Top 10 articles of 2022 reflect the cutting edge of security technology

New buzzwords were abundant in the articles that generated the most clicks on our website in 2022. From the metaverse to the Internet of Things, from frictionless access control to artificial intelligence (AI), the topics most popular among our site’s visitors were at the cutting edge of change and innovation in the physical security marketplace.

Here is a review of the Top 10 Articles of 2022, based on reader clicks, including links to the original content:

Metaverse will promote collaboration and enable more efficiencies for security

Metaverse is a familiar buzzword currently, but few people grasp what it means. In the simplest terms, the metaverse is an online “place” where physical, virtual, and augmented realities are shared. The term, Metaverse, suggests a more immersive online environment that combines elements of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

For the physical security industry, the looming creation of a complex online environment offers possibilities and challenges. Establishing identity will be a central principle of the metaverse, and various biometrics are at the core of ensuring the identity of someone interacting in the virtual world.

Cybersecurity elements are also key. On the benefits side, the security market is already taking advantage of technologies related to the eventual evolution of the metaverse. For example, the industry has deployed AR to provide information about a door lock’s status on a screen, headset, or smart glasses as a patrolling guard walks by.

What are the security challenges of the transportation industry?

Because transit agencies rely on several IoT devices, they get exposed to higher cybersecurity risks

Rapid technological advancement, increasing urbanisation, and the growing expectations of commuters and governments are pressuring transit industry players to modernise. Commuters, urban planners, first responders, and other stakeholders want to use transit data to support their decision-making.

Transit agencies’ security and operations teams need closer collaboration to stay ahead. However, for many years, most transit agencies have relied on siloed, proprietary systems. Because transit agencies rely on an ever-growing number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, they also get exposed to higher cybersecurity risks as there are more network access points to manage.

The future is here: ADT’s innovation lab evaluating robots and indoor drones

New robots and indoor drones for security applications are on the horizon, based on the work of ADT Commercials’ Innovation Lab, which is evaluating the latest technologies’ value to customers and some typical use cases. The ideal use of humanoid robots is to perform jobs that are considered repetitive, dirty, dangerous, and/or mundane. In security, that describes most security guard positions.

As the name implies, autonomous indoor drones are focused on flying indoors versus the outdoor environment, which is heavily regulated by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Flying autonomously indoors not only eliminates FAA oversight but also will enable ADT Commercial to offer another choice to customers to further reduce their dependencies on and costs of human guards.

Innovative security: the key to business efficiency, cost savings, and more

Organisations have shifted business focus countless times since the onset of the pandemic. While many leaders have been primarily concerned with the immediate health and safety of their customers and employees, 2022 has given rise to a new trend.

More than ever, business leaders are seeking security solutions that increase operational efficiency and cost savings as well as improve logistics and business insight. As working environments become more complex, organisations looking to drive higher productivity and profitability margins should consider security upgrades that prioritise integrated analytics and automation.

Shoplifting today is more sophisticated, and so are the tools to fight it

One tool to fight shoplifting is analytics, which can be used to determine where shrink is occurring

Shoplifting is often viewed as petty theft by individuals, but that is not always the case. Overall, shoplifting is becoming more sophisticated and coordinated. Traditional “shoplifting” has two major differences when compared to organised retail crime (ORC). The differences are numbers and motivation.

ORC consists of groups working together to monetise theft, very different than an individual taking an item they need. One tool to fight to shoplift is analytics, which can be used to determine where shrink is occurring. Understanding where crimes take place helps retailers make strategic decisions about where to place their loss prevention efforts.

Oosto offers 10 reasons to switch to frictionless access control in commercial buildings

Access control for buildings is nothing new. It’s only in recent years that the urgency to implement smarter, more efficient, and more convenient forms of access control has increased, in the context of public and private sector digital transformation.

Upheavals from the COVID-19 pandemic have forced organisations to re-think, pivot, and invest in new technology solutions that will incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, to gain speed in their operations, glean actionable insights from their video analytics, and enhance productivity with their teams.

Which security trend is here to stay?

Technologies and trends in the security marketplace come and go with some regularity. But how can you tell which trends are gaining traction and which amount to “the flavor of the month.”

For example, while many physical security departments were hesitant to consider cloud-connected solutions in the past, they now better understand the benefits these solutions bring and how they can help them utilize their resources to achieve business goals while minimising overall operational complexity.

Other technologies mentioned in the article include mobile credentials, AI-based analytics, video management systems, cybersecurity, and a new emphasis on data. What do these technology trends have in common? They are opening new possibilities for greater system efficiency and functionality. In short, they are playing a role in transforming our industry.

GSX 2022 reflects changing technologies and evolving role of security

The role of the security director increasingly will encompass facets of cybersecurity and physical security

GSX 2022 in Atlanta highlighted the changing role of security in the enterprise. The role of the security director increasingly will encompass facets of cybersecurity as well as physical security. Transitioning to an operation that incorporates both disciplines requires a workforce that embraces education and building new skills.

Education and the opportunity to build new skills are evident everywhere at GSX, including in the hundreds of education sessions and also in the knowledge shared on the show floor in the exhibit hall.

Consolidation changing the face of the security market

Consolidation is a dominant trend in the security marketplace. Large companies typically swallow up smaller companies as a means of expanding both their technology portfolios and their geographic reach.

Sometimes a big fish is swallowed up by an even bigger fish. Despite the pandemic and resulting economic challenges, the security market has continued to be a desirable environment for both big players and startups, which then provide abundant acquisition targets for larger companies. This article highlighted recent mergers and acquisition news.

Six trends at the intersection of video and AI

Video has evolved beyond the capabilities of advanced imaging and performance to include another level: Artificial Intelligence. Video imaging technology combines with AI, delivers a wealth of new data, not just for traditional physical security applications, but for a much deeper analysis of past, present, and even future events across the enterprise.

This is more than a big development for the physical security industry; it is a monumental paradigm shift that is changing how security system models are envisioned, designed, and deployed. Much of the heightened demand for advanced video analytics is being driven by six prevalent industry trends.