Siemens, its subsidiary Alarmcom and Zylotech partnered on a tender calling for IP-based video surveillance and recording technology, and specifying requirements for an integrated and nationally supported solution. Zylotech says its technology was selected by Siemens for the winning tender bid thanks to it being “state-of-the-art equipment and price competitive…delivering highest quality video with ease of integration…” According to Zylotech’s CEO Bernard McGeorge, “Our ongoing agreement with Siemens will allow Zylotech to work closely with (Siemens) on tailoring specialized video security solutions for a range of their top customers…within Australia and eventually offshore.”
Axis And Hid Enter Partnership
The Internet protocol (IP)- based platform enables application developers, system integrators, and OEMs to expand their system offerings by integrating network video and access control to address growing market requirements for converged security solutions. The platform will be developed and delivered as an open application programming interface (API). “Axis has always promoted an open standards approach for the integration of our products,” said Ray Mauritsson, CEO of Axis Communications. “Our relationship with HID emphasizes our desire to develop network-based products that help to resolve security and IT convergence issues while the market shifts from analog to digital video.” As the IT and security access control markets converge, this new platform will link previously disparate systems by enabling network video and access control systems to interoperate. In addition, Axis’ Application Development Partners (ADPs) will have the ability to integrate access control into their current video applications, while HID’s solution partners will be able to integrate video into their access control systems. “In response to the convergence of physical access control and IT, HID’s product development strategy will continue to focus on customers’ requirements for interoperability,” said Denis Hébert, president of HID. “HID clearly recognizes the role of IP-based devices for security and is partnering with Axis to ensure future product platforms will meet the open interconnectivity needs of the market.” Using the open standard from Axis and HID, application developers and OEMs will be able to build systems utilizing peer-to-peer communication, without having to communicate through a host server. For example, an event detected by the access control system will automatically trigger the network camera to record video. Other benefits include truly integrated video solutions where network cameras are directly linked via existing TCP/IP ports to access management systems for video verification using supervisory software or a central monitoring station. This new operating environment will offer a simpler and less expensive approach than traditionally linking analog video and digital video recorders. Axis and HID expect to announce availability of their jointly developed application programming interface (API) later this year.
Bosch Unveils Lcd Cctv Monitor
Designed for the CCTV security market, the MON201CL monitor includes two looping composite video inputs, two looping audio inputs, and one looping Y/C input. It also has an analog VGA input to accommodate the increasing use of PCs and digital video devices in security applications. The addition of the MON201CL means that Bosch now offers a full range of 15-, 17-, and 20-inch flat panel LCDs for environments where visual appeal is important. The new monitor’s compact, space-saving design has an LCD panel depth of only 8.64 cm. Like other monitors in the range, the MON201CL comes with a base mount and uses the VESA standard 100 mm hole pattern on the back panel to secure the LCD monitor to a wall bracket – so it can be installed easily wherever customers need it. The compact 20-inch monitor has a wide viewing angle, so is an ideal choice for public-view applications. Specific features to support public-view monitoring include a DC power outlet for a 12 VDC camera; on-screen menus accessible via front panel controls or a remote control transmitter; and a front panel lockout feature to prevent access once the monitor setup is completed. MON201CL is compatible with analog output devices such as the Allegiant Matrix Switcher System, the Divar Digital Recorder and standard multiplexers. It is also recommended for use with devices and systems with VGA output of 800 x 600 maximum resolution. When necessary, the MON201CL can be scaled for compatibility with 1024 x 768 resolution via its on-board software.
Security Clogging The Works, Says Signature
The research shows that the terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001, have acted as a catalyst for widespread change in the industry, causing a hardening of security at all points of the supply chain. The research was conducted for Signature by AMR Interactive and involved a series of in-depth, face-to-face interviews with CEOs, Customs Branch and Financial Managers in the freight, transport and logistics industry in Australia and New Zealand. It specifically looked at perceptions of security threats along the supply chain and the measures being taken to counter them. Signature’s group general manager, Chris Hay, said that while the industry fully supported the increased focus on security, the more onerous screening procedures and other measures were increasing costs and causing bottlenecks in the system. “This is nowhere more evident than in supply chain operations, where the real pain is being felt in longer lead times and an increased cost of doing business,” Mr Hay said. “There is also concern that some of the initial reaction from regulators was hasty and fragmented, although more recently there has been a more consultative approach, resulting in solutions that more adequately balance risk against associated costs and resources.” The research said the cost implications of the improved security measures included directs costs such as the customs processing levy, paying for storage while containers are waiting to be scanned and the financial contribution to new government initiatives. There were also the secondary costs such as the additional staff needed to manage the new processes and the extra reporting requirements. Mr Hay said that most in the industry accepted that stricter security was now a cost of doing business but were looking for ways to ensure it didn’t cause further delays to the delivery of cargo to customers. “The solution is not simple,” he said. “It appears that it may lie in a structured blend of security technologies, education, training and accreditation. The security regime that evolves must maintain an acceptable level of efficacy in the supply chain whilst delivering the required level of asset protection required by all. It’s more about an end-to-end solution than about fences and guards.” He said there was a need to ensure that at each stage of the supply chain freight companies were dealing with accredited suppliers. This would streamline the passage of goods through security checking procedures. The research also suggested developing methodologies to distinguish between perceived and actual risk. “With Al Qaeda’s stated aim of focusing attacks on undermining economies with an economic dependence on trade, it’s hard to avoid the realities and consequences of a potential incident ,” Mr Hay said. “However the solution must fit the problem.” Mr Hay emphasised that, while the current strengthening of security at Australia’s airports was a welcome move, it must not occur at the expense of maritime security. He pointed out that Sydney and Melbourne ports alone handle some $A115.5 billion in international and domestic trade every year. So maritime security was a matter of national economic importance and should remain a high priority. A report on the research titled “Security Issues Pertinent to the Freight, Transport & Logistics Industry” is available on request from Signature Security Group.
Schneider Buys Invensys And Merges With Tac
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals. ABS EMEA, owned by Invensys plc, is a leading provider of building automation solutions and services (regulation, monitoring and control of all technical equipment in buildings) in the UK under the Satchwell brand name and has a strong presence accross the rest of Europe and in the Middle East. The company generated revenues of $168 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, with a restated operating profit of $12.3 million. The market of Automation and Control of Building utilities represents a significant growth potential for Schneider Electric since it is a market worth some $11 billion, it is growing on average by more than 6% a year and it offers substantial synergy with Schneider Electric’s existing positions. Building Automation is one of the growth platforms on which Schneider Electric has been focusing on since it announced to develop new activities, less cyclical and with high growth potential. The TAC acquisition in June 2003, enabled Schneider Electric to become a major player in building automation. The subsequent merger between TAC and Andover Controls, acquired in June 2004, further re-enforced Schneider Electric’s position, notably in the US market, integrated systems and security capabilities. The ABS EMEA business will be integrated with the new entity Tour Andover Controls (TAC). The merger of ABS EMEA and TAC will provide significant synergies: – Generates combined revenues of $800 million in 2005, – Enlarges installed customer base, – Offers growth opportunities in key markets (France, Italy, Gulf countries), – Brings additional capabilities in peripherals (actuators, sensors, valves), – Increases services competencies in building automation, – Expands the current existing distribution channel, – Improves internal efficiency and profitability. Henri Lachmann, Chairman and CEO of Schneider Electric, commented: “This acquisition fits very well with our strategy to continue to develop high growth potential platforms. Invensys Advanced Building Systems in Europe and Middle-East will bring us an expanded installed base and additional offering capabilities, notably in peripherals. The complementary fit between Tour Andover Controls and ABS EMEA is strong in terms of solutions and geographic coverage.” Subject to regulatory approvals, Schneider Electric will pay $150 million in cash to acquire 100% of the ABS EMEA business. The acquired operations will be debt free. Schneider Electric will be working in partnership with the other Invensys ABS businesses to sell their complementary products into EMEA territories.
L-3 To Acquire Titan In Us2.6 Billion Merger
The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of each company and will now be subject to approval by Titan shareholders. Titan recently entered into memoranda of understanding to settle securities law class actions and derivative suits pending in Federal and State courts in California and Delaware. L-3 Communications specializes in access control systems and the merger will likely expand its horizons in the IT arena.
U.S. Wants Brit Id Cards To Match Theirs
According to an SSI report, the aim of getting the same microchip is to ensure compatibility in screening terrorist suspects. But it will also mean that information contained in the British (or Australian) cards can be accessed across the Atlantic. Michael Chertoff, the newly appointed U.S. Secretary for Homeland Security, has already had talks with the British Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, and the Transport Secretary, Alistair Darling, to discuss the matter. Chertoff told The Independent that it was vital to seek compatibility, holding up the example of the “video war” of 25 years ago, when VHS and Betamax were in fierce competition to win the status of industry standard for video recording systems. “I certainly hope we have the same chip, it would be very bad if we all invested huge amounts of money in biometric systems and they didn’t work with each other,” he said. “Hopefully, we are not going to do VHS and Betamax with our chips. I was one of the ones who bought Betamax, and that’s now in the garbage.” A bill passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Bush in May now require all Americans to have a national ID card that includes a yet to be determined electronic component.
Five Most Hyped It Security Threats Revealed
The 5 threats include:
— Internet Protocol (IP) telephony is unsafe — Mobile malware will cause widespread damage — “Warhol Worms” will make the Internet unreliable for business traffic and virtual private networks (VPNs) — Regulatory compliance equals security — Wireless hot spots are unsafe “Many businesses are delaying rolling out high productivity technologies, such as wireless local area networks (WLANs) and IP telephony systems because they have seen so much hype about potential threats,” said Lawrence Orans, principal analyst at Gartner. “We’ve also seen the perceived need to spend on compliance reporting for Sarbanes-Oxley hyped beyond any connection with the reality of the legislation,” added John Pescatore, vice president and Gartner Fellow. Gartner analysts examined the status of each of these over-hyped security risks. IP Telephony is Unsafe. The reality is that security attacks are rare for IP telephony. Preventive measures for securing an IP telephony environment are very similar to securing a data-only environment. IP telephony eavesdropping is the most over-hyped threat. Eavesdropping is unlikely to happen since it requires local area network (LAN)-based access to the intranet. The attackers must be inside the company because they have to be on the same LAN as the IP telephone that is subject to the eavesdropping attack. Gartner analysts said companies can encrypt voice traffic to protect IP telephony eavesdropping, but typically it is not required. It is no more difficult to eavesdrop on voice packets than it is on data packets. “Enterprises that diligently use security best practices to protect their IP telephony servers should not let these threats derail their plans,” Mr. Orans said. “For these enterprises, the benefits of IP telephony far outweigh any security risks.” Mobile Malware Will Cause Widespread Damage. In most cases, mobile malware will be a niche nuisance in the foreseeable future. Penetration of smartphone and personal digital assistants (PDAs) with always-on wireless to knowledge workers or consumers was about 3 percent in 2005. Gartner projects it to reach approximately 10 percent by the end of 2005. “Anti-virus vendors see huge potential profit opportunities in selling security solutions to billions of cell phone and PDA users,” Mr. Pescatore said. “In particular, the anti-viral industry sees cell phones as the way to grow sales outside of a flat, commoditized PC market. However, device-side anti-viruses for cell phones will be completely ineffective.” “The most effective approach to blocking mobile malware will be to block it in the network,” Mr. Pescatore said. “Companies should ask their wireless service providers to document existing and planned capabilities. By the end of 2006, all wireless service providers should be required to offer over-the-air mobile malware protection.” “Warhol Worms” will Make the Internet Unreliable for Business Traffic and VPNs. A “Warhol Worm” is a worm that infects all vulnerable machines on the Internet within 15 minutes. The “SQL Slammer” worm had a strong impact on the Internet in 2003, but this is the only observed example of a “Warhol Worm.” Gartner analysts project that through 2007, the Internet will meet performance and security requirements for all business-to-consumer traffic, 70 percent of business-to-business traffic and more than half of corporate wide area network (WAN) traffic. “Every organization should consider using Internet VPNs, and most should adopt them in some way,” said Mr. Orans. “Today’s Internet offers a low-cost, good-enough or better option to the data networks of traditional global carriers.” Regulatory Compliance Equals Security. Regulations often provide a means to obtain funding for important security initiatives before incidents occur, but most regulations lead to increased reporting rather than increased levels of security. “Regulations generally take more static looks at issues and generally don’t lead to higher levels of security in proportion to the spending required to meet the latter of the law,” Mr. Orans said. “The best way to increase enterprise IT security is to buy and build software that has fewer vulnerabilities, but there has been no regulatory focus on this area. Companies should focus on building stronger security processes, then document these processes to demonstrate regulatory compliance.” Wireless Hot Spots Are Unsafe. Uneducated consumers can fall prey to wireless hackers, but enterprises can equip and educate their mobile workers with the tools and knowledge to mitigate these threats and increase business productivity via hot spot usage. Gartner analysts said mobile users should seek out 802.1X protected access points because these points facilitate encryption between the mobile endpoint and the access point. Users can also use client-based software, such as solutions from AirDefense, AirMagnet or T-Mobile’s Connection Manager, that can validate the access point’s identity and thereby reduce the risk of connecting to a hacker’s access point. “Mobile uses in hot spots should utilize their corporate VPN connection to protect traffic as it travels through the Internet,” Mr. Pescatore said. “Mobile users in hotspots should use personal firewalls and turn off file/print sharing to protect their endpoints from data theft.”
Jvc Keeps Pushing Hard On Ip Cameras
High-resolution images are captured using a1/4-inch interline transfer CCD with 380,000 pixels and a removable IR cut filter that captures nighttime images in realistic color. A high quality 12x optical zoom lens provides clear details and is controlled remotely via a network interface, with up to 100 camera presets. The presets can be activated by the auto-patrol feature, or by an alarm or motion trigger. The VN-C625U is only 120mm in diameter. The camera’s motion-JPEG image output provides resolutions of up to 640 x 480 pixels with a maximum frame rate of 30fps. The camera also includes a Compact Flash card slot that works in conjunction with the alarm function to allow automatic recording onto a CF card when an alarm triggers. This added recording option is useful for evidential and for visual verification purposes as it can easily be removed from the camera. In addition, its 360-degree pan, tilt and zoom functions have 100 programmable preset positions and variable movement speed for quick image capture in any direction. The camera has motion detection and pre and post alarm recording capability, and can even send an e-mail when an alarm triggers. For dark indoor environments and night time surveillance, Super LoLux™ technology allows the VN-C625U to capture high-quality images in extremely low light situations. In addition, the mechanical IR cut filter has a night function that allows the filter to be automatically retracted for infrared imaging (monochrome), making the camera sensitive enough to shoot in just 0.15 lux of ambient light. The distribution control setting can set the bit rate (32kbps to 8Mbps) which allows the camera to maintain the preset frame rate (max 30fps) and file size by automatically changing the compression level according to the bit rate. This makes the cameras automatically configurable for all types of IP networks. The VN-C625U includes a privacy mask that shields selected areas from intrusive monitoring. The VN-C625U provides a standard 10/100BaseT interface for connection to a LAN, WAN or to the Internet. The camera features built-in Web and FTP servers and can operate in a DHCP (Dynamic Host Communication Protocol) office and server environment. The camera can be used with the new JVC range of mountings and brackets. “The IP security market is changing and there is the requirement by our customers for more powerful and multi-functional security cameras for a variety of installations. Since the VN-C625U is based on the design of JVC’s analogue domes, it gives users added confidence,” commented Yash Patel, Executive Director, CCTV Europe at JVC Professional Europe Ltd.
