Bank security

March Networks®, a video surveillance and video-based business intelligence provider, is pleased to announce a new solution to help enterprise businesses manage new health and safety compliance regulations in the COVID-19 era. The company’s Health Compliance Solution delivers a suite of new features to help banks, retailers, restaurants, schools and other businesses monitor and measure occupancy in real time, rapidly detect individuals who may pose a potential risk, and ensure compliance with new cleaning and sanitisation procedures. Data analytic platform The solution, based on March Networks’ highly flexible data analytic platform called Searchlight, combines data from video surveillance cameras and third-party sensors to alert operators in real time of potential compliance violations. The solution was recently selected for rollout by a major European supermarket chain with more than 150 locations. The first release of the Health Compliance Solution includes: Real-Time Occupancy Management – Using Searchlight, businesses can count the number of people entering their locations in real time and visualise occupancy data in multiple ways, both locally and from a central location. Occupancy alerts can be displayed on a local, colour-coded video client or public view monitor, a mobile phone or tablet or via a smart lighting system, which can change colour to indicate when a business is nearing or has reached its maximum capacity. Thermal imaging cameras All visual indicators of occupancy are easy to setup, custom configurable and displayed in real time Once capacity has been reached, video clients display the maximum count number with a red background and Searchlight simultaneously sends an email or SMS message to a manager so they can react in real time to close their doors. For large enterprise businesses, colour-coded occupancy data from multiple sites can be viewed together from one central location, along with associated surveillance video. All visual indicators of occupancy are easy to setup, custom configurable and displayed in real time. Data can also be viewed historically via Searchlight’s reports and dashboards, allowing managers to identify trends and more easily pinpoint high-risk locations. Real-Time Alerts on Elevated Body Temperatures – COVID-19 has generated immense interest in thermal imaging cameras as a tool to identify individuals with elevated body temperatures. Searchlight’s open platform integrates with many of the third-party thermal cameras to send real-time email and SMS alerts when an alert is triggered. Email notifications include a video snapshot of the person that triggered the alert, so managers can quickly identify the individual and take appropriate action. Potential risk factor Searchlight logs all alerts centrally so managers can search and sort alerts by location and camera, view data in chart or graph format, identify trends and rapidly respond to locations presenting a potential risk factor for virus transmission. Audits can also validate that employees are wearing masks and gloves Health & Safety Audits – Leveraging Searchlight’s convenient Security and Operations Audit features, businesses can automatically capture video of new health and safety procedures to ensure compliance with re-opening rules. Examples include a video database of employees washing their hands at prescribed intervals, and regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces. Audits can also validate that employees are wearing masks and gloves and that physical barriers like sneeze guards are in place. Improving health and safety “COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges, and at March Networks we’re doing all we can to help business owners get back to work while instilling confidence in consumers that these organisations have taken the necessary steps to keep them safe,” said Peter Strom, President & CEO, March Networks. “With Searchlight as the centerpiece, this solution equips businesses to quickly make informed decisions that can help them reduce risk and further improve health and safety moving forward. We will continue to work closely with our customers to add more functionality to the platform as new regulations emerge.” The March Networks Health Compliance Solution is available starting this month on flexible one, three or five-year service terms. In Canada and the U.S., the solution will also be available as a hosted service, offering convenient monthly invoicing options.

Trustonic and Huawei announce the next step in their partnership to bring simplicity and greater security to mobile applications. Trustonic Application Protection (TAP) now supports Huawei’s hardware-backed Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) “iTrustee”, and the HUAWEI P40 Series smartphone supports the TAP SDK at launch. Application developers can use the TAP development platform to leverage Huawei’s hardware-backed security for features such as Trusted User Interface (TUI), which is vital for the next generation of mobile banking, payments and mPOS, automotive and mobile identity-based apps. The TAP platform makes it easy for application developers to build advanced security and shielding into critical mobile apps. Advanced security features iTrustee’s integration with TAP will simplify the process of secure application development for Huawei devices This will help Huawei to create a secure ecosystem for its Huawei devices, starting with the HUAWEI P40 Series, while adding support for the other devices that are upgraded to EMUI 10.1. iTrustee’s integration with TAP will simplify the process of secure application development for Huawei devices and their acceptance into the broader application ecosystem.  “The TAP development platform gives application developers access to the advanced security features that they need to bring trust and richer user experiences to app users across billions of smartphones worldwide,” adds Dion Price, Trustonic CEO. “This announcement is a significant achievement in just one year of working with Huawei and will bring hardware-backed security to an even wider range of applications and services.” Digital car key sharing This news builds on the 2019 launch of the first development platform to enable developers to protect their apps and assets with TEE across different devices. TAP is the only application development platform that combines hardware-backed and software based in-app protection, enabling any developer to build and deploy applications with advanced security, and make use of TUI to shield sensitive user-interactions from potentially-compromised main device operating systems. TAP is already protecting a wide range of sensitive mobile application use-cases globally. This includes the digital car key sharing apps for Volkswagen Group and Hyundai, and off-the-shelf smartphone secure payment acceptance with Rubean.

Digital Guardian announced that it has released a new research report, The DG Data Trends Report, which assesses the risk of sensitive data loss during the COVID-19 crisis. The research is based on aggregated and anonymised data from nearly 200 customers of Digital Guardian’s Managed Security Program around the globe. It represents a wide range of organisation sizes and industries, including financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, and business services. As they continue to work from home, employees from these companies regularly interact with regulated and structured data as well as unstructured intellectual property and trade secrets. The data set analysed was from January 1 – April 15, 2020 and comparative data was evaluated from January 1 – February 29, 2020 (before the global onset on COVID-19) vs. March 1 – April 15, 2020 (after the COVID-19 pandemic came to the forefront). Sensitive data loss This enabled Digital Guardian to compare data egress patterns before and after the work from home transition took place and gauge its impact on the risk of sensitive data loss, now and in the future.  Key Findings: There was a 123% increase in the volume of data downloaded to USB devices by employees after the pandemic declaration and working from home became widespread. 74% of that data had been classified by organisation data governance policies. Cloud storage and USB devices became the most preferred egress paths after the COVID-19 emergency declaration, accounting for 89% of all data egressed. Data egress via all paths (email, cloud, USB, etc.) was 80% higher in the first month following WHO’s COVID-19 pandemic declaration. More than 50% of the data egressed was classified. From March 11 - April 15, employees uploaded 336 TB of data to the cloud, a 72% increase from January and February combined. After the WHO’s declaration, Digital Guardian’s Managed Detection & Response analysts also saw a 62% increase in malicious activity from external attackers, a number that corresponded to a 54% increase in incident response investigations required. USB device usage Our research indicates remote employees are egressing classified data at unprecedented rates" IT and security professionals should pay particular attention to the significant uptick in USB device usage as they inherently increase the risk of sensitive data loss due to their portability and likelihood of being misplaced, lost or stolen. “Organisations have accepted that the economic and health effects of COVID-19 will be with them for the foreseeable future and working from home will remain a requirement for many of their employees,” said Tim Bandos, VP, Cybersecurity, Digital Guardian. Data security enforcement “Our research indicates remote employees are egressing classified data at unprecedented rates across all egress paths. Executives and security teams would be wise to consider implementing solutions that provide visibility into this behaviour, and a means to control it, in order to avoid a potential data breach.” The DG Data Trends Report contains more in-depth information, including statistics on additional data egress channels and points of risk that were monitored, a primer on data security enforcement actions, examples of COVID-19 phishing attacks, as well as recommendations to protect remote workforces.

Temenos, the banking software company, has announced a joint effort with Microsoft to enable access to its AI-powered, Financial Crime Mitigation (FCM) SaaS solution to allow banks to protect both their customers and their organisation from financial crime increase during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as banks have moved to remote working to protect their staff. AI-powered security solution Temenos AI-powered, Financial Crime Mitigation SaaS solution based on Microsoft’s fast, scalable and secure Azure cloud platform can be deployed within weeks. Temenos and Microsoft are opening up access to banks for a 14-day trial, available until 30 of June. As part of the collaboration with Microsoft, Temenos is offering system access and online tutorials for users to familiarise themselves with navigation of the system and learn how it can support them in a revised operating landscape. Financial Crime Mitigation SaaS solution Temenos FCM provides enterprise-wide financial crime protection for a highly regulated and fast-changing environment Temenos is slated to exhibit the open access initiative of its FCM software at its event, Temenos Community Forum, slated to take place from Oct 20th to Oct 22nd, 2020 at the Dublin Convention Centre in Dublin, Ireland. Temenos FCM provides enterprise-wide financial crime protection for a highly regulated and fast-changing environment. It allows banks’ operators to respond to alerts and collaborate with team members while working remotely. Banking and financial security Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, Temenos customers from Tier 1 banks to regional banks and neobanks have continued to benefit from Temenos FCM’s comprehensive coverage regardless of the fact that their teams are working remotely. Financial regulators worldwide and organisations such as the European Central Bank are warning that the Covid-19 pandemic may result in an increase in financial crime and other misconduct due to market disruptions, reduced staff, and other factors, as has been the case during past global crises. Countering money laundering and terrorism financing Opportunistic fraudsters and criminals are adapting their methods of targeting people and countries in distress as new threat vectors open up. The Financial Actions Task Force (FATF), the global standard setter for combating money laundering and terrorism financing, warns businesses to remain vigilant for emerging money laundering and terrorist financing risks as criminals may seek to exploit gaps and weaknesses in Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) systems under the assumption that resources are focused elsewhere. Cloud-native, AI-based technology We are proud to be able to offer our cloud-native and AI technology to support banks in the fight against financial crime" Fraudsters have already been very quick to adapt well-known fraud schemes to target individual citizens, businesses and public organisations. These include various types of adapted versions of telephone fraud schemes, supply scams and decontamination scams. Jean-Michel Hilsenkopf, Chief Operating Officer, Temenos, said, “We are proud to be able to offer our cloud-native and AI technology to support banks in the fight against financial crime, which has increased as a result of the pandemic.” Temenos Financial Crime Mitigation solution He adds, “As a strategic global banking software partner of Microsoft, we are pleased to join efforts to deliver Temenos Financial Crime Mitigation as SaaS on Microsoft Azure’s resilient, secure and proven cloud platform.” Jean Michel further stated, “We are committed to providing robust and up-to-date sanction screening, AML, KYC and fraud management protection combined with powerful AI-driven transaction monitoring and sanction screening to help banks worldwide.” Combating financial crime Marianne Janik, Country General Manager, Microsoft Switzerland, said “We have been pioneering with Temenos in the cloud for a decade. We are proud to join forces to help banks use the power of Temenos’ market-renowned Financial Crime Mitigation solution based on our secure, scalable and resilient global Azure cloud platform to combat financial crime surge due to Covid-19.” More than 200 banks use Temenos FCM SaaS solution, which covers watch-list screening, anti-money laundering, fraud prevention - suspicious activity prevention - and KYC, delivering industry-high levels of detection and false positives of under 2% versus industry average of 7% and above. Integration with Temenos Transact and Infinity platforms Temenos FCM can be deployed as a standalone, or integrated to any banking or payments platform including cloud-native, cloud-agnostic Temenos Transact and Temenos Infinity. It provides unrivalled levels of detection and resilience against financial crime and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) savings of more than 50%. Temenos FCM provides banks with the next generation of AI-driven FCM capabilities that can run on any public cloud, as a service or on premise.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing has become a standard public health intervention around the world. It is proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness during an outbreak. Retail sectors have adopted several practices such as limiting the number of in-store customers, in-store social distancing markers, investing in protective equipment, and increasing upper-limits on contactless payments. At the same time, an increasing number of retail, healthcare, banking, and hospitality industries have adopted AI-based IP surveillance solutions to reduce the load on manual management while also mitigating the risk of both employee and customer infection on their premises. Maintaining maximum occupancy “VIVOTEK is one of the few IP surveillance companies that has implemented AI technology into its Crowd Control Solution. This solution includes an edge-computing stereo counting camera, PoE switch, and network video recorder. The solution is designed to enable businesses to comply with social distancing regulations and maintain maximum occupancy as well as a safer and healthier environment during COVID-19,” said Alex Liao, President of VIVOTEK. Until then we will continue to stand together with and serve our customers" “This intelligent solution can be deployed at points of entry to areas with a higher likelihood of social interaction such as shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, and restaurants. In a post COVID-19 world, the solution can be expanded as a Business Intelligence Solution to optimise operations. Until then we will continue to stand together with and serve our customers, while providing AI-based solutions in our fight against COVID-19.” Effective management of crowd Below are the benefits of VIVOTEK’s Crowd Control Solutions. Social Distancing Compliance - Putting safety first by implementing VIVOTEK’s Crowd Control Solution enables effective management of crowds in places where social distancing must be upheld. High Accuracy - When business owner recruit security staff or part-time employees to manually count traffic this leads to a less than satisfactory result. VIVOTEK’s 3D stereo counting camera provides precise tracking and a counting accuracy up to 98%. This accuracy is further increased by the ability to transfer large datasets. Real-time Analytics - Combining AI with deep-learning analytics, video data can be gathered, analysed, and applied in real-time, enabling staffs to respond promptly to any change. Lowered Risk of Infection - The deployment of VIVOTEK’s Crowd Control Solution also means a minimisation of physical contact, providing both customers and employees a safer working and shopping environment.

With the COVID-19 epidemic spurring an increase in cybercrime, compliance professionals are being given a chance to test their detection skills by playing the world’s first money laundering monitoring game. Real-time transaction monitoring ‘Catch Them If You Can’ is a real-time transaction monitoring game, offering players the chance to showcase their expertise and identify suspicious transactions and catch criminals, while also minimising false positives.  ‘Catch Them If You Can’ highlights the difficulties that compliance officers face fighting financial crime" Working against the clock, financial crime fighters choose one of three financial crime scenarios – drug dealing, wildlife trafficking, and bribery and corruption. They then get the chance to use their skills to neutralise the threat of the specific crime and post their score on the game’s leaderboard. “We built ‘Catch Them If You Can’ to replicate and highlight the difficulties that compliance officers face fighting financial crime today,” said Charles Delingpole, Founder & CEO of ComplyAdvantage. Modifying AML/CFT approach in COVID-19 Charles adds, “At a time when criminals are focused on finding new opportunities to generate illegal funds, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to successfully identify money laundering behaviour while maintaining an effective and efficient compliance department.” With the coronavirus triggering a dramatic shift in both consumer and criminal behaviours, financial authorities around the world have to speedily adjust their AML/CFT approach to account for new patterns of conduct and better address emerging money laundering risks. Countering growing money laundering risks “Firms should be familiar with the ways in which money launderers and other criminals are exploiting the pandemic and how their AML/CFT compliance processes might need to change to manage the elevated threat,” said Charles Delingpole. He adds, “It’s no longer as easy to identify what normal behaviour looks like, making it more difficult for compliance teams to discern between legal and suspicious activities. Our hope is that ‘Catch Them If You Can’ will start a dialogue among players about the need for agility and the best way they can make changes to their systems in light of current events.” 

The explosive expansion of IT infrastructure has led to the identity and access management market gaining substantial momentum. As the onslaught of information technology continues, organisations are able to offer users quick and easy access to systems and information from any place, at any time. However the ease of access is inherently associated with the risk of security breach. Organisations must find a balance between fulfilling user demands and doing so in a manner that is safe enough so that cybercriminals cannot take advantage of the system, thus strengthening identity and access management market trends. The prominence of IAM solutions in the BFSI sector In 2016, the world was shocked by the news of the Bangladesh bank heist in which cybercriminals were successful in conducting unauthorised money transfer from Bangladesh Central Bank to banks in Philippines, Sri Lanka and other parts of Asia. In the heist, criminals used Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) credentials of Bangladesh Bank's employees to carry out more than three dozen fraudulent transactions and extracted $81 million from Bangladesh Central Bank. More than three dozen fraudulent transactions and extracted $81 million from Bangladesh Central Bank. More recently in 2018, hackers were able to siphon nearly $20 million from Mexican banks. Analysts point out that targeted bank systems had security holes that made access to internal servers much easier. Lack of strong access controls were also used by hackers to use credentials of a compromised employee to gain considerable mileage in the siphoning. Identity and access management industry has therefore registered a lot of interest through the financial sector and banks as financial institutions need to prove themselves reliable of customers’ trust. Banks and other financial institutions are rapidly adopting identity and access management solutions capable of providing strong security starting at authentication level and extending to application and data layers. IAM solutions make it possible for financial institutions to integrate new applications and deploy to cloud with greater ease and rapidity. With versatile hybrid deployment model provided by leading IAM solutions, connectivity to SaaS applications as well as legacy enterprise web applications happens more quickly as well as securely. IAM solutions make it possible for financial institutions to integrate new applications and deploy to cloud The significance of cloud and its impact on IAM market outlook Just as the banking sector is facing the challenge of identity authentication as customers around the world are demanding any time access, the proliferation of IoT and cloud technologies is changing the very essense of society in multiple ways. With advancement in IoT technologies, the advent of smart cities has gathered considerable traction. While sensors have been installed in New York that can detect gunshots and alert police, the city of Boston has developed a mobile app to help citizens report civic problems such as burnt out streetlights and potholes. Cities like Paris, Oslo and Hong Kong have large internet-connected statues that are filled with moss to absorb air pollution and notify operators about malfunctions. The network of connected devices continues to expand and the rise of 5G connectivity is anticipated to connect traffic signals, air quality sensors, police patrol cars, etc., over the coming years. Reportedly there would be billions of connected devices around the world by 2020 which will naturally create immense opportunities for identity and access management industry players. This is because new security threats will continue to surface, as without efficient security all connected devices are at the risk of being hacked. The evolution of the smart era – how will it impact IAM market dynamics? Connected devices that constitute the very fabric of smart cities are essentially IoT devices that would be in the field for the next ten fifteen years and therefore identity and access management must be built into the system from the beginning. As identities, keys and tokens have to be managed every time new devices are added, or old ones are removed and the cloud ecosystem is updated, the security components within devices have to be managed well to extend their lifecycle. Identity and access management must be built into the system from the beginning Not only cities but factories are also getting smarter. The term Industry 4.0 came to be first used when the German government used it to define the country’s strategy towards increased digitization in manufacturing. As technologies like IoT and cloud computing continued to expand, they came to be included in the term, and Industry 4.0 came to represent the ecosystem of Internet-connected machines with streamlined and automated workforce and reduced production costs. As the ecosystem continued to expand, trust and identity became important issues in order to ensure the integrity of a smart factory. Healthcare is rapidly becoming a fully digital environment IAM solutions – Influencing the coveted medical domain Other fields like healthcare have also not been impervious to the effects of technological transition. Healthcare is rapidly becoming a fully digital environment that has reaped the benefits of sophisticated IT tools in delivery of care. This has however exposed sensitive healthcare data to cybercriminals who had attempted to hold critical systems and patient records of hospitals to ransom. Healthcare is rapidly becoming a fully digital environment In recent years more than 80% of healthcare institutions have reported that they registered some degree of cyberattacks. Providers and users are increasingly operating from multiple locations, many of which are outside the hospital premises. With users demanding to access systems through a variety of devices, identity and access management has come to witness greater traction from healthcare providers. Over the coming years, the world will be rapidly adopting 5G networks. Though 5G promises much more speedy services for users and business ecosystems, the technology is also expected to impose greater responsibilities on confidentiality of user data and integrity of applications. Identity and access management industry players had been investing in expansive R&D as cyber threats continue to evolve and introduction of new technologies and advent of IoT drastically changes the relationship that users have with their devices. Identity and access management is expected to be useful when much more than personal information is at stake. When cyber criminals have the power to hold hospitals or traffic signals to ransom and disrupt daily lives, health and safety become a priority for authorities and security measures have to be tightened. For instance, after the bank heists in Mexico, the Mexican bank authorities have come to recognize the inevitability for the need of greater control and security of banking networks. Mexican banks have invested heavily over the last year in strengthening their defenses. As such measures against cyberattacks become the norm, identity and access management market is expected to register massive gains over the ensuing years.

In the age of massive data breaches, phishing attacks and password hacks, user credentials are increasingly unsafe. So how can organisations secure accounts without making life more difficult for users? Marc Vanmaele, CEO of TrustBuilder, explains. User credentials give us a sense of security. Users select their password, it's personal and memorable to them, and it's likely that it includes special characters and numbers for added security. Sadly, this sense is most likely false. If it's anything like the 5.4 billion user IDs on haveibeenpwned.com, their login has already been compromised. If it's not listed, it could be soon. Recent estimates state that 8 million more credentials are compromised every day. Ensuring safe access Data breaches, ransomware and phishing campaigns are increasingly easy to pull off. Cyber criminals can easily find the tools they need on Google with little to no technical knowledge. Breached passwords are readily available to cyber criminals on the internet. Those that haven’t been breached can also be guessed, phished or cracked using one of the many “brute-force” tools available on the internet. It's becoming clear that login credentials are no longer enough to secure your users' accounts. Meanwhile, organisations have a responsibility and an ever-stricter legal obligation to protect their users’ sensitive data. This makes ensuring safe access to the services they need challenging, particularly when trying to provide a user experience that won’t cause frustration – or worse, lose your customers’ interest. After GDPR was implemented across the European Union, organisations could face a fine of up to €20 million, or 4% annual global turnover Importance of data protection So how can businesses ensure their users can safely and simply access the services they need while keeping intruders out, and why is it so important to strike that balance? After GDPR was implemented across the European Union, organisations could face a fine of up to €20 million, or 4% annual global turnover – whichever is higher, should they seriously fail to comply with their data protection obligations. This alone was enough to prompt many organisations to get serious about their user’s security. Still, not every business followed suit. Cloud security risks Breaches were most commonly identified in organisations using cloud computing or where staff use personal devices According to a recent survey conducted at Infosecurity Europe, more than a quarter of organisations did not feel ready to comply with GDPR in August 2018 – three months after the compliance deadline. Meanwhile, according to the UK Government’s 2018 Cyber Security Breaches survey, 45% of businesses reported breaches or attacks in the last 12 months. According to the report, logins are less secure when accessing services in the cloud where they aren't protected by enterprise firewalls and security systems. Moreover, breaches were most commonly identified in organisations using cloud computing or where staff use personal devices (known as BYOD). According to the survey, 61% of UK organisations use cloud-based services. The figure is higher in banking and finance (74%), IT and communications (81%) and education (75%). Additionally, 45% of businesses have BYOD. This indicates a precarious situation. The majority of businesses hold personal data on users electronically and may be placing users at risk if their IT environments are not adequately protected. Hackers have developed a wide range of tools to crack passwords, and these are readily available within a couple of clicks on a search engine Hacking methodology In a recent exposé on LifeHacker, Internet standards expert John Pozadzides revealed multiple methods hackers use to bypass even the most secure passwords. According to John’s revelations, 20% of passwords are simple enough to guess using easily accessible information. But that doesn’t leave the remaining 80% safe. Hackers have developed a wide range of tools to crack passwords, and these are readily available within a couple of clicks on a search engine. Brute force attacks are one of the easiest methods, but criminals also use increasingly sophisticated phishing campaigns to fool users into handing over their passwords. Users expect organisations to protect their passwords and keep intruders out of their accounts Once a threat actor has access to one password, they can easily gain access to multiple accounts. This is because, according to Mashable, 87% of users aged 18-30 and 81% of users aged 31+ reuse the same passwords across multiple accounts. It’s becoming clear that passwords are no longer enough to keep online accounts secure. Securing data with simplicity Users expect organisations to protect their passwords and keep intruders out of their accounts. As a result of a data breach, companies will of course suffer financial losses through fines and remediation costs. Beyond the immediate financial repercussions, however, the reputational damage can be seriously costly. A recent Gemalto study showed that 44% of consumers would leave their bank in the event of a security breach, and 38% would switch to a competitor offering a better service. Simplicity is equally important, however. For example, if it’s not delivered in ecommerce, one in three customers will abandon their purchase – as a recent report by Magnetic North revealed. If a login process is confusing, staff may be tempted to help themselves access the information they need by slipping out of secure habits. They may write their passwords down, share them with other members of staff, and may be more susceptible to social engineering attacks. So how do organisations strike the right balance? For many, Identity and Access Management solutions help to deliver secure access across the entire estate. It’s important though that these enable simplicity for the organisation, as well as users. Organisations need an IAM solution that will adapt to both of these factors, providing them with the ability to apply tough access policies when and where they are needed and prioritising swift access where it’s safe to do so Flexible IAM While IAM is highly recommended, organisations should seek solutions that offer the flexibility to define their own balance between a seamless end-user journey and the need for a high level of identity assurance. Organisations’ identity management requirements will change over time. So too will their IT environments. Organisations need an IAM solution that will adapt to both of these factors, providing them with the ability to apply tough access policies when and where they are needed and prioritising swift access where it’s safe to do so. Importantly, the best solutions will be those that enable this flexibility without spending significant time and resource each time adaptations need to be made. Those that do will provide the best return on investment for organisations looking to keep intruders at bay, while enabling users to log in safely and simply.

Timely and important issues in the security marketplace dominated our list of most-clicked-upon articles in 2018. Looking back at the top articles of the year provides a decent summary of how our industry evolved this year, and even offers clues to where we’re headed in 2019. In the world of digital publishing, it’s easy to know what content resonates with the security market: Our readers tell us with their actions; i.e., where they click. Let’s look back at the Top 10 articles we posted in 2018 that generated the most page views. They are listed in order here with a brief excerpt. 1. U.S. President Signs Government Ban on Hikvision and Dahua Video Surveillance The ban on government uses, which takes effect ‘not later than one year after … enactment,’ applies not only to future uses of Dahua and Hikvision equipment but also to legacy installations. The bill calls for an assessment of the current presence of the banned technologies and development of a ‘phase-out plan’ to eliminate the equipment from government uses. 2. Motorola Makes a Splash with Avigilon Video Surveillance Acquisition Early clues point to Motorola positioning Avigilon as part of a broader solution, especially in the municipal/safe cities market. The company says the acquisition will enable more safe cities projects and more public-private partnerships between local communities and law enforcement. Motorola sees Avigilon as ‘a natural extension to global public safety and U.S. federal and military’ applications, according to the company. 3. Impact of Data-Driven Smart Cities on Video Surveillance One of the major areas of technology that is going to shift how we interact with our cities is the Internet of Things (IoT). One benefit will be the ability to use video surveillance to analyse data on large crowds at sporting events The IoT already accounts for swaths of technology and devices operating in the background. However, we’re increasingly seeing these come to the forefront of everyday life, as data becomes increasingly critical. Bosch is highlighting its “Simply. Connected” portfolio of smart city technology to transform security as well as urban mobility, air quality and energy efficiency 4. CES 2018: Security Technologies Influencing the Consumer Electronics Market Familiar players at security shows also have a presence at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). For example, Bosch is highlighting its “Simply. Connected” portfolio of smart city technology to transform security as well as urban mobility, air quality and energy efficiency. Many consumer technologies on display offer a glimpse of what’s ahead for security. Are Panasonic’s 4K OLEDs with HDR10+ format or Sony’s A8F OLED televisions a preview of the future of security control room monitors? 5. SIA Predicts Top Physical Security Trends for 2018 Traditional security providers will focus more on deepening the customer experience and enhancing convenience and service. The rise of IoT also places an emphasis on cybersecurity, and security dealers will react by seeking manufacturers and technology partners with cyber-hardened network-connected devices. 6. High-Speed Visitor Screening Systems Will Improve Soft Target Security The system is more expensive than a metal detector, but about a third the cost of familiar airport body scanners. Labor reduction (because of faster throughput) can help offset the system costs, but “it’s difficult to quantify the improvement in the visitor experience,” says Mike Ellenbogen, CEO of Evolv Technology. 7. How to Prevent ATM Jackpotting with Physical and Cyber Security A new crime wave is hitting automated teller machines (ATMs); the common banking appliances are being rigged to spit out their entire cash supplies into a criminal’s waiting hands. The crime is called “ATM jackpotting” and has targeted banking machines located in grocery shops, pharmacies and other locations in Taiwan, Europe, Latin America and, in the last several months, the United States. Rough estimates place the total amount of global losses at up to $60 million. The safety and security world bring a complex problem to solve- how to pick out a face in a moving and changing environment and compare it to several faces of interest 8. Why We Need to Look Beyond Technology for Smart City Security Solutions Although technology is necessary for an urban area to transition in to a safe and smart city, technology alone isn’t sufficient. Truly smart cities are savvy cities and that includes how they employ software, sensing, communications and other technologies to meet their needs. 9. How New Video Surveillance Technology Boosts Airport Security and Operations Employing airport security solutions is a complex situation with myriad government, state and local rules and regulations that need to be addressed while ensuring the comfort needs of passengers. Airport security is further challenged with improving and increasing operational efficiencies, as budgets are always an issue. As an example, security and operational data must be easily shared with other airport departments and local agencies such as police, customs, emergency response and airport operations to drive a more proactive approach across the organisation. 10. The Evolution of Facial Recognition from Body-Cams to Video Surveillance The safety and security world bring a complex problem to solve how to pick out a face in a moving and changing environment and compare it to several faces of interest. “One-to-many” facial recognition is a much harder problem to solve.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be participating at ISC West in a big way. Representatives of the federal department will be taking part in more education sessions this year, and the DHS tech-scouting team will be on hand to view the latest technologies on display at the show. Exhibitors – and anyone else at the show – are invited to the “DHS Town Hall” on March 19 (Thursday) at 3:30 p.m. in meeting room Galileo 1001. The aim is for DHS to engage with the technology community and provide guidance as industry innovation moves forward. In the face of growing operational demands and complex threats, the need for homeland security technology solutions continues to rise. The Department of Homeland (DHS) is seeking new ideas and partners to safeguard public trust, save lives, reduce risks, and protect the flow of commerce and goods for the community. They will share information about the department’s problem sets, capability needs and business opportunities for accelerating technology development to ensure they are keeping pace with the speed of innovation and complex threats. Speaking at ISC West DHS seeks to challenge industry partners to develop technology to enhance security operations across multiple end user missions. The DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will jointly speak and exhibit at ISC West. Attendees can meet DHS professionals working in cyber security, critical infrastructure, resilience, aviation security, border and port operations, and first responder capabilities. Attendees are invited to visit the DHS exhibit booth #33040 in the Drones and Robotics Zone. The DHS Town Hall on Thursday, titled “Enhancing Security and Doing Business at the Speed of Life,” will be a “call to action” for show participants to help secure the future. DHS seeks to become more agile and to pursue new pathways to do business in a fast-moving world. Through strategic partnerships, DHS is mobilising the innovation community to safeguard the public trust. Security sessions DHS will also be participating in these sessions at ISC West, March 17-20 at the Sands Expo, Las Vegas, Nev: You Say It’s Going to Change the World? Tues., March 17, 9:45 a.m., Sands 302. Security relies on anticipating what comes next and staying a step ahead. How will 5G increase secure capabilities and reduce threats from bad actors? How will blockchain secure personal and financial identity and when will quantum computing render all encryption obsolete? How is DHS investing in counter-drones? How does AI change the security landscape? The New Federal Security Landscape – Are You Prepared? Wed., March 18, 1 p.m., Sands 302. The federal security landscape is evolving alongside the private sector. What are the new high-risk areas of concern and how are emerging threats (cyber, UAS) changing the way federal facilities are protected? How are these new risks balanced against traditional ones? How is the Interagency Security Committee (ISC) responding? DHS panelists will discuss. CISA Special Guest Speaker at SIA Interopfest. Wed., March 18, 4 p.m., Sands 701. Daryle Hernandez, Chief, Interagency Security Committee, DHS, Infrastructure Security Division, will provide insights to complement the technology interoperability demonstrations. Enhancing Security Through UAS Technology, A DHS Perspective. Thurs., March 19, 11:30 a.m., Venetian Ballroom. What is DHS doing today to prepare for a future of increased visualisation and automation? New questions are emerging around capabilities and vulnerabilities. Emerging technologies like AR, Next Gen Sensors, and UAS, provide the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with tools to become more responsive and adaptive to new threats.

Most customers interface with their financial institutions using automated teller machines (ATMs), which have security issues. However, there are solutions available to combat all current security threats, and the cost of protection is coming down. The ATM industry is therefore in a position to minimise losses, while ensuring consumers continue to get the vital cash they need to lead their daily lives. It is important for the ATM industry to constantly innovate to meet new security challenges. So what innovations are we going to see in the next five years? Contactless technology Contactless technology will be a great help against ATM skimming, in which criminals steal personal information at ATM machines. Contactless is already being used in some European countries, and the number is increasing. Not having to insert a card into the ATM removes the opportunity to trap cards and also gets around the problem of “foreign” devices installed to read cards. So contactless technology, which some saw as the end of cash, can help make ATMs and cash more secure. Data capture form to appear here! Not having to insert a card into the ATM removes the opportunity to trap cards Biometrics are certain to be used increasingly to bolster ATM security. Finger, palm, vein, iris and facial recognition all have potential in this respect. Any of these may in the future be used with or without cards, PINs and one-time codes. Speed of operation in relation to biometrics could ultimately govern their use at ATMs. There may also be privacy issues that need to be addressed. The ATM vestibule environment must add security with proper security and surveillance equipment. ATM vestibules, or lobbies, are installed for many good reasons. For one, more convenient, 24/7 locations equals better customer retention for a bank, offering comfort and convenience. 24/7 access to ATMs, night drops, coin counters, online banking kiosks, and other self-service solutions are very much in demand. Second, ATM vestibules protect customers from inclement weather and provide a more comfortable banking environment (however, vagrancy can be an issue; therefore ATM vestibules should require card access). Security and surveillance solutions can’t just be for show. ATMs and crime A new crime wave is hitting automated teller machines (ATMs); the common banking appliances are being rigged to spit out their entire cash supplies into a criminal’s waiting hands. The common banking appliances are being rigged to spit out their entire cash supplies into a criminal’s waiting hands The crime is called “ATM jackpotting” and has targeted banking machines located in grocery shops, pharmacies and other locations in Taiwan, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Rough estimates place the total amount of global losses at up to $60 million. The protection of ATMs ATMs in supermarkets and pharmacies tend to be targeted because they may not be as well-protected, and store personnel likely would not know who is authorised to work on the ATM. In contrast, anyone approaching an ATM at a bank location would be more likely to be challenged. ATM jackpotting originated back in 2010 when Barnaby Jack, a New Zealand hacker and computer expert, demonstrated how he could exploit two ATMs and make them dispense cash on the stage at the Black Hat computer security conference in Las Vegas. Since then, malware has been created and made available on the “Dark Web” that can instruct an ATM to dispense all its cash on demand. ATM jackpotting ATM jackpotting is a combination of a physical crime and a cyberattack ATM jackpotting is a combination of a physical crime and a cyberattack. Typically, a criminal with a fake ID enters a grocery shop or pharmacy posing as an ATM technician, then uses a crowbar to open the top of the ATM – the “top hat” – to gain access to the personal computer that operates the machine. Once he or she has access to the PC, they remove the hard drive, disable any anti-virus software, install a malware program, replace the hard drive and then reboot the computer. The whole operation takes about 30 seconds. The malware then enables the thief to remotely control the ATM and direct it to dispense all its cash on command. If a legitimate customer approaches the machine in the meantime, it can operate as usual until activated otherwise by the malware. Catch up on part one and part two of our banking security mini series.

In the banking world, the threat of unwanted intrusions into premises leading to loss of property and even risk to life is always present. Small wonder then that banking institutions take so much care over their security systems and also over their choice of suppliers for those products. In the retail banking sector, requirements for intrusion detection and related security measures are necessarily more stringent and more specialised than in most other areas of business and commerce. Data capture form to appear here! The banks clearly need to work with suppliers whose integrity is beyond question. They should also be looking for organisations that can offer expert advice, gained through their knowledge of design and manufacturing security products. Systems need specialist installer partners in order to provide a seamless solution. Systems need specialist installer partners in order to provide a seamless solution The special requirements of the banking sector These supplier organisations must also fully understand the special requirements of the banking sector and, ideally, should be able to demonstrate proven experience in that sector. They must also be willing and able to work with the bank as a partner, to find better ways of addressing old threats and to develop effective measures to counter new ones. Video is a big component of providing security, and variable lighting conditions pose a persistent challenge in video surveillance applications such as large banks and financial institutions. Typically, these venues include an abundance of windows. The resulting excessive light can damage video image quality, by flooding the image plane of the surveillance camera. Dramatic differences between light and dark areas complicate the ability of video cameras to view someone standing in the shadows. A contrasting lack of windows at teller stations can result in dim lighting, equally damaging video image quality, in critical surveillance areas where clear, detailed images are needed the most. Stark contrasts between white and black levels in video images can obliterate faces and finer details of a subject when in a darker area. Particularly, this happens when a person is amid dark internal lighting, with his/her back to the sun. Data capture form to appear here! A new network architecture When upgrading a bank’s digital security system, a new network architecture needs to be created. Usually, this means switching from DVRs to NVR servers. As a result, network switches attach to the camera allowing for easier future system expansion. Along with the newly gained scalability, throughput performance on servers can achieve significantly higher levels. Servers, networking and workstations provide enterprise-quality performance for all financial projects, regardless of size. Servers, networking and workstations provide enterprise-quality performance for all financial projects Implementing a complete video solution with high-performance servers, modern networking protocols and powerful workstations is now possible in financial institutions, even for small projects. Servers, networking and workstations provide enterprise-quality performance for all financial projects, regardless of size. Software is also part of the solution. A new software platform helps banks and credit unions simplify, modernise, and automate security, surveillance and fraud investigations across their enterprise. The platform eases the daily challenges security investigators face. It simplifies and reduces the time to access live and recorded video through an intuitive interface, empowering users to quickly find the data needed to eliminate risks while increasing productivity. With an enhanced user experience, investigators can reduce training time, align investigation workflow, streamline video sharing, and focus on more critical tasks. The fraud and security challenges banks contend with can be overwhelming, but prompt action is necessary to limit the damage that can greatly affect customers, employees, and the brand. When an incident occurs, investigators must turn to innovative security tools to be able to swiftly locate and analyse data. But these solutions are typically complex to use and manage. Investigators must turn to innovative security tools to be able to swiftly locate and analyse data Changing work environments The changing work environment of financial institutions is impacting security needs. A credit union in Australia operates an innovative, modern working environment that utilises flexible workspaces in place of traditional desks. Staff are not allocated a specific desk but instead choose where they wish to sit each day. To facilitate the operation of the flexible work environment and provide employees with storage for their personal effects (work-related material is stored elsewhere), the credit union uses banks of brightly colored lockers that are managed by electronic access control. Using Gallagher’s smartcard, multi-technology T20 and T10 readers on each locker bank, staff badge their access card to open their allocated locker. With the readers communicating with Gallagher’s Command Center software management platform, the credit union has a simple-to-operate, customisable system that enables staff to carry just one card on site. Read part one and part three of our banking security mini series.

Shoppers in England are being told they need to cover up and wear a face covering when shopping from the 24th July, or they could face a fine of up to £100. But in many ways the responsibility to enforce this and keep the public safe is once again falling on battle wearied retailers, facilities managers, and operators of public spaces. Videcon is a British-based developer, designer, and provider of security solutions for businesses across the UK and the company has jumped to repurpose its deep learning, artificially intelligent software solutions in direct response to the Government’s announcement on Monday 13th July. Body temperature screening camera Thermi-screen, Videcon’s mass body temperature screening camera, can already pinpoint individuals in a shopping queue, or public space, containing up to 40 people, who may have an elevated temperature with ±0.3°C accuracy, but now it can also identify anyone not wearing a face covering. When triggered, the system automatically sends an alert to any designated controller or person in authority. Says Videcon’s managing director, Matt Rushall, “The message that members of the public must wear face coverings is out there but retailers and managers of public spaces are now finding, as an added burden, that they are being asked by the police and authorities to support them in upholding the law. Retailers have a duty to protect their customers and with Police, resources stretched to the limit at the moment, any technology that helps to manage enforcing the law and can make life easier and safer for all, is to be welcomed.” Crowd control camera systems Videcon is a pioneer in its field and the company already uses facial recognition and mask detection software Videcon is a pioneer in its field and the company already uses facial recognition and mask detection software in its Thermi-scan door access control panels but this is the first time deep learning AI technology has been embedded in crowd control camera systems of this type. Matt Rushall continued, “Our technology has been used by banks, airports, pharma companies and major retailers around the world and I am very excited at this new development. Thermi-Screen is an effective solution to help identify those with potentials symptoms, and our new capability for mask detection will be hugely beneficial to retailers and for the safety of staff and shoppers.” In addition to the new face coverings and mask detection feature, Videcon enhanced the system’s privacy settings which can now pixelate individuals and replace exact temperature readings with simple normal/elevated temperature messaging. Deep learning technologies This advanced privacy setting secures compliance with GDPR and ensures the maximum level of individual’s protection of information. The system comprises of a camera, a network video recorder, and a temperature calibrator. Using two camera lenses simultaneously, the system takes temperature readings from the forehead and upper region of the eye orbit. Algorithms and deep learning technologies then compare readings with other environmental factors like room temperature and direct sunlight. The accuracy of Thermi-Screen eliminates any false readings, such as a person carrying and sipping a hot drink and its fast response time reduces the need for single file detection accelerating the movement of people through a designated screening area or providing screening in public open spaces. Thermi-Screen is an effective solution to help identify those with potentials symptoms, and the new capability for mask detection will be hugely beneficial to retailers and for the safety of staff and shoppers.

In 2014, when Siete24 began working with the bank, it was operating 800 branches, 27 offices and 3200 ATMs, all requiring round-the-clock protection. Their security infrastructure included more than 90,000 sensors, 15,000 surveillance cameras, 3,000 DVRs and 1,500 access points. To manage this expansive enterprise the bank was operating five independent systems, using legacy software and was heavily reliant on the knowledge of its operators. Julio highlights the scale of the challenge: “In 2014 the bank was receiving two-million alerts per month, which was far more than it could effectively handle.” With the bank planning major expansion, they needed a solution that would not only deliver immediate benefits but have the ability to scale significantly. The solution that met this need was the enterprise incident management system - Qognify Situator from Qognify. Reduction in false alarms The fact that Situator was already tried, tested and proven in the banking sector was an important consideration in selecting the system. Having been in use by Millennium BCP in Portugal since 2011, Situator was able to reduce false alarms from more than 20,000 to 1,200 per annum. Since Siete24 began its work with the bank six years ago, the scope of the project has grown. The number of sites being monitored has doubled and the volume of sensors has increased by 50%. “Today, Situator is handling up to 18 million alerts per month, of which 71,200 are verified and 109 confirmed as incident, each managed using best practice procedures we have defined in the system,” explains Julio. “Despite this dramatic increase in the size of the project, our average response time to critical events has fallen from five minutes in 2016 to just 50-seconds in 2020. We have found that the more alerts we process the more efficient and effective we become.” Qognify Situator has created a positive impact on operational performance, that the bank has recently extended its contract with Siete24 for a further three-years. Julio concludes: “The bank requires that we have 99.9% availability, and we are financially accountable for any losses. Situator has enabled us to not only meet our service level obligations, but has given the bank far more than it anticipated.”

A large bank branch was in need of an extra level of security for its vault and safety deposit boxes. Both the vault and the safety deposit boxes were located in a room, protected by the existing in-wall vibration sensing technology. Vibration sensing technology  The customer was required by its insurance company to introduce an extra level of security to the existing in-wall vibration sensing technology system. The requirement was for a higher and more reliable level of protection to ensure that there were no gaps in security and detection capabilities. The new security system also needed to be easily integrated with the existing infrastructure in order to minimise the disruption to the bank’s daily operations. Due to the surrounding environment, the existing system was resulting in numerous cases of false alarms. From many viable technologies, four REDSCAN RLS-3060 detectors were chosen as the preferred security solution REDSCAN RLS-3060 detectors installed A pioneering system integrator in the region was given the challenge to specify the most suitable products and solutions for this project. From many viable technologies, four REDSCAN RLS-3060 detectors were chosen as the preferred security solution. The award-winning REDSCAN RLS-3060 laser detectors from Optex were installed to create four adjustable invisible laser curtains around the safety deposit boxes and the vault to shroud it in multiple layers of security. The installation of REDSCAN laser detectors in the bank was quick and efficient. It did not disturb the bank’s operations and was also cost-effective at the same time. Adjustable invisible laser curtains The adjustable invisible laser curtains ensure that there are no gaps or loopholes in the detection field. The REDSCAN laser detectors were easily interfaced with the bank’s CCTV surveillance system and the existing intruder alarm infrastructure.

Nuance Communications, Inc. announced that National Australia Bank (NAB), one of Australia's major banks, is leveraging an advanced biometrics solution for authenticating customers and enabling fraud detection, Nuance Gatekeeper, to improve the customer experience and strengthen the bank's security standards around customers' authentication processes. Nuance biometrics and security solution powers NAB's VoiceID service that authenticates NAB customers' voices in seconds, helping to prevent fraudsters from accessing bank accounts using a customer's credentials or information. NAB's users choosing this authentication process will record their unique voiceprint simply by talking to a NAB banker on the phone. Capture distinct characteristics We are pleased to partner with Nuance to provide customers with secure ways to go about their banking" While the customer is speaking, the underlying technology will identify more than a thousand behavioural and physical vocal traits such as pronunciation, tone and pattern, and capture the distinct characteristics in their voice to create a unique voiceprint. The encrypted voiceprint will be securely stored and used to easily identify a customer the next time that individual calls in. "We are pleased to partner with Nuance to provide customers with simple, fast and secure ways to go about their banking. We now have around 120,000 customers enrolled since VoiceID went live in November 2019 and we are targeting 250,000 customer enrollments by the end of 2020." Pattern of speech "As the first major Australian bank to offer VoiceID in its contact centre, this technology is helping us improve the experience our customers have when they call by spending less time on the authentication process and more time helping them with their needs," said Paula Constant, Executive General Manager Consumer Direct at NAB. With so many different characteristics, the human voice provides one of the safest ways to verify callers' identities. Nuance Gatekeeper analyses more than 1,000 characteristics of a voice and also uses its intelligent detectors to cross check an individual's device, geolocation and pattern of speech, while certifying it is a real person and not a recording or synthetic creation. Knowledge-based passwords Biometrics removes the need for knowledge-based passwords and security questions that hackers can easily steal or guess, bringing NAB customers higher security standards and convenience by focusing on who they are versus what they know. Biometrics offer a win-win solution, with a simpler way for consumers to access sensitive services" "With eleven online accounts and nine different passwords per person on average, passwords are becoming overwhelming for consumers to manage. Biometrics offer a win-win solution, with a simpler way for consumers to access sensitive services like banking, and a secure alternative for businesses," said Brett Beranek, General Manager, Security Business, Nuance Enterprise. "We are proud to see NAB leveraging Nuance Gatekeeper to bring their customers more convenience while securing financial and personal information in today's digital society." Global telecommunications companies Nuance technology is being implemented by more than half of the world's largest financial institutions today, and 8 of the 10 largest global telecommunications companies. NAB joins the growing list of leading enterprises successfully leveraging Nuance's biometric solutions including the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), HSBC, RBS, TalkTalk, Vodafone Turkey and Deutsche Telekom. Over 500 million consumers make more than 8 billion successful authentications yearly and Nuance biometrics has already prevented over $2 billion worth of customers' money from getting into the wrong hands. Nuance biometrics solution Gatekeeper also was recently recognised with the GLOMO Award.

Verint® Systems Inc., The Customer Engagement Company™, announces one of the world’s largest banking organisations selected Verint as its new standard solution for enterprise fraud and security investigations. The selection resulted after a thorough analysis of technologies that best fit the bank’s fraud investigation, cybersecurity and deployment management requirements. The bank chose Verint’s enterprise-class recording platform to enhance compliance and fraud control across its network of retail branches and ATMs. The solution combines the powerful network video recorder with robust software for review and enterprise management. Delivering innovative solutions “Verint is focused on developing innovative technologies that help financial institutions reduce fraud and security risk, drive productivity, and help these organisations simplify and modernise their operations,” says Verint’s Matt Tengwall, General Manager, fraud and security solutions. “As the market leader, Verint’s suite of fraud and security solutions are designed to address the unique requirements of banks and credit unions." "We believe the bank’s selection provides validation of our proven ability to deliver innovative solutions that address compliance and fraud control and help leading banks reduce loss and address potential risk.” Verint’s advanced fraud and security solutions can help banks and credit unions identify risks and vulnerabilities in real time, helping fraud investigators mitigate threats, and ensure compliance.

Asian Banker magazine recently selected Qatar National Bank for having the “Best Biometrics Initiative, Application or Program in Qatar” for its use of iris recognition systems from Iris ID in some QNB branch ATMs.   The bank is the one of the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa, with branches, subsidiaries and associate companies in 31 countries on three continents.  Biometric Eyes (IRIS) Scan ATM program  The deployment of QNB’s Biometric Eyes (IRIS) Scan ATM program, a first-of-its-type in Qatar, is part of the bank’s commitment to innovative solutions to deliver premium services to customers in a safe, fast and convenient way. Mohammed Murad, Vice President, Global Sales and Business Development, Iris ID, congratulated QNB on the award.  “QNB should be applauded for staking out a futuristic, leadership position when it comes to improving the security, convenience and safety of its customers as they access their accounts via bank ATMs” he said.   “The ease and speed of our contactless iris-based recognition system makes it ideal for use in the financial industry. Our contactless systems have taken on added importance with the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus.”  Iris ID authentication systems  The bank launched its use of the Iris ID biometric solution in ATMs in late 2016. The system enables QNB customers to access their accounts at ATMs without the need of a bank card or PIN.  To use the Iris ID solution the bank’s customers, participate in a one-time registration at a QNB branch office. The two-minute process involves taking a digital photo of the iris, which is converted into a small template stored in a secure database. At the ATM, customers need only a second to look into a built-in reader and have their iris pattern confirmed.  In addition to the QNB deployment, Iris ID authentication systems are currently used worldwide for access control, time and attendance, national ID programs, border crossings, voter registration and many other applications. 

The role of video surveillance is expanding, driven by all the new ways that video – and data culled from video – can impact a business. As a growing population of video cameras expands into new fields of view, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the most unusual application of surveillance cameras you have seen recently?

Video storage is an important – and expensive – aspect of almost any surveillance system. Higher camera counts equate to a need for more storage. New analytics systems make it easier for operators to manage video, but that video must be dependably stored and easy to access if and when it is needed. To keep up to date on the latest developments, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What’s new in video storage solutions?

There will be more artificial intelligence, more machine learning, video systems with more capabilities, and all of it will add greater value to our solutions. Those are among the expectations of our Expert Panel Roundtable as they collectively look ahead to the remainder of 2019. One unexpected prediction is that AI will not prove to be a game changer – at least not yet. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What will be the biggest surprise for security in the second half of 2019?