Forced into an all-virtual format for the first time in its history due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Global Security Exchange (GSX) conference, renamed GSX+ for this year’s edition, has brought a wide array of educational sessions and networking events to security professionals turning in this week from the comfort of their homes and offices. Mixed among the keynote addresses and learning opportunities, the GSX Marketplace also featured vendors showcasing the latest innovations in security technologies.
Here are few of the companies and trends that caught my eye during year’s show:
S&ST Powers New Bosch Camera Models
Leveraging the Security and Safety Things (S&ST) application platform, app store and operating system (OS) based on the Android Open Source Project, Bosch’s INTEOX camera segment could be the first with four ways a user can have a video/audio/metadata processing solution rather than just a forensic video capture device, including:
- Embedded video analytics
- Run and configure self-developed and third-party apps
- Run, configure, and auto-update apps managed from the Security & Safety Things Store
- “Camera Trainer” technology to tune apps to specific readiness.
Although INTEOX provides wide app flexibility, the segment includes new versions of familiar model brands like MIC, Autodome, Flexidome and Dinion that have popular industry interoperability protocols like ONVIF Profile S and OSDP version 2 Data Security.
INTEOX offers users the choice of the S&ST platform, now gaining popularity and improved security or a way to virtually test or “sandbox” third-party apps through a Trusted Platform Module (TPM). INTEOX cameras securely connect to a remote portal to enable automated firmware updates, security patches and continuous health monitoring, eliminating the cost of additional services and reducing IT staff device penetration testing.
Data Democratization to Manage Risk
According to Dataminr, their AI-based social media monitoring, analysis and notification platform provided their clients with the earliest notification of COVID-19 in advance of the U.S. government’s announcement. It is well known that major social media and news sources are censored by China, however; Dataminr’s platform processes raw information ahead of these public social media and blog platforms. Twitter’s popular micro-blogging service makes an API available for downloading tweets containing certain keywords, hashtags or a comprehensive track list of interest. The API allows the user to monitor trending topics and narrow them to areas or regions known as geofences, specific times, websites and even tweets that mention a certain user. It isn’t clear whether Dataminr uses the Twitter API or a social data stream collector service like GNIP’s Firehose product or both.
With businesses needing to be increasingly informed of potential physical risks, organized crime or cyber-attacks, Dataminr has introduced their “Pulse” artificial intelligence platform that processes social media data, searching for early indicators of potential risk. In their eBook, “Understanding and Planning for the Corporate Risk Landscape,” an important concept of democratizing social data access is introduced, allowing department managers and CIOs to assess risk from their unique point of view. Although privacy advocates may oppose, the need to stay ahead of threats and shorten a first responder’s time to deliver aid encourage this innovative method of securing actionable intelligence.
Counter UAS Put to Work During COVID
Dedrone’s CEO, AD Devarakonda recently reported at GSX+ that news reports of unmanned aerial systems, commonly referred to as drones, coming to airports, stadiums, and other critical infrastructure have nearly doubled. Drones coming to stadiums to observe MLB games and near disaster sites, such as wildfire or hurricane response zones, encourage the need for more widespread counter-UAS (cUAS) technology deployment.
As described in the cover story of the December 2019 issue of Security Business magazine, Dedrone’s DroneTracker is a classic passive counter-drone detection system that locates and classifies radio frequency protocols in drones. When a drone is within protected airspace, the flightpath data is used to locate the drone, determine how far it is from the “safe boundary” of a facility and archive the flyby or incursion for future forensic evidence.
Devarakonda further noted that more organizations are looking to include drones as a part of their Security Master Plan – to help with surveillance, site inspection and potentially expose an unauthorized or hostile drone in their area. With the growth of the drone market, corporate security needs to be able to detect multiple drone brands, understanding their threat level. Soon the FAA will be responsible for creating and managing a comprehensive unmanned traffic management framework through drone registration programs, such as Remote ID and detecting unauthorized drone traffic, making cUAS a necessity for both public safety and corporate security.
Another solution provider is Liteye, a manufacturer of Critical Infrastructure Defense solutions like cUAS, ruggedized thermal cameras and helmet mounted displays. As a supplier to the DoD, Liteye was deemed part of the critical infrastructure required to maintain operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Liteye has had a sustained growth with the Anti-UAS Defense System (AUDS) with over one thousand defeats against enemy drones flown by ISIS and the Taliban.
Access Control Goes Contactless
At GSX+, the discussion of entry screening technologies used during the COVID-19 pandemic made its way into education session content. I caught up with Robert LaBella, Identiv’s Consultant Program Manager, who described their MobilisID smart mobile physical access control solution that leverages Bluetooth and supports legacy proximity credential use. The MobilisID reader mounts on a mullion or single-gang box and supports Apple and Android-powered mobile OS device access through Bluetooth. The MobilisID cloud-based portal works on any web browser and gives admins and operators the ability to issue, update and remove user credentials.
About the Author:
Steve Surfaro is Chairman of the Public Safety Working Group for the Security Industry Association (SIA) and has more than 30 years of security industry experience. He is a subject matter expert in smart cities and buildings, cybersecurity, forensic video, data science, command center design and first responder technologies. Follow him on Twitter, @stevesurf.
