutions have left practitioners with a false sense of awareness and control,” said Brown. ReconaSense eliminates the resulting vulnerabilities of using static access policies to manage dynamic physical environments with military-grade, risk-adaptive capabilities.

Wide range of applications

Smarter Security’s most recent FICAM certification of ReconaSense enables enhanced risk-adaptive security solutions for a wide range of applications across the military, government, and critical infrastructure.

Applications include but are not limited to; insider threat mitigation, active shooter protection, contact tracing, unmanned entry, CBRN safeguards, agile emergency management, credential provisioning workflows, common operating pictures, smart building automation, persistent lobby screening, etc.

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Clayton Brown ReconaSense

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Physical access control: Critical steps to ensure a smarter future

Steven Kenny, Axis Communications, looks at the benefits of physical access control systems within smart environments, and how knowledge gaps and dated methods can inhibit adoption. Physical security is becoming more dynamic and more interconnected, as it evolves. Today’s modern access control solutions are about so much more than simply opening doors, with digitalisation bringing multiple business benefits, which would simply not be possible using traditional models. Digital transformation While the digital transformation of processes and systems was already well underway, across many industries and sectors, it is the transformation of physical security from a standalone, isolated circuit, to a network-enabled, intelligent security solution that brings many benefits to the smart environment. Yet, with more organisations now looking to bring their physical security provision up to date, there are many considerations that must be addressed to maximise the potential of access control and video surveillance. Not least of which is that connecting physical security devices to a network presents risk, so it is increasingly important for IT teams to play a role in helping to facilitate the secure integration of physical and network technologies, as these two worlds increasingly converge. Improved access control in smart environments These urban constructs are capable of reducing waste, driving efficiencies and optimising resources The smart city offers significant benefits, reflected in the US$ 189 billion that is anticipated to be spent on smart city initiatives globally by 2023. These urban constructs are capable of reducing waste, driving efficiencies, optimising resources and increasing citizen engagement. 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Yet, an increasing integration with open technologies and platforms requires collaboration between the worlds of physical security and IT, in order to be successful. Barriers to adoption Traditional suppliers and installers of physical security systems have built up a strong business model around their expertise, service and knowledge. Network connectivity and the IoT (Internet of Things) present a constantly shifting landscape, requiring the traditional physical security vendor to learn the language of IT, of open platforms, IP connectivity and software integration, in order to adapt to market changes and remain relevant. Many are now beginning to realise that connected network-enabled solutions are here to stay Those who cannot adapt, and are simply not ready for this changing market, risk being left behind, as the physical security landscape continues to shift and demand continues to increase. With end users and buyers looking for smarter, more integrated and business-focused solutions from their suppliers, it is clear that only those who are prepared will succeed in this space. Time will not stand still, and many are now beginning to realise that connected network-enabled solutions are here to stay, particularly within smart constructs which rely on such technology by their very nature. The importance of cyber hygiene Connecting any device to a network has a degree of risk, and it is, therefore, imperative that any provider not only understands modern connected technologies, but also the steps necessary to protect corporate networks. Cameras, access control systems and IP audio devices, which have been left unprotected, can potentially become backdoors into a network and used as access points by hackers. These vulnerabilities can be further compromised by the proliferation of connected devices within the Internet of Things (IoT). While the connection of devices to a network brings many advantages, there is greater potential for these devices to be used against the very business or industry they have been employed to protect when vulnerabilities are exploited. Cyber security considerations Cyber security considerations should, therefore, be a key factor in the development and deployment of new security systems. Access control technologies should be manufactured according to recognised cyber security principles, incident reporting and best practices. It is important to acknowledge that the cyber integrity of a system is only as strong as its weakest link and that any potential source of cyber exposure will ultimately impact negatively on a device’s ability to provide the necessary high levels of physical security. 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The integration of cyber secure technologies from trusted providers will provide peace of mind around the safety or corporate networks, and integrity of the deployed technologies. As we move forward, access control systems will become data collection points and door controllers will become intelligent I/O devices. QR codes for visitor management and biometric face recognition for frictionless access control will increasingly be managed at the edge, as analytics in a camera or sensor. The future of access control presents an exciting and challenging time for those ready to accept it, to secure it and to help shape it, offering a true opportunity to innovate for a smarter, safer world.

Wire-free, mobile first and data rich? The future of access control is within almost anyone’s reach

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