ONVIF - Experts & Thought Leaders

The Divan Hotel is a famous five-star hotel located in Erbil, Iraq. It keeps attracting tourists from all over the world with its innovative style, state-of-the-art luxury, and high-standard services. To ensure a secure trip for customers, the hotel found the urgent need to upgrade its security system which had been out of date. Dahua Technology, as a video-centric smart IoT solution and service provider, helped the hotel improve its security system and customer experience. The old cameras in the Divan Hotel had unclear images with poor definition, especially in low-light conditions, while AI functions were absent. Access control system Moreover, the original ANPR cameras for the street were unable to read complete licence plate numbers at night. The old Under Vehicle Surveillance System (UVSS) had stopped working. In important places, there was no access control system for the staff or special personnel. Therefore, removing these security vulnerabilities became one of the priorities for the Divan Hotel. Dahua's customised security solutions have a great reputation for excellent performance and stability Dahua's customised security solutions have a great reputation for excellent performance and stability. The new security system provided to the Divan Hotel includes multiple advanced technologies such as Full-colour, Dahua Security Software Pro (DSS Pro), ANPR, WizSense, access control, smart motion detection, etc. Products including WizSense cameras, Full-colour cameras, and access controllers were installed for better security operation and management. With upgraded H.265 encoding technology, Dahua 4MP lite full-colour fixed-focal bullet network camera has efficient video encoding capacity, which saves bandwidth and storage space. Deep learning algorithm This camera adopts the latest starlight technology and displays better colour image in the condition of low illumination. It supports SD card storage, dust-proof function, waterproof function, and vandal-proof function, complying with the standards of IP67 (Supported by some select models). The 4MP IR fixed focal dome WizSense network camera with advanced deep learning algorithm supports intelligent functions, such as perimeter protection and smart motion detection. The system also applied 24-HDD Enterprise Video Storage (EVS), four-door two-way access controller, RFID reader, and ultra-HD Network Video Decoder (NVD). The EVS is ideal for hotel resorts that demand expansion flexibility, high reliability, and centralised storage management. It is compatible with numerous third-party devices making it the perfect solution for surveillance systems with or without a Video Management System (VMS). High decoding ability With the new security system from Dahua, the Divan Hotel freed its security team from false alarms Its open architecture supports multi-user access and is compatible with ONVIF 2.4. The NVD with ultra-high decoding ability has a plug-in board design, which makes it easy to use and maintain. With the new security system from Dahua, the Divan Hotel freed its security team from false alarms. They could focus on key tasks and react rapidly to timely notifications of unauthorised entrances of people and vehicles into the hotel and other emergencies. The access control system prevented unauthorised visitors in restricted areas, while AI-powered cameras protected the whole resort day and night. The Divan Hotel has spoken highly of Dahua's solution. The feedback said that no problem has ever occurred after the upgrade, thanks to the stability of the system, quick support from the Dahua team, and the integrated software for both the access control system and CCTV cameras.

ONVIF®, whose open standards make IP-based physical security products interoperable worldwide, announces the Release Candidate for the ONVIF Media Signing Add-on, a standardised method for confirming the authenticity and integrity of surveillance video. Surveillance footage matters most when it is relied upon after an incident, in settings such as law enforcement casework, corporate and internal investigations, insurance claims, and legal proceedings. Yet as manipulated and AI-generated video becomes more convincing, the long-standing assumption that such footage is genuine is becoming harder to defend. The ONVIF Media Signing Add-on enables those who depend on surveillance footage to verify where the signed video originated and whether it has been unaltered since it was created. Integrity of surveillance video “Proving authenticity is central to trust in video. The Media Signing Add-on Release Candidate gives the security industry a standardised method to help counter manipulated video and defend authentic content,” said Leo Levit, Chairman, ONVIF Board of Directors. “Making it an open standard ensures transparency, builds trust and enables investigators, insurers and courts to verify video from different sources using consistent tools and workflow.” ONVIF will be speaking on video authenticity as part of the educational programming at GSX 2026, September 14-16 in Atlanta. Roberto Licari, ONVIF Ambassador, will present "Can Security Video Survive Generative AI?" on September 14 from 2:45-3:45 PM in Room B316. Signed video sequence The Media Signing Add-on gives network video devices, such as IP cameras and video encoders, a standardised method for cryptographically signing encoded video at the point of creation. The signing information links the video to the specific device that produced it and protects the integrity of the signed video sequence. A video player or verification tool that supports the Media Signing Specification can then confirm whether the signed video is valid and trace it back to its source, even after the video has been shared across different platforms and services. The add-on currently supports video; support for audio is planned for future versions. To claim conformance with the Media Signing Add-on, a product must also conform to an ONVIF profile. Combination of open code ONVIF has released the implementation of media signing as an open-source project, publishing the framework code for both signing and verification on the ONVIF GitHub.  Opening the code to the developer community makes the ONVIF method transparent and easier to implement for camera vendors and client applications alike, while allowing anyone to examine how signing and verification work. That transparency in the technical implementation preserves trust in the authentication process and the integrity of the video itself. The combination of open code and easier implementation is expected to help the standard gain wider adoption across the security industry. ONVIF members can now access the specification and test tools for prototyping and testing in the ONVIF Member Portal. ONVIF expects to release the final specification at the end of 2026.

ONVIF®, whose open standards make IP-based physical security products interoperable worldwide, has introduced the Release Candidate for ONVIF Profile V, a draft standard for cloud-based video surveillance. Profile V extends the ONVIF brand-independent approach to the cloud, giving system integrators, consultants and end users a way to build cloud video systems that are not tied to a single vendor. A cloud-based video management system reduces or replaces on-site hardware and runs video through a remote server. It minimises the need for local servers, simplifies maintenance, supports remote access from a web client, and makes it easier to expand storage as a system grows. Video management software Most cloud video surveillance systems today are proprietary, tying a customer's cameras, video management software and recordings to a single provider. Profile V delivers those cloud benefits without the lock-in: conformant products from different manufacturers work together, and any one of them can be replaced without redesigning the whole system. "Standardising cloud video surveillance is a natural next step for ONVIF," said Leo Levit, Chairman, ONVIF Board of Directors. "As more security systems move to the cloud, we want that shift to give customers more choice, not less. When the fundamentals are standardised, companies can build on top of them, and customers can trust that what they invest in today will still work with what they choose tomorrow." Secure outbound connection Profile V enables a conformant cloud-based video management system (VMS) to reach cameras behind a local firewall, typically without port forwarding or VPN configuration. The conformant device makes a secure outbound connection to the cloud VMS, then streams live video and, if applicable, audio over WebRTC to an ONVIF client or an authorised standard web client. The device can also send event notifications to the cloud VMS to take action. Video and audio are encrypted before they are pushed to cloud storage, such as Amazon S3 or Microsoft Azure Blob Storage. Profile V can be combined with other ONVIF video and access control profiles for integrated or hybrid systems. Evolving security requirements Security is built in. Profile V conformant products must implement the ONVIF Profile V Security Add-on, which covers two areas: it uses the OAuth 2.0 framework so that only authorised devices, clients and cloud services can connect and exchange data, and it encrypts recordings on their way to storage. ONVIF placed these requirements in an add-on instead of the profile itself because an add-on can be updated to keep pace with evolving security requirements without rewriting the full Profile V specification. The draft Profile V specification is available now for review by ONVIF members, and ONVIF expects to finalise it by the end of the year. A technical FAQ about the Profile V Release Candidate is available here.

At mid-year 2026, the broader economy tells a story of resilience under pressure. Conflict in the Middle East has triggered a shock to the energy supply, driving oil prices up and reigniting global inflation. However, a total downturn has been averted. Exceptional, historic levels of business investment and data centre construction are providing a firm floor for growth, offsetting cooler consumer spending and keeping labour markets fundamentally stable. But how are changing economics impacting the physical security market? We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: How do changes in the broader economic climate impact physical security?

In the simplest terms, technology modernisation accelerates when older systems become too expensive to maintain or fail to support modern standards. Market competition pushes businesses to update their technologies to meet rising customer demands. Additionally, the rapid shift toward cloud-based infrastructures and artificial intelligence creates a fear of missing out, forcing companies to adapt or risk irrelevance. Focusing on the physical security market, we asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What factors are accelerating technology modernisation in security?

False alarms are the security industry's oldest and most persistent challenge. Industry estimates suggest that as many as 95% to 98% of security system activations are non-emergencies. The high rate stems from a combination of human behaviour, environmental triggers, and technical limitations. However, newer technologies are finally addressing the challenge of false alarms. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the new solutions to security's oldest challenge, reducing false alarms?