Page 14 - Security Today, November/December 2018

What Lies Ahead for 2019 Looking ahead is an exercise of evolution
BAy Fredrik Nilsson
fter spending close to 20 years in the security industry, it is always a good exercise to see what projections came through the last year and
which ones we foresee in the coming years. Some will be spot on, others will have been delayed or major events will have thrown trends off.
Typically, we see an evolution and not a revolution, so many of the trends are similar to prior years.
The Internet of Things: Connectivity Brings New Opportunities
The trend toward connected devices contin- ues with no end in sight. Billions of security and non-security devices and sensors are in- stalled worldwide, and they generate moun- tains of data that is ripe for collection and analysis to provide a more complete picture of security and overall operations. The more data that can be assimilated from disparate security and non-security systems, the better the intelligence that results from analysis.
The capabilities of IP-based systems are constantly evolving, and recognizing the growing thirst for data. Technology provid- ers continue to seek new and creative ways to harness the potential power, flexibility and intelligence the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data offers, and IP camera providers have been at the forefront of this movement.
According to IHS Markit, the video sur- veillance market is expected to grow 10.2 percent in 2018, reaching global revenues of $18.5 billion. This continued growth is sig- nificant, as camera networks are uniquely positioned to serve as the foundation of IoT networks. For many years, camera provid- ers have worked to integrate their offerings with access control, POS, speakers, HVAC, building automation and other security and non-security systems and devices. Analytics create a wider range of potential applica- tions, such as in retail and city surveillance, and VMS offer the ability to easily combine a number of data sources to create a broad overall view of processes, situations, opera- tions and much more. Therefore, expect to see camera networks filling this role more and more in 2019.
Along the lines of camera networks as the foundation for IoT applications, one technology that offers tremendous potential for security providers is IP audio. Mirroring
the trend of IoT in general—ease of man- agement, integration, interconnectivity and more—the market for IP audio systems is expected to grow exponentially. The benefits of integration between IP audio and IP video include enhanced security, situational aware- ness, business intelligence and more, which should contribute to greater-than-expected growth in the IP audio segment.
Cybersecurity:
Still a Primary Concern
As has been the case for several years, no discussion of future trends would be com- plete without talking about cybersecurity. The combination of increasingly connected devices and systems with the fact that cy- bercriminals continually grow more crafty and relentless in their attempts to breach networks make cybersecurity a perennial top five trend for the security industry.
In the connected world, cybersecurity has become one of the biggest concerns for companies and governments alike. What may have started out as people attempting to hack into systems for the challenge or for the fun of it has evolved into big business on the Dark Web. For example, governments have gotten in on the act, sponsoring hacking at- tempts with the goal of uncovering secrets.
The variety of IP-based systems that are integrated and/or interconnected raises the stakes for cyber attacks. Without certain safe-
guards in place, the security of any network is only as strong as the security of the weakest system or device within the overall ecosystem.
Many IP camera manufacturers provide equipment that is by default set to provide high levels of cybersecurity and provide reg- ular firmware updates and patches to address emerging cyber threats. A number of provid- ers also make sure integrators have access to their hardening guides, which lay out best practices for configuring devices to ensure the greatest level of cybersecurity.
Technology is important in addressing cybersecurity, but as important are process- es, tools and education. The main questions to ask yourself before selecting a vendor are: • How quickly can they come out with a
patch should a vulnerability be found?
• How fast can 50, 500 or 5,000 IoT devices
be upgraded?
• Will cyber patches be available for a camera
that was installed five or eight years ago?
Artificial Intelligence: Living up to the Hype?
At the moment, there is a high level of excite- ment and hype around artificial intelligence (AI) in the industry, and there are a number of providers who are incorporating AI into their solutions. However, because AI is still an emerging technology, it is relatively unproven. Yes, the day will come when AI is a force mul- tiplier for security, but that day is still far off.
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER | SECURITY TODAY
GROWTH AND TRENDS
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