Latin America. Below we share the top five predictions for the physical security industry in 2021 according to an analysis by the company Genetec.
1. Innovative security solutions will help businesses thrive after the pandemic
While the world remains optimistic for 2021, organizations will need to remain creative about how they use, update, and redistribute their security systems on their premises. This will allow them to start thinking more broadly about the role of physical security and what they can do beyond traditional applications to deliver more value. We have already seen evidence of this resilience and ingenuity in recent months with many organizations that have quickly adapted to the new needs and challenges posed by COVID-19, using their physical security technology as a strategic tool in the fight against the pandemic. In many ways, the extraordinary difficulties brought about by the current situation have led to greater attention being paid to the role and importance of the physical security industry. And once the pandemic is finally in the rearview mirror, we believe organizations will continue to see their physical security technology and related data, both strategic and business structuring.
2. Companies will focus on protecting privacy
In an effort to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations rushed to deploy "fever detection" devices and other new sensors without necessarily having the time to consider privacy implications. Public privacy concerns related to COVID-19 contact tracing and other societal challenges will continue to grow. These sensitive issues will require the physical security industry to tackle privacy head-on and find appropriate solutions. Rather than hindering the development of new technologies, privacy will prove to be a driving force in the pursuit of responsible and innovative design, encouraging forward-thinking and ethical developers to adopt Privacy by Design methodologies. This involves proactively incorporating privacy into the design and operation of IT systems, network infrastructure, and business practices, from the first line of code to the third-party vendors selected for partnership and integration.
Additionally, in the physical security industry, developing a privacy-based software solution from the start means that organizations won't have to choose between protecting individual privacy and ensuring their physical security. Privacy should always be the default option and not the other way around, and security technology developers who take it seriously will gain clear advantages, particularly the trust of their customers.
3. Cybersecurity risks will continue to increase
While cybersecurity has been an issue for some time, it will sadly remain a vital concern in 2021. From schools and hospitals, to private companies and governments, there has been an increase in cyberattacks over the past year. In the third quarter of 2020 alone, Trend Micro reported that there were nearly 4 million email threats and more than 1 million visits to malicious URLs related to COVID-19.
Much of this can relate to the sudden shift to remote work, which left companies struggling to keep the business going while also trying to secure corporate assets. This change highlighted the fact that the traditional perimeter in IT no longer exists. Businesses, organizations and governments will need to take decisive action to strengthen their cyber posture or risk undermining the security of their intellectual property, sensitive data and personal information. Choosing trusted vendors and deploying physical security solutions that come with layers of cyber defense is critical. Security teams understand that built-in encryption, multi-factor authentication, and password management are the first lines of defense. Beyond that, taking advantage of other features such as the cybersecurity risk index, system vulnerability alerts, and automated reminders of firmware and hardware updates are significant advantages in this high-risk environment.
4. Increased attention to trust in the supply chain
Physical security technology has become an integral part of an organization's IT strategy and, fortunately, is now under the same level of scrutiny as other elements of an organization's technology pillar. Some governments are already discouraging the use of certain products from security manufacturers, citing trust and security vulnerabilities. End users, especially in the enterprise space, are spending more time scrutinizing the manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors they choose to work with. This includes asking vendors more specific questions about how they manage emerging threats, how communicative they are about vulnerabilities in products and their partner ecosystem, and what their data and privacy policies are. For a physical security solution provider to be considered a trusted and reputable partner to its customers, it will have to meet stricter requirements as part of the procurement process.
5. Demand for hybrid cloud solutions will continue to grow
According to Forrester's recent report, Predictions 2021: Cloud Computing Powers PandemicRecovery, global public cloud infrastructure will grow 35% to a market value of $120 billion over the next year. As online use and remote work skyrocketed during the pandemic, the global shift towards digital transformation, which was already underway, greatly accelerated.
To thrive, physical security professionals will need to follow the leadership of IT departments. Next year, physical security leaders should put aside the divide between cloud and on-site security systems and adopt a hybrid deployment model in their physical security infrastructure. This will allow them to deploy specific systems or applications in the cloud, keeping existing systems on-site.
With a hybrid cloud approach, ciphers will be more agile in making decisions about how they can improve scalability, redundancy, and availability to adapt to their organization's changing needs. They will also be able to quickly migrate to newer technologies, minimize the hardware footprint, boost cybersecurity, and reduce costs. Cloud offerings must become an essential option to quickly adapt to changes and ensure business continuity.
