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SNG 2023 Shines Spotlight on AI
If anyone happened to wander off the street into this year’s Securing New Ground conference, held October 17-18 in New York City, they would have been forgiven for thinking they had come to an IT conference — not a physical security one. Co-founded more than 25 years ago by Sandra Jones — who made a surprise post-retirement appearance this year just to check in — SNG bills itself as the “TED Talk of the Security Industry.” The bulk of this year’s focus was dedicated to a technology the industry has been talking about for several years but really took a turn this year following the huge popularity of AI-generated engines such as ChatGPT.
“From a broader sense, the impact of technology into our industry has accelerated dramatically,” said Scott Dunn, senior advisor for strategic initiatives at Axis Communications Inc., and incoming chair for SIA beginning in March 2024. “AI, cloud, cybersecurity — it sounds like we are going to an IT conference. The industry has changed so much in the last decade or so.”
Current SIA Board of Directors Chair and Operating Partner of Lee Equity Partners James Rothstein added, “The beauty of this conference is it brings together end users, integrators, manufacturers and tech partners.”
This year, SNG planners chose to take a more in-depth look AI, with other key topics sprinkled throughout the sessions.
“The direction we took was to focus on AI this year,” Steve Van Till, Brivo president and CEO explained to SDM. “We felt that this has so much been the year of AI with everything happening, particularly with generative AI.”
In his day one presentation on the Security Megatrends report, Van Till and his team broke out AI in to three “T” buckets: “Tools” that can help the security industry, such as incident and false alarm detection; “Training,” such as using the technology for on the job training; and “Threats” to be aware of. And these three themes were seen throughout the conference sessions.
The panel “What AI Means for Your Business” discussed use cases and opportunities for integrators and end users using AI.
IMAGE BY SDM
A Sea Change
More than one person used the term “sea change” to describe the speed and depth of the impact generative AI has had on the security industry, even in just one year.
“If you think about the surveillance camera first being introduced in the 1940s and the IP camera in 1996, and now we are talking about generative AI, the pace of advancement is accelerating,” Tara Dunning, vice president of global security at Wesco, told SDM, noting that just a year ago nobody at the conference had yet heard of ChatGPT, which launched November 30, 2022. She also noted the “sensorization” of everything, with the video camera becoming the ultimate sensor.
“There has been an exponential increase in the proliferation of sensors and edge devices. By the end of 2023 there will be 17 billion IoT devices on a network. By 2028, the network edge industry will be worth $800 billion and a few years later in the trillions. … It is a complete sea change. It has opened the door for the notion of the camera as a multipurpose solution. It can be safety, building controls — the list is endless. What we are finding is if you attach a camera to a bunch of sensors the use cases start to increase by 10 times. AI becomes the apex of the megatrend.”
In one the first day sessions, “What AI Means for Your Business,” SNG delved further into AI use cases.
“I think there is a huge sea change going on in AI, fundamentally changing AI from artificial intelligence to assisted intelligence,” said panelist Jumbi Edulbehram, global business development, smart cities and spaces, NVIDIA. “[AI has] the ability to take large amounts of data, process it in a sensible manner, and what generative AI has is the ability to very rapidly, using natural language, analyze a situation.”
Panelist Kurt Takahashi, CEO of Netwatch Group, added, “We are processing millions of video alarms per month and using all different layers. Our use case for it is we couldn’t succeed as a monitoring company without it. You can’t scale and stay in business. We are a user of it and partner with many different AI companies. It is the heart and soul of what we do.”
Hamish Dobson, corporate vice president, enterprise physical security, video security and access control at Motorola Solutions, added, “The power of AI is to automate the mundane. Humans have limited attention spans and the idea of a wall of monitors is somewhat absurd. The power of AI is to focus the attention for our security professionals and lean on them to do what they do best, which is to assess a situation and determine the right course of action.”
Click here to read the full article online. — by Karyn Hodgson, SDM Editor-In-Chief //
50%
Among the approximately 142 million homes in the United States, about half have a security system, according to a new survey by Cove, a residential security provider based in Draper, Utah. The survey revealed large discrepancies in home security use by both gender and age. Men (64 percent) were much more likely than women (46 percent) to own a security system. And 68 percent of Baby Boomers didn’t use one, compared to 69 percent of Millennials who did.
// Source: Cove Smart
IMAGE COURTESY OF PEXELS VIA PIXABAY
Bosch to Divest Security Product Manufacturing to Focus on Systems Integration
Bosch announced it plans to sell most of its Building Technologies division’s product manufacturing business and instead focus on its regional systems integration business.
The German multinational engineering and technology company said it is now looking for a buyer that will take on its solutions and services for building security, energy efficiency and building automation. This includes the video surveillance, access control and intrusion, and communication business units, and affects some 4,300 associates at more than 90 locations worldwide.
Bosch’s fire alarm systems products business will not to be sold because of its importance for systems integration and will instead be merged with the integrator business, according to the announcement.
“We are confident we will be able to find a buyer who will take over all three business units, and who will further strengthen the business and give it a secure future,” stated Christian Fischer, deputy chairman of the Bosch board of management, who is responsible for the company’s Energy and Building Technology and Consumer Goods business sectors.
Thomas Quante, the president of Bosch Building Technologies, added: “The product business is excellently positioned for a promising future under a new owner: innovative products, highly skilled associates, and a market environment with attractive opportunities for growth.”
IMAGE COURTESY OF BOSCH
In July, Bosch acquired Paladin Technologies, a Vancouver, B.C., Canada-based provider of security and life safety solutions and system integration services in North America. The acquisition complemented Bosch’s 2015 deal for Climatec, a provider of energy efficiency, building automation, security and life safety solutions for the U.S. market.
Following the realignment, the Building Technologies division will employ some 7,600 associates, and operate at 40 locations in eight countries. As a brand-independent systems integrator with a wide-ranging portfolio of energy and building solutions, the division intends to benefit in the future from digitalization and a growing customer demand for integrated, intelligent and cross-domain solutions in the areas of building security, energy efficiency and building automation.
“We want to become one of the global leaders for systems integration in building technology and to seize the favorable opportunities for growth in this market,” Fischer said. “To achieve this, we need to consolidate. This is why we will in the future be focusing on systems integration as our core business.” //
How Prepared Do You Feel Your Hospital/Healthcare System is for Each of the Following Emergency Events?
According to a report by the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety Foundation, 42 percent of healthcare organizations indicated that they were to some degree under prepared for violent patients. Additionally, 56 percent said they were to some degree under prepared for violent coworkers, and 60 percent were to some degree under prepared for an active assailant.
// Source: Rave mobile safety
Johnson Controls Ransomware Attack Leads to DHS Investigation
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is investigating a ransomware attack on government contractor Johnson Controls International (JCI). The company holds contracts with clients in education, healthcare, the naval and transportation sectors, and with government agencies like the DHS and the Department of Defense.
The DHS intends to determine whether sensitive physical security information, such as floor plans, was compromised in the attack on JCI. Reportedly, the initial breach occurred at JCI’s Asia offices.
According to a public 8-K filing, JCI experienced “disruptions in portions of its internal information technology infrastructure and applications.” The company has reportedly been investigating the cybersecurity incident with assistance from leading external cybersecurity experts. JCI said most of its operations were unaffected. While the company plans for mitigation and workarounds, the incident is expected to continue to cause disruption to parts of its business operations.
The DHS is still trying to confirm whether or not personally identifiable information of DHS officials was leaked during the attack on JCI. Though there has been some online speculation, neither the DHS nor JCI have yet named a group responsible for the attacks.
During President Biden’s term, his administration has called for tighter cybersecurity standards for government contractors like JCI. The Biden administration recently called for a standardized set of cybersecurity procurement requirements that work with unclassified federal information systems. As it stands, requirements are set by each individual agency. //
ASSA ABLOY Acquires High-Security Door Manufacturer Securitech
ASSA ABLOY announced the purchase of Securitech Group, a U.S.-based manufacturer of high-security mechanical and electronic door hardware products.
Securitech was established in 1983 and has around 50 employees. Its main office and factory are located in Maspeth, Queens, N.Y.
The acquisition is said to deliver on ASSA ABLOY’s strategy to strengthen its position in mature markets by adding complementary products and solutions to its core business.
“Securitech’s focus on innovative, high-security locking solutions fills several gaps in our existing door hardware portfolio and I'm excited for them to be part of ASSA ABLOY,” said Lucas Boselli, executive vice president of ASSA ABLOY and head of the Americas division. “This acquisition provides a great opportunity for us to further enhance our core offering to education, critical infrastructure, government, behavioral health, and other high-security markets.”
In a LinkedIn post, Securitech President Mark Berger said the being acquired by ASSA ABLOY will allow the company to deliver its wares to “many, many more people who will benefit from our great innovations.”
He continued, “We’ve worked with this organization since their first U.S. acquisition (Arrow, which was a supplier) and have watched them grow. Their culture and values fit perfectly with Securitech and I have had the honor of working alongside some great people from their team in my BHMA, DHI, ASIS & PASS volunteer activities.”
Securitech’s sales amounted to around $16 million in 2022 and the acquisition will be accretive to earnings per share from the start, according to the announcement. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. //
Triton Expands Portfolio With Wavelynx Technologies Buy
Triton, an investment firm based in Europe, announced it has acquired Wavelynx Technologies, a provider of secure and open mobile-first identity and access control solutions.
The terms of the transaction, which sees Triton and Wavelynx’s co-founders and management invest alongside each other in partnership, were not disclosed.
Based in Broomfield, Colo., Wavelynx will be an independent Triton portfolio company. In 2021, Triton acquired acre’s family of companies, which includes Vanderbilt, Open Options, RS2 Technologies, ComNet and Razberi.
Wavelynx operates in the access control market, designing, developing and assembling open hardware and software, including readers, controllers and mobile credentials. The company is a pioneer in leading the physical security industry toward the adoption of mobile-first access control, according to the announcement.
Triton intends to work in close partnership with Wavelynx’s management and co-founders, applying 25 years of experience in industrial tech investing and security expertise, to accelerate the company’s growth trajectory and success to date. Wavelynx will remain an independent business.
“Physical security is a key focus area for Triton,” stated Sachin Jivanji, an investment advisory professional at Triton. “Our dedicated team of investment professionals and industry experts were able to identify Wavelynx as a platform that is on the right side of a number of the megatrends backing the sector and a company with a unique culture of innovation. We look forward to supporting the world-class team around Hugo Wendling and Robert Lydic to jointly continue the Wavelynx success story.”
Wendling said the newly formed partnership allows Wavelynx to accelerate its growth and remain independent, while continuing to develop advanced and valuable technologies for the commercial security market.
He continued, “This investment will accelerate innovation at Wavelynx, giving our group access to additional operational expertise and significant capital to take our business to new levels of technology and growth. With Triton’s strong commitment to the security industry and its team’s intricate understanding of it, we will further develop our technology proposition, invest in new products and talent, scale our operations globally, and consider acquisition opportunities that complement our offering.” //
Security 101 Acquires Franchisee Advance Security Integration
Security 101, a national provider of full-service commercial security solutions, has acquired Advance Security Integration (ASI), one of the largest franchisees under the Security 101 brand umbrella.
Based in Southington, Conn., ASI’s established foothold and dedication to high-quality security service in the New England market made it a clear strategic partner for Security 101, according to an announcement. The acquisition is said to enhance Security 101’s presence in the region and further complement the combined expertise of both businesses.
“Jerry Brocki and the entire team at ASI have long demonstrated their dedication to excellence and the Security 101 brand,” stated Greg Daly, CEO of Security 101. “Their stellar reputation in the New England market is hard earned, well deserved and unquestioned. Under Jerry's leadership, ASI has always showcased a strong alignment with our core values and commitment to providing a world-class customer experience.”
Security 101, a portfolio company of Gemspring Capital with over 50 locations in the U.S., serves a diversified set of commercial customers across multiple end markets, including healthcare, education, financial and government. The company delivers a full-service offering of security services and products including the design, installation and maintenance of access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, visitor management, and managed service solutions.
“Having been a franchisee for Security 101 for almost 15 years, our team has always had a deep respect for the brand and its ethos,” Brocki stated. “This acquisition isn't just a combination of two companies, but a fusion of shared values and visions. We're excited for this next chapter and are confident our clients in New England will continue to receive the exceptional security service they’ve grown to expect, now backed by a national powerhouse.” //
SIA: Biometric Applications ‘Could Become Impossible’ in Illinois
The Security Industry Association (SIA) is advocating for the use biometric applications in Illinois, which could be threatened due to ongoing litigation.
In 2021, a U.S. District approved a historic $650 million settlement to resolve claims that Meta, formerly Facebook, collected and stored users’ facial data without consent in violation of an Illinois privacy law. The judge’s decision allows non-Facebook users in Illinois to put Meta on trial over its use of facial recognition technology; but to win the case they must prove Meta scanned and mapped their faces in uploaded photos.
While the case resolved the claims of Facebook users in Illinois, plaintiff Clayton Zellmer filed a separate suit on behalf of all non-Facebook users in the state who appeared in photos uploaded on the platform by others.
In response to Zellmer’s suit, SIA has filed an amicus brief in support of a U.S. District Court ruling that rejects an incorrect interpretation of requirements under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) of 2008 in a case under consideration by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
IMAGE COURTESY OF SIA
In a recent blog, SIA’s Jake Parker, senior director of government relations, wrote, “While the plaintiff’s claims in Zellmer v. Meta Platforms involve a discontinued Facebook feature called Tag Suggestions, if upheld they would have much wider implications. Implementing BIPA-compliant security-related applications of biometric technologies, already difficult in Illinois, could become impossible. Particularly impacted would be access control systems, which must distinguish between authorized users that are enrolled versus non-users.”
Parker stressed that SIA supports common-sense protections for biometric data and the responsible, ethical implementation of biometric technologies. However, Parker suggested, BIPA has long affected consumers in ways that were never intended, enriching trial lawyers instead of protecting consumer interests, and making many beneficial technologies unavailable due to litigation risk.
“Though falling just short of enactment, key reforms to BIPA received considerable bipartisan support in the Illinois legislature in 2023,” Parker explained. “In the meantime, the U.S. District Court’s dismissal of Zellmer must be upheld to prevent negative impacts stemming from BIPA from getting even worse.” //
Report: Number of K-12 Campus Gun Seizures Is Soaring
More than 1,150 firearms were confiscated in K-12 schools nationwide last school year — averaging more than six guns per day — The Washington Post reported.
An investigation by the newspaper found that the number of guns seized by schools is most likely far higher, citing surveys showing many gun seizures were never reported to the media. Those same districts said the number of guns recovered on campus rose sharply in recent years.
The investigation revealed that 1 in 47 school-age children — approximately 1.1 million students — attended a school where at least one gun was found.
Washington Post reporters combed through tens of thousands of news stories from Aug. 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, on both LexisNexis and Google. They created a database of guns reported seized on K-12 school campuses and analyzed the ages of those found with guns and the school demographics and locations, using 2021-2022 federal school enrollment figures, the most recent data available.
The paper also requested data on guns found on school campuses from the 100 largest U.S. public school districts. Fifty-one districts provided data for the 2022-2023 school year, including six of the seven largest school systems in the country; 47 districts gave a full five years of data. Some districts wanted hundreds of dollars to compile the records, while others said they did not track such information.
IMAGE COURTESY OF SHUTTERBUG75 VIA PIXABAY
Guns were discovered practically everywhere — bookbags, lockers, trash cans, bathrooms, cars, pockets, purses, bulging behind waistbands and hidden above bathroom ceiling tiles. Some were brought by accident, others to show off. In many cases, the guns were taken to school to end lives, police told the newspaper.
The vast majority of campus gun seizures reported by news organizations involved high schoolers — the median age was 16, according to The Post’s survey. But authorities found guns on at least 31 students age 10 or younger during the 2022-2023 academic year, the news stories said. As is the case in most school shootings, the majority of those guns were brought to campus by children who could not legally purchase a firearm on their own.
School districts across the country are developing and implementing security plans in hopes of preventing guns from being taken onto campuses. But no matter what the strategy is, school safety experts say catching a gun on the front end is much better than investigating following a worst-case scenario.
“Kids are more likely to carry firearms, and even to bring firearms into school, if they have been victims of violence themselves, if they aren’t connected to a community, if they have post-traumatic stress,” Megan Ranney, a leading firearm-injury researcher and dean of the Yale School of Public Health, told The Post. “We’ve got a lot of kids who are scared … maybe have lost parents from covid, maybe have lost community connections because of shutdowns of community groups during COVID. And then add on to it increased access to firearms. A lot of guns [were] bought over the last couple of years. It becomes a perfect storm.”
When preventive measures fail, school security officers and resource officers often represent the final defense against would-be shooters.
The Post found that those officers — while highly unlikely to stop a school shooting in progress — have proved important in seizing guns brought onto school campuses, preventing potential violence every day. //
Allegion Ventures Invests in Computer Vision Intelligence Firm Ambient.ai
Allegion Ventures, the corporate venture fund of Allegion, announced a $20 million investment in Ambient.ai, marking the firm’s largest and most significant investment since its founding in 2003.
Based in San Jose, Ambient.ai applies artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision intelligence (CVI) to existing security camera infrastructure. The platform is said to deliver near human-level visual perception that analyzes actions and situational context to create efficient and accurate threat detection.
Allegion President and CEO John H. Stone said Ambient.ai aligns with Allegion’s focus on using innovative technology to enable seamless access and a safer world.
“Allegion’s connected hardware manages access and entry points, while Ambient’s platform provides contextual understanding to dramatically reduce false alarms in access control systems and vastly improve threat detection and response,” Stone said.
Ambient.ai was founded in 2017 by CEO Shikhar Shrestha and CTO Vikesh Khanna, experts in AI and deep learning, who shared a vision of making security proactive through technology. Seven of the top 10 U.S. technology companies, along with multiple Fortune 500 organizations across a variety of industries, leverage Ambient.ai to unify their security infrastructure and significantly enhance their security posture.
“As we kickstart this transformative partnership with Allegion, we’re propelled by our vision of a powerful AI platform, built on seamless integrations with leading security technologies,” Shrestha said. “Allegion’s best-in-class products bring exciting possibilities to the table as we continue to deliver compelling solutions to prevent even the most complex security incidents.”
Allegion Ventures President Rob Martens, who also serves as chief innovation and design officer at Allegion, emphasized that Ambient.ai is a true innovator in the marketplace. Martens will serve as a board observer for Ambient.ai.
“We are thrilled to work with Ambient.ai. Shikhar and Vikesh are trailblazers in CVI and truly understand how technology can advance threat detection as well as safe access, people movement and data analytics,” Martens said. “They’re moving video surveillance from a reactive to a proactive resource, meeting evolving customer needs in physical security.”
Additional terms of the Allegion Ventures deal were not disclosed. //
Pye-Barker Acquires Comtron Systems in Southern California
Pye-Barker Fire & Safety announced the purchase of Comtron Systems, a security, alarm and fire detection company based in Palm Desert, Calif.
The transaction marks the third acquisition for Pye-Barker in the Coachella Valley region of California. The deal solidifies Pye-Barker’s market share in the area and expands its full-service offerings in California.
Comtron provides 24/7 monitoring and emergency service for its intrusion alarms, video surveillance, access control systems, fire alarms and fire detection. With over 35 years of service, Comtron’s team leverages the latest technological advancements in the industry to provide custom systems that protect people and property no matter their unique circumstances, according to the announcement. Bundled with the company’s audio, video and smart home capabilities, Comtron equips its commercial and residential customers with automatic, fully integrated solutions.
“I knew Pye-Barker was the best choice for my team for future job growth opportunities, and they will take the best care of our customers moving forward,” said Monty Sorensen, owner of Comtron. “Pye-Barker has a big vision for life safety in the [Coachella] Valley, and our team is excited to grow with them.”
Kirk Brundage, left, regional director at Pye-Barker, and Monty Sorensen, owner at Comtron Systems. Image courtesy of Pye-Barker.
IMAGE COURTESY OF PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY
Pye-Barker aggressive acquisition strategy of fire, life safety and security companies has led to exponential growth for the company that now operates 175 branches across 40 states.
“The Comtron team makes a great addition to the Pye-Barker family as we expand with the mission to provide full-service and fully integrated protection to every community,” said Bart Proctor, CEO at Pye-Barker. “By making strategic acquisitions in key areas, we come together stronger and ready to protect our customers with integrated advanced fire, security and life safety offerings.”
Comtron’s team of technicians, account representatives and administrative staff will continue to grow the business and serve customers in California. //
The Security Industry Association (SIA) appointed John Nemerofsky, COO of SAGE Integration, as the new chair of the SIA Member Engagement and Experience Committee. With over 25 years of experience in the security industry, Nemerofsky’s leadership attributes include but are not limited to relationship development, performance expectations, team building and decisive action. Early in his career, he helped grow a security integration company to $140 million in annual sales while building a list of contacts that includes many of today’s most influential and successful security professionals.
Nemerofsky
Speco Technologies announced the appointments of Carlos Figueroa, responsible for the North and Central Florida region, and Chaz Stennett to its sales team. Figueroa’s experience includes the last two years working for Hikvision. He currently resides in Tampa, Fla. Speco said it is confident that Figueroa’s enthusiasm, expertise and leadership will make a significant and positive impact on the company’s future growth. Stennett’s experience includes the last six years working on the integrator/dealer side of the industry.
IMAGE COURTESY OF SPECO TECHNOLOGIES
DMP announced Todd Boothe has been appointed dealer development manager for the Mid-Atlantic region. Boothe will provide ongoing service and support to DMP’s dealers across Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Boothe brings over 20 years of security industry experience to DMP that began with successfully owning and operating his own family security company, which spanned across four states. After the sale of his company, he joined Vector Security as a general manager and was able to further develop his knowledge and experience with DMP products during his time there.
Boothe
The CMOOR Group, a provider of cloud-based compliance and continuous education for the security, fire and life safety industry, has hired Erika Banks as the company’s relationship development strategist. In her new position, Banks will develop and execute strategies to drive new business growth and expand market share within the industry. She will also foster strong relationships with current and future clients to understand their needs and challenges and to provide tailored solutions. In addition, Banks will conduct in-depth product education sessions for clients, manage pipeline development to consistently drive revenue growth, ensure seamless implementation and delivery of services to clients, and attend industry and associations events.
Banks
