Human identification system

The Security Industry Association (SIA) is now accepting applications for the Denis R. Hebert Identity Management Scholarship. This program, presented in partnership with the Center for Identity at the University of Texas at Austin, will offer two $5,000 scholarships for SIA members to help further their education in the field of identity management. The scholarship was named after Hebert, a member of SIA’s Board of Directors and immediate past chairman of the board, serving as chair from 2016 to 2018. Hebert also serves as president of Feenics Inc. Identity management solutions Identity management encompasses many aspects of risk management, fraud prevention and security “I am thrilled and honored to be affiliated with this special SIA scholarship program,” said Hebert. “Identity management is a foundational security component that helps mitigate current and future identity threats, protect the privacy of individuals and enterprises and secure critical assets – it is essential that we continue building on our knowledge of this field and promote innovation and advancement in the creation, convergence and use of identity management security solutions.” SIA created the Denis R. Hebert Scholarship program to support the professional development goals of individual SIA members who specialise in identity management – a field involving the systematic control of access, authenticating users, securing assets and protecting privacy. Identity management encompasses many aspects of risk management, public policy, fraud prevention, privacy, data analysis, risk and governance, information technology and security. Security industry “We are grateful for Denis’ leadership in the security industry and applaud the impact he has had on SIA’s service to our members in the area of identity management, including through the development of many high-quality education, government relations and standards offerings,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “SIA is proud to help students and security professionals grow in their careers in this critical field and looks forward to recognising two honorees with the 2020 Hebert Scholarship.” The Center for Identity at the University of Texas at Austin works closely with its public-private partners, including corporations, state and federal government agencies and law enforcement, to deliver innovations for consumers, businesses and government that help them to better protect people’s identities. As a critical component of its mission, the center conducts research to better understand how emerging technology such as biometrics affects consumers and organisations alike and how standards and expectations of privacy are evolving. Securing identity information A qualified workforce is fundamental to address the diverse challenges in securing identity information" “The Center for Identity recognises that the success of an organisation’s identity management and security policy and practices depends in large part on the personnel tasked with implementing them. A well-qualified workforce is fundamental to addressing the complex and diverse challenges in securing sensitive identity information and protecting consumer privacy, while harnessing the power of data for good,” said Dr. Suzanne Barber, director of the Center for Identity. “The Center for Identity at the University of Texas has partnered with the School of Information to create a unique, interdisciplinary education and training program in information security to address this need and is proud to partner with the Security Industry Association to help promote development and professional growth in this critical field.” Access and identity management Each applicant must be either a SIA student member or a full-time employee of a SIA member company and have 1-5 years of professional experience in the security industry or a verified plan of study in the field of access and identity management. Scholarship funds must be used toward post-secondary education programs, including training courses, accredited college courses, certifications or other credentialing programs related to identity management. The 2020 application deadline for the Denis R. Hebert Identity Management Scholarship is Feb. 29, and awardees will be announced on March 17 at The Advance, held concurrently with ISC West 2020.

The Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza, located in the heart of Philadelphia, is a living testament and tribute to the victims of the atrocities of the Holocaust. The goal of the Memorial Plaza is to educate visitors on this shameful time in history and compel them to work towards a world of tolerance and enlightenment wherein nothing like this could ever occur again. The Delaware Valley Intelligence Center (DVIC), weighed in on the needed security measures. Under the institutional umbrella of the Philadelphia Police Department, DVIC serves as the regional fusion center and utilises a collaborative and proactive approach to forecasting, preventing and/or responding to all-threats, all-hazards and major events. They assessed the video surveillance requirements of the Memorial Plaza. Video surveillance cameras The Foundation’s construction company then compiled the specifications, based on the DVIC’s recommendations, and Convergint Technologies, a global, service-based systems integration company, delivered the best proposal to suit their needs. Convergint specified video surveillance cameras from Hanwha Techwin. Because of the large size of the Memorial Plaza and park area, a standard definition camera wouldn’t suffice, so Convergint opted for Hanwha’s high resolution PNO-9080R 4K Network IR Bullet Camera. This model allows the viewer to zoom in and see, in close detail, the face of someone passing by the camera who may be a suspect. The PNO-9080R from Hanwha's Wisenet P series performance IP camera line is a 4K camera key in capturing people and events in full detail. IR bullet camera This 5 megapixel resolution camera works well in both day and night conditions For the actual Memorial site at large, such high resolution wasn’t required, but Convergint, in the interest of overall protection, recommended and installed the XNO-8080R 5 megapixel network IR bullet camera to ensure safety all around the perimeter of the park and Memorial Plaza area. This 5 megapixel resolution camera works well in both day and night conditions, and features analytics for loitering, directional detection, fog detection, audio and tampering detection, as well as digital auto tracking and sound classification. The Hanwha cameras are tied into a Genetec Security Center VMS, which allows authorised administrators from as well as the local Police Department to log in and view the video footage at any time. The Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza was not spared from anti-Semitism. Positive identification of suspect It was vandalised by a man who etched the initials “REM” and two SS bolts – a known Nazi symbol – into the memorial’s pillars. With the help of the Hanwha surveillance cameras, the perpetrator was quickly apprehended. “The cameras proved to be fantastic in resolving the June incident,” said Jennifer Wright, Project Manager at the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation. “I looked at the footage and was able to get a few different angles of the person responsible for the crime. The footage was of good quality and I could clearly see him. We sent it to Philadelphia Police Department and they put out a media advisory; we also shared images of the person responsible for the defacement of the Six Pillars on Facebook. Footage of the incident was shared thousands of times on social media. Public sharing of these images eventually led to a positive identification of a suspect.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) announces the grand prize winner and runner-up in the Opioid Detection Challenge, a $1.55 million global prize competition for rapid, nonintrusive detection tools that will help find illicit opioids in international mail. IDSS will receive the grand prize of $500,000 for its detection solution, which combines a 3D X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner with automated detection algorithms. The IDSS Detect 1000 identifies anomalies in X-ray images based on the scanned item’s features and physical properties. Producing technology solutions USPIS Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale to announce the winners and recognise the finalists The runner-up, One Resonance, will receive $250,000 for its detection solution, the QROD system, which is a quadrupole resonance technology that uses radio-frequency signals to search for specific materials. An alarm is triggered when a signal associated with an illicit substance is detected. “The influx of illicit drugs is one of the nation’s greatest threats,” said William N. Bryan, DHS Senior Official Performing the Duties of Under Secretary for Science and Technology. “Through this combined effort to address the trafficking of opioids, S&T, our federal partners, and the private sector have produced technology solutions that will better protect the American people from the effects of this devastating crisis.” Mr. Bryan was joined by CBP Deputy Commissioner Robert E. Perez, ONDCP Director Jim Carroll, and USPIS Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale to announce the winners and recognise the finalists. National security concern Our agents and officers seized nearly 2,600 pounds of fentanyl compared with 1,895 pounds in fiscal year 2018" “The Trump Administration is committed to reversing the effects of the drug crisis through both traditional practices and creative, unique methods,” said ONDCP Director Carroll. “This Challenge brought our whole-of-government approach together with the private sector to find ways to stop the flow of deadly substances into our country, which raise a grave national security concern. I congratulate the winners and thank them for sharing our commitment to accomplishing our ultimate goal of saving American lives.” “In fiscal year 2019, our agents and officers seized nearly 2,600 pounds of fentanyl compared with 1,895 pounds in fiscal year 2018,” said CBP Deputy Commissioner Perez. “This is an alarming 35% increase over the course of one year and international mail has been one of the places that we are seeing illicit opioids come into the United States. Emerging technologies that can help us stop the flow of opioids across our borders are critical to the fight against the opioid epidemic.” Providing a safe environment USPIS Chief Postal Inspector Barksdale added that, “opioids, such as fentanyl, have become a public health crisis, impacting our nation, states, towns, communities, homes and families. Through this Challenge, the Postal Service and other agencies are joining forces so that together we can develop new technologies that will help combat the opioid epidemic and thwart the distribution of illegal drugs or other harmful substances through the mail.” The Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to ridding the mail of illicit drug trafficking" “The Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to ridding the mail of illicit drug trafficking, preserving the integrity of the mail, and most importantly, providing a safe environment for postal employees and the American public.” Earlier this year, eight finalists received $100,000 each and advanced to the nextstage of the Challenge. Since June, finalists continued to develop their plans into prototypes that underwent vigorous testing at the Transportation Security Laboratory. This culminated in a live test of their prototypes. Further developing prototypes Winners were selected by a judging panel of experts in forensic science, postal operations, drug interdiction, and industrial engineering using specific selection criteria to identify technologies that will help intercept the flow of opioids through international mail. S&T and its government partners plan to continue working with the providers of the most promising Challenge solutions to further develop prototypes and establish follow-on production agreements. The government plans to deploy these tools in international mail facilities, express consignment facilities, and other environments across the country that call for rapid, accurate detection of opioids and related substances.

ProdataKey (PDK), manufacturer of the cloud access control platform built for mobile, announced that its revolutionary “touch io” Bluetooth reader is now shipping. When installed as part of a pdk io access control system, the new readers allow users who have installed a mobile credential on their smart phone to enter a controlled door by simply touching their hand to the reader, making it the most convenient mobile solution on the market. There’s no need to unlock the smartphone, or even remove it from a pocket or purse. For employees preferring not to use mobile credentials, the readers are also compatible with traditional key cards and fobs. Unlike other Bluetooth offerings, the touch reader differentiates between the use of an electronic credential and encrypted Bluetooth authentication, providing a record of presented credential type to the pdk io system’s events log. Access control door readers Individual’s identity is validated through communication directly between his or her credentialed device and the reader This capability allows administrators to limit use of mobile credentials to certain times of day, and can assist in actively identifying misuse or sharing of cards or fobs between employees. In addition to superior convenience, the touch io brings enhanced levels of security for the communication between smart phones and access control door readers. The individual’s identity is validated through communication directly between his or her credentialed device and the reader, via Bluetooth, bypassing the need for internet or cellular connectivity. A combination of machine-learning algorithms that learn door opening patterns, combined with directional antennae placed on each side of controlled doorways, ensure that credentials are not inadvertently validated when employees pass in proximity to the doors from the unlocked side. Smartphone credentialing solutions Mobile credentialing is available as part of the pdk io affordable system licensing plan, offering users an unlimited number of credentials for a low, per reader, annual subscription. System administrator can easily generate and assign these to employees with just a few clicks from within the pdk io software management interface. “The release of our touch io Bluetooth Readers provides PDK dealers with a tremendous competitive advantage in their ability to offer customers a mobile credentialing option that redefines the product category,” said Cory Jackson, VP of Strategic Sales at ProdataKey. “Quite frankly, many earlier smartphone credentialing solutions have not delivered the convenience they were designed to deliver; employees ultimately found it easier to carry a fob than fumble with a phone. Touch io delivers on the promise of a truly seamless, effortless user experience.”

In large-scene applications, it is difficult for a panoramic surveillance equipment to acquire real-time round-the-clock data due to a lot of factors such as blind spots, aperture limitation, fixed monitoring scene, etc. Aiming to solve these common problems that most general panoramic equipment are facing, Dahua Technology, a video-centric smart IoT solution and service provider, launches its new Hunter SDT5X Series Camera to bring more benefits to its users. Featuring smart tracking, perimeter protection, video metadata, face recognition and many other intelligent functions, the Dahua Hunter Series Camera integrates both advantages of panoramic camera and PTZ camera to provide a flexible solution for multi-scene surveillance needs. In addition to the ability to provide wider range of panoramic coverage and real-time detail capture in ultra-high-definition scenes, it also allows multi-scene monitoring based on customised time schedule, as well as auto-calibration, clear imaging and intelligent applications under complex lighting conditions. Powerful Dual-PTZ Design The operator can even schedule time slots according to different monitoring needs The Dahua Hunter Series Camera adopts a powerful dual-PTZ system to achieve double performance. With panoramic lens above and detail capture lens below, it can meet various monitoring needs with just one camera. Both lens can be horizontally and vertically controlled, enabling monitoring and smart tracking within a wider range. At the same time, it supports simultaneous monitoring of multiple scenes to guarantee all-round security. The operator can even schedule time slots according to different monitoring needs. For instance: at day time, the camera can be utilised to monitor main roads to obtain structured data of people, vehicles, and non-motor vehicles; while at night, the camera can be set to monitor small path for perimeter protection. This ensures an all-day and all-round security. Innovative PFA+ Autofocus Technology The camera utilises Dahua self-developed PFA+ autofocus technology to achieve simultaneous video focusing and zooming, which greatly shortens the focusing time. Additionally, the camera also supports Dahua Starlight+ Technology which achieves ultra-clear image quality, as well as intelligent identification of vehicles, non-motor vehicles, people, and other structured targets, not only maximising monitoring effectiveness but also providing high-quality data for back-end business applications. Another outstanding feature of Dahua Hunter Series Camera is its quick installation and debugging. With a lightweight structure, the camera only requires one person to complete the installation by directly replacing the original installation point with the new one, eliminating inconvenience of construction and debugging, greatly improving efficiency and reducing additional costs. Compared to the fixed lens of general panoramic surveillance equipment, the panoramic lens of Dahua Hunter Series Camera is adjustable and can be remotely controlled, ensuring better face image capture. Multi-target face detection Dahua Technology will adhere to its core value of “customer-centered” to provide excellent quality and service Thanks to the Dahua self-developed Prediction Exposure Algorithm (PEA) and AE2.0 Algorithm, the exposure can be completed once the scene is rotated to the correct position, providing more calculation time for autofocus and intelligent algorithm. At the same time, it makes the debugging process smooth and stable, and realises regular exposure during video capturing. Boasting full-scene coverage, all-weather structured capturing, multi-target face detection and other capabilities, the Dahua Hunter Series Camera supports the customisation needs of multiple scenes. Combined with Dahua Technology's various industry application solutions, the camera is suitable for school gates, hospital entrances, crosswalks, subway crossings, city intersections, as well as open and large scenes such as squares and scenic spots, achieving 24/7 perimeter protection. Excellent quality and service Committed to the mission of “Enabling a safer society and smarter living,” Dahua Technology will adhere to its core value of “customer-centered” in order to provide the market with excellent quality and service, to create more value for customers, and make unremitting efforts to build a safe, intelligent, convenient and efficient society.

HID Global®, a worldwide pioneer in trusted identity solutions, announced that the company and its HID DigitalPersona® multifactor authentication software have been included in the “Champion” category of the 2019 Identity and Access Management (IAM) Emotional Footprint Diamond Report from SoftwareReviews, a division of world-class IT research and consulting firm Info-Tech Research Group. Software users ranked HID DigitalPersona software in the top market quadrant containing solution vendors that are viewed most favorably by customers through unbiased software reviews. "We are very proud to have earned the strong relationship with our customers that SoftwareReviews has acknowledged with this IAM Champion ranking,” said Brad Jarvis, Vice President and Managing Director of Identity & Access Management Solutions (IAMS) with HID Global. Service and support The Emotional Footprint Diamond ranking was included in SoftwareReview’s IAM Emotional Footprint Report “This is now the second consecutive year that SoftwareReviews has recognised HID DigitalPersona software as a top performer and the accomplishment highlights our ongoing commitment to meeting or exceeding our customers’ expectations every time we interact with them.” The SoftwareReviews 2019 IAM Emotional Footprint Diamond illustrates how users view their interactions with eight software vendors based on two key metrics. The first is customer satisfaction with the software given the costs they are paying for it, and the second is their “net emotional footprint” based on the emotional responses they have toward vendor and product across a complex relationship spanning procurement, implementation, service and support. Identity and Access Management market According to SoftwareReviews, its emotional footprint evaluations are based on “100% user-review data, free of traditional components such as market presence and analyst opinion, which are opaque in nature and may be influenced by vendor pressure, financial or otherwise.” The Emotional Footprint Diamond ranking was included in SoftwareReview’s larger 2019 IAM Emotional Footprint Report, which provides a comprehensive evaluation of all relevant vendors in the Identity and Access Management market. The report serves as a buyer’s guide for prospective purchasers that enables them to leverage the experiences of real users. Each product was compared and contrasted with all other vendors in their category to create a holistic, unbiased view of the product landscape that is visualised in easy-to-understand charts and graphs.

Today, the world is connected like never before. Your watch is connected to your phone, which is connected to your tablet and so on. As we’ve begun to embrace this ‘smart’ lifestyle, what we’re really embracing is the integration of systems. Why do we connect our devices? The simplest answer is that it makes life easier. But, if that’s the case, why stop at our own personal devices? Connection, when applied to a business’ operations, is no different: it lowers effort and expedites decision making. Integrating security systems Systems integration takes the idea of connected devices and applies it to an enterprise Systems integration takes the idea of connected devices and applies it to an enterprise, bringing disparate subcomponents into a single ecosystem. This could mean adding a new, overarching system to pull and collect data from existing subsystems, or adapting an existing system to serve as a data collection hub. Regardless of the method, the purpose is to create a single, unified view. Ultimately, it’s about simplifying processes, gaining actionable insights into operations and facilitating efficient decision-making. Although integration is becoming the new norm in other areas of life, businesses often opt out of integrating security systems because of misconceptions about the time and resources required to successfully make the change. So, instead of a streamlined operation, the various security systems and devices are siloed, not communicating with each other and typically being run by different teams within an organisation. Time-intensive process When systems are not integrated, companies face a wide range of risks driven by a lack of transparency and information sharing, including actual loss of property or assets. For example, a team in charge of access control is alerted to a door being opened in the middle of the night but can’t see what exactly is taking place through video surveillance. Without integrated systems they have no way of knowing if it was a burglar, an equipment malfunction or a gust of wind. Without integration between systems and teams, the ability to quickly put the right pieces in front of decision makers is missing. Instead, the team would have to go back and manually look for footage that corresponds with the time a door was open to figure out which door it was, who opened it and what happened after, which can be a time-intensive process. Integrating access control and surveillance systems Theft and vandalism occur quickly, meaning systems and users must work faster in order to prevent it This slowed response time adds risk to the system. Theft and vandalism occur quickly, meaning systems and users must work faster in order to prevent it. Security systems can do more than communicate that theft or vandalism occurred. Properly integrated, these systems alert users of pre-incident indicators before an event happens or deter events altogether. This gives teams and decision makers more time to make effective decisions. Integrating access control and surveillance systems allows for a more proactive approach. If a door is opened when it’s not supposed to be, an integrated system enables users to quickly see what door was opened, who opened it and make a quick decision. Integrated solutions are more effective, more efficient and help drive cost-saving decisions. Ideally, companies should establish integrated solutions from the start of operations. This allows companies to anticipate problems and adjust accordingly instead of reacting after an incident has occurred. Security camera system Although starting from the beginning is the best way to ensure comprehensive security, many companies have existing security systems, requiring integration and implementation to bring them together. Typically, companies with established security systems worry about the impact to infrastructure requirements. Is additional infrastructure necessary? How and where should it be added? What financial or human resources are required? These concerns drive a mentality that the benefits gained from an integrated solution aren’t worth the costs of implementation. Thankfully, this is becoming less of a problem as security providers, like Twenty20™ Solutions, work to offer adaptable solutions. With flexible options, operators don’t worry about adding or replacing infrastructure to align with a provider’s model. This allows users to monitor camera footage and gate traffic from one system If a company has an existing security camera system, but identifies a need for access control, a modern integrated solution provider can supply the gates for access points and equip the gates and cameras with the technology to connect the two. This allows users to monitor camera footage and gate traffic from one system. This model also spares operators additional costs by using a sole vendor for supplemental needs. Overall management of security While a single, unified system is beneficial for cost saving, it can also help the overall management of security. The ability to view all operating systems in one dashboard allows security personnel to manage a site from any location, reducing the expense and effort required to manage a system. The mobile world today means security directors no longer need to be in a centralised operations center to see alerts and make decisions. This simplifies processes by allowing users to quickly see an alert, pull up a camera, delete a user or check an access log from a phone. Modern networks are secure and accessible to those with permissions, without requiring those users to be physically present. Consolidating security systems is the first step companies can take toward streamlining work, information and costs. The next step is integrating all sites, both remote and on-grid. Energy and communication technology The integration of sites and systems turns mountains of data and information into actionable intelligence Traditional methods demanded two systems: one for on-grid facilities and another for off-grid locations. With advancements in energy and communication technology, the need for multiple systems is gone. Data from remote sites can be safely and securely fed into an existing system. These remote locations may gather, distribute and manage data in a different manner than a connected system due to the cost of transmission via remote connections (i.e., cellular or satellite connection). The end result, however, is a consistent and holistic view of operations for the decision maker. The integration of sites and systems turns mountains of data and information into actionable intelligence. With connected devices monitoring occurrences at individual sites, as well as events across locations, the data tells a story that is unhindered by operational silos or physical space. Identifying patterns and trends Instead of providing 10 hours-worth of footage that may or may not be relevant, system analytics can provide users with the specific set of information they need. Incidents once discarded as ‘one-off’ events can now be analysed and data-mapped to identify patterns and trends, directing future resources to the most critical areas first. Consumers are increasingly expecting everything they need to be right where they need it – and businesses are right behind them. The current generation of security professionals are increasingly expecting the simplicity of their everyday personal tasks to be mirrored in enterprise systems, which means giving them the ability to see what matters in one place. A unified system can provide just that, a single view to help simplify processes, promote cost saving and accelerate decision making.

According to the reports of not-for-profit organisation Gun Violence Archive, the year 2018 has seen 323 mass shooting incidents as of November 28 in the United States. This number is 346 for the year 2017 and 382 for 2016 (more statistics are available here), with “mass shooting” defined as cases where four or more people are shot or killed in the same time period and location. While definitions of mass shooting vary with organisations in the US, the count of over 300 incidents per year, or about once per day on average, is simply alarming. It raises public safety concerns, ignites debates and protests, which in turn lead to public unrest and potentially more violence, and increases costs for governments from the regional to federal level. Most importantly, the loss of lives demands not only improvement in post-incident handling and investigation, but also new prevention technologies. Gunshot detection solutions AI weapon detection offers a more efficient alternative to prevent active shooting There are several gunshot detection solutions in the security market, commonly used by law enforcement agencies to detect and locate gun fires. These systems function based on acoustic recordings and analyses and often in combination with signals detected by sensors of the optical flash and shockwave when a gun is fired. However, gunshot detection by nature dictates that the law enforcement can only react to a shooting incident that has occurred. With fast action, law enforcement can prevent the incident from escalating, but lives that are lost cannot be recovered. With the development of artificial intelligence in object recognition, AI weapon detection offers a more efficient alternative to prevent active shooting: AI can visually detect guns based on their shapes before they are fired. The AI is trained to recognise firearms in different shapes, sizes, colours, and at different angles in videos, so that the AI weapon detector can be deployed with existing cameras systems, analyse the video feeds, and instantly notify security staff when a gun is spotted. Comparison of the advantages for law enforcement and public security agencies Legacy gunshot detection using sensors AI weapon detection Reactive measure: detect after guns have been fired Proactive measure: detect before guns are fired Time to action: within 1 second Time to action: within 1 second Unable to provide visual data about shooter(s) Can provide data about shooter(s) based on the camera recording: clothing, luggage (backpack, handbag, etc.), facial features, vehicle Unable to track the location of the shooter(s) before and after shooting because of the lack of sound Can track the shooter(s) using AI Person & Vehicle Tracking, AI Face Recognition, and AI License Plate Recognition False detection caused by similar sound such as fireworks and cars backfiring Minimal to no false detection, as AI can distinguish different types of handguns and rifles from normal objects (umbrella, cellphone, etc.) Require physical deployment of gunshot detection sensors Can be used with existing camera systems, do not require special hardware Complicated to deploy, require highly trained professional Easy to deploy as an add-on to existing video surveillance system - Can integrate with gun-shot detection to create a “double knock” audio and video active shooter alert system Gun-shot detection advantages In addition to advantages for law enforcement and public security agencies, this type of visual-based pre-incident detector has three-fold advantages for the public: Save lives by spotting the shooter before the shooting event. Minimise the chaos entailing an incident: panic and chaos caused by a shooting incident often adds to injury, as people run, fall, trample on others… With an AI weapon detector, when a gun is spotted, the system sends an alert to security staff, who can quickly control the situation in an organised manner and apprehend the intending shooter. Can be added as a SaaS (Security as a Service) component to small business and home surveillance systems, e.g., intrusion detection alerts (home invasion incidents with firearms number over 2500 per year nationwide). For a complete active shooter detection system, video-based AI detector can operate in conjunction with gunshot detectors for enhanced security. Traditional X-ray based weapon detection or metal detection entrance systems are complicated and expensive; with AI video technology, active shooter detection system can be cost-effective, and after all, what price tag can one put on a life? Written by Paul Sun and Mai Truong, IronYun

Over the past few years, biometrics has rapidly expanded into consumer applications, like the financial market for customer authentication, to payment services and withdrawing cash from ATMs in high-fraud markets. However, its adoption as an additional authentication factor for physical access control systems (PACS) and other enterprise applications, hasn’t been as rapid. But this is changing. Biometrics offers numerous benefits at the door and throughout the enterprise. With the advent of new anti-spoofing capabilities, and its integration into secure trust platforms that protect privacy and support a variety of RFID credential technologies, biometric authentication is poised to deliver a much higher matching speed and better overall performance. This will dramatically improve an organisation's security, whilst enhancing user convenience.Newer solutions are overcoming security and convenience hurdles to help realise the full potential of biometrics Challenges for biometric authentication Biometrics fuses convenience and security while validating “true identity” versus identity that is associated to the possession of an ID card. As an example, biometrics prevents a user from taking someone else’s card and obtaining access to privileged resources. This adds the human element to traditional methods of authentication, strengthening security by combining something the user “is” with something the user “has” or “knows.” According to the firm ABI Research in its May 2018 study, Biometric Technologies and Applications, the total fingerprint sensor shipments for the entire consumer market is “estimated to reach 1.2 billion worldwide for 2018, thus ensuring its market dominance.”It has been far too easy for fraudsters to create a fake fingerprint and present it to a reader Despite the benefits of fingerprint authentication in numerous consumer applications, there have been impediments to its broader adoption in the enterprise. While price has been one big roadblock, there have also historically been other reasons for its slower-than-expected growth. First, many technologies are still vulnerable to spoofs and hacking. It has been far too easy for fraudsters to create a fake fingerprint and present it to a reader. Equally troublesome, older products have not been able to move users through the doors as fast as a simple ID card and reader. In general, all fingerprint capture technologies are not equal amongst older products, and there can be significant differences in performance. Developing Technology Performance Newer solutions are overcoming these security and convenience hurdles to help realise the full potential of biometrics. Their development has focused on three key areas: How fingerprint images are captured – if the image can’t be properly captured, the rest of the process fails The implementation of liveness detection to enhance trust – even in the case when the image is properly captured, if it is fake the system cannot be trusted Optimising performance through a combination of new technology and algorithms, whilst ensuring interoperability so the performance can be trusted. The skin is illuminated at different depths to deliver much richer data about the surface and sub-surface features of the fingerprint Optimising capture The quality of the captured image is critical, across all types of fingerprints and environments. Many customers choose sensors that use multispectral imaging because it collects information from inside the finger to augment available surface fingerprint data. The skin is illuminated at different depths to deliver much richer data about the surface and sub-surface features of the fingerprint The skin is illuminated at different depths to deliver much richer data about the surface and sub-surface features of the fingerprint. Additionally, the sensor collects data from the finger even if the skin has poor contact with the sensor, because of environmental conditions such as water or finger contamination. Multispectral sensors work for the broadest range of people with normal, wet, dry or damaged fingers, across the widest range of usage conditions – from lotions or grease to sunlight to wet or cold conditions. The sensors also resist damage from harsh cleaning products and contamination from dirt and sunlight. Liveness detection Liveness detection is the ability to determine that the biometric data captured by the fingerprint reader is from a real living person, not a plastic fake or other artificial copy. An increasingly visible dimension of biometric performance in commercial applications, liveness detection is critical for preserving trust in the integrity of biometrics authentication. At the same time, it must not impede performance or result in excessive false user rejections.While liveness detection optimises performance, it is also important to ensure that this performance can be trusted The most trusted multispectral imaging fingerprint sensors with liveness detection provide a real-time determination that the biometric captures are genuine and are being presented by the legitimate owner, rather than someone impersonating them. This capability leverages the image-capture approach of using different colors or spectrum of light to measure the surface and subsurface data within a fingerprint. In addition to this optical system, the biometrics sensor features several core components, including an embedded processor that analyses the raw imaging data to ensure that the sample being imaged is a genuine human finger rather than an artificial or spoof material. Advanced machine learning techniques are used so the solution can adapt and respond to new threats and spoofs as they are identified. While liveness detection and the underlying capture technology optimises performance, it is also important to ensure that this performance can be trusted. This requires adequate testing to ensure interoperability with template matching algorithms. The first requirement for incorporating biometrics into a physical access control solution is a secure trust platform Trusted performance The top-performing solutions capture usable biometric data on the first attempt for every user. They also speed the process of determining that the biometric data is not a fake, and they quickly perform template matching to reject impostors and match legitimate users.The card/mobile plus finger mode is one of the fastest-growing two-factor authentication use cases for securing access to both physical and digital places To trust this performance, though, the focus must be elsewhere: on interoperability with template-matching algorithms. Extensive interoperability testing must be performed by skilled and independent third parties like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) so that performance data can actually be trusted in all template-matching modes, and not simply a vendor claim. Template matching modes Template-on-card and card/mobile + finger modes using “1:1” template-matching profiles authenticates a person’s identity by comparing the person’s captured biometric template with one that is pre-stored in a database. Template-on-device mode for finger-only authentication using “1:N” matching compares the person’s captured biometric template against all stored biometric templates in the system). The card/mobile plus finger mode is one of the fastest-growing two-factor authentication use cases for securing access to both physical and digital places.Cryptography prevents any man-in-the-middle attacks while also protecting the biometric database As an example of how to deliver trusted performance, HID Global uses the top-ranked NIST certified MINEX III minutia algorithm to ensure interoperability with industry-standard fingerprint template databases. This interoperability ensures that today’s systems, which are based on much more powerful hardware than in the past, will perform accurate 1:N identification of a full database in less than a second. Physical access control integration The first requirement for incorporating biometrics into a physical access control solution is a secure trust platform designed to meet the concerns of accessibility and data protection in a connected environment. The platform should leverage credential technology that employs encryption and a software-based infrastructure to secure trusted identities on any form factor for physical access control, access to IT networks and beyond. Cryptography prevents any man-in-the-middle attacks while also protecting the biometric database. This system also must encompass remote management of all readers and users, spanning all onboarding as well as template loading and enrolment activities for supported authentication modes. Properly implemented, biometrics solutions with liveness detection also protect privacy – if you can’t use a fake finger, it is meaningless Other important focus areas include configuration and administration, plus all logs, reports and monitoring.New system architectures and data models have been created to protect personal information and maintain user privacy It should be possible to manage biometric readers as groups or individually over the network, and tools should be available to allow system administrators to manage all configuration settings from time and data to language, security and synchronisation. The system should enable continuous live monitoring of authentication, alerts and system health, and provide a rich set of associated reporting tools. There are also backend implementation decisions to be made, including how a biometric authentication system will be seamlessly integrated into third-party systems. This is another major pain point of biometric technology. To simplify deployment, application programming interfaces (APIs) should be available for direct integration of the biometrics authentication solution with the access control infrastructure. Privacy considerations Properly implemented, biometrics solutions with liveness detection also protect privacy – if you can’t use a fake finger, then even if you did obtain someone’s fingerprint data, it is meaningless. Strong and updatable liveness protection is critical if biometrics are to eliminate the need to use PINs or passwords.Strong and updatable liveness protection is critical if biometrics are to eliminate the need to use PINs or passwords Biometrics data must be handled like all sensitive and identifying information, and properly architected system designs will always consider and protect against both internal and external threats and attacks. New system architectures and data models have been created to protect personal information and maintain user privacy. Beyond the encryption of the data itself, there are now many good alternatives available for building highly secure and well protected systems, including the use of multi-factor and even multi-modal authentication to maintain security even if some identifying data is compromised. Today’s modern fingerprint authentication solutions are on a fast track to deliver a unique combination of ease of use, availability and convenience and higher security to physical access control systems. With their latest improvements in liveness detection, system architectures, performance and ability to be easily incorporated into access control solutions, they seamlessly combine security and convenience to make them a viable option when accessing a facility, networks and services. These solutions deliver a higher confidence of “who” is being admitted through the building’s front door, where it really matters.

GSX 2019 got off to a jaunty start Tuesday. The show was humming with activity much of the day, and most exhibitors said they were pleased with the numbers and types of potential customers visiting their booths. There seemed to be less emphasis on product introductions than at the ISC West show in the spring (although there is much that is on the new side), while the trend toward system sales is continuing. Here's a review of Day 1 from the show floor. Dahua continues to educate market  “Traffic-wise, the show is better than last year,” observed Tim Shen, Director of Marketing at Dahua Technology USA, at midday on Tuesday. “We met more people from Latin America,” he added. Shen theorised that Chicago is at the center of a larger territory of customers than last year’s location (Las Vegas). Dahua’s presence at the show makes a statement: We’re still here" Dahua has faced some negative publicity in the last year since they were banned from procurement by U.S. government customers by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Dahua’s presence at the show makes a statement, says Shen. The statement is “We’re still here.” Shen said only one visitor to the Dahua booth even mentioned the NDAA on the first day of the show, and the visitor was misinformed about the provisions and implications of the law. “There is a lot of misinformation,” he says. “We need to continue to educate the market.” Facial recognition, video metadata, and people counting New at the show is the Dahua Analytics+ line of cameras that feature more in-depth analysis of data such as facial attributes, video metadata, and people counting. For example, the cameras can identify 128 points in a face, with an additional 256 attributes analysed by the back-end recorder. Analysis can provide information such as age and gender, which can help a retailer analyse the demographics of their customers, for instance. Dahua is also adopting some of its consumer line of products for sale through the commercial channel. These include a flood light camera, a 2-megapixel WiFi camera and a doorbell camera. The products might be used outside of a retail store, for example, to complement Dahua commercial cameras that are used inside the store, says Shen. Dahua previewed a new multi-sensor camera that also includes a speed dome. The multi-sensor component combines eight views, each 2 megapixels, for a total of 16 megapixels. Below the multi-sensor camera is mounted a speed dome that can zoom in on regions of interest in the larger multisensor view. The camera will be launched in the fourth quarter. The show was humming with activity much of the day, and most exhibitors said they were pleased with the numbers and types of potential customers visiting their exhibits ACRE report continued North American growth “The industry’s momentum will continue to grow,” predicted Joe Grillo, Principal of ACRE. New areas such as cloud and mobile credentialing have the fastest growth rate, but are starting from a much smaller base, he said, so momentum in those categories will take time. ACRE sees continued rapid growth with no slowdown in the North American market Grillo noticed the first morning of GSX was busy, although there was a bit of a lull at midday. In terms of the business outlook, Grillo sees continued rapid growth with no slowdown in the North American market, although there have been some negative elements creeping into the outlook in Europe. Cybersecurity concerns in access control I caught up with Grillo at the booth promoting RS2, a Munster, Ind., access control company that Acre acquired last May. It is the only Acre company that is exhibiting at GSX. RS2 is one of two access control companies acquired by Acre in the last year — the other was Open Options, Addison, Texas. Grillo said the two acquired companies are complementary, especially in terms of their sales channels and geographic strengths. Although both are national companies, RS2 tends to be stronger in the Midwest, while Open Options sales emphasis is centered in Texas and emanates to the rest of the country. Concerns about vulnerabilities are a growing issue in access control, said Grillo, and more large endusers are conducting penetration testing of systems. The industry should welcome the scrutiny, he added. Cybersecurity also represents an business opportunity in access control, noted Grillo. Concerns about the vulnerabilities of legacy technologies such as 125Khz proximity cards and the Wiegand protocol will likely accelerate the pace of companies upgrading their access control systems There seemed to be less emphasis on product introductions than at the ISC West show in the spring (although there is much that is on the new side) Eagle Eye Networks and cloud-based VMS Ken Francis of Eagle Eye Networks had already realised some new client opportunities during the first day of the show, although he was not optimistic at the outset. In contacting potential clients to meet at the show, he had heard that many were not attending. Among Eagle Eye Networks’ news at the show is full integration of body-cams into their cloud-based video management system. “It’s the most unique thing happening from a video management perspective,” Francis said. Previously, if someone needed a video clip from a body cam, they had to use a separate software system.Five years from now, at least 80 percent of all VMS systems will be cloud-managed" Francis continues to be bullish on the subject of cloud adoption of video management and made a bold prediction: “Five years from now, at least 80 percent of all VMS systems will be cloud-managed.” Eagle Eye Networks is doing its part with “rocket growth” that is reflected in an increase of company employees from 27 to 165 or so. Economies of scale have enabled Eagle Eye Networks to lower subscription prices by up to 45 percent. Genetec's release self-service PIAM system Many of the “new” products at GSX 2019 are slight variations on what was introduced at ISC West last spring. An exception is Genetec’s introduction of ClearID, a self-service physical identity and access management (PIAM) system that enforces security policies while improving the flow of people within the organisation. The new system is integrated with the Genetec's Security Center Synergis access control system. PIAM systems have historically been customisable, complex to install and costly, which is why a lot of companies have not used a system. Genetec’s differentiator is that it is an off-the-shelf, out-of-the-box solution for a broader base of customers. “We scanned the market and found a lack of off-the-shelf identity management systems,” said Derek Arcuri, Product Marketing Manager, Genetec. “Targeting the mid-market, we are providing an accessible, ready-to-go cloud-based system that is ‘baked’ for the average company but can be integrated and expanded to include other systems.” The trend toward system sales at the show is continuing ClearID will simplify operation for the security department, which was previously tasked with a lot of administrative work in response to various departments. ClearID “pushes down” the authority to use the system to stakeholders (such as IT and/or facilities directors) and provides  a system they can use themselves without involving security. “It empowers stakeholders and employees to work directly through the system rather than going through security,” says Arcuri. “It gives employees access based on stakeholder policies and improves the flow of people through an organisation. The security director is relieved of administrative work and can work on ‘real’ security.” I saw some other things today, too, which I will share in a future GSX article... And more about the show tomorrow.

Gunshot detection today is part of more physical security systems than ever before, and many manufacturers are developing interfaces to the latest gunshot detection technologies. Genetec has integrated ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology into its unified IP security platform, Security Center. Thanks to this integration, police departments and security professionals will be able to receive more actionable information, gain rapid access and detailed location insights when a gunshot situation occurs. Cloud-based analysis software ShotSpotter uses wide-area acoustic surveillance that automatically gets activated when gunfire occurs ShotSpotter uses wide-area acoustic surveillance that automatically gets activated when gunfire occurs, providing comprehensive outdoor coverage on campuses and in complex urban geographies. ShotSpotter sensors and cloud-based analysis software triangulate and pinpoint the precise location of each round fired within seconds, the number of shots fired and provide an immediate gunfire alert with an audio clip. Data capture form to appear here! Detailed incident data is immediately sent to SST’s Incident Review Center (IRC), a secure data processing and alert validation facility, where acoustics experts analyse the data and qualify the incident in real-time 24/7. Once validated, an alert is sent directly into Genetec’s Security Center, all in under a minute. Once the alarm is triggered within Security Center upon gunshot detection, operators can quickly access video and other related data surrounding the location of a gunshot alert, and immediately visualise it on Security Center maps, leveraging the dynamic visualisation capabilities of the Security Center Plan Manager. Genetec has integrated ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology into its unified IP security platform Gunshot identification software Stanley Security has announced a partnership with Shooter Detection Systems LLC (SDS), gunshot detection solutions provider. As an authorised dealer, STANLEY Security is now certified to sell, install and service SDS products and services. SDS’s Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System combines acoustic gunshot identification software with infrared gunfire flash detection for a fully automated gunshot detection and alerting solution. The Guardian System immediately detects gunshots and simultaneously alerts building occupants The Guardian System immediately detects gunshots and simultaneously alerts building occupants and first responders within one second and with zero false alerts. Johnson Controls has announced that its exacqVision video management system now integrates with Databuoy Corp.’s ShotPoint acoustic gunshot detection and localisation system to speed response time and heighten the decision-making process for local responders during active shooter situations. Integrated security systems Johnson Controls has also released the Detect360 Active Shooter Response (ASR) system, combining reliable gunshot detection with notification technology to provide immediate warning when a gunshot is fired within a building. By providing early notification and precise location of the shooter, the ASR system gives occupants time to find safety and allows police and security personnel to mitigate the threat up to 60 percent faster. Detect360 ASR gives first responders information as it develops at the scene, including shot location, number of shots, location of the shooter in near real-time and the ability to remotely monitor the situation through integrated security systems. It also collects forensic information that can later be used by law enforcement. The system supports multiple integration options, including video feeds from existing CCTV and intrusion systems, mass notification systems, access control systems and panic button/manual initiation systems. Detect360 ASR gives first responders information as it develops at the scene Public safety access points Listed as one of the most important new technologies debuted at CES 2019 by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News, Safe Zone also showcased its Safe Zone Gunfire Detector (GFD) at ISC West 2019. Priced at $149 per unit, the Safe Zone Gunfire Detector combines infrared and sound detection technologies with immediate cloud-based data analysis that can analyse more than 3,000 data points of each loud noise that exceeds ambient levels by a certain threshold. The system determines the location of shots fired, the number of shots, and the type Utilising the data from multiple detectors simultaneously, the system determines the location of shots fired, the number of shots, and the type and calibre of gun being used. Within 10 seconds of the trigger pull, an alert is sent to Public Safety Access Points in the appropriate dispatch center, giving local 911 dispatchers all critical information on their computers. Reseller recruitment programme Shot Tracer has launched a reseller recruitment programme with a highly attractive on-boarding proposition for qualified dealers. Qualifying resellers can receive a Gunshot Simulator Kit valued at $1,000 when they commit to becoming a Shot Tracer dealer. Shot Tracer’s Eagle Gunshot Detection System easily integrates with virtually any security, alarm, surveillance and access system via contact closure – or wirelessly via IP integration. In fact, Shot Tracer gunshot detection sensors are as easy to install as a smoke detector, so there’s virtually no learning curve for installing dealers. The new Shot Tracer Reseller Recruitment Program includes an exclusive offer for installing dealers to receive a free Gunshot Simulator Kit, valued at over $1000, which is essential for demonstrating Shot Tracer Eagle Gunshot Detection sensors. Terms and conditions apply for qualifying resellers.

Video surveillance cannot address all the security challenges in education, but it is a valuable tool and among the least obtrusive options available. And the list of security challenges that video can address grows every day. Video systems can provide real-time monitoring of school premises and facilitate rapid response to incidents. New advances such as video analytics are currently underutilised in the education arena. Historically, video has been used as a forensic tool in the education market, providing critical information about an incident after the fact. But that generalisation is changing. Today, networking enables video images to be shared throughout a school system, travelling over existing networks, empowering a more centralised security management structure, and making video more valuable. In particular, higher education institutions are more likely to view live video, given the larger campuses, greater number of buildings, and more public areas where staff and students congregate. Challenges for securing a school environment Panoramic cameras are one tool to address challenges, as a single 360-degree camera can replace between 4 and 5 PTZ camerasMultiple challenges in the education market for security goods and services (from a video perspective) include wide open spaces that make securing schools with video surveillance cameras difficult since the vast amount of coverage required can be cost-prohibitive. Second, state and federal regulations must be taken into account and balanced with the need to protect student privacy. Finally, schools and colleges face dwindling budgets, which means security solutions must deliver more coverage and functionality, while also being cost-effective to deploy. Panoramic cameras are one tool to address these challenges, as a single 360-degree camera can replace between four and five traditional pan-tilt-zoom cameras, resulting in fewer cameras and more coverage – all at a lower cost for hardware and licensing. Data capture form to appear here! Intelligent cameras with video analytics Video surveillance with video analytics can be deployed to monitor areas at certain times of day. For example, once school starts, there shouldn’t be a lot of activity in the parking lot or in particular areas around the school. For these situations, intelligent cameras with video analytics can be used to detect activity in those areas of interest to alert school security that something may need their attention. Radar detection is ideal for perimeters, where a device can be set up unobtrusively to alert when someone enters a particular area. ACC 6 video management software with Avigilon Appearance Search technology provides advanced video analytics search The goal in a potentially dangerous situation is to speed up response times. The faster you’re able to detect something using technology, the faster you’re able to respond. Therefore, being able to identify something happening in a parking lot and alert school resource officers could provide 30 seconds or a minute head start for response, which can get the school into a lockdown situation and get first responders on site more quickly. Video cameras with low-light capability There are video cameras available with extreme low-light capability to see in near-dark or complete darknessIt’s been shown that using lighting at night can deter crime. However, it can be expensive to keep a building and grounds illuminated all night, every night. To mitigate these concerns and potential costs, there are video cameras available with extreme low-light capability that allows them to see in near-dark or in some cases complete darkness. This allows a school to save money by turning lights off while achieving a level of surveillance performance similar to daytime deployments. Facing above-average student incident rates and student disciplinary concerns at some schools, a school system in the United States sought to upgrade its video surveillance system to allow better local and remote monitoring in important areas. Avigilon high-definition cameras with self-learning video analytics and access control solutions were installed in 101 schools, and ACC 6 video management software with Avigilon Appearance Search technology provides advanced video analytics search. A deep learning artificial intelligence search engine can sort through hours of footage and allow operators to click on a button and search for all instances of a person or vehicle across all cameras on a site, quickly and efficiently.

Danish Superliga Football Club Brøndby IF has enhanced fan safety by using Panasonic security solutions to prevent banned football hooligans from entering the stadium, whilst maintaining visitor privacy and complying with European Union General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Installing Panasonic’s FacePRO facial recognition system at the entrances to the stadium has helped to more effectively identify those on the banned list. The club had been aware that family attendance had fallen at some of the more high-profile games, such as the local derby with F.C. Copenhagen, due to concerns over hooliganism, illegal use of flares and safety. Family-friendly stadium With an average attendance of 14,000 people per game, and up to 100 registered persons on the stadium blacklist for causing trouble, the football club wanted to find a way to make genuine fans feel even safer at the family-friendly stadium by preventing any problems before they could occur. Up until this point, lists of banned people were distributed to security staff at the entrance gates. They would manually check each person coming into the stadium but the process was time consuming and not always effective. With the use of Panasonic’s security solution, blacklisted offenders can now be automatically identified in the crowd before they attempt to enter the stadium. System operators in the surveillance room double check matches made by the system before sending notification to the stewards at the gates to prevent them from entering. Panasonic FacePro solution Brøndby IF sought approval on its approach to GDPR compliance from the Danish Data Protection Agency The automated procedure at the stadium entrance also decreases congestion at the gates, so genuine fans can get into the stadium faster. As well as improving security outside, the system allows staff more time to focus their attention on creating a safe and entertaining environment for those inside the stadium. Another issue important to address in the implementation was compliance with European Union GDPR. The Panasonic FacePro solution is very flexible and can be configured to delete or store data as required. To meet Brøndby IF’s requirements, data from the camera is encrypted and the data and images of people not on the blacklist are never stored. In addition, the details of banned individuals are encrypted and only stored on a server blocked from the Internet and all other external systems. Brøndby IF sought permission and approval on its approach to GDPR compliance from the Danish Data Protection Agency. Facial recognition system Mickel Lauritsen, Head of Security at Brøndby IF, said: “We can see that we have decreased the amount of flares being used within the stadium during our matches. It has been a success and it’s an absolutely vital tool in order to maintain safety and security.” Gerard Figols, Head of the European security business at Panasonic, commented: “Panasonic’s facial recognition system contributes to a safer stadium environment by alleviating security pressure on the ground, while ensuring that all data is protected from unauthorised external access." "The accuracy and processing capacity of Panasonic FacePRO means that it is ideal for football, and other sporting stadiums around the world, as well as many other venues where security and high visitor numbers are a factor. Besides the pure security factor, our facial recognition system can also help to enhance the customer experience by providing quicker, more streamlined access or tailored services.”

HID Global, globally renowned provider of trusted identity solutions, has announced that the government of Argentina has selected its HID goID citizen identity technology to power the country’s digital version of its mandatory National Identity Document for its Mi Argentina app. The collaborative effort between HID, Argentina’s Ministry of Interior, Public Works and Housing through the National Registry of Persons (Renaper), and the Ministry of Modernisation makes Argentina the first country in the world to offer a true national identity credential within a mobile app to its citizens. Currently, there are 47 million DNI cards in circulation and recent legislation has accorded full legal equivalence to the smartphone version of the card. Mi Argentina app The Mi Argentina app, which houses the National Identity Document, was developed by the Ministry of Modernisation and allows citizens who download the app on their mobile devices to request appointments, receive health information and access credentials, such as their drivers’ license. Powered by HID goID technology, citizens can also access their National Identity Document on a mobile device on the app while offline. The Government of Argentina is leading the way in bringing the convenience and security of mobile identity to its citizens" “The Government of Argentina is leading the way in bringing the convenience and security of mobile identity to its citizens,” said José D’Amico, director of Renaper, adding “This innovative application is not only easy to get, but we also believe this could be the first step in digitising identity across the government in Argentina and potentially other countries in years to come.” Enhanced security of citizens’ mobile identity Citizens with the ‘Mi Argentina’ app can initiate their request for a mobile ID by visiting a Renaper office, where their identity is verified and authenticated. Once approved, they receive an email with a code to activate their National Identity Document. In the event a smartphone is lost or stolen, credentials can be immediately revoked, safeguarding the citizen from potential identity theft. The mobile ID is securely stored on the citizen’s smartphone, meaning it can still be accessed if the cell phone has no data plan or when connection to a network or Wi-Fi is not available. Storage on the phone brings additional security for the mobile ID ecosystem, as a channel back to the central database is never required. Superior identity solutions Renaper issues all citizens a National Identity Document at birth and requires two mandatory renewals: between the ages of 5 and 8, and at the age of 14. Adults are required to renew it every 15 years. Argentina’s implementation of our technology provides its citizens with innovative ID access" “HID Global is committed to providing identity solutions that meet the evolving standards of the 21st century,” said Jessica Westerouen van Meeteren, VP & Managing Director, Citizen Identity with HID Global. “The government of Argentina’s implementation of our technology provides its citizens with innovative ID access and the ease of a completely mobile experience from registration to issuance.” Enhancing Border Security The government of Argentina previously partnered with HID to upgrade the country’s ICAO electronic passport to a newer generation that was more cost efficient, improved security and enhanced data reading at border control checkpoints. The successful partnership was a key factor in the government’s decision to collaborate with HID Global and deploy the HID goID mobile identity solution. The HID goID technology mobile ID ecosystem powers a more secure and connected world based on field-proven identity technology. It enables the issuance, lifecycle management and verification of mobile identities, and is a customisable solution that delivers many more functions than physical identity documents.

Faced with a number of security challenges and planned future expansion, a major airport decided it was time to implement a scalable security surveillance solution. Let’s take a look at how to manage such a scenario to ensure the selected solution provides scalability for growth. With the existing proprietary solution at the airport locked down to one manufacturer and littered with issues resulting in high maintenance and expansion costs, a new solution was required that would allow the airport to scale its surveillance solution in line with future expansion plans. Difficult in identifying people The low-resolution analogue cameras made it difficult to identify people during incidents Not only was the existing surveillance solution analogue and proprietary, it wasn’t intuitive and was difficult for operators to use. There were several ‘satellite’ security installations scattered in the various terminal buildings that weren’t viewable in the centralised Control Room which meant extra operators were required. The low-resolution analogue cameras made it difficult to identify people during incidents and coupled with the lack of video coverage, it gave operators poor situational awareness. Reviewing past events with the existing VMS was difficult as playback wasn’t synchronised and, without bookmarks, it was time-consuming to find important events. The combination of multiple terminal buildings and the Centralised Analogue Architecture resulted in bottlenecks and latency issues as all processing must pass through the centralised server. There was also no redundancy so if there was any failure in the system, the Control Room would no longer have the capability to view live or recorded video. Additionally, as the system was locked down to one manufacturer and the whole system had to be hardwired to the centralised server, there were very expensive expansion costs. Addressing security and scalability concerns New NVRs were specified to cope with the increase in camera streams and an extra NVR for redundancy and failoverThe required solution had multiple requirements to ensure that the existing issues were resolved and that the solution could scale with the planned expansion. With expansion planned to facilitate growing passenger numbers, an open IP based solution was specified to replace the existing analogue solution to improve situational awareness, provide scalability and integrate with a number of other systems operating in the airport. The architecture needed to limit bottlenecks, reduce latency issues, provide redundancy advantages and be scalable to allow for multiple new terminal buildings to be connected with ease. New HD cameras were specified to improve image quality and coverage, with a Video Wall required in order to view and manage the increase in video streams in the centralised Control Room. New large capacity NVRs were also specified to cope with the increase in camera streams and an extra NVR for redundancy and failover. Distributed Architecture reduces data bottlenecks A solution with Distributed Architecture was chosen as it solved multiple issues with the existing solution and facilitated future expansion without the need for a centralised server. Distributed Architecture allows data to be kept close to where it is produced or needed. When cameras, surveillance workstations, NVRs, alarm servers, integration gateways, all participate in a Distributed Architecture, data bottlenecks are minimised as all processing doesn’t need to pass through a centralised server. Distributed Architecture provides a truly unlimited and scalable solution that can easily accommodate the largest airports in the world. Enhancing situational awareness Distributed Architecture enables future expansion as it can support thousands of cameras, workstations and NVRsDistributed Architecture minimised the existing bottlenecks, reduced latency, and provided higher availability and faster access to data. It also allowed all ‘satellite’ security installations to be viewed in the centralised Control Room enhancing situational awareness. New HD cameras were installed and due to the scalability of Distributed Architecture, future cameras can easily be connected when needed. Furthermore, the scalability of Distributed Architecture enabled the airport to build new terminal buildings and connect with ease to the security solution when ready. Distributed Architecture enables planned future expansion as it can support thousands of cameras, workstations and NVRs, dramatically reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The scalability of Distributed Architecture allows the airport to continue with planned expansion and add a single camera/NVR or a whole new terminal when needed.

With its capacity of 32 million tons per year and water frontage of 6 kilometres, Chernomorsk sea port is one of the largest transport terminals in Ukraine, providing trade links with more than 100 countries all over the world. This port is a part of Eurasian transport corridor connecting the Western European countries, Ukraine, Georgia and the Asian countries. Its territory embodies the unique multimodal terminal that serves railway-ferry and auto-ferry lines as well as roll-on/roll-off vessels. The mission was to implement round-the-clock monitoring of the port territory and port waters in order to detect violations and prevent them. Monitoring in challenging light conditions PTZ cameras with integrated Axis Lightfinder technology are used for monitoring Experts from Inlimited suggested fitting the port with thermal technology platforms using 11 Axis network thermal cameras aboard (including models with two sensors: optic and thermal). PTZ cameras with integrated Axis Lightfinder technology are used, among others, for monitoring in challenging light conditions with low object contrast or difficult light sources. Thermal network cameras support guard tour function that can be used for continuous monitoring of a particular area according to the preset guard tour. In the context of modernisation, the existing port security system was extended with the following video surveillance solutions: computer-aided continuous visual monitoring of the water frontage, the adjacent port area and the port waters of Sukhyi Estuary, the area along the port perimeter as well as monitoring of vehicles (license plate recognition) and approaches to the mounting locations of the main cameras. Integrated video surveillance Centralised security service control centre offer video analysis capabilities. Video surveillance solutions integrated into a single software and hardware platform provide high-quality digital video real time record and store the archive for a minimum of 30 days. The integrator considered all the challenging conditions that cameras may encounter at sea and in the maritime area Integrated video surveillance and alarm system modernisation project developed by Inlimited Ltd. for Chernomorsk sea port is of strategic importance for the customer since it is aimed at increasing the reliability of the guard tours and critical infrastructure of the port and its entire water area. When developing the architectural concept, the integrator considered all the challenging conditions that cameras may encounter at sea and in the maritime area, such as hurricane hazards, lightning strikes, salt air impact, as well as restricted visibility due to fog, heavy rain, snowfall and direct sunlight. Installation of PTZ network cameras Thermal platforms with Axis PTZ network cameras installed on the top became the ultimate solution for the port. Optical and thermal sensors combined into one system is the specific feature of bispectral modules. With this capability, such a device can substitute a significant number of conventional optical cameras and partially the security alarm system. Hence, the extensive territory of the port was covered by turntables with a total of 11 Axis network cameras: bispectral, optical and outdoor. Due to the intelligent capabilities of Axis network cameras, a real-time detection signal is automatically transferred to operator screen, immediately providing a very clear image of an object and ensuring reliable detection under any visibility and weather conditions. Moreover, the system can also detect suspicious objects even before an intrusion attempt. Recognising person, car or watercraft We chose to go with Axis cameras because they are flexible and yet can be customised to solve particular problems"Automatic systems facilitate the work of security service operators displaying only actual violations, which helps to minimise the percentage of false responses. With this intelligent system, it is possible to immediately recognise a person, car or small-sized watercraft as well as detect possible smoke spread and other abnormal situations. Thus, the security staff has extra time to provide quick response. The video surveillance and alarm system of Chernomorsk sea port is integrated with IP-video control system Milestone Xprotect and vehicle license plate recognition system VIT AutoCode. “We chose to go with Axis cameras because they are flexible and yet can be customised to solve particular problems. Axis network cameras gained an excellent reputation as a part of the video surveillance system currently operating at the port and for this reason, we selected them again for additional security platforms,” noted the Chernomorsk sea port security service.

The high-performance Predator Ultra HD PTZ video surveillance camera from UK CCTV manufacturer, 360 Vision Technology, has entered service at the National Coastwatch Institution’s (NCI) Felixstowe lookout station, to help protect lives along the coastline of the River Deben estuary. Felixstowe Coastwatch is a charity funded, volunteer-based organisation with over 50 highly trained volunteers available to man lookout shifts. It’s also part of the NCI, a voluntary organisation established in 1994 to restore a visual watch along UK shores, after many small Coastguard stations had been closed. Maritime navigation Felixstowe Coastwatch took over operations at the Lookout in April 1996 Under Felixstowe Coastwatch’s territory is the Deben estuary, whose treacherous shifting shingle banks and bar can present quite a challenge for maritime navigation, as Ian Clarke of Felixstowe Coastwatch explains: “Half of all call outs from the RNLI Harwich Lifeboat Station during 2016/17 were to attend incidents in this area, so it was clear that additional observation of the area would be beneficial and help to make it safer.” Felixstowe Coastwatch’s Lookout is built on top of Martello Tower ‘P’, one of the famous ‘Martello Towers’, built in the early 1800s as a defence against a possible invasion by Napoleon. The first lookout was originally built by HM Coastguard (replaced in 1979 by the current structure), who operated the Lookout until 1994. Felixstowe Coastwatch took over operations at the Lookout in April 1996. Experiencing CCTV cameras “Originally, the first idea to tackle the maritime issues at the River Deben estuary was to build an additional lookout tower,” says Ian. “That would have been a prohibitively costly exercise for a charity-based organisation. However, after a visit to the NCI Station at Portland Bill, I was inspired by the use of CCTV there and interested to establish if video surveillance could be deployed to monitor the remote Deben estuary from our existing lookout station.” “The first task was to experience CCTV cameras in action, so we visited the Port of Felixstowe, the Felixstowe Town CCTV system and the Great Yarmouth Port Authority, where we saw the 360 Vision Predator in action. Impressed by the quality of its images, I contacted 360 Vision Technology for a demonstration, at which we were able to record video from the proposed location of the camera mast.” Comprehensive business case 360 Vision Technology had just launched their Predator equipped with a 40x optical zoom" “After the demonstration of the camera’s capability, I was able to prepare a detailed report to our trustees, setting out a comprehensive business case as to why a CCTV camera would offer the best solution to the issues we were facing at the mouth of the River Deben. I was able to use the recorded footage of the demonstration to produce a video highlighting the impressive capability of the imaging technology.” From Ian’s report, approval of the project was granted and the 360 Vision Predator Ultra HD was installed by STC Solutions Ltd, after funds were raised from council-allocated budget and fundraising events organised by Felixstowe Coastwatch volunteers. “When we placed the order, 360 Vision Technology had just launched their Predator equipped with a 40x optical zoom,” Ian continues. Wireless transmission solution “This was an important factor for us, as the entrance to the River Deben is expansive, and identifying vessels and individuals there would be greatly assisted by the optical zoom of the 360 Vision Predator camera.” With no line of sight from the camera to the lookout tower, an innovative wireless transmission solution was employed, using a belfry tower at a midway point in Felixstowe, where the signal is relayed to enable control and recording of the high definition images back at the lookout station. “Now operators can view superb live images of the River Deben, to confirm the identity, position and situation of vessels in the mouth of the river and if necessary, contact HM Coastguard if we observe any problems,” Ian explains. Seamless ONVIF integration Thanks to the broad integration capability of 360 Vision’s Predator Ultra HD, all surveillance video is archived for retrospective investigation, and controlled via a QVIS Viper NVR recorder. In addition, seamless ONVIF integration into Cambridge Pixel’s ‘RadarWatch’, a flexible client display application for radar display and target tracking, allows Felixstowe Coastwatch’s operators to set up virtual tripwire lines across dangerous areas of the river and shallow waters close to the main shipping channel. The trip alarms instantly alert operators and provide immediate verification of a vessel’s precise location Once crossed by a vessel, the trip alarms instantly alert operators and provide immediate verification of a vessel’s precise location, along with high-definition visual verification from the Predator camera. Also displayed as an overlay on screen, via the Predator Ultra camera and Cambridge Pixel technology integration, is Automatic Identification System (AIS) ship transponder information for each vessel, including a compass bearing supplied by the Predator camera’s head, which indicates which way the camera is pointing. Innovative installation “This means we can instantly identify and position any specific vessel we’re seeing with the camera,” says Ian. “We can also view the banks of the river and its beaches, to ensure that no members of the public are in danger.” Taking advantage of 360 Vision Technology’s any colour and any finish design offer, the Predator Ultra camera was supplied in a Marine Grade white paint finish, and along with its powerful 40x zoom lens, is equipped with a ½” Ultra camera module to ensure maximum imaging performance, even in low-light conditions. This innovative installation has been so successful that Felixstowe Coastwatch are currently looking at other areas of the coastline where high-definition 360 Vision Predator Ultra HD cameras could assist with their daily operations, to protect the public and maritime traffic.

It is essential that governments be able to issue identification credentials so citizens can exercise their civic rights and duties, access programs and services, and travel freely to and from other countries. HID Global, globally renowned trusted identity solutions, has enabled numerous African countries to issue millions of these credentials as the company helps to propel a variety of initiatives across the continent aimed at providing “identity for all.” Secure ID card issuance “Secure issuance is a key part of our identity portfolio that is helping nations in Africa and other emerging economies close a big gap between citizens who have a legal way to identify themselves and those who don’t,” said Craig Sandness, Vice President & Managing Director – Secure Issuance with HID Global. We are also actively involved in designing programs for civil servants to securely access government buildings" He adds, “Our successes in Africa range from Angola’s voter ID card program to deployments in multiple countries that enable governments to issue national IDs, driver’s licenses, health cards, work permits and refugee identification credentials. We are also actively involved in designing programs for civil servants to securely access government buildings and government assets such as PCs or server rooms.” HID Global identification program For many countries, an e-Passport is the building block of democracy and cornerstone of citizenship as their first step to launching an identification program. HID Global’s secure issuance offering spans all aspects of creating and managing these and other credentials and issuing them wherever citizens are located. Notable deployments in Africa include: Resident, Healthcare and other National IDs: Eight African countries have either deployed or are developing one or more of these ID card programs using HID Global printers. Several are also in the early stages of deploying systems for issuing government employee ID cards for use by members of their military and police forces. Voter IDs: Angola used HID FARGO DTC5500LMX printers to roll out a voter ID program in over 200 municipalities and cities across the country. Over 650 systems were deployed in Angola to issue over 8 million cards in less than 8 months. ePassports: Several countries in Africa are using HID Global’s ID personalisation systems for ePassports that provide successful identification and an easier travel experience for citizens. Driver’s Licenses: HID Global’s decentralised driver’s license issuance solution is being used by several African governments. Noticeably, one country is using these solutions to speed program deployment for over 25 million citizens. The company is also supplying pre-printed smart cards that include various overt and covert security features. The cards are then personalised locally with photo, variables data, custom holographic laminate and owner biometrics using FARGO HDP5000 printers. Refugee Identification: HID Global is working with international organisations to help connect African refugees with vital resources in multiple countries. HID FARGO HDP8500 and HDP5000 printers are being deployed at refugee camps to issue the necessary credentials for accessing food, water, shelter, financial aid and educational and other services. Student IDs: The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is using HID FARGO Direct-to-Card ID card printers/encoders to improve the efficiency, accuracy and integrity of its educational testing program for more than 2 million students annually. HID FARGO Connect solution HID FARGO Connect solution enables ID cards to be issued from anywhere and any device via a web interface The latest additions to HID Global’s portfolio address the challenges African nations face in issuing credentials to remote locations while also serving high-volume needs of large metropolitan areas. The company’s HID FARGO Connect solution enables ID cards to be issued from anywhere and any device via a web interface in a trusted environment, changing the paradigm for governments whose citizens live in distant, hard-to-reach locations with limited infrastructure. For governments that need to meet the needs of large metropolitan populations, the new HID FARGO HDP6600 printer offers the world’s fastest retransfer throughput for ID card personalisation.

Video analytics are undergoing a fundamental change in the market as machine learning enhances their accuracy while expanding their capabilities. But what are those expanded capabilities and how are they impacting the operation of security and video systems? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What new video analytics are having an impact in the market and how?

Ensuring privacy is often a concern for video surveillance systems, especially in situations where a system intended for “public” surveillance could somehow, perhaps inadvertently, view private areas or situations. The classic example is an apartment building whose windows are within the range of a video surveillance camera. How can you provide video surveillance without invading the privacy of the apartment dwellers? Integrators and end users often turn to technology for a solution. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Round Table: How can smart camera features (such as privacy masking and programmable pan-tilt-zoom) address concerns about privacy?

Terrorism is in the headlines all over the world. After any such incident, many of us in the physical security market find ourselves asking: What could we have done to prevent it? Assessing risk and preventing catastrophes before the fact are part of our market’s DNA; and yet, too often the random nature of terrorist attacks and their targeting of public places leave us unsure of anything anyone could have done. How can we translate the benefits of our industry’s products into real-world solutions that can prevent terrorist attacks? We presented the question to this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable, and received a variety of interesting responses. Specifically, we asked: How is the recent rise in terrorism impacting the physical security market (e.g., higher demand, different mix of products, etc.)? How should the physical security market respond? What solutions are needed?