Page 24 - Security Today, April 2017

SECURITY ISSUES
Five Senses of Security
Today’s digital world has become more complex for everyone
BIy Kevin Friedman
n today’s digital world, it’s no surprise that security has become a more complex concern holding bigger stakes for everyone. Secu- rity issues such as data breaches, power plant attacks, and active shooter incidents have propelled the field of security into some- what uncharted territory, putting threat detection, identification
and prevention into both the national conversation and boardroom meetings.
Largely because of the range and severity of these new types of threats, the value proposition of security has evolved from basic monitoring systems to complete security solutions that include detec- tion, prevention and immediate response to an attack. Just as people use their five senses to recognize potentially dangerous situations and to trigger defensive responses, experts agree that so must today’s se- curity systems.
Another factor driving innovation in security is the recent surge in data interflow among the Internet of Things (IoT). As Cisco’s noted IT engineer Plamen Nedeltchev wrote in a 2015 article, “there were 1,000 Internet-connected devices in 1982. Fifty billion devices are ex-
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pected to be connected by 2020.” This means that, in order to be ef- fective, today’s security solutions must also be concerned with storing and successfully navigating a vast sea of incoming data.
Here’s a look at several of today’s top innovative sensory security technologies and the trends that have propelled the way that security needs have come to include all five senses.
Sight – Thermal Imaging and Infrared
The visual has always been a key component of surveillance systems, and thermal technology has played an increasingly important role in object identification at night. Thermal imagers identify objects through darkness, fog and smoke by detecting and displaying differ- ences in heat energy. This technology is particularly ideal for intru- sion detection for critical infrastructure, large enterprises and mili- tary operations. Thermal imaging has come a long way and recent innovations have made it more accessible than ever before. It also enables monitoring of manufacturing equipment with non-contact measurement detection and reporting for greater cost efficiency.
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