Weston in Space

McLean, VA – The Monitoring Association (TMA) Standards Committee has received confirmation that its TMA-AVS-01 Alarm Validation Standard has received official ANSI accreditation. Initiated in 2020, the standard provides a method of creating an alarm scoring or classification metric for unauthorized human activity detected by alarm systems. The alarm scoring will assist law enforcement with resource allocation and Call-for-Service prioritization. The standard is available for download . “I am extremely proud of the Committee’s work to bring this game-changing standard to completion. My sincere thanks to those in the security industry and the public safety community who participated in this collaboration,” TMA-AVS-01 Committee Chair Mark McCall commented. “Now begins the equally important work of implementing this standard into both communities, bringing significant benefits to both and to our mutual customers.” The TMA-AVS-01 Standard Committee was composed of more than 60 participan

Distributor Wesco International (NYSE: WCC ) has unveiled a new international go-to-market brand identity: Wesco Anixter. The announcement was made at ISE 2023 in Barcelona. “We are proud to share a new international brand identity that underscores Wesco Anixter’s commitment to innovation and in-country expertise, showcasing the company’s ability to provide customers around the globe with the solutions they need to drive operational efficiency and profitability,” says John Engel, Chairman, President and CEO, Wesco International. The new international Wesco Anixter brand represents the combined organization across its CALA, EMEA and APAC regions, and underscores the company’s commitment to combine global scale and local expertise to deliver innovative supply chain solutions to customers around the world. Named to Fortune magazine’s list of the “World’s Most Admired” companies, operating in more than 50 countries, and building on the strong heritage of both the Wesco and Anixter busi

According to a new survey commissioned by Vivint Home Security, 75% of American homeowners lock their doors when they’re away. When it comes to protecting their homes, American homeowners have different reasons why they do or don’t prioritize home security. Did you know that 75% of Americans don’t lock their doors while running an errand? How about that 77% of Americans don’t lock their door when they’re home? According to the survey, only 33% of Americans are very concerned that someone might break into their home. The data is the result of polling 2,000 American homeowners (40 per state) to gather information about their habits when locking their doors, how concerned they are about someone breaking in, and what items they keep at home that they worry the most about being stolen when they leave. Highlights of the results include: 33% of our respondents live in a suburb. 75% of our respondents said they always lock their doors when they aren’t home because they consider home secu

Security integrators are quickly realizing they cannot ignore cybersecurity services for their commercial and residential clients, and a new report from BlackBerry confirms how prevalent cyberattacks are becoming. With the resurgence of the Emotet botnet, phishing attacks and infostealers dominating the attack landscape, the report notes that threat actors have been launching an attack about once every minute. Using data gathered from the company’s own intelligent security software, the provider’s first Global Intelligence Report found that more than 1.75 million malware-based attacks had been stopped by its technology. During these attacks, the most common tools the company noticed were the Emotet botnet, the Qakbot phishing threat and an increase in infostealers such as GuLoader. MacOS Systems Found to Be No Safer than Others Other highlights from the report include threats targeting macOS systems. Despite the prevailing opinion, BlackBerry says macOS is not a safer platform due t

Snap One (Nasdaq: SNPO ) has announced that its new Luma x20 family of surveillance products is now available to Partners online and at Snap One Partner Stores. Previewed at CEDIA 2022, the x20 family features products that are fully NDAA-compliant, deliver the latest AI-powered security features and provide customers greater peace of mind while simplifying installation and long-term maintenance through full OvrC integration. “The Luma x20 launch is an important leap forward as we deliver on our product platform. The Luma experience goes beyond just pieces and parts. By thoughtfully bringing together hardware (IP cameras and NVRs), configuration and management tools (OvrC), integration (Control4) and the customer app (Luma View), we are able to deliver an unparalleled experience to Partners and customers,” said G Paul Hess, Chief Product Officer at Snap One. The brand new NDAA-compliant x20 product family is the first Luma product line to include full OvrC integration, simplifying p

LogicMark, Inc. (Nasdaq: LGMK ), a provider of personal emergency response systems (PERS) , health communications devices, and technology for the growing care economy, has closed its above-market underwritten public offering of $5.2 million worth of stock. The company offered had two offerings available. First was 10,585,000 units of stock, with each unit consisting of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one and one-half shares of common stock. Second was 3,440,000 pre-funded units, with each pre-funded unit consisting of one pre-funded warrant to purchase one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one and one-half shares of common stock. Each unit was sold at a public offering price of $0.371 and each pre-funded unit was sold at the public offering price per unit, minus $0.001. The warrants in the units and pre-funded units will be immediately exercisable at a price of $0.371 per share and will expire five years from the date of issuance. The shares of

For almost a year and a half, a Massachusetts high school has been unable to turn off its smart lights. Since then, teachers have resorted to manually removing bulbs from fixtures in classrooms. Staffers have even gone so far as to shut off breakers not connected to the main system to cut power to exterior lights, all because of a software malfunction and nightmarish supply chain issues. As NBC reports, the lighting system at Minnechaug Regional High School had been installed 10 years ago but it wasn’t until Aug. 2021 that it began to malfunction. Memos from the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District reveal the system’s safety measures and its connection to other systems made it impossible for building managers to turn off lights without impacting those other systems. “We are very much aware this is costing taxpayers a significant amount of money and we have been doing everything we can to get this problem solved,” said Aaron Osborne, assistant superintendent of finance. “I would

MELVILLE, N.Y. – ADI Global Distribution , a leading wholesale distributor of security, AV and low-voltage products, announced the recipients of its 2022 Supplier Awards. ADI selected HID as Supplier of the Year for North America. ADI also recognized suppliers in the categories of Operations, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Sales Support, New Product of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Each year, ADI recognizes key suppliers across North America for their support and contributions towards the growth and success of ADI. Suppliers are evaluated based on revenue, sales support, marketing initiatives, inventory results and feedback from ADI’s sales leadership team. “Congratulations to our ADI 2022 Supplier Award winners. Our supplier relationships are important to ADI’s success, and we value the support they provide to help us deliver value every day,” said Bob Appleby, vice president and general manager of ADI North America. “It was great to host these awards again in person after three y

McLEAN, Va.  – The Monitoring Association (TMA) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of David Morgan to the volunteer position of co-chair for its Marketing and Communications Committee. A longtime TMA member and volunteer contributor, Morgan is co-founder of SD Marketing , a California-based marketing firm. Morgan joins sitting Co-chair Jake Voll in the leadership of the Committee. “It is an honor and privilege to serve as co-chair for the TMA Marketing and Communications Committee. Since its founding, the mission of TMA has been to promote and advance professional monitoring to consumers and first responders through education, advocacy, and the creation of standards,” says Morgan, adding, “I look forward to leveraging my experience with marketing and deep understanding of the industry to help advocate for TMA to existing and prospective members. The Monitoring Association has a deep committee structure that includes the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC), AICC

Minuteman Security Technologies, an Andover, Mass.-based provider of enterprise security technology and life safety solutions, announces a name change that better reflects the company’s mission and values to Minuteman Security and Life Safety . The company says the new name and identity have been years in the making and will better represent the comprehensive services it provides to its customers. Through acquisition and continued growth, Minuteman Security and Life Safety now provides services throughout the United States. Its services now range from UL Listed intrusion detection systems, access control, video surveillance, emergency communications, and license plate recognition systems to enterprise fire alarm systems. In a recent communication to celebrate its new name, CEO Joseph Lynch, said, “Our leadership team has been working on brand change for quite some time. This transition means more options and services for our customers. Minuteman is committed to providing support serv

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. — i-PRO Americas, a global leader in professional security solutions for surveillance and public safety, has announced that it has moved its manufacturing center to Japan. Previously located in Cambodia, the new manufacturing facility will be located close to i-PRO’s Research and Development hub in Fukuoka, Japan. By moving its manufacturing center to Japan, i-PRO ’s engineering and manufacturing teams are better positioned to cooperate, design, test, and build industry-leading products faster than ever, the company explains. Related: i-PRO Makes Video Surveillance Trends Predictions for 2023 The close proximity of design and manufacturing teams will enable i-PRO to speed up time to market and shorten delivery times so that partners can complete jobs on time and on budget, it adds. i-PRO says the new Japanese manufacturing center will enable it to introduce new “agile production” engineering initiatives that will enable the company to implement a high-mix

Physical security is often considered simpler than digital security since safes are heavy and physical keys take more effort to duplicate than those of the digital persuasion. [Maxime Beasse and Quentin Clement] have developed a smartphone app that can duplicate a key from a photo making key copying much easier. KeyDecoder is an open source Android app that can generate all the necessary bitting info to duplicate a key from just an image. Luckily for the paranoid among us, the image must be taken with the key laying flat without a keyring on an ISO/CEI 7810 ID-1 ID or credit card. A passerby can’t just snap a photo of your keys across the room and go liberate your home furnishings, but it still would be wise to keep a closer eye on your keys now that this particular cat hack is out of the bag. The project’s GitHub page is awash in warnings that this tool is designed solely for “pentesters and security enthusiasts” to warn their friends and clients about the dangers of leaving the

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. – Hikvision wants integrators to be aware it is more than just a manufacturer of video surveillance equipment. The company announced a Q1 market push for its integrated lineup of video intercom and access control solutions. The activities include a full range of initiatives including market awareness outreach, increased training for dealers and users, demonstration equipment, and sales incentives that will continue through March 31, 2023. “We are committed to helping our dealers and end users make every entryway more secure than ever,” said John Xiao, Vice President of Marketing, Hikvision USA. “Our unique and extensive offering of video intercoms and door control solutions delivers reliable and cost-effective protection for every installation, helping to eliminate potential threats, liabilities, and needless losses.” Hikvision product lines included in these promotions include entryway and internal intercom stations using IP or two-wire communications, sin

ALEXANDRIA, Va. and LONDON — A new groundbreaking Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) report from ASIS confirms what most in the security field already knew: the market is male dominated. The study, which was released by the ASIS Foundation in partnership with UK-based research firm The Clarity Factory, cites data showing 94% of job applicants for global corporate security positions are males. Moreover, 70% of job candidates came from a former government background – generally military, police or intelligence. The first of its kind Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) report, Empowering Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Corporate Security 2023, was conducted by the association to reinforce its commitment to support global security managers. The report highlights DEI challenges within corporate security and suggestions towards building a culture that respects and celebrates the diversity of its workforce; recruiting, developing, and retaining diverse talent necessary to a

The home security market is evolving, and new solutions are helping to expand the market, creating opportunities for both traditional and DIY security service providers. These firms are seeking new ways to attract customers, build on their service revenues, foster brand loyalty, and address personal privacy concerns as a function of home security represents a significant growth area. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer and business demand for security solutions that offer peace of mind is higher than ever. Consumers want to know that their homes and families are safe from intruders and that their online identity and personal data – including video and audio captured by smart devices – are safe from prying eyes. News of hackings and unauthorized access to personal data continues to fuel consumer concerns about the vulnerability of connected devices and systems. One of consumers’ biggest fears is that their smart security devices will be hacked, making their protection solution, and

McLEAN, Va.  – The Monitoring Association (TMA) welcomed its 119 th Emergency Communications Center (ECC) in the United States and its first agency in the state of California to implement the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) . The state of California became the 22 nd state in the United States to participate in the ASAP program. Launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership, TMA’s ASAP service is designed to increase the accuracy and efficiency of calls for service from alarm companies to Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs). “We are excited to introduce our leading-edge technology to our first California ECC,” says Pam Petrow, co-chair, TMA ASAP-to-PSAP Committee. “The team at the City of Riverside PD has been extraordinary partner throughout the implementation process. We’re looking forward to a positive pilot program and the opportunity to welcome additional ECCs from across the state of California in 2023.” The City of Riverside PD went live with: Affiliated Monitor

Arlington, Mass. — American Alarm and Communications announces it has completed the acquisition of Malfy Alarm of Falmouth, Mass., a growing provider of life-safety and security systems serving some 700 customers, both residential and commercial, on Cape Cod. Malfy Alarm founders Sarah and Philip Malfy will remain with American Alarm full-time to continue to serve and grow the company’s combined customer base across Cape Cod. “This is a great addition to our team,” said Louis Sampson, chief financial officer and co-owner of American Alarm. “We have been serving customers on the cape for decades, now with this merger we expand our local presence there with a satellite office and an experienced team.” Alarm system monitoring for Malfy Alarm customers will be handled by American Alarm’s company-owned and operated UL listed and Five-Diamond Certified 24-7 Security Monitoring Center located in Arlington, Massachusetts. “We started Malfy Alarm in 2011, working out of our house, because we

SAN RAMON, Calif. – ONVIF, the leading global standardization initiative for IP-based physical security products, and the Security Industry Association (SIA) will jointly host “The State of the Standards,” a webinar at 10-11 am E.T. Jan. 26 to discuss the current and future outlook and market impact of technology standards on the evolving security technology industry. Peter Boriskin, chair of the SIA Standards Committee and CTO at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions Americas, and Leo Levit, chairman of the ONVIF Steering Committee and director of systems integration at Axis Communications, will offer their perspectives on how interoperability standards have accelerated the growth of the security industry and discuss current and future potential directions, impacts and areas of growth. The webinar is free to attend ( register here ). Following brief presentations from Levit and Boriskin, attendees are invited to pose questions to the speakers and discuss trends and needs from the standards c

MINNEAPOLIS– Winsted , a global designer of mission-critical control environments, HAS welcomed Shawn Brady as the company’s new Vice President of Product Development. Brady comes to Winsted with more than 15 years’ experience in control room engineering and design. “What really makes a difference for me is improving people’s working experience in their control environments,” says Brady. “When we improve an operator’s ability to function, we’re improving their ability to serve their mission, to keep others safe, to prevent emergencies, and to manage situations that are often beyond the awareness of the general public.” Before joining Winsted , Brady worked in engineering, design and project management with firms including Mauell, Diversified – Mission Critical Environments, Mitsubishi Electric, and Barco. His work history includes engineering technology systems, designing consoles, and consulting in control rooms in environments such as Utilities, Military, Transportation, and nuclea

RIDGELAND, Miss. – BadgePass, Inc. , makers of photo ID badging, electronic door access, visitor management systems, has appointed Lindsay Martin-Nez as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Phillip King, owner of BadgePass and former CEO, has moved to a new position within the organization and will act as Director of Product Research moving forward, working with the Product Development team on research, product design and innovation. “Our software solutions have always been my true passion,” explains King. “When we were a smaller company, I spent much of my time researching ideas for new products and working with our developers to make those ideas become a reality. The bigger we grew, the less time I had for that though. Moving into this new role will give me an opportunity to go back to what I love most and what I’m best at, leaving room for Lindsay to use her talents to help us reach new sales and revenue objectives.” Martin-Nez has been with BadgePass for over 13 years,

Cobalt Robotics , a machine-learning company that automates repetitive manual security and facility tasks with autonomous robots , has announced a new collaboration with Johnson Controls . Johnson Controls C•CURE 9000 access control and event management system is now integrated with Cobalt’s remote robot guard service which includes AI robotics, machine-learning software and human oversight. With this integration, Cobalt robot guards listen for alarms and are automatically dispatched to the location in real-time after an alarm is triggered. The robots will escalate the incident in the C•CURE 9000 system, stand guard and provide situational awareness until the issue is resolved. Cobalt robots can also escalate incidents to C•CURE 9000 if an anomaly is detected such as a door held open (DHO) alarm and escalate the incident to a GSOC operator if human support is required. At the end of the event, Cobalt provides a complete paper/digital trail, including images, live video, timestamps

Following several years of strong gains, publicly traded companies engaged in the smart home industry fell back to earth hard in 2022, with an average stock price loss of 32% for the year. The poor performance mirrored the overall market conditions during which the Dow Jones Industrials lost 9%, the NASDAQ lost 33%, and the S&P 500 lost 19% for the year. Of course, nearly all the 55 companies in the Smart Home Stock Index are highly diversified businesses, so any rise or fall in their stock price is not necessarily directly related to the performance of the company’s smart home interests. There are a handful of “pure play” smart home companies on the list – Vivint, ADT, Alarm.com, Resideo and Snap One – and several of those companies performed well. Vivint Smart Home  was the biggest public company stock winner in 2022… by far. The Ogden, Utah-based company saw its stock rise an amazing 21%. Much of that gain came in December after utility giant NRG Energy announced on Decembe

Intercom and security communications manufacturer Aiphone has introduced Remote Programming Service for its IX Series systems, enabling installers to quickly build, edit, and save programming files within the QuikSpec online design tool. A built-in programming wizard offers guidance and assistance with creating and modifying system, station, and network settings—producing a complete, downloadable programming file. The Aiphone Remote Programming Service helps installers save both time and resources by streamlining the programming process through the availability of a self-serve, step-by-step programming wizard, according to the company. The service enables installers to create and download accurate program files for IX Series intercom systems. Using the service, installers can remotely set up and download multiple system preferences prior to arriving on a job site for installation. Available settings include enabling door release, adjusting station visibility with other stations, ad

The increase in news reports and social media videos showing indiscriminate business crime are being validated by hard data. According to The State of Physical Security Entering 2023 report from Pro-Vigil , 28% of businesses reported an increase in “physical security incidents” in 2022. That increases matches the same 28% jump in business crime reported in 2021, which had followed a 20% gain in 2020. The alarming 3-year growth trend in security incidents does not show any signs of slowing, as 29% of businesses anticipate an increase in security-related activities this year. In particular, the construction industry seems to be most ripe for crime, with 66% of construction-related businesses reporting they experienced at least one physical security incident in 2022. The study, which is in its third year, surveyed businesses such as car/truck/boat/RV dealerships, construction companies, manufacturers, and public sector education. The study never actually defines what it deems to be a “

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. —  Security Sales & Integration is seeking entries for the 28th annual SAMMY Awards. As the security industry’s original sales, marketing and installation awards program, dealers and integrators are urged to show off their marketplace successes and accomplishments. A panel of judges will select the top nominees in each of 12 categories among security dealers and integrators that exemplify professionalism in their sales, marketing and installation efforts. For the second consecutive year, the awards gala will be held on the center of the ISC West show floor. The award ceremony (along with the 2023 SSI Industry Hall of Fame inductions) will take place on March 29, with the exact time soon to be announced. Grand prizes will be given for Integrated Installation of the Year, Installer of the Year and Integrated Marketing Program of the Year. Best Social Media Campaign, Community Outreach Program and Vehicle Graphics Design are among the other categories that are

When [Zach Hipps] was faced with a locked safe and no combination, it seemed like calling a locksmith was the only non-destructive option. Well, that or doing something crazy like building a safe-opening robot . Since you’re reading this on Hackaday, we bet you can guess which path he took. So far, [Zach] has managed to assemble the custom chuck and spindle for the safe cracker. This construction is then mated with an appropriately precise Trinamic controller for the motor, which is perfect for this heist project. After some early consternation around the motor’s stall detection capabilities, the project was able to move forward with extra microcontroller code to ensure that the motor disengages when sensing a ‘hard stop’ during cracking. Precision is absolutely essential in a project like this. When dealing with a million potential combinations, any potential misconfiguration of the robot could cause it to lose its place and become out-of-sync with the software. This was encounter

As part of  SSI ‘s  2023 Security Industry Forecast , we spoke with more than two dozen experts to gain their insights into what 2022 holds for the security industry. Here, 16 of them also share what they believe is better and worse about the industry. Here’s what they had to say… Clint Choate | Snap One GOOD: Settled into a ‘new norm’ with work environments and the related processes and procedures. With the exception of field work, it has opened up new flexibility in attracting talent with remote workers. BAD: Slowdown in new home construction could have a significant impact, and it could be prolonged. Also, cost of credit is impacting consumer financing and business financing in general. Related: 2023 Will Be Remembered as the Year the Electronic Security Industry… Kirk MacDowell | MacGuard Security Advisors GOOD: The pandemic necessitated the industry revamp, retool and re-emerge and they did so with gusto. Also, the foundation has been set for the new AVS-01 alarm va