Mall security

Zimperium, the pioneer in AI-empowered mobile security, releases new research revealing how threat actors are using sophisticated recruitment-themed phishing campaigns to specifically target corporate credentials, with mobile devices creating an especially effective attack surface. The campaigns impersonate recruiters and HR personnel from well-known global brands, using realistic interview and scheduling experiences to lure victims into counterfeit login pages. Critically, the phishing infrastructure actively rejects personal email addresses and requires victims to enter corporate credentials, demonstrating that these attacks are intentionally designed to compromise enterprise accounts rather than indiscriminately harvest consumer credentials. Legitimate authentication windows On desktop devices, attackers can use Browser-in-the-Browser (BitB) techniques to simulate legitimate authentication windows. On mobile, the attack becomes even harder to identify. The phishing experience adapts to the smaller screen and presents victims with a full-screen counterfeit login page. With limited visibility into URLs and other browser indicators, employees can have fewer visual cues that the authentication request is fraudulent. “What makes these recruitment scams particularly concerning for enterprises is the deliberate focus on corporate identities,” said Nico Chiaraviglio at Zimperium. “Attackers are not simply looking for any credential they can steal. They are screening for enterprise accounts that can provide a path into corporate email, cloud applications and other business-critical systems. Mobile makes that deception even more effective because many of the visual signals employees rely on to recognise phishing are reduced or absent.” Impersonating prominent organisations Zimperium analysed a year of telemetry associated with brand-impersonating recruitment domains and found that the threat extends beyond the recent surge in recruitment scams. Attackers have maintained persistent infrastructure while impersonating prominent organisations across technology, retail, aviation, professional services, consumer goods and other industries. As part of its investigation, Zimperium identified 46 previously unpublished indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with this activity. The analysis also found significant delays between the registration of impersonation domains and their identification by public threat feeds. In several cases, domains remained unreported for months or even years, creating an extended window in which employees could encounter malicious infrastructure before it appeared on traditional blocklists. Desktop-centric security controls The findings underscore a broader challenge for enterprise security teams: attacks targeting corporate identity increasingly begin on mobile devices, outside the visibility of desktop-centric security controls. Zimperium Mobile Threat Defence (MTD) dynamically analyses network activity and mobile threats directly at the device level, helping organisations identify and block credential-harvesting attacks in real time, including newly created phishing infrastructure that may not yet appear in static URL and reputation feeds.

Genetec Inc., the global pioneer in enterprise physical security software, releases retail-specific findings from its 2026 State of Physical Security Report. Based on responses from retail professionals worldwide, the research shows retailers increasingly view physical security as a business function that supports operations, employee safety, and modernisation efforts—not solely loss prevention. While retailers continue to manage everyday security challenges across stores, many are expanding how they use physical security data to improve decision-making, increase operational efficiency, and get more value from existing technology investments. Traditional loss prevention metrics Retailers are increasingly looking beyond traditional loss prevention metrics and using physical security data to improve broader business outcomes. More than 60% of retailers identified improving operational efficiency within the security department as a primary objective for security data, while an equal percentage said improving safety and security was a top priority. More than half (55%) cited compliance, and nearly half (48%) said they are using security data to improve the customer and employee experience. Despite growing interest in AI and analytics, many retailers remain focused on modernising aging environments before expanding their technology footprint. The report found aging physical security infrastructure (40%), training and upskilling staff (38%), attracting and hiring talent (37%), and aging IT infrastructure (33%) ranked among retailers' biggest operational challenges. These challenges are influencing how retailers approach modernisation. Leverage existing technology Rather than replacing entire systems, retailers are pursuing measured modernisation strategies. Looking ahead, 54% of retailers plan to leverage existing technology to address new challenges, 51% intend to use AI to streamline security processes, and 48% plan to evaluate new security systems for specific use cases. “Physical security is becoming a strategic business asset for retailers, extending well beyond traditional loss prevention,” said Scott Thomas, National Director for Signature Brands at Genetec. “The retailers that will see the greatest return on their security investments are those that treat modernisation as an ongoing strategy rather than a one-time project. By building on existing infrastructure while introducing new capabilities, they can adapt to changing business needs without sacrificing the value of past investments.”

Managing access control for a single facility is very different from overseeing dozens of locations across multiple regions. As organisations grow, security teams must manage more access requests, frequent role changes, and compliance across multiple sites. At the same time, access control systems are becoming more connected to identity management platforms, business applications, and corporate networks. Access control was once considered primarily a door-management function, it is now closely connected to identity, cybersecurity, compliance, operational technology and enterprise risk. This shift is particularly relevant in the Middle East, where the continued expansion of smart cities, critical infrastructure and large-scale commercial and government environments is creating more connected and complex security operations. Complex security operations Access control systems generate and store sensitive information, connect to enterprise networks, and often integrate with other business systems. Readers, controllers, credentials, and management software are now part of the same risk conversation as endpoints, networks, cloud services, and identity platforms. If compromised or poorly governed, they can create exposure that is both digital and physical. Organisations want greater visibility into system health, stronger oversight of administrative access, and confidence that vulnerabilities can be addressed before they become larger problems. This includes understanding whether communications are encrypted, how users are authenticated, how quickly software updates can be applied and whether policies are consistently enforced across locations. Well-managed environments “As access control becomes more connected to enterprise networks and business applications, it can no longer be managed in isolation from wider cybersecurity and governance strategies,” said Hassan Makki, Area Sales Director at Genetec Inc. “For organisations across the Middle East, consistent policies, shared visibility and closer collaboration between physical security and IT teams will be essential to managing risk as operations continue to grow and become more interconnected.” As organisations expand, governance often becomes more difficult to maintain. New facilities, acquisitions, contractors, temporary workers, and evolving organisational structures can introduce complexity into even the most well-managed environments. Approving access requests Different locations may use different processes for credentialing employees, approving access requests or reviewing permissions. Security teams may also be managing multiple systems while trying to enforce common policies without a complete view of their operations. Without a clear governance framework, inconsistencies begin to accumulate. Employees may retain access for longer than necessary. Access privileges may vary from one location to another, and security teams may struggle to determine which policies should apply at different locations. Access-related decisions As the number of sites and users grows, manual processes become increasingly difficult to sustain, and the likelihood of errors increases. Standardisation therefore becomes essential to scaling access control effectively. Access control becomes harder to manage consistently without accurate information. Yet many organisations struggle to gain a complete view of permissions, credential activity, and security events across all locations and systems. Access to reliable information helps organisations make better decisions and respond more effectively when issues arise. It also supports collaboration between physical security, IT, compliance, and risk management teams that may all have a stake in access-related decisions. For organisations across the Middle East, clear governance, consistent policies and shared visibility will be essential to scaling access control while managing evolving cyber and physical security risks.

The new AIE-VN34/44 and AIE-VO24/34 combine up to 100 TOPS of AI performance, four GMSL2 camera connections, and fanless rugged operation for transportation, AMR, and industrial automation applications. Aetina Corporation, a pioneer AI solution provider and an accelerator of edge AI infrastructure, announces the DeviceEdge AIE-VN34/44 and AIE-VO24/34, Aetina’s first palm-sized in-vehicle edge AI systems, powered by NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX and NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano modules. Delivering up to 100 TOPS of AI performance and supporting up to four GMSL2 cameras in an ultra-compact, rugged form factor, the new systems are ready for mass production and target smart transportation, autonomous mobile robots (AMR), and industrial automation deployments where space and reliability are equally critical. Industrial automation deployments As AI-powered vision systems become increasingly essential across smart cities, intelligent transportation, and industrial automation, real-time processing of high-quality, multi-camera video streams within space-constrained environments remains a persistent challenge. The AIE-VN34/44 and AIE-VO24/34 address this directly: powered by NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX (8GB/16GB) and NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano with Super Mode (4GB/8GB), the systems deliver up to 100 TOPS and 67 TOPS of AI performance respectively, packed into a palm-sized 136.3 x 132 x 63 mm chassis. Each system features four GMSL2 (Fakra-Z) ports, enabling long-distance, low-latency multi-camera streaming, real-time AI inference, and 360-degree environmental perception for surround-view monitoring, blind-spot detection, and situational awareness. Long-distance image transmission To accelerate system integration, the AIE-VN34/44 and AIE-VO24/34 can be flexibly expanded with Aetina validated GMSL2 adapter boards and camera modules, which support with plug-and-play driver-ready for long-distance image transmission of up to 15 meters. This bundle offering brings together camera sensing, high-speed visual data transmission, and NVIDIA Jetson Orin–powered edge inference, helping customers simplify system integration, shorten development and validation cycles, and achieve highly scalable, customisable AI deployment. Automotive electronic equipment Engineered for demanding mobile and industrial applications, the AIE-VN34/44 and AIE-VO24/34 pair rugged reliability with flexible connectivity. Both systems have passed MIL-STD-810H shock and vibration testing and carry E-Mark (E24) certification for automotive electronic equipment, streamlining integration into global vehicle markets. A fanless architecture supports stable, throttle-free operation from -25°C to +55°C, while a 9–36V DC wide-voltage input and integrated Ignition Power Control protect against voltage fluctuations and enable safe startup and shutdown. Isolated CAN FD and GPIO/RS-232 interfaces connect vehicle signals, controllers, sensors, and industrial peripherals, complemented by Gigabit Ethernet (GbE), USB 3.2, HDMI, M.2 M-Key storage, and optional M.2 E-Key wireless expansion. Actionable intelligence for AI agents The convergence of V2X and edge computing continues to drive demand for compact, rugged in-vehicle computing platforms that capable of processing multi-camera vision data locally and in real time. The AIE-VN34/44 and AIE-VO24/34 turn visual data into actionable intelligence for AI agents and autonomous systems, supporting surround-view monitoring and blind-spot detection for commercial vehicles, obstacle avoidance and path planning for AMRs, real-time defect inspection on production lines, and people tracking and security monitoring across smart retail and building environments. AI computing portfolio James Ho, Manager of Edge Computing Product Division at Aetina, stated: “As real-time, multi-camera perception becomes the sensing layer for AI agents operating in vehicles, AMRs, and industrial equipment, customers need edge compute that is rugged enough for the field and ready for mass production from day one, Aetina’s palm-sized in-vehicle edge AI systems bring four-camera GMSL2 support, automotive-grade certification, and NVIDIA Elite Partner-backed BSP support together in one rugged multi-vision platform, helping customers simplify integration and accelerate the deployment of intelligent vision at the edge.” The AIE-VN34/44 and AIE-VO24/34 are available now for mass production, supporting BSP built on NVIDIA JetPack 6.2, with NVIDIA JetPack 7.2 support to be added soon. 

RAD Security, an event-driven SaaS platform built to automatically remediate Kubernetes security risks and enforce least privilege access control across distributed cluster infrastructures, today announced it has raised $6 million in seed funding. Led by .406 Ventures with participation from Vertex Ventures US and Gula Tech Adventures, this infusion of capital will enable RAD Security to accelerate product development and grow its sales and marketing efforts. Notably, the following individuals have contributed to RAD Security’s growth through angel investments and mentorship: Andrew Peterson, Founder, Signal Sciences; Carol Meyers, Former CMO, Rapid7; Jim Manico, Founder, Manicode, and Grant Miller, Founder, Replicated. Enabling rapid development As enterprises expand their cloud-native architectures, it becomes monumentally complex to manage and secure containerised infrastructure. Businesses adopt Kubernetes expecting it will support developers in managing microservices architectures, including the human and machine identities they are tasked with owning. The Cloud Native Computing Foundation estimates that 5.6 million developers worldwide use Kubernetes^1. Kubernetes is transformational and enables rapid development. However, the rise of Kubernetes has increased the enterprise attack surface and made security the top concern for organizations moving towards containers in production, as well as the most in-demand skill today^2. Jimmy Mesta, Co-founder and CTO, realized early that at times Kubernetes could be more of a hindrance than a help as many developers lack the security depth and expertise to adequately secure their workloads. Impacting development velocity Informed by his work training Kubernetes early adopters, Mesta identified the best practices for Kubernetes security that still enabled companies to achieve fast, agile development without putting the enterprise environment or business bottom line at risk. RAD Security gives development, security and operations teams the ability to automatically discover clusters, remediate misconfigurations, and securely manage access entitlements across any Kubernetes infrastructure. Led by Brooke Motta, a recognized high-growth, go-to-market leader, and Mesta, a pioneer in Kubernetes security, RAD Security is poised to be the security partner of choice for enterprises looking to adopt, scale, and secure Kubernetes across their business without impacting development velocity. Undergoing exponential growth “RAD Security empowers our development teams to own the security outcomes of our applications and infrastructure with minimal operational overhead. RAD Security's platform is a perfect fit for our existing DevOps workflows,” Kim Green, CISO at World Market and RAD Security customer. “Kubernetes adoption is undergoing exponential growth and security is quickly becoming a primary concern as teams look to scale. I'm excited to bring the RAD Security platform to market and deliver a modern approach to Kubernetes Detection and Response (KDR) as well as Kubernetes Infrastructure Entitlements Management (KIEM),” said Brooke Motta, Co-founder and CEO. Cybersecurity-focused venture investing “RAD Security is defining a market space within Kubernetes security that is primed to explode in the coming years,'' said Greg Dracon, Partner, .406 Ventures. “We are thrilled to partner with Brooke and Jimmy and believe RAD Security will change the way enterprises secure their cloud-native infrastructure.” Dracon will join the RAD Security board of directors, bringing with him over 25 years of cybersecurity-focused venture investing and technology operating. “RAD Security stood out for many reasons–not the least of which is because their solution exemplifies security by design, which is one of the key tenets we believe in at Gula Tech Adventures. Fast remediation allows developers to spot and fix misconfigurations and vulnerabilities and is critical when working to keep pace with the speed of innovation,” said Ron Gula, President, Gula Tech Adventures. Cloud-native solution "In this noisy and rapidly-growing Kubernetes environment, RAD Security’s cloud-native solution puts security on auto-pilot so developers can focus on application building,” said Chase Roberts, Principal at Vertex Ventures US. “We’re confident that RAD Security, with its strong leadership and sorely-needed technology, will produce a category-defining company that’s indispensable for security and software teams alike. We couldn’t be more excited to join them on this journey." Roberts will join RAD Security as a board observer and will partner closely with the team to help them realize their mission. “Businesses cannot move applications to Kubernetes and expect to transform into a DevOps shop,” said Zane Lackey, Co-Founder of Signal Sciences and RAD Security angel investor. “Without the proper security controls, including least-privilege access and hardened cluster configurations, attackers can wreak havoc in an enterprise's cloud environment. RAD Security addresses these challenges head on by allowing development and security teams to meet at the source – the code itself.” Modern Kubernetes environment “We are thrilled to have RAD Security join and support the CNCF and Security TAG,” said Chris Aniszcyk, CTO of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. “The cloud native community requires the work of dedicated individuals and organizations to continue pushing the boundaries of scalability and security, and we are glad to count RAD Security in these ranks.” RAD Security will be hosting a webinar on March 1 at 10:00 a.m. PST to discuss the fundamentals of securing a modern Kubernetes environment. Attendees will learn how RAD Security enables security teams to discover and remediate Kubernetes misconfigurations and vulnerabilities across any cloud. Register today.

March Networks®, a pioneer in video surveillance and business intelligence, announces its 2026 mid-year product release, introducing expanded AI-powered search, new cloud video intelligence, broader VIVOTEK camera support and integration with C•CURE access control. The release is the first since the April 2026 merger of VIVOTEK’s branded business with March Networks. It marks the introduction of Connected Intelligence for Modern Security, the company's strategic approach to connecting video, data and AI across every system and site. Cloud video intelligence Organisations already capture vast amounts of video, operational data and security information. The challenge is making those systems work together. When information remains isolated, important patterns, risks, and opportunities can go unseen. March Networks connects video, data and AI to reveal what matters, helping customers investigate faster, uncover hidden patterns and act with greater confidence. “Customers do not need more disconnected systems or more data. They need the intelligence that comes when video, data and AI work together,” said Peter Strom, President and CEO of the combined March Networks and VIVOTEK organisation. “This release advances the March Networks solutions our customers use today, and creates more ways to connect cameras, access control, business systems and VIVOTEK technologies. It is an important step in our broader vision for connected, intelligent businesses.” Patterns and opportunities Connected Intelligence for Modern Security defines how March Networks and VIVOTEK bring video, data and AI together to surface what matters across every system, sensor and site. At the center of this approach is a clear promise: Connecting cameras, operational data, AI and workflows through one intelligence layer helps organisations uncover risks, patterns and opportunities that isolated systems often miss. The strategic approach is built on three pillars: Connect the Ecosystem - Every camera. Every system. Every site.               Connect cameras, access control, third-party systems, devices, data sources and workflows to reduce fragmentation across the environments customers already manage. Turn Sight into Insight - AI that reveals hidden patterns. AI-powered search, analytics and reporting help businesses find, validate and act on critical evidence and operational insights faster. Extend Intelligence Everywhere - From one site to thousands. On-Premise. Hybrid. Cloud. Connected solutions make intelligence accessible across roles, sites, devices and operating environments, allowing customers to deploy and scale technology based on their security, operational and infrastructure needs. Together, these pillars connect physical security, operations and intelligence at enterprise scale, helping customers move from sight to insight, faster action and better business results. The 2026 mid-year release expands March Networks and VIVOTEK's end-to-end portfolio across enterprise video management, business intelligence, AI-powered investigation, cloud services and third-party system integration. These capabilities put Connected Intelligence for Modern Security into action today and set the direction for what comes next. Enterprise video management “We have seen firsthand what's possible when customers connect video, AI, transactions and operational data,” said Strom. “For example, these connections helped a large retail organisation uncover nearly $1 million in organised retail fraud that traditional reporting and manual video review had missed. When intelligence is connected and systems work together, hidden losses become visible, investigations become faster and data becomes decisive.” Get faster answers at no extra cost with Searchlight AI, now included for all Searchlight Cloud users. Spot trends and act sooner with AI-powered, on-demand analysis of business data tied to video. Find critical evidence faster with expanded face and license plate search across compatible devices. Expand camera choice and flexibility with broader VIVOTEK support across March Networks environments. Unlock business intelligence for direct-to-cloud video with the new VIVOTEK VORTEX and Searchlight Cloud integration. Investigate access events faster by connecting C•CURE access control with March Networks Command Enterprise Software. Demonstrating product capabilities Together, these capabilities expand the devices, systems, data sources, deployment models and workflows customers can connect across their security environments. March Networks will bring Connected Intelligence for Modern Security to life by showcasing its newest solutions with VIVOTEK at Global Security Exchange, GSX 2026, taking place September 14–16 in Atlanta, Georgia. March Networks and VIVOTEK will also demonstrate product capabilities, connected workflows and ongoing technology integration at the 2026 Security Exhibition & Conference, taking place September 2–4 in Sydney, Australia. Attendees will see how connected video, data and AI help operators act on what matters across retail, banking and enterprise environments, from a single location to thousands of sites.

A security camera installed today has more AI processing power than the systems that guided early autonomous vehicle prototypes. And yet the operator who mounts that camera on a wall will, in all likelihood, never use most of that capability.  Industry surveys bear this out: a wide gap persists between the number of security professionals who believe AI can improve outcomes and the much smaller share who have adopted it operationally. The reason has nothing to do with the silicon and everything to do with how the industry has asked people to configure these systems. The problem is not that the industry lacks algorithms. The problem is that physical security has never found a scalable way to personalise systems for each site. The personalisation dilemma hiding in plain sight The problem is that physical security has never found a scalable way to personalise systems for each site A surveillance deployment at an airport, a retail chain, a school campus, and a logistics yard can look strikingly similar in hardware terms. Each installation uses image sensors, edge processors, network connectivity, and a management layer. What changes is what the operator cares about. At a school entrance, the priority might be perimeter approach after hours and controlled access during the day. At a loading dock, the concern is tailgating, vehicle dwell time, and safety incidents near forklifts. At an airport, the operator may need queue-flow analytics one moment, unattended-item detection the next, and then a search for a specific person of interest carrying a particular bag. At a retail store, loss prevention teams want to correlate customer flow patterns with point-of-sale data and identify suspicious behaviour near high-value merchandise. This range of needs forces a reality that the industry has acknowledged in principle but never resolved in practice: the application pool across the market is vast, yet each individual site typically requires only a narrow set of outcomes. Each deployment needs personalisation once, at commissioning, and then again whenever the environment or the risk profile shifts. The app store that never became a market For the better part of a decade, the industry’s most visible answer to the personalisation problem was the “app store” model. The logic was straightforward: curate a marketplace of trained neural network algorithms, let integrators browse a catalogue, and download the right analytic for each job. Queue counting for a passport control hall. License plate recognition for a parking structure. Occupancy monitoring for a conference room. The concept borrowed directly from the consumer smartphone approach. In practice, it never matched physical security’s purchasing and operating rhythm. A phone owner discovers and downloads new apps continuously. A physical security deployment selects one or two analytics functions at installation and rarely revisits them. Another maintenance burden A queue-counting algorithm trained on airport data is excellent at queue counting The economic incentive to maintain, curate, and update a broad catalogue across a fragmented ecosystem of camera OEMs, VMS platforms, and system integrators never materialised when the average buyer drew from only a thin slice of it. And the question of who would operate such a marketplace across that fragmented landscape was never satisfactorily answered. The deeper issue is that distribution was not the hard part. Personalisation was. A queue-counting algorithm trained on airport data is excellent at queue counting. It does not naturally become a general-purpose security tool for whatever the operator needs next. Once a model is trained for a narrow task, adaptation requires another project, another integration cycle, and another maintenance burden. AI-enabled cameras The examples that do exist are instructive. Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands has used trained camera systems for over a decade to measure queue length at passport control and alert staff when additional counters should open. Rome trailed AI-enabled cameras to track pedestrian wait times at crosswalks, measure bus queue length, and monitor parking occupancy to support active transport and reduce vehicle emissions. These are effective, well-regarded deployments. They also illustrate the limitation: each required its own trained model, its own integration effort, and its own maintenance cycle. The queue-counting camera at Schiphol cannot be redeployed to detect an abandoned bag. That is a separate algorithm, a separate procurement, and a separate project. What changes with agentic AI Applied to physical security, this translates into a simpler commissioning experience Agentic AI points to a fundamentally different approach. An agentic system can receive goals expressed in natural language, determine the appropriate actions to fulfil those goals, execute those actions using available tools, and verify the results. Applied to physical security, this translates into a simpler commissioning experience: the operator expresses intent in plain language, and the system configures itself to achieve that intent. Consider the practical implications. An installer commissioning cameras at a retail location could type or speak a set of instructions: “Alert the manager if more than five people are waiting at checkout for longer than two minutes.” A facilities director could ask the system to “Track vehicles that enter the east parking lot after 9 p.m. and flag any that remain for more than 30 minutes.” A school security coordinator might specify: “Notify campus police if anyone approaches the perimeter fence between midnight and 5 a.m.” Appropriate perception capabilities None of these instructions require the operator to select a specific analytic from a catalogue, configure a detection model, or define pixel-level zones in a complex VMS interface. The system interprets the intent, selects the appropriate perception capabilities, configures thresholds and context, and validates behaviour over time. When the operator’s needs change, a new instruction replaces the old one. The camera hardware stays the same. The AI adapts. This is the core of the shift: minimal user input, maximum flexibility, and a security system that personalises itself without requiring the operator to navigate the traditional customise-certify-deploy cycle. Vision language models make it practical A conventional neural network trained for people counting can count people The enabling technology is the vision language model, or VLM. A VLM combines visual encoders with language reasoning, allowing it to interpret images or video in the context of natural language prompts. This is a qualitative leap beyond traditional convolutional neural networks, which classify or detect predefined objects and have no mechanism for open-ended interpretation. A conventional neural network trained for people counting can count people. It cannot distinguish between a crowd of commuters exiting a train station and a crowd assembling in protest. A VLM, by integrating contextual reasoning with visual analysis, can draw inferences that a task-specific model cannot. It can assess behavioural patterns, interpret spatial relationships, and respond to queries about scenes it has never been explicitly trained to analyse. Where a neural network might register two people carrying objects, a VLM could infer whether the scene suggests travellers with luggage or workers transporting equipment, provided the visual context supports that inference. Supporting multimodal input This matters in physical security because operational questions are rarely phrased as taxonomy labels. Operators want to express outcomes. They want to say “show me anything unusual near the loading bay after hours,” and the system should be able to reason about what “unusual” means given the site context. VLMs also support multimodal input. Audio cues such as a raised voice, a scream, an alarm, or breaking glass can contribute to scene interpretation when paired with video. In security applications, where events routinely unfold across both visual and auditory channels, this capability adds a meaningful layer of situational awareness. The edge constraint that forces discipline Large language models in the cloud use hundreds of billions of parameters and consume hundreds of watts None of this works if the architecture assumes data centre conditions. Most surveillance cameras operate under strict power and thermal limits. Power over Ethernet (PoE), the standard delivery mechanism, typically provides between 15 and 30 watts depending on the PoE class, and only a fraction of that budget is available for AI processing after the sensor, ISP, video encoder, and network stack have taken their share. In many installations, the AI workload must fit within a few watts. Large language models in the cloud use hundreds of billions of parameters and consume hundreds of watts. That scale does not translate to a camera mounted on a pole or embedded in a ceiling tile. For agentic AI to work at the edge of a physical security network, the models must be compact, efficient, and designed for the purpose. Neural network acceleration This is where smaller, domain-specific VLMs become essential. Models trained on industry-relevant image and text datasets, combined with techniques such as pruning, quantisation, and parameter-efficient fine-tuning, can deliver meaningful visual reasoning within the compute and memory constraints of an edge processor. The result is a VLM that fits inside a camera’s power budget and still responds to natural language instructions with useful accuracy. Ambarella’s CVflow AI architecture, now in its third generation, was designed for this class of workload. The architecture integrates advanced neural network acceleration with high-resolution image signal processing and video encoding on a single system-on-chip, allowing cameras to run complex AI inference alongside their core imaging functions without exceeding the thermal and power boundaries that define edge deployments. The company's latest addition to its portfolio, the 4-nanometer CV7, runs CNNs and vision language models concurrently across multiple video streams while consuming 20 percent less power than its predecessor. For infrastructure and robotic applications requiring heavier models, the 5-nanometer N1 family supports multimodal LLMs in multi-camera configurations. Distributing intelligence across far edge, near edge, and cloud This tier must respond in milliseconds and operate within a fixed power envelope A workable agentic architecture for physical security distributes intelligence across three tiers, each matched to the processing demands and latency requirements of its role. At the far edge, inside the camera itself, the processor handles real-time perception: object detection, tracking, zone logic, and initial event classification. This tier must respond in milliseconds and operate within a fixed power envelope. At the near edge, on a local gateway or network video recorder, a more capable processor orchestrates across multiple cameras, maintains state, correlates events, retrieves site-specific policies and procedures, and classifies incidents requiring more context than any single camera provides. At the cloud/server tier, available when connectivity permits, the system accesses heavier models for forensic analysis, fleet-wide analytics, model updates, and long-horizon reporting. Periodic cloud access This tiered approach keeps the most time-sensitive decisions local, where latency is lowest and data privacy is strongest. It also means agentic capabilities can scale incrementally. A small installation might run entirely at the far edge with periodic cloud access. A large campus might employ all three tiers, with near-edge orchestration coordinating PTZ patrol patterns across dozens of cameras while the cloud generates shift summaries and updates models based on fleet-wide telemetry. In practice, a security workflow built on this pattern often combines real-time detection at the far edge, behaviour-tree orchestration at the near edge for multi-camera coordination, local retrieval over site playbooks, and conservative safe-mode escalation when system confidence is low. The discipline of deterministic guardrails and structured verification loops is essential in security operations, where unpredictable system behaviour is not acceptable. A hybrid future, with VLMs orchestrating specialist models The transition to agentic AI does not eliminate specialised neural networks The transition to agentic AI does not eliminate specialised neural networks. Purpose-trained models will continue to deliver superior accuracy for well-defined, high-frequency tasks such as license plate recognition, face matching, and fire and smoke detection. In a mature agentic system, the VLM acts as an orchestrator. It handles open-ended perception and natural language interaction while routing to specialised models when a task demands their precision. A PTZ camera at a transportation hub might receive the instruction “monitor the west concourse for unattended items.” The VLM interprets the request, manages the interface, and reasons over broader scene context. Real-time video processing When it identifies a candidate object, it routes to a dedicated abandoned-item classifier optimised for that specific validation step. The VLM orchestrates. The specialist model validates. The operator receives a refined, actionable alert. That hybrid pattern places specific demands on the silicon. The processor must support both traditional CNN inference and generative AI workloads simultaneously while maintaining real-time video processing within the same power envelope. The value of a tightly integrated SoC, one that combines an advanced ISP, a deep learning accelerator, and a video encoder on a single die, is that it eliminates the multi-chip complexity and power overhead that would otherwise make this approach impractical at the edge. Making agentic AI deployable for the ecosystem Ambarella’s Developer Zone, launched at CES 2026, provides a centralised portal of tools Physical security is built on a broad ecosystem of camera OEMs, VMS providers, independent software vendors, module builders, and system integrators. For agentic AI to reach the market at scale, these participants need model-ready tooling, reference workflows, and a practical path from prototype to production. This is where developer ecosystems become part of the story. Ambarella’s Developer Zone, launched at CES 2026, provides a centralised portal of tools, optimised AI models, agentic blueprints, low-code templates, and documentation aimed at accelerating edge AI application development on Ambarella’s SoCs. Common software stack ISVs and integrators can evaluate models, prototype applications, and deploy using a common software stack that spans the company’s CV7 and N1 SoC families through the Cooper development platform. That consistency across the product range reduces per-project engineering cost and accelerates time-to-market for partners building perception and analytics solutions. The point is broader than any single portal: agentic systems require components that have already been tested and optimised for edge deployment, so that integrators can focus on solving their customers' problems rather than rebuilding the AI pipeline from scratch. The ecosystem participants who lead the transition to agentic AI in physical security will be the ones with access to tooling that fits into their existing development and deployment processes. What comes next Physical security has searched for years for a scalable answer to personalisation Physical security has searched for years for a scalable answer to personalisation. The app store model did not provide it. Manual configuration, while functional on a per-site basis, scales poorly across large portfolios of cameras and changing operational requirements. Agentic AI offers a credible path forward because it aligns with how operators actually think. They express outcomes, not model specifications. They want systems that adapt to new requirements without repeated engineering cycles. Traditional neural networks With VLMs as the interface layer, smaller domain-specific models at the far edge, orchestration at the near edge, and disciplined verification loops throughout, personalisation can become a standard part of deployment rather than a custom project. The building blocks are now in place. Power-efficient edge AI processors can run VLMs and traditional neural networks simultaneously. Developer ecosystems are maturing to support rapid prototyping and deployment. Reference architectures for distributing intelligence across far-edge, near-edge, and cloud tiers are solidifying. For an industry that already installs vast numbers of AI-capable cameras each year, the opportunity is to make the intelligence already embedded in those endpoints genuinely usable for the people who rely on them every day.

The physical security industry has been in love with the cloud for quite some time. And understandably so. The promise of instant scalability, centralised access, and simplified maintenance is hard to ignore, especially in an era of remote work and distributed facilities. But reality is catching up to the hype. For many, especially those dealing with video surveillance at scale, the cloud is no longer the catch-all solution it once seemed. Rising costs, bandwidth limitations, and latency issues are exposing its shortcomings. And the more resolution increases, from HD to 4K and beyond, the heavier that burden becomes. Modern security cameras This is where edge computing, specifically AI-enabled edge processing available in modern security cameras, starts to look less like an option and more like a necessity. But it’s not just about adding intelligence to cameras. It’s about how that intelligence is deployed, scaled, and maintained. This leads us to containerisation and tools such as Docker, which are a revolutionary piece of the puzzle. When cloud isn't enough Cloud analytics for video sounds great in theory: stream everything to the cloud Let’s start with a basic issue. Cloud analytics for video sounds great in theory: stream everything to the cloud, let powerful servers do the thinking, then serve up results to end-users in real time. However, in practice, this model can break down quickly for many end-users. Raw video is heavy. A single 4K camera streaming 24/7 can generate terabytes of data per month. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of cameras, and the bandwidth and storage costs become unsustainable. Then there’s latency. If AI needs to detect a person entering a restricted area or identify a licence plate in motion, seconds count. Routing video to a cloud server for analysis and waiting for a response can introduce delays. Adding in concerns about uptime, such as what happens if the internet connection goes down, it becomes clear why relying exclusively on the cloud creates friction for mission-critical deployments. The edge advantage Edge processing turns that model on its head. Instead of sending everything out for analysis, edge-enabled cameras do the heavy lifting on-site. AI algorithms run directly on the device, interpreting what they see in real time. They generate metadata—lightweight descriptions of events, objects, or behaviors—rather than raw video. This metadata can be used to trigger alerts, inform decisions, or guide further review. The benefits are obvious: latency drops, bandwidth use plummets, and storage becomes more efficient. Edge processing solves many cloud deployment issues by keeping the compute where the data is generated, on the device. This frees the cloud up to do what it’s best at: providing scalable and centralised access to important footage. But where does the edge go from here? How do we evolve these powerful IoT devices to deliver even more situational awareness? Enter Docker: An app store for Edge AI They package an app along with everything it needs to run: the code, settings, libraries, and tools This is where the concept of containerisation and open development platforms like Docker comes in. Let’s start with an analogy that is helpful for understanding containers. Imagine you're getting ready for a trip. Rather than hoping your hotel has everything you need, you pack a suitcase with all your essentials: clothes, toiletries, chargers, maybe even snacks.  When you arrive at your destination, you open the suitcase and you’re ready to go. You don’t need to borrow anything or adjust to whatever the hotel has, since you’ve brought your own reliable setup. Containers in software work the same way. They package an app along with everything it needs to run: the code, settings, libraries, and tools. This means the application behaves exactly the same, whether it’s running on a developer’s laptop, on the edge in an IoT device, or in the cloud. Security camera with a powerful edge processor There’s no last-minute scrambling to make it compatible with the environment it lands in, because it’s self-contained, portable, and consistent. Just like a well-packed suitcase simplifies travel, containers simplify software deployment. They make applications faster to start, easier to manage, and more predictable, no matter where they’re used.  For a security camera with a powerful edge processor, it’s like giving the camera its own specialised toolkit that can be swapped out or upgraded without touching the rest of the system. It also means you can run multiple AI applications on a single camera, each in its own isolated environment. Integrators and end-users These applications don’t interfere with each other and can be updated independently Want to add fall detection to a healthcare facility’s camera network? Just deploy the analytics in a container. Need to monitor loading docks for pallet counts at a warehouse? Spin up a different container. These applications don’t interfere with each other and can be updated independently.  As a developer, if you use an open container platform like Docker, any system that supports Docker can utilise your software. This removes the need to do expensive custom work for each partner and ecosystem. This is one reason Docker containers are tried and true in the larger IT space and are just starting to get traction in the security sector. Docker also makes this scalable. Developers can build AI tools once and push them out to hundreds or thousands of devices. Integrators and end-users can customise deployments without being locked into proprietary ecosystems. And because containers isolate applications from core system functions, security risks are minimised. Metadata, not megabytes Traditional video analytics systems often require full video streams to be processed One of the most underappreciated aspects of this method is the way it redefines data flow. Traditional video analytics systems often require full video streams to be processed in centralised servers, either on-premises or in the cloud. This model is brittle and costly, and it’s also unnecessary. Most of the time, users aren’t interested in every frame. They’re looking for specific events. Edge AI enables cameras to generate metadata about what they see: “Vehicle detected at 4:02 PM,” “Person loitering at entrance,” “Package removed from shelf.” This metadata can be transmitted instantly with minimal bandwidth. Video can still be recorded locally or in the cloud, but only accessed when needed. This dramatically reduces network load and allows the cloud to be used more strategically: for remote access, long-term archiving, or large-scale data aggregation, without being overwhelmed by volume. Building smarter systems, together A single camera can run analytics from multiple third parties, all within a secure, containerised framework An equally important aspect of containerisation is how it opens up the ecosystem. Traditional security systems are often built as closed solutions. Everything—from the cameras to the software to the analytics—comes from a single vendor. While this simplifies procurement, it limits innovation and flexibility. Docker flips that model. Because it’s an open, well-established standard, developers from any background can create applications for edge devices. Integrators can mix and match tools to meet unique customer needs. A single camera can run analytics from multiple third parties, all within a secure, containerised framework. This is a profound shift. Security cameras stop being fixed-function appliances and become software-defined platforms. And like any good platform, their value increases with the range of tools available. Hybrid: The realistic future So, where does this leave the cloud? It is still essential, but in a more specialised role. The most robust, future-proof architectures will be hybrid: edge-first and cloud-supported. Real-time detection and decision-making happen locally, where speed and uptime matter most. The cloud handles oversight, coordination, and data warehousing. Real-time detection and decision-making happen locally, where speed and uptime matter most This hybrid model is especially useful for organisations with complex deployments. A manufacturing plant might retain video locally for 30 days but push older footage to the cloud to meet retention requirements. A retail chain might analyse customer flow on-site but aggregate trend data in the cloud for HQ-level insight. Hybrid gives organisations the flexibility to optimise cost, compliance, and performance. Regulatory realities It’s also worth noting that not every organisation can, or should, store data in the cloud. Privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe or similar laws elsewhere require strict control over where data is stored. In many cases, sensitive footage must remain in-country. Edge and hybrid models can make compliance easier by minimising unnecessary data movement. Conclusion: Smart security starts at the edge The next wave of innovation in physical security won’t come from bigger cloud servers or faster internet connections. It will come from smarter edge devices, with cameras and sensors that don’t just record, but understand and classify events. And the foundation for that intelligence isn’t just AI, but how that AI is deployed. Containerisation via platforms like Docker is unlocking new levels of flexibility, security, and scalability for the physical security industry. By embracing open standards, supporting modular applications, and rethinking how data flows through the system, physical security professionals can build solutions that are not only more effective but also more sustainable, secure, and adaptable. The cloud still has its place. But the edge is essential to the future for real-time intelligence, mission-critical uptime, and cost-effective deployment.

Retailers now often find themself in a precarious situation. Profit margins are being squeezed by widespread shoplifting: The Council on Criminal Justice reports that between the first half of 2023 and the first half of 2024, shoplifting reports increased by 24%. Meanwhile, the strategies used by shops to deal with this situation are alienating consumers and affecting total sales. Andy Jassy, the CEO of Amazon, stated during an earnings call that customers are now purchasing more pharmaceuticals from Amazon in response to other retailers locking their cabinets. Media reports This crisis impacts not only the large chains—more than 7,100 retail stores were closed in the U.S. in 2024, a 69% increase from the previous year—but also small, local businesses, whose profit margins are even narrower.  Media reports out of Los Angeles show that small businesses in regions with greater shoplifting rates are more likely to close, and small business owners' job satisfaction and general well-being are negatively impacted by the fear of crime. How to safeguard staff and inventory Unchecked retail theft demoralises staff and makes the store less attractive to customers This is obviously not a sustainable situation. In addition to lowering revenue, unchecked retail theft demoralises staff and makes the store less attractive to customers.  Unfortunately, making customers wait in line to enter a store or locking up toothpaste and deodorant only makes the customer relationship worse. Retailers need to figure out how to safeguard staff and inventory without alienating their customer base—and they need to figure it out fast. Advanced video security A new tool has come to the forefront of this fight: advanced video security. Of course, video surveillance has been used in stores for many years. However, the technology currently being used to reduce retail theft is very different from the outdated analog video systems of the past. With features like cloud-based flexibility and AI-enhanced analytics, this new generation of video surveillance systems has all the advantages of modern technological advancements, while also providing businesses with a competitive edge in the fight against retail theft. Security's new AI video standard Workers are constantly rushing from aisle to aisle in an effort to satisfy eager consumers Although the typical chain pharmacy may appear straightforward to the customer, retailers are aware of how intricate these spaces are. Hundreds or even thousands of shoppers may come and go on any given day, with a larger volume during busy seasons like holidays or special promotional events.  It's common for shoppers to pick up merchandise and put it down in another part of the store, often far away from its original location. Meanwhile, workers are constantly rushing from aisle to aisle in an effort to satisfy eager consumers, particularly during these busy seasons. How much can recorded videos reveal in a busy Using traditional CCTV, managers and security teams can monitor some of this activity, but their viewpoint of events will always be incomplete.  There is a limit to how much recorded videos can reveal in busy, fast-paced customer situations, and even the largest chain stores lack the staff and resources to continuously sort and evaluate all of the data they collect. When more customers are in the store for a special event, there’s also naturally a higher risk of theft. New generation of video security Using machine learning algorithms trained on large amounts of retail-specific data The new generation of video security aims to provide retailers with comprehensive intelligence that covers all aspects of their operations.  Using machine learning algorithms trained on large amounts of retail-specific data, they are focused on predictive actions and can recognise problematic behaviour in real time from raw video footage. AI-powered surveillance For example, if someone entered a store with empty bags but bypassed the cashier and started heading to the exit with a full bag, AI could predict a potential theft before it happens. Instead of just recording the theft, security action could be triggered in the moment. AI-powered surveillance is like an all-seeing security officer, quickly analysing the thousands of variables at play and spotting the warning signs of a possible crime before it happens. This is especially crucial during the holidays and busy shopping periods. Security personnel required to monitor cameras Imagine a chain store with 500 locations and 32 cameras each: that’s 1,600 cameras Cameras with AI can also alert human security personnel of events that would have otherwise been missed. Imagine a chain store with 500 locations and 32 cameras each: that’s 1,600 cameras. Now just imagine the number of security personnel required to monitor all of those cameras – when it comes down to it, traditional security is a numbers game. AI is the differentiator here that will allow retailers to win this game. VSaaS: A new tool to Deter Theft The emergence of Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS), a surprisingly under-discussed aspect of the broader SaaS revolution, is an important part of video security’s evolution. VSaaS solutions are especially helpful for chains that require a high level of centralisation and coordination across hundreds or even thousands of locations. In addition to offering action alerts at the shop level, VSaaS offers comprehensive security systems accessible from any location. This gives corporate headquarters access to complete, aggregated insights on all aspects of business operations. Identify the best ways to deploy staff Retail operators are constantly in a state of triage, rushing to identify the best ways to deploy staff This is significant in part because of the importance that social engineering and store layout have in preventing theft. Stores are frequently more busy during specific hours than others, and consumers may congregate in particular areas of the store while others are comparatively empty.  Retail operators are constantly in a state of triage, rushing to identify the best ways to deploy staff and organise inventory while accounting for all of these variables. Cloud-based VSaaS solutions Cloud-based VSaaS solutions help streamline this process by eliminating uncertainty, highlighting blind spots and bottlenecks, and informing retailers of what truly works.  Another regrettable reality is that employees frequently steal from businesses they work at.  Here, too, VSaaS solutions—when combined with sophisticated, integrated access controls—are essential. AI analytics technology Implementation and deployment of VSaaS is also easier and less costly than CCTV Implementation and deployment of VSaaS is also easier and less costly than CCTV. When new AI analytic updates become available, the client software and hardware don’t need to be upgraded, and the onsite technology and cameras also don’t need to be replaced. The AI analytics technology is upgraded in the cloud, enabling faster deployment and implementation of new technology. New VSaaS solutions Theft will always occur at some level; it's just a part of doing business. However, the growth in shoplifting that retailers have experienced in recent years is unacceptable, and if these figures keep rising, the consequences will be disastrous. In a time of dire need for retail, new VSaaS solutions have come to the forefront and are already turning the tide.

Deploying artificial intelligence (AI) tools should be seen as a business initiative rather than a technology initiative, says Martin Soukup, CTO of Solink, a cloud-based video security and data intelligence platform. The approach makes a difference that plays out in practical terms. A technology initiative is tactical and solution-oriented, often solving an isolated problem within a single department's silo. In other words, it might solve just a security problem. In contrast, a business initiative is cross-disciplinary, driven by executive leadership to impact the entire organisation in a measurable way. “Viewing AI tools as a business initiative ensures they adapt to multiple departmental needs and drive high-level strategic growth rather than just fixing a localised technical issue,” says Soukup. AI platform combines video and business systems Demonstrating the value of embracing AI as a business initiative is Solink’s new video intelligence platform Demonstrating the value of embracing AI as a business initiative is Solink’s new video intelligence platform that combines video with business systems to detect threats and send real-time alerts. The capabilities are designed to help security teams operate smarter and more efficiently, supporting the next generation of lean, intelligence-driven security operations centers (SOCs). And benefits of the platform extend beyond security to include other parts of the business. “At the end of the day, video cameras only tell part of the story, much like looking at a 2D shape,” says Soukup. “They capture dimensions and colors, but only from a single perspective, even with powerful AI analysis providing traffic metrics, wait times, product interaction, and compliance logs. The addition of operational data, such as inventory, shipping, labor, and sales data, fills out that shape into 3D, adding critical context.” For example, while a camera simply shows three people standing in a line, and AI data flags that those individuals have been waiting for over five minutes, operational data lets you know also that a cashier has not checked into their shift yet. Combining these data streams gives businesses full situational awareness, turning passive observation into immediate, contextual intervention. AI agents handle repetitive tasks The Solink platform uses AI Agents, which are software that operates autonomously to handle manual, repetitive, or high-volume tasks based on specific instructions and tools. For Solink users, AI Agents unify their existing camera and data source investments into a single automated workflow. “AI Agents transform Solink from a security tool into an operational investment that benefits all departments,” says Soukup. “Modern operational leaders are turning to AI to scale productivity without increasing overhead.” Integrating business intelligence Operations checks compliance, loss prevention investigates theft, and security assesses threats Customers already use Solink to centralise video, integrate business intelligence, and trigger real-world responses like real-world alerts, two-way communication, or smart locks. AI Agents tie these pieces together, analyse the data and identify what matters most, and then take action either without human intervention or with humans in the loop. Businesses currently watch video manually across separate workflows. Operations checks compliance, loss prevention investigates theft, and security assesses threats. However, a human must always watch the footage to get results. Solink AI Agents automate this entire workflow. If an operational event can be seen on camera and matters to the business, a Solink Agent can be integrated to automatically review, assess, and trigger the next step in the workflow across hundreds or thousands of locations simultaneously. Calling all stakeholders to the discussion When discussing applications, stakeholders should include revenue and marketing officers, compliance officers, and line-of-business executives. Agents leverage existing infrastructure by adding an intelligent automation layer that drives efficiency and grows revenue across the entire organisation without large capital investment. Solink AI Agents will not replace employees; they empower lean teams to maximise their existing resources. Job descriptions will shift toward human-in-the-loop workflows where humans and machines collaborate. The AI Agent handles the high volume, filtering out noise and processing data at scale. Human employees set up and guide the Agents, give feedback to improve performance over time, and step in to make final decisions, managing the nuanced situations that require critical thinking, empathy, and deep context. Passive data visualisation In contrast, a Solink AI Agent is deployed with a clear mandate for a specific task, deliverable, or outcome Given the convergence of physical and digital security, AI Agents, not dashboards, are the right unit of enterprise AI deployment. Dashboards typically aggregate data without evaluating the context or importance of the source. Data looks identical whether it comes from 10 sources or 100. In contrast, a Solink AI Agent is deployed with a clear mandate for a specific task, deliverable, or outcome. This approach shifts the focus from passive data visualisation to active intent, creating a direct path of accountability and clear attribution for business results. With dashboards, everyone can see the problem, but nobody owns it. An agent with a mandate either did the job or it did not, and you can audit exactly what it saw and why it acted or did not. Overcoming obstacles to deploy AI agents The primary obstacles to integrating AI Agents into the physical security workflow are change management, building trust, and system interoperability. Physical security requires absolute reliability, which demands rigorous initial configuration to establish trust. Furthermore, Agents are only as effective as the data they can access. Overcoming these hurdles requires comprehensive team training, shifting organisational mindsets, and ensuring seamless integration with existing tools so the Agents have the full context needed to execute tasks accurately and integrate with human workflows seamlessly. Addressing common security challenges Several use cases are driving the deployment of AI Agents among Solink's customers Several use cases are driving the deployment of AI Agents among Solink's customers. Overnight guarding, loss prevention, and store readiness will be the first wave of use cases. These are proven, high-frequency scenarios in which Solink provides pre-built template Agents to address common security challenges out of the box. The second wave of use cases will include highly customisable occupancy tracking, health and safety, and food quality. Pre-built template Agents are coming for these next. In addition, custom, niche operational use cases can be tailored to a specific business environment. Just like hiring a specialised contractor, companies can deploy custom Agents to tackle unique operational challenges rapidly across all locations. Measuring the effectiveness of AI agents The effectiveness of AI Agents can be measured by multiple factors. Core Accuracy, and consistency and accuracy of detections and automated outputs. Business Outcomes delivered, such as reduced inventory loss, reduced fraud, and faster incident resolution. Financial Impact, measured through recovered budget, reduced operational overhead, and increased per-store conversion. There is a perception that AI Agents possess predictive or flawless capabilities, like stopping crime before it happens or operating perfectly in dark, chaotic environments. Not true, says Soukup. AI cannot understand ambiguous requests like "look for suspicious activity." Success requires explicit parameters, tools, and skills, defining what is acceptable, what is unauthorised, and how to handle the gray areas. Another misconception is that Agents need a fundamentally different security model than people. “I run security for this company as well as engineering, and I hold our own Agents to the same standard I would hold a third-party vendor,” says Soukup. “That means least privilege, full audit trails, anomaly detection, random audits, and no action they can't explain after the fact.”

The security landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, as evidenced by the innovations showcased at the ISC West Expo 2026. From dismantling of silos between physical and digital security to the ongoing transition to cloud and hybrid platforms, much of the discussion on the show floor was familiar, if somehow more urgent than ever. Clearly the industry is moving toward unified, cloud-native, and highly automated ecosystems. In a series of deep-dive meetings and demonstrations at the recent show, I got a first-hand glimpse of the future of the physical security marketplace. Spoiler alert: The future is now! HID Global: Tearing down the silos HID Global is addressing the long-requested convergence of physical and digital security. Recognising that the industry has historically operated in silos, HID is now leading with a combined implementation team to leverage the power of both sides. HID is supporting the transition by combining its logical and physical security teams to help end users design secure, end-to-end journeys for their employees. By leveraging its massive existing footprint in physical access, HID is uniquely positioned to help organisations upgrade their cybersecurity posture without a total "rip and replace" of their hardware. HID is seeing a surge in demand for converged credentials that unite building access with digital identity. On the digital front, HID has implemented FIDO (Fast Identity Online) and passkeys to replace traditional passwords with more secure, biometric-backed authentication methods. Acre Security: Bridging the gap to the cloud Acre Security previewed a cloud-native video solution, reinforcing its cloud-first security strategyAcre Security is currently consolidating brands, bringing established names like Feenics and AccessIt under a single corporate umbrella. A primary theme for the company at ISC West is the migration of legacy systems to modern infrastructure. To facilitate the transition, they are launching "The Bridge," a technology designed to help on-premise customers transition to the cloud at a pace that suits their operational needs. The company is also expanding its portfolio into video. Attendees at the show received a preview of a new cloud-native video solution slated for release later this year, signaling Acre’s commitment to a holistic, cloud-first security suite. Acoem: Real-time acoustic threat detection With a 35-year foundation in vibration and acoustics—including military sniper detection—Acoem is providing gunshot detection through edge processing. Unlike systems that rely on the cloud and may suffer from latency, Acoem’s technology processes data at the sensor level for instant alerts. Their sensors are engineered for massive outdoor spaces, covering a 500-foot radius (roughly 11 football fields) and can detect high-powered rifle shots from up to half a mile away. The system provides critical intelligence by distinguishing between muzzle blasts and "mach noise" from bullet travel, delivering an audio file to the end-user that maps the location and direction of the threat. They use AI to filter out environmental false positives, such as skateboards hitting metal rails. Alarm.com: The all-in-one dealer ecosystem Beyond hardware, Alarm.com is leveraging AI to streamline the sales process Alarm.com is doubling down on "giving tools to dealers to help them be successful," with a focus on unified commercial solutions. A highlight at ISC West is their new fire communicator, which integrates fire monitoring into their single app, completing what they call the "fourth leg of the stool." The product allows fire systems to benefit from the same real-time customer engagement and push notifications that have long been available for intrusion and video. The key products, such as commercial-grade hardware, are now available for immediate purchase. Beyond hardware, Alarm.com is leveraging AI to streamline the sales process. Their new AI Proposal Builder uses customer meeting notes to automatically generate customised, value-driven sales proposals for dealers. Allegion: A global shift in credentialing Following the acquisition of ELATEC, Allegion is adopting a more global market approach and expanding its OEM business. The company is involved in the development of Aliro, the newly unveiled mobile credentialing standard. Allegion’s strategy is built on versatility: While Aliro serves the burgeoning mobile market, they also offer PKOC for plastic cards, allowing them to provide solutions regardless of the user's preferred credential type. The ELATEC acquisition has effectively filled previous gaps in their use-case portfolio, positioning them as a comprehensive provider for both physical and digital access needs. AtlasIED: Engineering for life safety Transitioning from audio to a fully automated threat detection company, AtlasIED showcased its new IPX line at ISC West. This modular platform uses a single PoE++ port to power various "plug-and-play" modules, allowing for easy system upgrades. Their gun detection technology achieves a 99% confidence rating by "stacking" AI models; it cross-references audio data with infrared signatures to detect muzzle flashes and air quality sensors for particulates. With systems already running in 80% of U.S. international airports, the company maintains 24/7 domestic engineering support to manage these "life-safety adjacent" environments. Axis Communications: Unifying connectivity Axis Communications is advancing network video with 4G/5G surveillance, reducing cabling needs Axis Communications continues to lead in network video, with a new focus on offering surveillance through 4G and 5G networks to eliminate the need for extensive cabling in long-range applications. Axis also introduced several specialised hardware pieces, including the P1486-LE global shutter camera for high-speed traffic monitoring and the Q2802-TE, which integrates thermal and visual monitoring into a single unit.  To assist technicians, they launched a new installer app that uses Bluetooth for easier camera pairing and management directly from a mobile device. Axon: De-escalation through enterprise wearables Focusing on frontline safety, Axon is expanding from law enforcement into the enterprise sector with its retail and healthcare-focused body camera. Weighing only 0.25 lb, these cameras are designed to be less intimidating, using colorful designs and acting as a primary de-escalator for aggressive behavior. A clear front display signals when recording is active, striking a balance between safety and a non-intimidating appearance. These devices feature live-streaming and panic alarms that connect workers to a Global Security Operations Center (GSOC). To ensure the footage is legally viable, Axon maintains a rigorous audit trail that authenticates every action recorded. Genetec: The value of the unified platform Genetec is advocating for unified platforms that reduce the time between incident detection and resolution. They argue that AI is becoming a commodity and that the true value lies in unified platforms that reduce the time from incident to resolution. Their approach emphasises the "outcomes" customers need, such as allowing security teams to coalesce around an investigation quickly. Genetec remains a strong supporter of open systems for enterprise customers, ensuring they have the choice to integrate diverse technologies rather than being locked into a manufacturer’s “walled garden.” This flexibility is critical for high-end security environments that require tailored, responsive systems. Johnson Controls: Large-scale enterprise solutions Johnson Controls has made a significant push into the enterprise video market with C-Cure IQ, a standalone VMS designed for major hubs like airports and large campuses. Through a partnership with Scylla, they have integrated 11 advanced analytics—including facial recognition and weapons detection—directly into their cameras. They also showcased new multi-sensor panoramic cameras capable of "stitching" multiple images into a single 360-degree view. While innovating in video, Johnson Controls also confirmed modern upgrades to their intrusion line, including their legacy DSC Neo line. The new DSC PowerSeries Neo 5, a high-end residential and commercial platform, features an all-new user interface and built-in PowerG+. They have also begun shipping the IQ5 family lineup, which is powered by a Qualcomm DragonWing processor.  ONVIF: Standardising the future of AI and cloud ONVIF continues to lead the charge in establishing common languages for the security industry. A major focus is their new "Cloud Profile," which enables cameras to connect directly to the cloud through a standardised protocol. They are also expanding into audio standards to ensure IP-based speakers can seamlessly connect to Video Management Systems (VMS). To combat the rise of sophisticated digital manipulation, ONVIF is developing "video signing" standards. ONVIF is actively seeking more diverse enterprise participation to help shape these emerging AI standardsThis feature protects the integrity of video for evidentiary purposes by embedding a digital signature and timestamp directly into the footage at the camera level. Additionally, the organisation has formed an AI Working Group to develop common communication methods for "AI agents" within physical security systems. ONVIF is actively seeking more diverse enterprise participation to help shape these emerging AI standards. Roberto Licari is the new ONVIF Ambassador, seeking to attract new companies (even outside the security sector) to ONVIF as they look to expand their offerings. SwiftConnect: Bridging digital and physical identity SwiftConnect is redefining access control by shifting the focus from physical cards to digital identity. As a cloud-based "connected access network," the platform bridges the gap between IT identity providers (like Okta or Azure AD) and legacy physical access control systems. At the show's Security Experience Center demonstrations, SwiftConnect showcased its ability to integrate mobile credentials within Apple and Google Wallets across multiple technology platforms. By aligning physical security with Zero Trust principles, they ensure that access is governed by the same rigorous standards as digital networks. Their software-centric approach allows for a more seamless employee experience while simplifying the management of complex, multi-site building security. This emphasises a future where the mobile device becomes the primary tool for navigating the physical workspace. Wasabi Technologies: Redefining cloud storage economics With cloud technology becoming a baseline requirement at every booth, Wasabi Technologies highlighted its "hot cloud storage" as a cost-effective alternative to major hyperscalers. Their model claims to be 80% less expensive than competitors, notably removing hidden fees. Wasabi is increasingly bundled at the "back end" of security solutions through partnerships with integrators and end users. A key feature for law enforcement and high-security sectors is their "Object Lock" capability, which ensures that video evidence remains untampered with and immutable during defined retention periods. By providing high-performance storage without the unpredictable costs typically associated with the cloud, Wasabi is positioning itself as the foundational layer for data-heavy video surveillance applications that require long-term, secure retention. Wasabi is positioning itself as the foundational layer for data-heavy video surveillance applications ZKTeco USA: Versatile and integrated access ZKTeco USA showcased a range of integrated solutions, including turnstiles, visitor management, and access control. Their Atlas access control series offers versatility, supporting everything from traditional readers and keypads to QR codes and fingerprint scanning, with the flexibility to operate on-premise or in the cloud. For tight environments, they introduced the Mars 100 turnstile, which features a compact 2x3-foot footprint. They also highlighted the Omni series, an all-in-one standalone reader-controller that manages access, intercom, and visitor functions in a single device. Innovation in portability was evident in their new walk-through metal detectors, which consist of two poles with an 8-hour battery life—ideal for schools and temporary events. While they offer their own Armatura readers, ZKTeco emphasised that their solutions can integrate with other industry leaders to fit diverse customer needs.

2025 was another impactful year for mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the security industry, which is undergoing an enormous transformation as global pioneers prioritise specialised technology to drive future growth.  The year 2025 has been defined by massive corporate reorganisations, most notably Honeywell and Resideo spinning off core divisions to unlock shareholder value. Simultaneously, an aggressive wave of mergers and acquisitions is reshaping the landscape, with giants like ASSA ABLOY and Motorola Solutions absorbing innovators in AI-driven surveillance, cloud-native access control, and identity management. From residential security shifts to critical infrastructure enhancements, this article will summarise how these strategic moves signal a decisive industry pivot toward integrated and intelligent security ecosystems. Resideo to spin off ADI business Resideo Technologies, Inc. announced its intention to separate its ADI Global Distribution business from its Products & Solutions (P&S) business via a tax-free spin-off to shareholders. The separation is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026. P&S will continue as Resideo, a building products manufacturer of residential controls The goal is to unlock value, enhance operational performance, and improve strategic flexibility for both entities. After the separation, P&S will continue as Resideo, a building products manufacturer of residential controls and sensing solutions. ADI will become an independent public company and remain a global wholesale distributor of low-voltage products, including security and audio-visual solutions. Honeywell separates into three companies There are big changes pending at Honeywell, another global security industry company. Honeywell announced plans to separate its Automation and Aerospace businesses into two independent, publicly traded companies following a comprehensive portfolio evaluation. Combined with the previously announced spin-off of Advanced Materials, this strategy will create three distinct industry pioneers. The Automation and Aerospace separation is targeted for completion in the second half of 2026 as a tax-free transaction for shareholders. The largest portion of Honeywell’s traditional security business (cameras, access control, and fire safety) sits within the Building Automation segment of the new Honeywell Automation company. This unit includes products from recent major acquisitions, such as LenelS2. SimpliSafe’s new chapter SimpliSafe has agreed to be acquired by private equity firm GTCR from Hellman & Friedman SimpliSafe has agreed to be acquired by private equity firm GTCR from Hellman & Friedman, another private equity firm. As the third largest U.S. residential security provider, SimpliSafe will continue under the leadership of the current CEO, while its founders remain significant investors.  GTCR, an experienced security industry investor, intends to support the company’s expansion and continued innovation in AI-powered, DIY home protection. This marks a new chapter in SimpliSafe’s mission to provide professional monitoring without long-term contracts. SimpliSafe is GTCR’s fifth investment in the security alarm industry, including prior investments in residential-focused security companies SecurityLink and Protection1, along with commercial-focused security companies HSM and Everon. Motorola grows technology portfolio Motorola Solutions grew its portfolio through acquisitions in 2025. The industry giant strategically expanded its safety and security ecosystem through the acquisition of four specialised technology firms. The company acquired Blue Eye to integrate AI-driven remote video monitoring and 24/7 security operations into its threat detection workflows. To support frontline workers, Motorola added Theatro’s voice-powered communication platform, which complements existing mobile and video technologies. Motorola further bolster its public safety capabilities with the acquisition of RapidDeploy, a cloud-native Next Generation 911 provider that offers real-time caller mapping and data analytics to accelerate emergency responses. Motorola also agreed to acquire InVisit to enhance its Avigilon Alta suite with cloud-based visitor management, streamlining guest registration and blocklist screening for enterprise security. These acquisitions aim to unify detection, communication, and response across various sectors, including retail, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. Allied sells majority stake in AMAG Allied Universal sold a majority stake in AMAG Technology to Shore Rock Partners In December, Allied Universal sold a majority stake in AMAG Technology to Shore Rock Partners. Shore Rock is a growth investor focused on critical infrastructure, with strategic backing from BellTower Partners. Allied Universal will retain a significant minority share. The sale is intended to allow 54-year-old AMAG, which provides integrated access control, identity, guest, and video management solutions, to operate independently from Allied Universal's services-based model for long-term growth. Shore Rock's plan is to invest in advancing AMAG's product line and customer relationships. With this transaction, David Sullivan, AMAG's President, will become CEO. Everon acquires ADT multifamily segment Commercial security provider Everon announced in September that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the business-to-business (B2B) multifamily segment from ADT. This acquisition is a strategic extension that expands Everon's reach in the valuable multifamily market. It will allow the company to offer a more comprehensive portfolio of tailored solutions, including access control, video surveillance, and self-guided tour capabilities. Everon's CEO states that the deal enables them to help property owners and managers increase net operating income and improve operational efficiency. Dormakaba acquires TANlock and Avant-Garde Dormakaba, a global provider of access solutions, acquired TANlock GmbH in July Dormakaba, a global provider of access solutions, acquired TANlock GmbH in July. TANlock is a German firm specialising in innovative high-security access solutions for data centers and other critical infrastructure. The acquisition strengthens Dormakaba’s presence in the data center market.  TANlock's intelligent system provides enhanced server cabinet security using electromechanical rack locks and various authentication modules. This solution is scalable, future-proof, and can be integrated into existing IT infrastructures for both retrofits and new installations. Dormakaba also agreed to acquire Indiana-based Avant-Garde Systems Inc. to strengthen its North American entrance control portfolio. This move bolsters Dormakaba’s presence in high-growth sectors like airports and data centers. Acre acquires REKS for AI Recent M&A activity also reflects the growing importance of artificial intelligence. For example, Acre Security acquired REKS, a purpose-built generative AI solution designed to transform access control, allowing professionals to use natural language queries for instant data insights. Integrated into Acre’s cloud-native ecosystem, this AI-powered platform prioritises data privacy while streamlining operations. Led by a new AI Development Team, Acre plans to expand these capabilities into intrusion detection and visitor management. Two acquisitions for Allegion Global security provider Allegion, through one of its subsidiaries, completed the acquisition of ELATEC Global security provider Allegion, through one of its subsidiaries, completed the acquisition of ELATEC, a manufacturer of security and access technology, specialising in RFID credentials and readers solutions designed in Germany and sold globally.  ELATEC’s portfolio of readers leverages their internally developed software stack and ensures compatibility with nearly 100 credential types, making the company a pioneer in interoperability, which aligns well with Allegion’s partner-of-choice strategy. Allegion, also through one of its subsidiaries, acquired Brisant Secure Limited, a security hardware provider in the United Kingdom. Senstar acquires Blickfeld for LiDAR sensors Senstar Technologies Corporation has agreed to acquire Blickfeld, a specialist in 3D LiDAR sensors and software. Expected to close in Q1 2026, the acquisition integrates Blickfeld’s hardware into Senstar’s advanced security ecosystem. This strategic move expands Senstar’s addressable market into volume monitoring and traffic applications while enhancing its AI-powered situational awareness capabilities. Following the transaction, Blickfeld will operate largely independently as a subsidiary. ASSA ABLOY continues acquisition spree Global giant ASSA ABLOY was probably the most active company in the M&A market in 2025 Global giant ASSA ABLOY was probably the most active company in the M&A market in 2025, demonstrating aggressive market growth, strategically reinforcing its core business, and expanding its technological footprint across the global security marketplace. The acquisitions delivered on the company's strategy to strengthen its position in mature markets by integrating complementary products and solutions. A major theme for ASSA ABLOY was the enhancement of the door and perimeter security portfolio, particularly in the Americas. This effort included acquiring US-based Metal Products Inc. (MPI) for custom-made hollow metal doors and frames and International Door Products (IDP) for fire-rated steel door frames, both in the fall. Earlier in the year, ASSA ABLOY gained a stronger presence in Central Canada with the addition of Wallace & Wallace and Wallace Perimeter Security, a manufacturer, distributor, and installer of perimeter fencing, door, and gate solutions. The Entrance Systems Division also saw expansion with the acquisition of Belgium’s Kingspan Door Components, a manufacturer of sectional door panels. Furthermore, Door System, a Danish manufacturer of high-quality fire-rated doors, was signed for acquisition in the spring. Cloud-based platform ASSA ABLOY also made significant moves in electronic and access control solutions. Early 2025 saw two key acquisitions: Uhlmann & Zacher, a German supplier of access control handles and knobs, and InVue, a US-based provider of connected asset protection and access control solutions. Reinforcing this segment, SiteOwl, a pioneering cloud-based platform for physical security lifecycle management, was acquired in the summer. The spring acquisition of Pedestal PRO, a US manufacturer of access control pedestals and mounting solutions, further strengthens the electromechanical offerings in the Americas. ASSA ABLOY bolstered its capabilities in remote care technology with Germany’s TeleAlarm Group in late spring. HID Global expands in 2025 HID Global, a subsidiary of ASSA ABLOY, was also active on the M&A front in 2025 HID Global, a subsidiary of ASSA ABLOY, was also active on the M&A front in 2025, aggressively driving the convergence of physical and digital identity solutions and signaling a clear roadmap for security professionals. HID's move to purchase Vancouver-based IDmelon, announced in the autumn of 2025, targets the critical need for robust logical access control. IDmelon’s proprietary software platform transforms everyday identifiers, including existing physical credentials, smartphones, or biometrics, directly into enterprise-level FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) security keys. This approach streamlines an organisation’s transition to phishing-resistant, passwordless multi-factor authentication (MFA) and minimises the need for disruptive changes by integrating physical and digital access into a single, cohesive solution. Safer patient experience Separate from its focus on digital access, HID also bolstered its Identification Technologies Business Area by acquiring the Calmell Group. Calmell is a long-established manufacturer specialising in smart cards, smart paper, and magnetic tickets for the public transportation sector. This addition is expected to expand HID’s footprint and relevance in global public transportation ecosystems, allowing the Barcelona-headquartered firm to leverage HID’s core expertise in digital credentials to drive future-proof solutions for seamless mobility. Also, HID acquired Intelligent Observation to expand its Healthcare Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) portfolio. Intelligent Observation provides a platform to reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) by tracking hand hygiene compliance. The system uses wearable Near-Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI) devices and a cloud-based SaaS dashboard. This technology records and reports if healthcare workers sanitize appropriately, providing granular compliance data to administrators to enable a safer patient experience.

The challenge: Fifth Third Bank is one of America’s largest and fastest-growing financial institutions, with more than 1,500 financial centres and approximately 80 high-rise, high-density facilities across the United States. Referred to internally as financial centres, these branches serve as the primary touchpoint for customers and communities. As the bank expands beyond its Midwestern roots into the Southeast and Western markets, its security operations must scale without sacrificing reliability, compliance, or employee safety. “When we think about the branch of the future, we think about choices,” said Thomas Neltner, Director of Enterprise Workplace Services and Chief Security Officer at Fifth Third Bank. “March Networks gives us a strong foundation that lets us evolve at the right pace while maintaining the security and governance a bank requires.” That foundation is put to the test every day inside Fifth Third’s 24/7 Security Operations Center. Security concerns arise The solution: At the heart of Fifth Third’s security strategy is a centralised Security Operations Center that operates around the clock. It functions as the bank’s internal emergency response center, giving employees a direct line to live support when safety or security concerns arise. “Our Security Operations Center is the 911 center for Fifth Third,” said Darrin Steinmann, Vice President and Director of Corporate Security Investigations, Security Operations, and Security Strategy. “When employees call with a concern, we respond in real time with video, alarms, and coordination with law enforcement.” To support this mission across a rapidly expanding footprint, Fifth Third standardised on March Networks video surveillance and enterprise management software. Multi- sensor cameras Fifth Third has partnered with March Networks since 2004. Over more than two decades, its video infrastructure has evolved through multiple generations of technology, from early 4000 Series recorders to the 8000 Series and now the X-Series platform. This long-term approach has delivered continuity, stability, and a clear path for modernisation at scale. Today, March Networks supports more than 1,500 financial centers and 80 high-rise and high-density locations. The deployment includes more than 30,000 cameras and over 1,100 recorders, all centrally managed through a single platform. The camera environment is purpose-built for banking. It includes EL20 multi- sensor cameras for broad coverage, 360-degree cameras to eliminate blind spots, dome cameras for teller and lobby areas, and dedicated ATM cameras designed to capture clear facial images. “When you are responsible for security across this many locations, you need technology you do not have to worry about,” said Jason Walter, Senior Security Strategy Manager at Fifth Third Bank. “March Networks gives us that confidence.” Sharing critical information One of Fifth Third’s most impactful initiatives has been the rollout of exterior cameras across its branch network. Now approximately 60 percent complete, the program delivers full perimeter visibility around financial centres. That visibility has changed how the bank responds when incidents move beyond the branch interior. Teams can track suspects, identify vehicles, and share critical information with law enforcement in real time. “Our exterior cameras have changed the game,” Walter said. “They help protect our people, support law enforcement, and have driven apprehension rates above 80 percent.” Faster arrests also improve cash recovery and reduce long-term financial impact. Beyond investigations, exterior cameras support day-to-day operations. Property management teams use video to assess storm damage, snow removal, vandalism, and hurricane impacts without sending staff into unsafe conditions. Legal, retail, and fraud teams rely on video to verify incidents and resolve claims more efficiently. Law enforcement investigations Security at Fifth Third extends beyond the branch itself. Exterior coverage has strengthened the bank’s role as a community partner, providing video that supports law enforcement investigations for incidents occurring on or near bank property. From pedestrian accidents to crimes in adjacent areas, Fifth Third regularly assists local agencies through lawful video requests. The result is faster resolution, safer neighbourhoods, and a visible commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen in every market Fifth Third serves. Fifth Third’s technology strategy balances innovation with fiscal responsibility. The bank is midway through a multi-year upgrade from legacy 8000 Series DVRs to March Networks X-Series recorders. This phased approach extends the life of existing analogue cameras while preparing the environment for future IP, hybrid, and cloud adoption. Health monitoring solution “The on-prem foundation gives us the control and cybersecurity confidence we need,” Walter said. “That puts us in a strong position to move toward hybrid and cloud solutions on our terms.” All locations are centrally managed through the March Networks Command platform. Security and IT teams can deploy firmware updates, apply patches, and monitor system health across the entire network without closing branches or disrupting operations. March Networks’ health monitoring solution also reduces unnecessary site visits by identifying issues remotely, helping lower operational costs and keep teams focused on higher-value work. Customer experience challenges Advanced use cases continue to emerge. In colder climates, for example, ATM vestibule loitering can create safety and customer experience challenges. Video analytics alert the Security Operations Center when someone remains in a vestibule without conducting a transaction. Analysts can verify the situation with live video, use two-way audio to request compliance, and escalate to law enforcement when necessary. “When an employee is dealing with a critical incident, having someone live on the phone, watching the video, makes a real difference,” Steinmann said. “That support matters in high-stress moments.” Safer banking environment The result: The relationship between Fifth Third and March Networks spans decades and is rooted in trust, accessibility, and collaboration. “I have worked with March Networks for over two decades,” Steinmann said. “They are not just a vendor. They are an extension of the Fifth Third family, and that level of access, support, and responsiveness matters.” As Fifth Third continues to evaluate AI, analytics, and cloud technologies, governance and compliance remain central to every decision. A strong on- premise foundation gives the bank flexibility to adopt hybrid and cloud solutions, including platforms like Searchlight Cloud, which links video with teller and ATM transactions for more intelligence, while meeting the cybersecurity requirements of a large financial institution. The result is a safer banking environment, stronger partnerships with law enforcement, and a scalable security strategy that supports Fifth Third’s continued growth.

Milestone Systems, a provider of open platform video management software (VMS), is helping Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) bring together security operations, investigations, gaming compliance, and operational intelligence through an open platform video ecosystem built on Milestone XProtect VMS. Located on the iconic Las Vegas Strip, Resorts World Las Vegas is one of the newest and most technologically advanced resorts in the United States. Opened in 2021, the $4.3 billion property spans 88 acres and includes multiple hotel brands, a large casino floor, entertainment venues, retail spaces, and dining experiences that collectively attract thousands of guests each day. Diverse set of technologies Managing safety, compliance, and operational efficiency at this scale requires highly reliable and flexible video technology capable of supporting thousands of cameras and multiple specialised applications. Milestone XProtect VMS serves as the backbone that connects approximately 5,800 cameras and multiple best-of-breed technologies. The open architecture enables Resorts World to integrate a diverse set of technologies that support gaming surveillance, fraud detection, forensic investigations, business intelligence, and operational analytics while allowing operators to work from a consistent interface. "We rely on the system every day to investigate fraud, theft, and any activity that could result in a loss. It gives us the visibility we need to quickly understand what happened and take action," said Lindsay Dever, CFE, Assistant Director of Fraud & Nightclub Surveillance, Resorts World Las Vegas. Supporting regulatory requirements The full security system integrates camera technologies from Axis Communications, Bosch, and Hanwha Vision, while BriefCam supports forensic video review, people counting, and heat mapping. Oosto provides facial recognition capabilities, Aeyesky supports card-counting and cheating detection, and AXIS Case Insight helps analyse foot traffic and customer behavior. “Large, dynamic environments like Resorts World Las Vegas require technology that can adapt to multiple operational needs without adding complexity,” said Tim Palmquist, VP Americas, Milestone Systems. “An open platform approach allows this Las Vegas casino resort to bring together best-of-breed technologies into a single ecosystem, enabling teams to improve investigations, support regulatory requirements, and generate operational insights that extend well beyond traditional security.” Time-sensitive investigations Resorts World Las Vegas is able to respond to incidents more quickly, conduct investigations more efficiently, and support law enforcement with speed and confidence. The impact is particularly evident during time-sensitive investigations. Looking ahead, the resort plans to expand its use of AI-driven capabilities, including enhanced people counting, behavioural analytics, and tools that can better track guest movement across the property. Future enhancements will also focus on streamlining operator workflows and creating a more proactive approach to investigations.

Stadiums and arenas are no longer places that come to life only on an event day. Increasingly, they are becoming year-round hubs for concerts, conferences, hospitality, retail, and community activity. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is one such example of a venue generating additional revenue and audiences beyond football matches, with its 2025 commercial income rising from £255.2 million to £277.1 million, due to hosting four National Football League (NFL) franchises, high-profile boxing events, and a Beyoncé summer concert series. Positive visitor experience Yet, as these venues grow more complex and multifaceted, so does the challenge of keeping visitors and staff safe throughout the year. Security is no longer simply about responding to incidents.; Instead, it has become a strategic function that enables stadium leadership to tailor security to different event types and risk levels, keep on top of health and safety and maintenance, and add value to marketing, sales, operations, and more. More pointedly, venue operators will soon have to comply with the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, better known as Martyn's Law, which received Royal Assent in April 2025 and is expected to come into force in spring 2027. With less than a year before implementation is anticipated, organisations responsible for large publicly accessible venues are increasingly assessing how they can strengthen preparedness while maintaining a positive visitor experience. Wider readiness strategy Named in memory of Martyn Hett, a victim of the Manchester Arena attack in 2017, the legislation introduces new responsibilities for venue operators to consider the risk of terrorism and put appropriate measures in place to help prevent, respond to, and reduce the impact of a terrorist attack if it occurs. Notably, for venues with attendees of over 800 people, physical protection such as video surveillance, vehicle access control, ground security, and more, must be considered and evaluated on a regular basis. AI-powered video solutions can help organisations meet their obligation under Martyn’s Law as part of a wider readiness strategy. Video surveillance systems Traditional video surveillance systems have always played a critical role in venue security, but their effectiveness has often relied on human operators monitoring dozens, or even hundreds, of video feeds simultaneously. In busy environments, critical details can be missed, particularly when security teams are managing large crowds, multiple entry points, and fast-moving situations. With AI-powered cameras and video management systems (VMS), operators no longer need to continuously monitor multiple video, chat, and sensor data streams. Instead, AI does the monitoring, flagging any suspicious activity, unauthorised objects (people and vehicles), crowd congestion, and so on, for operators to respond to if needed. Operators are freed up to focus on other activities, while the system will quickly alert them to events that require intervention, helping them respond to events rapidly and prevent situations from escalating. Ground teams also benefit from contextual, AI-powered insights that can help them track and locate a person or vehicle of interest, such as clothing colour, direction of travel, and if they are potentially carrying a weapon. Multi-directional models By enabling security teams to assess and respond to situations before they develop into something more serious, venues are better prepared for some of the objectives underpinning Martyn's Law. The legislation places particular emphasis on preparedness, requiring organisations to consider how they would respond to incidents through measures such as evacuation, lockdown procedures, and effective communication. Situational awareness is fundamental to all four. Modern-day cameras equip operators with high-definition footage of an event or object of interest. Most cameras available on the market start at 1080p definition, with 4MP, 6MP, 8MP or 4K resolution options. Camera form factors have also improved, with dome, flat eye, bullet, fish eye, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ), thermal, and multi-directional models providing venues with a range of options to fit any sized area and surveillance need. Monitoring crowd movements Real-time intelligence from video surveillance provides operators with a clearer understanding of what is happening across a venue and its surrounding environment. Vitally, AI-powered video analytics and AI object detection help operators to avoid missing events that need their attention and action. During an emergency, security teams can monitor crowd movements, identify potential bottlenecks, move towards the last known location of a potential attacker, and direct the public away from dangerous areas. Information on an attacker’s location, physical appearance, and direction of travel, plus the location of any casualties or people hiding within the venue, can be shared with on-site personnel and emergency services, helping to coordinate a faster and more efficient response. Multiple analytics triggers To further refine operator response times and efficiency, alerts can be set based on multiple analytics triggers, for example, if a person is detected crossing a line and then remains in a pre-defined area for a set number of seconds. For post-event investigations, operators can search footage quickly using the metadata stored within video. For example, they can pull up all footage of all people wearing a grey top, or, to filter this further, a child wearing a grey top. This improves the efficiency and speed of carrying out investigations. Generative AI tool Moreover, if a video analytics tool supports it, operators can use an AI-powered search feature that enables them to input a phrase or sentence of what they are looking for, with the system showing them all relevant results. This feature, known as semantic search, is a more natural way of searching akin to prompting a generative AI tool to come to a result. Operators can also select a specific area of interest to view all footage related to that area, allowing them to quickly find motion within that area. They can see all motion within that section on all captured video footage, to see, for example, who left a suspicious package in a room. Some video analytics systems can also pull footage of similar objects across multiple cameras, which can help track the direction of a vehicle or person of interest as they move across a busy and large event space. Wider entertainment districts Modern venue security increasingly extends beyond the perimeter fence or turnstile. Many new stadium developments are embedded within wider entertainment districts, retail destinations, and mixed-use communities. As a result, operators are responsible for understanding activity not only inside a venue but also across surrounding public spaces where large crowds gather before and after events. AI-enabled video helps operators to monitor large areas efficiently, maintaining situational awareness across multiple locations and mixed-use premises (the arena, retail, transport links, storage and backroom areas, and so forth). Operators gain a comprehensive understanding of potential risks and a stronger ability to respond before issues escalate. AI-powered video analytics There are also value-added benefits to other departments, such as marketing, sales, maintenance, staffing, and cleaning. Understanding and predicting busy periods and crowd flow patterns, alerting to long queue lengths, identifying congestion points, and monitoring vehicle movements and parking spaces all help to improve the visitor experience and streamline event operations. This is particularly useful for multi-use venues where one day a football match may be hosted, the next day a corporate event, and the following day a concert, with different stadium areas being used each time. Operators need visibility of how people move through their spaces and where resources are best deployed. AI-powered video analytics can provide that intelligence in real time. Venue leaders have a short window of opportunity to strengthen their security strategies ahead of Martyn’s Law coming into force. Investing in AI-powered video security shifts security into a proactive, value-generating function that meets the needs of today’s multi-use event spaces and helps to deliver the visitor experience that attendees have become accustomed to.

Hochiki Europe, working with Italian installer ELE.CO SRL, has completed the installation of a combined fire detection and emergency lighting system at a KOKO Emporio store in the Turin area. KOKO Emporio is a well-established value and family retailer with several stores across Torino and Moncalieri, offering home, clothing and lifestyle products to shoppers across the region. The store in question spans 800 square metres across a ground floor and basement. As with any busy retail floor, aisles and stock displays can make it harder for customers to find the nearest exit in an emergency, particularly those unfamiliar with the layout. The store needed a fire detection system that met current compliance requirements alongside emergency lighting capable of guiding staff and customers to safety during a fire or power failure. ESP intelligent fire detection ELE.CO SRL specified Hochiki's FIREscape+, which combines ESP intelligent fire detection with emergency lighting on a single four loop control panel. ALN-EN smoke sensors with adjustable sensitivity were installed throughout to reduce false alarms, and EN 54-23 compliant visual alarm devices were added to make alarm activation clearly visible to every occupant, working alongside ESP sounders to give full audible coverage. The basement presented a particular challenge. It houses separate retail and warehouse areas with long aisles, stock boxes and stairways, so the emergency lighting needed to keep the space illuminated and evacuation routes clear during a power outage. High power luminaries connected to the FIREscape+ panel now cover this area, guiding staff and customers to the nearest exit if the power fails or an evacuation is needed. Multi-site retail environment Ervin Peza, owner of ELE.CO SRL, said: "Hochiki's FIREscape+ system reduced installation costs significantly compared to installing two separate systems, making it the right choice for this application. Combining fire and emergency lighting on a single panel and loop reduces cabling, which simplifies both installation and maintenance." He added: "KOKO's new integrated fire and emergency lighting system means the store can run smoothly, day to day, with customers confident that any fire will be picked up quickly and that they can find their way to safety. Hochiki's addressable technology means the system can pinpoint the exact location of an incident and guide people along the safest route out, even if the power goes down." The installation shows how a combined, addressable fire and emergency lighting system can meet the practical demands of a busy, multi-site retail environment, giving store owners one system to manage rather than two.

Carrefour Brazil is one of the largest retail groups in Brazil and Latin America, operating more than 1,000 stores and serving a high volume of customers every day. Its Pamplona store in São Paulo, for example, located in one of the city’s busiest areas, greatly reflects the operational complexity faced by modern retailers: maintaining safety, reducing losses, improving efficiency, and delivering a better shopping experience at scale. Limited real-time visibility Challenges - Carrefour needed to address several key pain points. Manual processes and disconnected systems created risks of inaccurate alarms and inconsistent service. High customer traffic increased exposure to theft, fraud, and checkout losses, while traditional investigation methods made incident tracing slow and inefficient. At the same time, limited real-time visibility into customer flow, queues, inventory, and in-store behaviour made it difficult to optimize staffing, replenishment, store layout, and checkout efficiency. Unified retail ecosystem Solutions - To meet these needs, Dahua provided an integrated smart retail solution combining video surveillance, AI analytics, alarm linkage, customer flow analysis, and digital in-store technologies. The solution was built around Dahua’s DSS PRO platform, Retail Loss Prevention IVD/IVSS, Retail NVR, AcuPick intelligent search, people-counting cameras, Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) integration, alarm host, access control, electronic shelf labels, and digital signage. These systems work together to connect security, operations, and customer engagement within a unified retail ecosystem. Integration of video surveillance For loss prevention, Dahua’s video analytics can detect suspicious behaviors such as item concealment and issue real-time alerts to security staff. Integration with EAS and intrusion alarms provides immediate contextual information for each alarm, helping teams respond faster and more accurately. High-value merchandise is further protected with anti-theft tags, while restricted storage areas are secured through access control. In the event of an incident, AcuPick and intelligent video analysis can be used to track the movement paths of customers or employees, significantly reducing investigation time. The solution is also projected to checkout and self-checkout security. Cart analysis can help to identify unscanned items, while intelligent barriers at self-checkout stations prevent customers from exiting before completing payment. Looking ahead, the integration of video surveillance with transaction data can further support automated sales auditing, discrepancy detection, and faster resolution of operational variances. Data-driven store operations Beyond security, Dahua’s smart retail technologies support data-driven store operations. People-counting cameras, customer flow analysis, queue monitoring, and heatmap analysis provide Carrefour with insights into occupancy, peak hours, movement patterns, high-traffic areas, and dwell time. This can help to optimize staff scheduling, product placement, promotional planning, and checkout lane management. Shelf replenishment monitoring enable detection of low stock or abnormal product removal and triggers real-time alerts, helping prevent lost sales and improving product availability. Dahua also enhanced the in-store customer experience through electronic shelf labels and digital signage. Electronic shelf labels enable automatic price updates, reduce manual errors, and support promotional communication. Digital signage and point-of-sale displays provide product information, strengthen brand presence, and create a more interactive shopping environment. Interactive shopping environment Results - As a result, Carrefour Brazil now operates in a safer, more efficient, and more connected retail environment. The project improves operational visibility, strengthens loss prevention, accelerates incident analysis, supports better staffing and merchandising decisions, and enhances the customer journey from entrance to checkout. Through this collaboration, Dahua helped Carrefour transform traditional store management into an intelligent retail model powered by integrated security, analytics, and digital engagement.

Comelit-PAC has partnered with Optic Fire & Security Solutions to deliver an upgrade to the fire alarm system at Rampworx Skatepark, the UK’s largest indoor extreme sports centre. Established in 1997, Rampworx is one of the UK’s longest-running skateparks and a major community facility in Merseyside. As a registered charity, it supports more than 1,000 young people every week and reinvests all income back into maintaining and developing its skatepark, programmes and retail operations. Multiple interconnected areas With a large and constantly active indoor environment, Rampworx required a fire alarm system capable of delivering consistent coverage across multiple interconnected areas. These included skate zones, spectator spaces, retail units and staff facilities while allowing daily activity to continue without disruption. Says Rachael Robinson at Rampworx Skatepark: “As a busy charity facility with thousands of weekly visitors, it was important for us to work with a company we could trust to guide us through the entire upgrade process for our fire alarm. Optic Fire Safety & Security Solutions understood the requirements and recommended a Comelit-PAC solution. The new system provides confidence and peace of mind, knowing it has been designed around us and the way we operate.” Live operational environment Optic Fire Safety & Security Solutions worked closely with Rampworx to design and install a tailored system using Comelit-PAC fire safety systems, ensuring the solution reflected both the operational demands and the unique layout of the building site. The installation was delivered within a live operational environment, requiring careful planning and coordination to ensure the skatepark remained open throughout much of the works. Optic Fire Safety & Security Solutions phased the installation to minimise disruption to visitors, staff and ongoing activities. Sase Boardman, Director at Optic Fire Safety & Security Solutions added: “Every area of Rampworx presented different considerations from a fire safety perspective. By working closely with the team and technical specialists at Comelit-PAC, we were able to carefully deliver a fire safety system known for its adaptability, reliability, and scalability to provide consistent protection across a complex, multi-use environment.” Fire detection coverage The completed system provides enhanced fire detection coverage across the entire facility, improving response capability and strengthening life safety provision for users, staff and volunteers. Mandy Bowden, Fire Systems Business Manager UK & ROI: “This project was delivered through close collaboration with Optic Fire Safety & Security Solutions and Responsible Persons on site, taking time to understand the specific requirements of the Rampworx environment. By combining this insight, we were able to specify a bespoke fire safety system, enabling a unified detection and control approach across areas with very different occupancy and risk profiles.”

Historically, physical security systems have protected retail companies’ assets, people, and profits. Security prevents theft (shrinkage), while maintaining order and ensuring a safe environment for customers and staff. Today’s retail business is changing by leaps and bounds, driven in large part by technology advances. Newer physical security systems are finding new ways to deter crime and provide operational data, in the process preserving brand reputation and ensuring the business remains viable and welcoming. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What's new in retail applications for physical security?

Video storage has come a long way since rooms full of VCRs stored video from an entire system of cameras. Video storage equates to data storage, and there are multiple options ranging from hard disk storage to the cloud to storage on each individual camera using SD cards. Increasingly, cloud-based storage is an attractive option to store video footage conveniently and safely. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How is expansion of video storage capabilities impacting the security industry?

Headlines of violence in our schools are a reminder of the need to keep educational institutions safe. In fact, if there is a positive aspect to the constant bombardment of headlines, it is that it keeps our attention perpetually focused on how to improve school security. But what is the role of physical security systems? As the new school year begins, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Are schools safer because of physical security systems? Why or why not?