Are effective security and human convenience opposing goals?
The primary objective of security solutions is to prevent unauthorized entry and access to private or restricted spaces. So, it might be fair to say that yes, human convenience is the tradeoff that must be made to keep security airtight. However, can this be achieved in a non-intrusive and sustainable manner?
Balance is the goal of every modern society. At the same time, it is hard to ignore the reality of rising threats and the scale of the fallout. The rising stakes of security are giving rise to the privacy paradox where the pursuit of convenience and the preservation of privacy stand in a delicate and often tricky equilibrium.
Let’s take the upcoming Paris Olympics for example. Security measures include avant-garde personnel protection systems, advanced surveillance systems, AI-driven threat detection, and more to maintain the highest standard of security for this global sporting spectacle.
However, announcements have also been made that citizens and travelers living in the proximity of Olympic venues would need to apply for QR codes that would allow them entry into secure perimeters, even if it’s to their own homes. Residents will also need to pre-register guests and other visitors.
Vehicular traffic is set to be curtailed, some metro stations are likely to be closed, and a network of checkpoints and permit requirements will spring up across the city. Residents have been asked to refrain from moving from their houses or even sending and receiving parcels in the mail during the Games. Big events like the opening and closing ceremonies could attract even harsher provisions.
While such advanced security measures are indeed essential for such large-scale events, it is security solutions today have to tread a fine line – that of balancing national and collective security with personal security and convenience.
Surveillance and security should ideally not be at the cost of reasonable personal freedom and autonomy. Security solutions must prevent physical intrusions but must responsibly account for individual convenience and ease of movement. Security innovations as such need to become more intuitive, exhibit higher diagnostic intelligence, be customized to the environment, and remain unobtrusive.
This unobtrusively drives acceptance and sustainability. Since humans are essentially creatures of comfort, periods of long discomfort don’t contribute towards user acceptance and lead to breaches.
Imagine having a perimeter security system that gives great security but is highly restrictive. The hardware is not supported by software workflows and processes that increase transparency but remain focused only on deterrence.
People in these environments find it cumbersome and hard to move around the secure spaces. The chances of them finding ‘shortcuts’ will increase exponentially. This coupled with fewer insights and transparency can open up points of vulnerability for threat actors.
Making solutions more human-centric, as such becomes an imperative today.
Innovations in security technology are now giving us opportunities to make security solutions as unobtrusive as possible while increasing their capacity to detect, deter, and delay.
The talk about human centricity also extends to those using these solutions. From large residential complexes, industrial areas, sensitive government or defence areas, and national borders, to critical infrastructure – all need robust security solutions.
The focus on human-centricity in security also increases with the rise of smart cities. Security solutions have to monitor the movement of people in open and enclosed areas use perception algorithms to scan the sensor’s field of view, provide anonymized data on detected persons in real-time, or detect a broad range of traffic patterns, including lingering, single file, side by side, bi-directional, tailgating, and more to ease city life.
Modern, well-designed security systems with human-centric designs combine technology with user experience without compromising security. Solution and system design, in this case, becomes an important aspect.
The right solution design is a harmonious blend of advanced security hardware, sensors, and other security hardware with technologies such as AI for real-time insights. Security systems today must protect the perimeter and provide intelligence on the security posture.
A clear, well-designed security system identifies patterns, improves detection accuracy, and can analyze inputs from all the security tools and sensor networks. Intelligent security solutions enable the seamless flow of information and deliver deep insights and information on demand that facilitate smart, informed decisions that protect people and critical assets.
Security systems also need to be driven by AI and deep learning to stay ahead of tomorrow’s challenges. These systems need to be easily scalable to keep up with changing times and responsive to evolving security needs.
An intelligent command and control centre allows security teams to take a multi-layered approach by embedding deep learning and discernment algorithms to analyze inputs from each of the sensors in the security ecosystem. Proper integration of all the solutions and sensors also becomes an essential consideration point to make security more inobtrusive by increasing transparency across the security ecosystem.
Security solutions with high accuracy levels and a connected ecosystem help security teams take a proactive and preventive approach toward security. Lower false alarms and higher detection accuracy ensure that human flow across sensitive or private spaces is seamless.
Physical defence measures allied with perimeter protection and intrusion detection systems, cameras, OFC LiDar, etc. must be complemented with security protocols, user-friendly authentication methods, and continuous education on security best practices. Organizations need to identify the gaps and opportunities in the current security environment, isolate the areas that need improvement, and choose the right technologies and tools to balance security without sacrificing convenience.
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