Building on its highly successful previous event, the CNI Security Group will be hosting another CNI Security Technology Day aboard the former WW2 Royal Navy escort ship HQS Wellington, which is located on the River Thames at London’s Victoria Embankment.
The free-to-attend CNI Security Group event is being held on Wednesday 29 June from 9.30 am until 4.00 pm and will focus on fully integrated, secure and future-proofed ‘Best of Breed’, end-to-end solutions for high-security sectors/environments.
Showcasing the latest and upcoming Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)/Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) approved security technologies, the CNI Security Group event will be underpinned by 360 Vision Technology, barox, Harper Chalice, Identiv and ISM.
At the event, these leading manufacturers in the CNI sector will reveal their latest innovations in high-performance technology, including surveillance cameras, analytics, access control solutions, perimeter intrusion detection systems, industrial Ethernet switches and Physical Security Information Management software, including a variety of systems which are the only CPNI approved solutions in their class.
A number of informative and educational technology seminars covering a variety of developments in CNI technologies will run throughout the one-day event and impart invaluable security technology information for high-security/CNI end users, consultants and system designers, not to mention anyone responsible for the safety and security of utilities sites, power plants, prisons, nuclear locations, airports, stadiums and arenas.
Global security
The CNI Security Group’s guest keynote speaker for the event will be security and intelligence specialist Philip Ingram MBE. In his address, Ingram will present on ‘The Resetting of Global Security’, revealing why it’s so important for businesses to understand the geopolitical context and inter-relationship regarding global threats, trends and risks. Included in the free-to-attend event itinerary will also be a guided tour of the HQS Wellington ship and luncheon.
“Following the success of the last ‘full house’ CNI Security Technology Day, we are delighted to once again be engaging face-to-face with customers at this CNI Security Group event,” enthused Sara Fisher, 360 Vision Technology’s sales director. “Visitors to the event will be able to view live displays of the latest integrated CNI security technologies. To help maximise delegates’ understanding of the latest technology solutions available, there will be a series of technology seminars and Q&A sessions.”
Security technology developer Gallagher has become “the first manufacturer to achieve the Cyber Assurance for Physical Security Systems (CAPSS) 2021 standard” with its Command Centre software and High Security Controller 6000 product. Gallagher is delivering high-security solutions for Governments in the Five Eyes alliance, along with providing confidence for the management teams at Critical National Infrastructure sites that its software and hardware meets the toughest of cyber security-focused requirements.
Richard Huison, regional general manager for the UK and Europe at Gallagher, informed Security Matters: “Meeting this standard proves to ourselves, our channel partners, our customers and Her Majesty’s Government that we are at the top of our game.”
Gallagher has been focusing on the CAPSS 2021 standard
Huison continued: “Along with other manufacturers, Gallagher was part of the market research conducted by the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) to establish how new technology would influence the latest 2021 standard. Obsolescence occurs fairly quickly based on an ever-changing environment. On that basis, the standards must evolve.”
National security
The CPNI focuses on national security in the UK by helping to reduce vulnerability to terrorism and other threats posed to the national infrastructure.
Gallagher’s Command Centre and High Security Controller 6000 had already passed the CAPSS 2015 standard testing procedure and was included in the CPNI’s Catalogue of Security Equipment (CSE). The CSE is designed to help organisations choose appropriate physical security equipment to protect the assets for which they are directly responsible.
“To be listed in the CSE provides assurance for all customers, not just our high-security and critical infrastructure customers,” stated Huison. “Gallagher is the only manufacturer that sits across multiple categories in the CSE, providing assurance across the various components that make up the Gallagher system,”
Within the CSE, Gallagher sits across the Access Control Equipment, CAPSS Approved and Detection and Tracking Systems categories. Gallagher’s Z10 Tension Sensor was added for the first time last year, while its Command Centre and High Security Controller 6000 were tested to the CAPSS 2021 v1.1 standard and added this month.
Cyber protection
“As we’ve seen in the news recently, with cyber threats growing in sophistication, it follows that cyber protection has never been more important,” explained Daniel McVeagh, value stream lead at Gallagher. “Cyber security is an essential part of Gallagher’s physical security solutions. Achieving the CAPSS 2021 standard provides our customers in the UK with confidence that their Gallagher system will not be the weakest link in protecting against a cyber attack.”
Gallagher has a proven track record and reputation when it comes to the delivery of high security solutions around the globe, meeting some of the world’s most stringent physical and cyber security-related Government standards.
McVeagh concluded: “We’re committed to delivering solutions that meet Government compliance standards, not just in the UK, but around the world, and particularly so across the Five Eyes nations.”
In 2022 and beyond, facial recognition technology will play a key role in the future of global urban development and assist in improving the experience of smart citizens. From personal convenience through to enhanced public safety, the range of applications is wide-ranging. That’s the firm belief of facial recognition technology solutions provider Corsight AI.
Using their face as their credit card, members of the public will no longer have to leverage cash for payments or worry about a stolen/lost wallet. A secure biometric system – such as that being pioneered by Amazon Go stores – makes paying for goods or services effortless.
In terms of security and access, workplaces are beginning to understand the value of the technology as it can enable the seamless flow of people and facilitate the protection of sensitive locations by restricting access to approved visitors only. Spaces such as building sites, maternity wards and Critical National Infrastructure locations can all benefit from this software.
Facial recognition can also be used in smart cities to help identify those at risk. In the case of searching for a missing child or an Alzheimer’s patient, facial recognition technology can significantly speed up the process.
There’s a particular concern right now about the safety of public streets, especially so for women. Facial recognition technology can prove useful for recognising unusual behaviour and identifying and tracking known offenders throughout the city environment.
Higher standards in 2022
As is the case with any technology, there are potential risks to using facial recognition, such as threats to privacy, violations of rights and potential data theft. These concerns are of significant importance and have even forced the hand of some public and private organisations to limit the use of the technology. This calls for thoughtful Government regulation moving forward and heightened responsibility for facial recognition technology vendors and operators to comply with the rules.
Currently, documents such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) are in place to set industry standards and provide ways for individuals to protect their personal data – and, by extension, their privacy and other Human Rights – which we’re seeing enforced.
Although the industry continues to demand greater certainty from lawmakers, it’s evident that Best Practice is emerging from the application of the GDPR and its core principles. The use of Privacy Management Programmes and Data Protection Impact Assessments demonstrates the willingness to protect the data rights of citizens and maintain trust and confidence across our communities. A combination of these policies and their application will continue to ensure facial recognition technology can be used as a force for good.
Cyber security
As data processing becomes more central to operations in 2022, organisations will need to be more responsive to the evolving cyber threat landscape. For facial recognition technology end users, in particular, securing biometric data will remain a top priority this year.
Cyber criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods, and will now typically seek the most sensitive data to hold at ransom. Vendors must therefore implement the most stringent security measures to protect sensitive data and ensure end users are working hard to stay on top of the threat.
Customers will also demand more transparency from organisations about how they’re using their biometric data and how it’s being stored and protected. To garner trust, users of facial recognition technology must be more explicit in its use and set clear measures on individual privacy and data protection.
In 2022 and beyond, Corsight AI expects to see further commitment from policymakers and industry to develop even higher standards that attain levels not seen before. The move towards ‘Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence’, greater regulation and a genuine commitment to Human Rights will support the development of this software such that it can be used as a force for good.
Gallagher’s Electronic Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (E-PIDS) now boasts an extra seal of approval having achieving the latest Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) standards, with the Z10 Tension Sensor added to the Catalogue for Security Equipment (CSE) for the first time.
Meeting these latest standards further demonstrates Gallagher’s commitment to delivering high-security solutions for Governments in the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance.
The CPNI is the UK Government’s National Technical Authority for physical and personnel protective security. To gain approval, systems must go through rigorous testing to ensure they meet the required standards outlined by the CPNI and provide the protection needed for the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure.
Gallagher’s latest range of perimeter technology solutions has once again successfully achieved the latest standards and remains in the CPNI’s CSE, with the addition of the Z10 Tension Sensor. The CSE is designed to help organisations choose appropriate physical security equipment that will then protect the assets for which they’re responsible.
Assurance for customers
“To be listed in the CSE provides assurance for all customers, not just those in the high-security and critical infrastructure space,” explained Richard Huison, regional general manager for the UK and Europe at Gallagher. “Businesses of all sizes and industries are adopting the attitude that: ‘If it’s good enough for the Government to use, then it’s good enough for my business as well’.”
Two variations of Gallagher’s Monitored Pulse Fence were tested. Both passed the CPNI’s stringent alarm threshold and full attack testing in an external environment over an eight-month period.
Huison has explained that the results of the false alarm testing over this period demonstrated the reliability of Gallagher’s Monitored Pulse Fence.
“We received a report every month,” affirmed Huison, “and there were no alarm activations that couldn’t be accounted for (ie adverse weather or wildlife interfering with the fence). For the majority of PIDS, these kinds of results are pretty much unheard of and validate precisely why our Monitored Pulse Fence is the ultimate in both deterrence and detection, providing outstanding performance levels for our customers.”
Huison continued: “Gallagher protects more than 800 UK sites with its perimeter technology. A large number of these sites are critical infrastructure or military-focused. Across the UK and Europe, we’re helping to keep the lights on, water flowing and the gas lit. Having a robust and resilient system in place with minimal false alarms is key to a successful solution for these customers.”
Richard Huison
Z10 Tension Sensor
Gallagher’s Z10 Tension Sensor was included in the latest round of CPNI testing and proved to be pivotal in achieving the latest standards. The Z10 Tension Sensor measures the mechanical disturbance of a tensioned fence wire to raise an alarm whenever a wire’s deflected during an attack. It continuously measures and reports wire tension in real-time to identify when maintenance is required, or if the security fencing has been damaged in some way.
“Our Z10 Tension Sensor is an absolute game-changer for perimeter detection,” observed Huison. “It adds an extra layer of security to the system that increases the probability of detection over and above the high probability of detection our Monitored Pulse Fence solution already provides.”
Also, the Z10 Tension Sensor takes cyber resilience to the fence line with the HBUS communication protocol, which itself protects against attacks, including sophisticated cyber attacks, between edge devices and control hardware, duly raising alarms if communications are tampered with in any way.
“If an attacker touches a Gallagher Monitored Pulse Fence, it gives them a compelling reason not to touch it again,” noted Huison. “While safe, people are inherently afraid of an electric shock. Over the years, monitored pulse fencing has proven to be the best and most effective intrusion detection and deterrent an organisation can choose at the procurement stage.”
‘Five Eyes’ nations
Gallagher has delivered systems to meet Government compliance standards, particularly so across the ‘Five Eyes’ nations, for more than 20 years now.
“As a responsible manufacturer, we’re committed to attaining the correct approvals and standards across all the markets in which we operate,” explained Kevin Godfrey, strategic business development manager for the UK and Europe at Gallagher. “It’s one of the things we do extremely well.”
Godfrey went on to state: “Achieving CPNI approvals and meeting national standards is recognised and valued by our customers and provides critical infrastructure and Government agencies alike with the assurance they need. It’s Gallagher’s investment in meeting these standards that has given us the longevity and continuity of business here in the UK for more than 25 years.”
Richard Huison concluded by observing that Gallagher is the only manufacturer that sits across multiple categories in the CSE, providing CPNI assurance across the various components that make up the Gallagher system.
“No other manufacturer sits across Access Control Equipment, CAPSS Approved and Detection and Tracking Systems which benefits customers with one robust, assured system from the perimeter to the core. This, along with the fact that Gallagher was invited to work with the Cabinet Office in the development and testing of GovPass, a new functional standard developed to provide one access credential for all Government buildings in the UK, is what sets us apart.”
Vemotion Interactive is promoting its range of low-latency, high-performance, plug and play live video streaming solutions to provide installers and end users with highly effective temporary or fixed remote surveillance coverage for use at incident hotspots, or to otherwise extend the coverage of an existing video surveillance scheme.
Deployable CCTV camera surveillance systems typically consist of PTZ cameras or domes, towers and vehicle or drone-mounted wireless surveillance imaging solutions. HD real-time deployable surveillance can be used across a variety of temporary deployment CCTV sectors, such as for the police, the rail industry, at construction sites, for Critical National Infrastructure locations, public spaces, the utilities, traffic monitoring, live events and the military.
Deployable CCTV camera systems can also provide proactive support to assist in the reduction of crime (or the fear of crime), vandalism, anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.
Meeting the demanding needs of temporary deployment CCTV camera applications, the versatile range of Vemotion live streaming HD video transmission solutions over GPRS, 3G, 4GLTE, 5G, Wi-Fi and Satellite networks enables live video surveillance and play-back for any mobile, rapid deployment, temporary or permanent deployment CCTV video surveillance application.
Maximising budgets
Vemotion’s range of encoders and cameras enable a host of remote camera surveillance applications to be configured and deployed, such as beyond the economical reach of existing fixed CCTV networks. This flexibility allows entities wanting to maximise their surveillance budgets and efficiency to be more proactive at capturing off-grid incidents, rather than missing events.
HD streaming video, low power consumption, proven reliability and rugged construction are just some of the reasons why Vemotion streaming software and hardware technology is currently being chosen by many temporary/wireless deployment CCTV camera solutions OEM manufacturers. Video streaming solutions provide the surveillance power behind the latest deployable integrated CCTV camera systems.
By harnessing this technology, previously hard to reach or diverse applications can now benefit from the ease of use and evidential video quality of Vemotion streamed CCTV images.
Sector coverage
Temporary deployment CCTV cameras can also be used to provide highly effective security for remote sites and assets, including utility sites, trackside and non-trackside rail deployments (such as level crossing monitoring), as well as managing major and minor roadworks.
Local councils often have good CCTV coverage in areas easily served by fixed location cameras, typically inner cities. However, the costs involved in connecting cameras sited in outlying and remote areas back to a central Control Room has hitherto precluded their use.
Vemotion streaming solutions can provide cost-effective CCTV coverage in outlying areas or more central areas not adequately covered by an existing fixed camera network. The technology can be used for the remote monitoring of crime and anti-social behaviour, as a highly cost-efficient alternative solution to fixed position cameras in outlying locations and provide a dynamic CCTV solution to keep pace with rapidly developing hotspots in cities.
Combating environmental crime, Vemotion technology is also being used to assist enforcement agencies in dealing with an ever-increasing workload due to fly-tipping. Hotspots for this activity can cost environmental agencies and councils many thousands of pounds each year to clear-up in addition to the environmental effects of the rubbish being illegally discarded.
Vemotion technology deployed within cameras covertly or overtly can catch and discourage perpetrators. High-quality images are easily distributed using Vemotion streaming technology over what are usually limited, rural communication networks. These images can then be used to identify and prosecute individuals quickly and simply, in turn helping to reduce the spread of this form of environmental crime.
Drone operations and management
Video transmission technology is revolutionising the traditional drone/operator/management relationship as well, delivering key operational advantages for companies using drones for remote inspection, support or reconnaissance.
Increasingly deployed for disparate applications, drones can be used to complement existing CCTV networks at large-scale events, make land surveys quick and simple and assist building surveys without the need for expensive physical inspection, scaffolding or location closures.
In the event that local video transmission over radio is lost due to distance and bandwidth, Vemotion’s V-Box technology provides the drone operator with an alternative communications path using cellular networks to see and control the drone. In addition, it can simultaneously provide live video feed to a Control Room and remote operatives anywhere in the world.
In short, Vemotion technology enables companies to make real-time management or support decisions based on live footage from drones, thereby providing an effective Command and Control solution.
Additionally, thermal drones are increasingly essential for emergency response. Instead of sending in first responders, a drone can scan the area to locate hotspots and assess the overall situation. Using Vemotion images, thermal drones can detect people and animals instantly in adverse and other low-visibility scenarios often associated with emergency situations.
Beneath gound level
Under the ground, Vemotion images are being used to locate problems simply and effectively in drains and sewers. One of the difficulties of keeping domestic and public drains and sewers in good working condition is the fact that they’re hidden and difficult to assess. That means it’s hard to spot potential issues until they’ve developed into serious problems.
Using remote rovers equipped with Vemotion technology, HD images are delivered to operators and recorded to identify and assess drain damage quickly and simply, with the images supplied to councils, customers and contractors for project management and rectification.
Designed to be ‘plug and play’, ONVIF-compliant and suitable for a wide variety of video transmission applications, Vemotion wireless streaming solutions for deployable surveillance solutions are now being used across an ever-increasing range of vertical market applications that, until now, have previously not been able to harness the advantages of HD recorded and real-time CCTV images.
Synectics Security has appointed Colin Butlin, one of the industry’s leading project management and planning specialists, to join its senior team as operations director.
Armed with over 20 years’ experience in UK operational and security-focused project delivery roles spanning both service provider and client-side positions, Colin Butlin is the first external appointment announced as part of the new-look company.
Butlin will now be working closely with Synectics Security’s managing director Iain Stringer and commercial director Mark Pennington.
The company officially launched earlier this year following the merger of Synectics Mobile Systems and Quadrant Security Group. Pairing both mobile and built-environment expertise, the business works with leading technology providers to design and deploy integrated security solutions for customers operating in highly regulated environments, including the banking and finance world.
Butlin joins Synectics Security from civil engineering giant Kier plc where, among other responsibilities, he led a multi-million pound programme of security upgrade works for Critical National Infrastructure sites across the UK.
With experience spanning the the utilities, defence and commercial markets, the 46-year-old operations expert feels he has a lot to offer Synectics Security at what’s undoubtedly an exciting time for the business.
Colin Butlin
Structured service delivery
Speaking about his appointment, Butlin said: “I’m privileged to have worked on both sides of the fence in terms of managing major security projects. I know, first-hand, what a customer expects, but also how service delivery should be structured, monitored and managed to ensure those expectations are met in the most efficient and effective way possible.”
He continued: “At Synectics Security, I have the opportunity to use this experience to ensure new levels of customer satisfaction, but also to help shape and steer the business. That’s a hugely exciting proposition for me.”
Butlin’s deep technical knowledge of security service delivery and project management will see him implement new governance structures and staff training as part of Synectics Security’s ongoing programme of customer-driven developments.
Iain Stringer concluded: “For us, success isn’t just about making sure our customers are presented with an integrated solution which matches their specific business needs. It’s also about making sure we always deliver that end result in the best way possible for all stakeholders involved. Colin’s reputation and experience in this field will prove invaluable when it comes to making sure we succeed in this mission and we’re delighted to welcome him on board.”
360 Vision Technology has announced the launch of a new generation of its Predator and Invictus PTZ cameras with some exciting features, including a significant reduction in power requirements.
Attributed to an increase in demand for remote and ‘off-grid’ site surveillance both here in the UK and overseas, 360 Vision Technology has released a new ‘low power mode’ feature which reduces camera power draw to 12 W when idle and a maximum of 50 W at full load (Invictus range), with simultaneous PTZ control and Infrared lighting.
Sara Fisher, business development director at 360 Vision Technology, explained to Security Matters: “In recent times, the demand for remote site surveillance has been on the increase, particularly so in those locations where there is no localised power available and renewable or alternative energy sources are the only option. Obviously, in these scenarios keeping power requirements of the camera to a minimum is a crucial factor in being able to maintain system operation. Our development team has really stepped up to the challenge and the result is that we now have the most energy efficient ruggedised PTZ cameras on the market.”
Other new features available include the ‘attack detect with base scan’. On taking an impact from a vehicle or perpetrator, this allows the camera to gain a 360-degree view of the base of the pole before reconfiguring automatically to the home position, thereby allowing the potential identification of the ‘attacker’.
360 Vision Technology’s expansive client base, which includes local authorities, Critical National Infrastructure sites and numerous other public sector agencies, will be able to benefit significantly from these developments on new installations.
Fisher added: “By far the most significant spin-off benefit to the increased power efficiency is a substantial reduction in lifetime running costs. On a 100-camera system, our clients could save as much as £18,700 in energy costs and, in turn, reduce their carbon footprint by 37 tonnes over a five-year period when compared to the closest equivalent camera models on the market. That’s a compelling return on investment.”
As Catherine Laug explains, the telecoms industry has grown at such a remarkable rate that it’s now a key part of our everyday lives. At present, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented requirement for almost all industries to operate a ‘working from home’ policy and to provide the general public with an increased access to online services, in turn making the telecoms industry even more vital.
A major impact of this fundamental change is the presence of a growing number of telecoms facilities, which are proving to be the cornerstone of service delivery. Equipment is often located in isolated areas, so strict access control systems are needed to keep any vulnerability to an absolute minimum.
Telecoms companies cover vast expanses of land to keep the service up-and-running for their customers. This involves several tens of thousands of plants and facilities, from mobile phone towers through to street cabinets for the wired network. This underlines the value of a standardised access control strategy to simplify access to all sites.
Now, maintenance technicians no longer need to worry about accessing the numerous facilities during their daily inspection rounds. Once configured, single electronic key solutions guarantee access to the right place at the right time, allowing technicians to focus their attention on the task at hand.
Specific access processes
For their part, operators are assured that their field teams, often comprised of sub-contractors, can carry out all maintenance work during specified times in line with their specific access processes.
Most of the facilities requiring protection are outdoor sites particularly exposed to wind, sun, snow and sea spray. That being so, access control systems must be able to withstand corrosion caused by bad weather. End users can now specify a certified and conceptual solution to this challenge with cylinders that meet the requirements of the EN 1670 corrosion resistance standard with a, IP66-67-68-69 rating designed to guarantee maximum protection.
In point of fact, the latest generation electronic keys also use inductive technology for contactless information exchange between the key and cylinder. With this technology, the electronic key can transmit access rights to the cylinder even if the humidity at the site has corroded the surface of the lock. In other words, bad connections no longer prevent information from being transmitted between the key and lock.
At some telecommunications towers, access is restricted to those authorised to work at height. Software is now available that liaises with the operator’s information system, collecting select information from the various user profiles to limit access to authorised individuals. This allows operators to use the software to assign access rights for specific areas based on the technician’s profile and authorisation.
To improve on-site control activities, electronic keys work with specific apps and new technology (ie RFID and beacons, etc) to send technicians verification messages about their access rights or required safety instructions (such as wearing a helmet and abiding by the buddy system, etc).
Similarly, users can interact with the central system and submit on-site attendance reports and flag up anomalies errors, etc. These bespoke features are designed to meet ever-stricter security requirements in companies and, importantly, accommodate the latest Government guidelines.
Sub-contracting and shared access sites
Sub-contractors are an increasingly common fixture in both maintenance activities and emergency call-outs. Several officers may well require daily access to a number of scattered, remote facilities.
The access control system is further complicated by the fact that sites may be shared by different businesses. Water towers, for instance, are often used to support radio masts.
It’s now possible to deliver an effective response to multi-activity sites with just one electronic key being needed for countless locks. Officers no longer need to carry large bunches of keys between sites. Instead, they can access the right place at the right time with maximum security.
Communication infrastructures may be the prime target for large-scale attacks wherein those parties involved are looking to compromise the country’s economic potential. They may also attract various types of vandal, tempted by the challenge of scaling facilities or the apparent vulnerability of street cabinets.
Today’s access control solutions are invaluable when it comes to protecting facilities from harm. Electronic cylinders and padlocks have CEN 1303 certification with the highest level of resistance to drilling and, therefore, vandalism.
What’s more, a lost or stolen electronic key can be disabled on a swift footing to prevent any unwanted intrusions. In certain solutions, the built-in reporting feature in the system software aims to report any attempts to gain access outside specified time ranges or in out-of-bounds areas, thereby detecting any anomalies.
Catherine Laug is Group Head of Marketing at LOCKEN
360 Vision Technology has announced that its ruggedised PTZ surveillance cameras are now the only camera product in the sector to be Cyber Assurance of Physical Security Systems (CAPSS) approved by way of the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), as well as being ISO 27001 compliant.
In addition to advanced built-in cyber security capable of protection against the very real threats faced by surveillance system operators, 360 Vision Technology boasts an enviable track record in delivering specialist camera solutions designed to meet with specific customer and application-driven requirements.
This product engineering flexibility, coupled with high security protection, has paid real dividends, with significant sales and specification of the firm’s cameras for high-profile Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) projects.
“360 Vision has worked very hard to be ahead of the game in the vital area of system security,” said Mark Rees, managing director at 360 Vision Technology. “We recognised some time ago that robust cyber security would become a determining factor in the selection of camera technology for CNI and other high-security applications, so our team of software developers was briefed to ensure that these threats can be averted.”
Rees added: “As a UK-based surveillance camera manufacturer, we’re extremely adept at responding to customer requirements, which has resulted in some very exciting product deployments. Today, 360 Vision finds itself in an enviable position in the security camera market, whereby system designers and end users looking to fulfil product performance flexibility and high security applications are choosing the company as their ‘go to’ camera technology partner.”
New research conducted by data security company Clearswift reveals that 70% of financial companies have experienced a cyber security incident in the past year, highlighting the serious threat that both data breaches and malicious attacks pose to the UK’s financial sector.
The research, which surveyed senior business decision-makers within enterprise financial organisations in the UK, found that almost half of the incidents reported over the past 12 months originated from employees failing to follow security protocol or data protection policies. This threat was biggest in mid-sized financial companies (with 3,000-4,999 employees) with 52% of respondents citing employee failure to follow corporate data protection policies as their biggest issue.
In addition to this, it was found that further causes of cyber security incidents within the financial sector included the introduction of malware and viruses via third party devices, including USBs and Bring Your Own Device (32%), file and image downloads (25%) and employees sharing data with unintended recipients (24%).
“The financial sector is the lynchpin of the UK’s economy and a vital part of our nation’s Critical National Infrastructure, so it’s alarming to see such high numbers of security incidents within financial organisations,” said Dr Guy Bunker, CTO at Clearswift. “Unfortunately, in this day and age it’s a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’ a firm is breached so the financial sector needs to shift gears and speed up the innovation and deployment of effective data protection and threat mitigation strategies.”
The numbers associated with security incidents are in stark contrast with further findings from the survey which revealed less than a quarter (23%) of respondents had an adequate level of budget allocated to cyber security within the firm. Unsurprisingly, 73% of respondents would like to see some – if not a significant – increase in their organisation’s cyber security spending.
Bunker added: “Whether it’s an inadvertent mistake, a malicious insider or an external threat actor that causes a security incident, the ramifications of data loss are extremely serious for any organisation. For those organisations who hold citizen data and their financial information, there’s a need for extra vigilance to protect that data no matter where it’s stored, how it’s processed or what digital collaboration channels it flows through. Understanding the latest threats and the potential consequences from next generation attacks will help drive the business case for investment in new technology to mitigate the risks.”
He continued: “Cyber security needs to rapidly evolve and the budgeting process should take this into account. The threat which can bring down a company may not have existed three months ago. Financial organisations need to be able to respond immediately in order to protect their reputation. While many areas of securing a company’s data can be improved by educating employees and developing clear policies and processes, technology plays a key role in mitigating today’s biggest threats through automating and enforcing security protocols. This requires investment. Great information security is a positive business differentiator and a driver of growth.”
TheSecurityLion 