Page 18 - Security Today, November/December 2019

Video and IoT Megatrends
to Accelerate into 2020
It makes sense to understand and be ready for questions and concerns that will arise BAy Tom Galvin
s we wind down 2019 and look forward to a new decade, it is time to re- flect upon the year and the megatrends that have
started to influence video surveillance and the physical security industry. End users are planning for 2020 and falling into the December business lull. Reports are be- ing pulled, the last dollars of budget are scrambling to be spent and all the new product ideas you have gently put into your customer’s head are waiting to see the light of day at budget planning meetings.
Be Ready
As the end users plan for 2020, it makes sense to understand and be ready for the questions and concerns that will arise in customer board meetings. What should we spend our budget on in 2020? What is the next big thing that will help push the com- pany to the next level? And, most impor- tantly, what portion of the budget does my department have in 2020?
Throughout 2019 my conversations with customers have consistently involved several themes and trends that I expect to have a significant impact in 2020 physical security deployments.
Cybersecurity for IoT
Much has been written about cybersecu- rity. The Security Industry Association identified cybersecurity and its impact on our industry as the number one mega- trend in 2019. Expect this trend to con- tinue in 2020.
Threat actors continue to target IoT devices in enterprises to attack business infrastructure. Mirai groups are targeting business IoT devices and more than 30 percent of Mirai denial-of-service attacks are going after enterprise IoT devices.
The threats continue to evolve so it is not surprising that both IT and physical security integrators continue to struggle to keep up with best practices and the chal- lenge to hire the right people in a very competitive labor market for technical
skills. Many integrators simply ignore the topic because they do not know how to talk about it.
Automated tools are the answer. These emerging tools can deploy best practices for IoT hardening without requiring sig- nificant expertise. Such tools can provide a complete inventory of assets, secure the assets and then monitor for compliance. Reports to the end user provide assurance.
Integrators who adopt hardening tools as part of their standard practices will be able to put their customers at ease and en- sure that systems are secured from the “as- build” implementation and throughout the life cycle of the system.
Device Monitoring and Assurance Services
The proliferation of IP cameras and other IoT devices for security applications has generated demand for assurance services that can track physical security assets, monitor their performance and provide lifecycle management. These services can be implemented with software platforms that provide remote connectivity for real- time monitoring and management.
Security professionals get the benefit of assuring system compliance with security protocols, ensuring system performance and uptime while reducing maintenance costs. These services provide an RMR ser- vice opportunity for resellers to remotely monitor end-user installations and reduce costly truck rolls by remotely detecting and proactively troubleshooting issues.
China
The government has taken actions that have significantly disrupted supply chains for physical security products. The most visible action was the McCain National Defense Authorization Act that prohibits the purchase of Chinese cameras by the government. In addition to prohibiting camera purchases, this new law prohibits the use of electronic components from specific Chinese companies. A growing number of commercial buyers have taken note and are applying similar restrictions on their purchasing, requiring suppliers to provide written statements of compliance with the McCain Act.
Separately, the ongoing trade disputes between the United States and China
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | SECURITY TODAY
TRENDS 2020
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