We’ve ended the first month of the new year and are into February. With the year still young, it’s a good time to look ahead at some of the trends that might be shaping the next 11 months of security.
U.K.-based security firm Calipsa recently outlined some of the key trends in physical security for this year. Of course, in our 21st century reality, the physical and digital are often combined. Artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT fuel most of the technology we use. When it comes to securing your business or your family home, Brian Baker, Calipsa’s Chief Revenue Officer outlines some of the big security trends you should keep in mind.
Here’s an overview of the five key trends from Baker’s post:
• AI is the key
AI always seems to be at the top of the list. It’s embedded in almost all connected tech — from your phone to your building’s security cameras. Baker writes that AI in the security market was valued at $5.08 billion in 2020 and that number will hit as high as $14.18 billion by the year 2026. Baker says security-centric AI has shifted from mainly a “forensic analysis tool” that’s applied after an incident occurs to a preventive tool before your home or business faces a criminal breach. A big part of this is predictive data analytics, with machine learning using these predictive tools to make statistical decisions using data collected in real time.
• The cloud is an indispensable tool
With work-from-home and a global economy meaning security interests extend worldwide, Baker spotlights the fact that remote security is increasingly becoming a major focus. Remote video monitoring was on the rise, but the realities of COVID-19 sped up that process. Baker cites his company’s 2021 Annual Report that found 75 percent of businesses surveyed reported using cloud-based video analytics — an increase of 8 percent from the year before. About 32 percent of respondents said they now used a remote security solution that is totally tied to the cloud. This all helps a business scale up. Baker says many security options are heading in the direction of a “software as a service” (SaaS) model — enabling for the flexibility of a subscription cloud service.
• AI might help with staff shortages
We’ve all seen the headlines about mass staff shortages through all sectors of a global economy changed by the pandemic. Baker cites 31 percent of respondents in the Annual Report who say staff shortages were the “greatest challenge” of the past year. That number rose 20 percent since 2020. More than half — 55 percent — also said “staff shortage/sickness” stood as the “greatest operational challenge of the past year.” Baker says modern AI-powered security solutions can come to the rescue. Intelligent video analytics can serve as a 24/7 solution for monitoring security cameras in real time. AI can fill in the gaps left by a diminishing labor force.
• Will the supply chain affect security in 2022?
The shift in the global supply chain function has had an impact on businesses. A big threat has been cargo theft as supply chains grind to a halt. Baker says modern security technology is being applied to help with these criminal threats but they come with some concerns of their own. The systems used to monitor and track vehicles and shipments are prone to hacks of their own. It’s a concern all of us in the security sector have to monitor as we progress through this year.
• Physical and cybersecurity are becoming one
Baker points to something that has been evident for several years now — physical security and cybersecurity are becoming indelibly merged. Gone are the days when protecting cyber assets is a separate concern from shielding physical assets. Baker cites some have been leery to embrace this change. The 2021 Video Surveillance Report from IFSEC Global shows that 64 percent of respondents said cybersecurity concerns were a “barrier to cloud video adoption” for their security needs. While that is understandable, it’s crucial that proper training, education, and vetting be put in place within firms to ensure that cybersecurity standards are upheld — in this current market, one can’t afford to not augment physical with cybersecurity. The future isn’t either physical or cyber — it’s both.