Which security trend is here to stay?

While many physical security departments were hesitant to consider cloud connected solutions in the past, they now better understand the benefits these solutions bring and how they can help them utilise their resources to achieve their business goals while minimising their overall operational complexity. A recent survey of over 2000 security professionals conducted by Genetec showed that a massive 94% of respondents said they have plans to deploy cloud or hybrid cloud solutions in the long term. That’s because cloud solutions are always up to date with the latest cybersecurity and privacy measures. These built-in defences help to ensure strong cyber resilience and compliance, with minimal impact on resources. This, coupled with the accelerated digital transformation, the rising costs of server infrastructure, and the need for greater agility when deploying new solutions, has paved a solid path towards greater cloud adoption.  

Security trends can come and go, but I think the use of mobile credentials in access control is one that is likely to be widely adopted and with us for the long-term. If you look at how many applications you use on your smart device (including banking and financial services), it is obvious that there is a considerable groundswell from all sectors in using this approach. Naturally, encryption is vital. The latest multi-factor encryption options are particularly useful, enabling even the most secure of access control applications to be safely used via a mobile device. It’s something most people always have with them, it just needed the security of mobile devices to be strong enough to support it. Moving forwards, I think we will see the use of mobile credentials eclipse the use of standalone tokens and cards as one of the most popular secure access control methods.

AI-based analytics are just beginning to penetrate the market and as they grow, become more accurate, and easier to deploy, we will see more of these products in the market.

Without a doubt, integration of AI into security systems is here to stay. The sky is pretty much the limit in what this technology will be able to do in the future. We can easily anticipate more security deployments that branch beyond accurate analytics to custom use cases and learned’ modes that enable companies to create actionable alerts and triggers for use in their day-to-day operations. We can imagine a time when restaurants will get notified if trash cans need to be emptied and retailers informed when a brown truck with a certain symbol shows up with a delivery. AI-based security cameras will evolve to help with inventory and place orders when stock is low. With all this, the integrator will take on a new role to ‘teach’ cameras what the customer needs them to see while also setting reasonable expectations for how far the technology can extend.

Though analytics have been around for quite a while, newer deep-learning-based analytics on the edge will continue to deliver significant benefits for the entire security ecosystem. Analysing data on the edge – on a camera, for instance – means no information is lost in compression or transmission, making results more reliable. This allows for faster alerts, which in turn lets users act instantly to protect people and property, as well as make the right decisions about their overall operations. Furthermore, utilising analytics on the edge creates significant cost savings because less bandwidth and storage, and fewer servers, are needed. Less bandwidth and storage also significantly reduce the risk of loss of sensitive data, and fewer physical servers improves scalability. Continued innovation in deep-learning-based analytics will only add to their current trove of benefits

I think the hybrid and distributed workplace is here to stay. This means corporations and their employees will value the ability to manage a variety of spaces without being on site, and to onboard fresh talent without an in-person orientation. Within the security industry, mobile credentials have often been lauded as ‘a great user experience at the door,’ but I believe mobile credentials’ true power is in the total lifecycle management of credentials, allowing real cost savings and security improvements by reducing the time and energy it takes to manage physical access. On the other hand, I think the trends around reconfiguring spaces to be ‘open and collaborative’ are misguided. I believe people value privacy and their own space more than ever. The home office has transformed our expectation for privacy. You want your employees to return to the workplace to engage with their colleagues? Give them an office.

Video management systems are the foundation upon security systems are built. However, yesterday’s VMS solutions are not ideally suited to meet the evolving risks that modern companies face. In addition to emerging security issues, such as active shooters and employee theft, cybersecurity is also critical for security teams to consider. The days of using a legacy video system to address modern day issues are quickly coming to an end. As businesses embrace digital transformation, we will see more look to deploy technologies that integrate proven IT fundamentals into their infrastructures. Why? Mission-critical organisations must modernise their operations, increase cybersecurity protection, and run their physical security operations more efficiently — like a well-oiled, reliable IT network.

Fundamentally, the future of the industry relies on the fact that data from multiple devices and systems can target what is relevant and essential to understanding the threat environment, identifying patterns, providing situational awareness, and creating an intelligent response. Convergence is more than just integrating cyber, IT, and traditional security operations to enhance risk mitigation; convergence is an organisational mindset. The adoption of unified security intelligence starts by realising the need for internal collaboration and executive buy-in, plus integrated technologies. Open architecture for scalability and expansion is the basis upon which any enterprise can connect web intelligence, enhance data collection, and boost threat visualisation. With that, enterprises can successfully converge existing and emerging applications to transform their siloed security operations into a combined security intelligence centre.

AI is a valuable tool that helps business and security leaders be more proactive by identifying potential challenges and the areas where there is room for improvement. AI also enables organisations to elevate standards and automate processes so employees can focus on more critical tasks. And it’s exciting to watch AI evolve because the use cases and benefits will only expand over time.