COVID-19 has challenged how we view security as a society. When the pandemic began, companies had to keep their day-to-day operations running smoothly while still protecting customers, employees and visitors. Especially for security and IT professionals, the interruption of the pandemic and a primarily remote environment forced them to assess current infrastructure and upgrade systems to better protect the network.

Access control is shining in the physical security industry, finding niches that range from traditional entrance control to COVID-19 identification and containment strategies and friction-free, touchless experiences. With wireless, integrators can take advantage of more opportunities where cable running may be a major issue and won’t be left wondering “how do I get a wire from here to there?”

Are you having difficulty receiving acceptance from senior leadership?  Are you struggling to obtain buy-in for security funding other than the three Gs — guards, guns and gates? Let me share with you how I have been successful in gaining buy-in from senior leadership. 

For months now, businesses have had to get used to uncertainty.

No one can doubt that 2020 will be remembered as the year of shattered expectations. For those working in the technology space, the past year has ebbed and flowed — and BOOMED — as consumers have set up shop to work, learn and entertain themselves from the comfort of their homes.

More than 250 million times a year, Americans call 911 in some of their darkest hours. Whether a car breaks down in the middle of a snow storm, a family member experiences a heart attack or a home or business is broken into, we know help is just a phone call away.

The security industry continues to devalue its services in the U.S. by promoting the notion that a simple doorbell camera or a hub connecting door and window sensors with a DIY app will protect homes.

In 2020, COVID shutdowns accelerated use cases for drones, and with more drones in the skies comes more exposed vulnerabilities. The airspace security market, two years ago, was in its infancy. Today, airspace security datasets show more than a 100 percent increase in unauthorized drone activity since the start of the COVID-19 shutdowns beginning in March.

Companies are racing to implement phone-based credentials to increase security and user convenience. In general, that’s a good thing. However, if you’re thinking they’ll finally solve all of your identity security and credential management issues, think again.  

There is a lot written these days about cybersecurity and the Internet of Things (IoT) regarding their impact on security integrators. I put the situation into the context of digital risk — our societal movement into the age of ones and zeros — which has redefined the concept of both business and personal security.