Security training - Expert commentary

  Economic recovery has enabled companies to continue global expansion efforts. We’re seeing substantial growth with our enterprise clients – 45% year-over-year increase – and sound growth with our local markets – 14% year-over-year increase. Both existing and new clients are upgrading their current security infrastructure and investing in the development of long-term solutions. Convergence of physical security and IT security continues to trend. Threat...

For the security industry, 2017 was a good year, but not a great year. With political changes coming and greater interest in border control, perimeter security and analytic technologies, we have seen an increase in enquiries from both federal, and state law enforcement agencies and municipalities. The political security landscape The series of unexpected, natural and self-inflicted disasters that swept across the United States over the last few months have also created a greater interest...

SourceSecurity.com’s Expert Panel covered a lot of ground in 2017 about a variety of topics resonating in the security market.   The most-read Roundtable discussion in 2017 was about a familiar and ongoing debate: What is an open system? Other hot topics that made the Top-10 list of Roundtable discussions included smartphones, buzzwords, standards and product life cycles. Here is a listing of our Top 10 Expert Panel Roundtable discussions posted in 2017,...

News of cyberattacks seems constant these days. Recently, Equifax, a US-based consumer credit reporting agency, announced that a private customer data breach impacted 143 million people. Earlier this year, 1.5 million connected cameras around the world were hijacked in an unprecedented DDoS attack. As cyber-attacks become more rampant, it’s hardly surprising that governments are stepping in to hold organisations more accountable. One of the most recent examples of this is the European Un...

ASIS International continues to adapt, innovate, and grow at the high speed of the industry and profession. If 2016 represented a year for new CEO Peter J. O’Neil and his senior management team and volunteer leadership to explore, review, and assess, 2017 was the year when many new initiatives took wing. Career Pathing initiative For one, the Society is working on a new model that includes corporate membership. A Career Pathing initiative is under way, in which the knowledge, skills, and...

Video. It’s a central part of everyone’s lives — whether it’s streaming content to your home television, sharing your own recorded movies on social media or transforming video into actionable intelligence in the business environment — and the value of video from all aspects and markets in the world continues to expand. Use cases are growing as well: Employee training, student learning evaluations, marketing reviews, drone video capture for real estate sales and cu...

Cloud computing has many benefits, including greater flexibility, infrastructure cost savings, and enhanced computing performance. However, the cloud presents new security challenges that organisations need to address. A failure to implement security controls and adhere to solid data governance practices could result in a breach. Preventing worst case scenarios Consider this scenario, a company begins their migration by getting excited about the possibilities the cloud can provide to their app...

What drives terrorism? It's a question asked by governments, individuals, militaries and businesses. Terrorist tactics and tradecraft constantly evolve to respond to external forces that enable, constrain and otherwise shape them. Tracking the influential forces that shape terrorism is crucial to understanding how attacks are conducted and placing an attack in context. But most importantly, understanding the drivers of terrorism helps security professionals anticipate terrorism trends so they...

There has been a significant shift in the methodology used by cyber criminals over the past couple of years, in particular. Whilst traditional ‘hacking’ and malware are still prevalent, there has been a boom in other types of attack, in particular Ransomware and Social Engineering. So, why has this happened? Most profitable types of cyber attack There is an old saying, “follow the money”, and nowhere is this more pertinent when considering cyber-crimes against UK busine...

Adoption of the cloud is not slowing down. In fact, what’s happening is quite the opposite. According to IDC, worldwide spending on cloud computing is expected to reach $162 billion USD in 2020, growing at a compound annual rate of 19%. This isn’t surprising when you consider that more organisations are looking outside their own environment for solutions that will help them become more agile, maximise resources and save money. Yet, while this study and countless others show that mo...

A childhood friend of mine has made a nice career in coaching college football. As with most coaching careers, he’s had to make several moves over the years. He was the Linebackers Coach at a national powerhouse FBS school for a few years before getting promoted to Special Teams Coordinator. From there, he moved into a Defensive Coordinator at another FBS school. Not a national powerhouse, but he was the D.C. – a huge promotion. Although I’ve kept up with his progress, and have...

There have been many changes in the healthcare environment over the past decade. The Affordable Care Act has been established, severe weather events are on the rise, violence along with active shootings continue to increase, behavioural health patients present treatment challenges and hospitals continue to consolidate to increase purchasing and service capabilities. Over the next decade, healthcare will continue to transform. Emphasis will be on financial reform, violence response, emergency pre...

There has never been closer integration between physical and logical security systems, so there has also never been greater importance when it comes to defining and maintaining the security culture within an organisation. Unfortunately, with increasingly complex security protocols required on a daily basis (and used by every employee), a security regime can easily become lax through apathy – which offers the perfect opportunity for potential intruders to take advantage. Whilst security t...

Workplace violence (WPV) cannot be 100% prevented. However, we know from experience that well-placed preparedness and prevention measures can significantly diminish the probability and severity of potential workplace violence. A prime example comes as an outgrowth of the multiple “going Postal” shootings at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) by employees or ex-employees (mostly in the 1990s). Out of necessity, USPS implemented a comprehensive workplace violence programme throughout thei...

  Video surveillance systems have some unique requirements that set them apart from other types of enterprise applications.   Determining where and how the cloud can support these systems depends on a set of five primary requirements: bandwidth, storage, cost, security and accessibility. This March Networks white paper outlines some of the key considerations mid- and large-sized enterprises need to examine before deciding to move their video surveillance systems into the cloud...

According to the FBI’s most recent data, there were almost eight million property crime offences in the United States in 2015, while the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) estimates roughly two million employees per year are affected by some form of workplace violence. Don’t let your business become part of these statistics. June is National Safety Month, so it’s the perfect time to reassess your facility security measures and look for improved and effic...

In end-to-end security, it’s important to consider that the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. That is why it is essential that an access control system is always evaluated in its entirety, to discover where the weakest link can be found.   It is not uncommon for access control systems to be installed and then used for the longest time possible without any attention to updating the system’s intrinsic security features. There are many systems in the field that are...

Just when you think you have seen the worst that cyber criminals have to throw at you, they are back with more sophisticated, and in some cases, more severe threats. Understanding emerging and evolving cyber threats is the first step in helping to protect your organisation. The next, and most important, step is shoring up your defence technologies with the proper training, education and deployment. To help prepare for what may be coming next, let’s take a look at what are already shaping u...

One leading company has developed an identity management system using patents that verify the identity of an applicant Most enterprises rely on background screening providers to report accurate and complete information without understanding the litigious landscape. Security executives often have little input in how background checks are performed or by what provider, as this has become the domain of human resources (HR). A growing trend finds employers and their backgroun...

How do you provide unparalleled, personalised customer service and support in a high-tech, self-service world? This blue ribbon is achievable by fusing the human component of superb customer care with user-friendly, cutting-edge solutions that are available around the clock. Technology has made it possible for customers to get assistance at their convenience, with no need to be concerned with business hours or time zone differences. Automated operators and sophisticated websites c...

The top influencing trends in the security industry at ISC West 2017 will be big data, cyber security and the Internet of Things More than a thousand companies will be showing off their latest and greatest technologies and services at this year’s ISC West in Las Vegas. With so much to look at and experience, will you be able to pinpoint the next big thing or things that will dominate the security market in 2017? A good way to predict those upcoming trends is to look at w...

Successful critical thinkers are judged by results that almost always involve deliberation and intuition, logic and creativity Security and safety practitioners responding to evolving threats make decisions every day based on uncertainty, insufficient information, and too few resources for textbook solutions. Unsurprisingly, Chief Security Officers report that critical thinking, decision making, and communications skills are key characteristics for job success. But do we reall...

Cultural and hospitality venues are attractive targets for terrorists due to their public accessibility Over the past 40 years there have been numerous attacks carried out against cultural and hospitality venues in the furtherance of religious, ideological, criminal or political beliefs. By default, cultural and hospitality venues are attractive targets for terrorists due to their public accessibility, the volumes of visitors and guests or because of what the venue represents;...

SourceSecurity.com’s Expert Panel covered a lot of ground in 2016 about a variety of topics in our Roundtable discussions. The very most-clicked-on Roundtable discussion in 2016 was about how to choose between a cloud-based system and a server-based system. Other hot topics that made the Top-10 list of Roundtable discussions included edge-based video storage, the challenges of commoditisation, and mistakes customers make when buying and installing security systems. Here is...

Three key trends will continue dominating the security industry looking ahead to 2017 – cloud video, predictive maintenance and emergency preparedness.   Cloud video The continued integration of cloud and hosted video into security programmes offers a lot of benefits for customers. The convenience of remotely viewing video footage in real-time or historic footage has been a great benefit to our customers and provides significant business intelligence. It helps with ever...

The technologies behind physical access control are constantly evolving. It’s a fast-changing market that can leave end user organisations struggling to keep up. Smart cards still reign supreme, with good reason, but there are also new options today and on the horizon. Customers want to implement the most secure and up-to-date technologies, but constantly adapting their systems to keep up with the pace of change is impractical. Leveraging access control technologies in a way that both m...

Protecting the world’s critical infrastructure is a complex mission. Managing security for these facilities involves addressing a broad range of possible threats and vulnerabilities, from the intentional contamination of water supplies to the theft of equipment vital to electricity distribution.Vandalism, theft or deliberate sabotage — by terrorists or other criminals — are ever-present threats. The consequences of any security breach can be dire,...

CSR applies to the security industry in many different ways and can be practised by small or large businesses What exactly is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and how does it apply to the security industry? Let’s look at how two very different companies – Axis Communications and FGH Security – each put CSR at the heart of their operations. Corporate Social Responsibility means different things to different people, and is often used as a catchall for one...

  Summary Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 Time: 10:00am PT / 1:00pm ET / 5:00pm UTC Duration: 45 minutes + Q&A What's the webinar about? Mobile credentials are one of the most exciting areas of the access control market. The transformation caused by the development of various mobile solutions in payment, banking, ticketing and automation is poised to deliver similar changes in the access control industry. Mobile credentials are now entering the market...

We will examine the question of the increasing technicality of the closed circuit video industry from three perspectives; The Manufacturer, the Specifier, and the Integrator.   History of Closed Circuit Video industry  Before we begin examining this subject, let's take a look briefly at the history of the Closed Circuit Video Industry. 1920s: Tubes were invented (Cathode, Image Dissector, Iconoscope) 1940s: CCTV first introduced to monitor rocket launches 1970s: The...