ISC West is a foundational event in the security industry, providing a space to network, share insights and discover the latest advancements. This year’s show will bring together thousands of industry professionals to discuss current trends, challenges and solutions.

Since last year’s show, all industries have been placing a greater emphasis on the integration of smarter technologies. The capabilities of cyber security, machine learning and artificial intelligence are emerging, allowing security personnel to better understand how their businesses are operating. Additionally, advancements in cloud-based security and access control are helping end users create a future-ready, efficient and secure environment, helping to protect their people and assets better than ever before. So, what can we expect to learn more about at ISC West? Read on to learn more about the main trends and technologies.

Cyber Security

Digital transformation is redefining how our buildings operate. Integrating security and other building technologies enables the collection of a multitude of data that can be used by managers and building owners to understand their environments better and make well-informed decisions. However, with all this data comes the threat of data breaches, which can disrupt day-to-day operations and the overall well-being of the enterprise.

Cyber security strategies and solutions can be tailored to the unique needs of buildings to better track potential threats and expedite incident response. Integrating cyber and physical security is another important element to a comprehensive security approach. However, we all need to move proactively against these threats to minimize risk, establishing best practices and ensuring they are followed at every level. Situational and predictive analytics can help improve the reliability of building systems, making them less vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

To adequately protect their environment, security practitioners can have thousands of solution points installed in their buildings. These technologies generate enormous amounts of data. Assurance services can be a great way for security personnel to identify and map all assets and centralize security asset management and remotely monitor equipment. The service ultimately offers a holistic view of security operations, allowing personnel to detect and resolve problems as soon as they occur.  

Access Control

Smarter, more secure infrastructure is critical for customers looking to enhance their security landscape. Access control is essential to achieving safer environments, and digital transformation is significantly supporting businesses in doing so. Physical key cards and badges have been the norm for years when granting employee access to certain areas of a building. However, these can be easily lost or stolen and are time-consuming and costly to replace. 

Businesses have traditionally relied on security personnel to monitor locations around the premises. Bringing in intelligent, connected technologies gives them a supporting tool to help streamline security efforts and monitor all areas of the building effectively. Access control capabilities with mobile phones can communicate with security personnel if they find one that doesn’t belong in a particular area. As a result, action can be taken in a timely, effective manner to solve the issue faster than ever before. Additionally, end users can monitor multiple sites of a business from a single interface, ensuring centralized awareness of any issues that may impact multiple sites. 

When connected to the cloud, operations can be significantly improved while reducing costs. With biometrics and the cloud, end users can achieve a deeper understanding of what is going on at a given location. For example, occupancy rates and traffic patterns can be collected by video surveillance and sensors. Integration with other building systems, such as HVAC and lighting, allows them to automatically switch off, increase or decrease temperatures or dim lighting to save energy consumption and expenditures. 

Customers want to keep pace with the emerging capabilities that smartphones, video surveillance and building control systems can bring. We’re seeing more end users pursue hosted access control solutions, which offers an intelligent way to manage every entry and exit point in facilities, all streamlined in one web-based interface. 

Cloud-Based Security

The data collected from across a facility through systems integration is increasingly stored in a cloud instead of a physical hard drive. Proper management of cloud-based data is imperative to maintaining integrity of all systems. 

For example, visitor management capabilities are redefining how industries operate, such as hospitals and health care facilities where visitor traffic is an everyday occurrence. Security managers understand who is in the building, where they are and what they are doing. Video surveillance can monitor their moves, while cybersecurity can share insight into occupant activity. All of this data is collected and stored in the cloud and a breach could significantly impact patient privacy and safety. ISC West will highlight new solutions to protect data in the cloud. 

Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence

Data is the foundation on which businesses can build a future-ready security program while improving threat detection and combatting human error. When integrated with security and other building systems, machine learning and artificial intelligence can help maximize situational awareness through the unification of systems into a single interface by quickly and accurately analyzing the vast streams of data collected. Centralizing these efforts and the monitoring of all systems can significantly ease the decision making process and ensure building managers and owners are getting the most out of their spaces.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence can be easily integrated with other building technologies and systems, such as video-based security solutions, sensors, intrusion detection and mass notification to help combat cyber security threats. Data retrieved from these systems then can be streamlined into one software platform for seamless analyzation, helping security directors gain insight into more reliable data, ultimately increasing the protection of assets and mitigating risk.

We can expect the movement towards autonomous technologies to be on display at ISC West 2020. These emerging technologies, such as drones and robotics, utilize machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities to help monitor buildings during inoccupancy. Building managers and owners can rest assured while not physically on-site that their spaces are continuously monitored and protected. These autonomous technologies can take charge of handling a variety of efforts, including alert monitoring, detecting leaks, fires and technology issues and patrolling indoor and outdoor areas. 

More customers see the value that systems integration can bring. Digital transformation and the insights derived from data can have a significant impact on preparing buildings for the future. At ISC West 2020, new technologies and solutions will be on display to assist building managers and owners as they look to design, update and implement future-ready security strategies to best fit their needs.

On many fronts, 2019 was a memorable year for the security industry, particularly around advancements in smarter integrations, machine learning and artificial intelligence. These developments are constantly emerging in the field, and 2020 will bring the industry’s customers even smarter, more secure solutions that will support the safety, security, growth and efficiency outcomes they require. 

There is much more to discuss around developing, designing, installing and managing smarter security solutions. ISC West 2020 is a can’t-miss event.