VOLUME 28 | ISSUE 2 2022 The authoritative resource for physical and converged security
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www.securitysa.com Issue 2 2022 1 VOLUME 28 ISSUE 2 2022 8 10 11 14 28 Why companies do CCTV control room surveillance training The role of drones in farm protection Russia/Ukraine war and its effect on financial institutions Securex Preview 2022 Sector focus: Education Dr Craig Donald says security personnel are often poor neighbours to other organisational departments when it comes to quality training. ASIS SA’s treasurer, Erica Gibbons, highlights some of the effects financial institutions should look out for as a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Laurence Palmer ends his series on preparing for and preventing farm attacks, discusses the role of drones and offers a security risk assessment template as a free download. Hi-Tech Security Solutions asked the exhibitors at this year’s Securex event to briefly mention some of the highlights we can expect from them at this year’s show. Hi-Tech Security Solutions looks at some of the latest advice when it comes to securing institutions of education. Editor’s note.............................................2 News............................................................3 Fire & safety........................................... 24 Product news....................................... 32 Our cover: Perimeter and fire protection Hikvision announced the launch of HeatPro, a new series of thermal cameras designed to provide affordable all-weather deterrent and alerts. It is especially useful in perimeter protection and fire prevention applications. The HeatPro Series cameras feature deep-learning thermal video analytics for perimeter protection and object temperature measurement and fire detection with real-time alarms. VOLUME 28 | ISSUE 2 2022 The authoritative resource for physical and converged security 12
2 Issue 2 2022 www.securitysa.com Andrew from the editor’s desk LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor should be addressed to Andrew Seldon at [email protected]. Sending material to this publication will be considered automatic permission to use in full or in part in our Letters column. Be sure to include your name, e-mail address, city and postal code. We reserve the right to edit all letters. Disclaimer While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements, inserts and company contact details areprinted as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing(Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, adapted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Reg No. 2005/034598/07 Editor Andrew Seldon: [email protected] Contributors Laurence Palmer Erica Gibbons Dr Craig Donald Advertising sales Tracy Wolter: [email protected] Heidi Hargreaves: [email protected] Subscription Services For address changes, orders, renewal status or missing issues, e-mail: [email protected] Design and layout: Technews Production Department Published by Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd 1st Floor, Stabilitas, 265 Kent Avenue, Randburg Box 385, Pinegowrie 2123 Tel: +27 11 543 5800 ISSN 1562-952X Subscribe online: www.technews.co.za HI-TECH SECURITY SOLUTIONS ISSUE 2 2022 Welcome to the latest issue of Hi-Tech Security Solutions. The big news in this issue is the Securex Preview which, although smaller than in the past, is still a great (late) start to the year as it means that Securex is back and going ahead as scheduled. The preview is just a sample of what you can expect at the event. After two years in the wilderness, the show is back on and as can be expected, some of the old staples are back while some are missing. International visitors are one of the missing exhibitors, possibly due to Covid uncertainty. Nevertheless, there are also a few new names on the list which means there will be something for everyone to see. Who knows, we may have a laugh and see another genius stealing a laptop at a show that has CCTV cameras all over the place (for those who remember the 2019 show when a clever chap did exactly that). Be sure to stop by the Hi-Tech Security Solutions stand. This year we want to hear from the industry about what they would like to see in Hi-Tech Security Solutions, how they would like to see it and when. Your input would be appreciated and you may even get some popcorn in return. And if you look at the other articles in this issue you will see other signs of life. By that I mean signs of life in the local security industry. Stallion is expanding and we will be seeing them in the news again soon. Magix has built and launched a cloud-based cybersecurity service that is simple to run (on the front end, Signs of life? the back end is not quite that simple) and makes it easy to take care of many cyber issues companies today face. And Activeye is again expanding its AI rollout with a new product that works on almost any camera. Hopefully this means the economy as a whole is also showing signs of life. With the recent flooding and chaos in KZN – if it’s not rioting then its nature – it’s worth mentioning that business continuity (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) are two topics we will be covering in our next issue. As with so much in the security and risk industries (or should that be industry since they are so closely related despite what some educated people may think), when it comes to BC and DR there are always two solutions. The one is the cheap and nasty option where you tick a few boxes and if something really bad happens you are up the proverbial creek without a boat and then there is the effective option (which is not cheap but doesn’t have to be insanely expensive either), which allows businesses to recover and keep going. Not that it is easy to recover and get going after a serious emergency, but it can be done with the right planning and preparation. We will be covering the planning and preparation bit in more detail in the next issue. If you have any comments or ideas about BC and/or DR, feel free to let me know at [email protected].
www.securitysa.com Issue 2 2022 3 ZKTeco South Africa has opened the doors to its innovative and interactive space and would like to extend an invitation to the industry to visit the ZKTeco Experience Centre in Centurion, Pretoria. The centre offers the ultimate experience in security solutions and services all under one roof. The integrated showroom offers demonstrations of how seamlessly ZK’s products and total security solutions work. ZKTeco’s live concepts at the experience centre range from different biometric access control and T&A stand-alone readers and include the company’s visible light facial recognition devices. On display will also be its entrance control solutions, from boom gates and turnstiles, inspection machines (walkthrough metal detectors and X-ray luggage scanners), surveillance cameras and smart locks. The ‘Powered by ZKTeco’ platformwas ZKTeco Experience Centre Technoswitch’s appointment as a distributor for the Fire & Security Techniques (FST) range of fire suppression solutions forms part of the company’s strategic plan to expand its range of suppression solutions. Brett Birch, general manager at Technoswitch, says: “Technoswitch’s goal was to identify and secure a beneficial relationship with a reputable local fire suppression technology provider. We are very excited to be partnering with Fire & Security Techniques (FST), as they are a company that has a very similar DNA to that of Technoswitch. Both companies have strong local manufacturing, supplemented with respected international brands they distribute. Fire & Security Techniques will benefit from Technoswitch appointed as FST distributor Brett Birch and Neil Hughes. NEWS our extensive footprint in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa and our sales force will drive penetration of the FST product offering into the market. In addition, we will be able to offer FST customers technical support and training throughout the region”. Neil Hughes, FST CEO, says his company is excited to be taking on board such a renowned and dedicated partner in the fire industry as Technoswitch during this stage of its growth strategy. Together with its other distribution platforms and partners, the company can now take FST to the next level, while remaining confident that it will maintain the high level of quality and support that its customers have come to appreciate. The Technoswitch team is currently being upskilled to ensure they have all the required created for the mutual benefit of all parties involved and the purpose of this platform is to bring together all ZKTeco re-sellers and installers and create a network of like-minded people to do more business. This is not a one-day event but an ongoing programme. The company says that, “As ZKTeco, we want you to feel comfortable using our products and services and therefore intend on ensuring that you receive the best possible assistance wherever you may be in South Africa”. Powered by ZKTeco does not mean simply assisting with training or product launches, but providing partners and their clients with technical and marketing support for as long as is needed. Powered by ZKTeco is a platformwhere ZK empowers their distributors, resellers and installers through various channels, including: 1. Product introduction. 2. Product training. 3. Marketing assistance. 4. Lead generation. 5. Project assistance. For more information contact ZKTeco (SA), +27 12 259 1047, [email protected], www.zkteco.co.za knowledge and skills to support the substantial FST product offerings. For more information contact Technoswitch Fire Detection & Suppression, +27 11 794 9144, [email protected], www.technoswitch.co.za
4 Issue 2 2022 www.securitysa.com NEWS Activeye is a software company that develops AI-based solutions for the security and facilities management industries using a combination of analytics tools to generate rules based on site activities. Plugging into almost any CCTV system, the system observes the scene and images are processed by an AI engine in realtime to notify stakeholders of any behaviour anomalies. The company says feeds from any generalpurpose 2-megapixel IP or analogue camera are sufficient for its AI to perform, for example, facial recognition and number plate recognition. The company’s platformmakes use of various analytics tools which include facial recognition, car and people counting, vehicle identification, age approximation, object identification, human-related traits and more. The application Activeye provides is called Snap Guard. It is a cloud application that integrates into a property owner’s live CCTV feed, working with existing hardware and software, adding an additional layer of security by empowering property owners to address verified security threats remotely and in real-time. The onboarding process is uncomplicated and fast. The process starts by pointing the motion detection alerts to the Snap Guard server using FTP or email protocols. The property owner is prompted to complete pre-populated fields related to billing, site and user details and notification preferences. Self-learning AI for existing CCTV systems By Andrew Seldon. Once the required information has been provided and verified, Snap Guard is instantly integrated into the property owner’s CCTV network. It is compatible with both DVR and NVR networks so can be incorporated into almost any CCTV system. All snapshots of movement are sent to the Snap Guard server. Using the AI machine learning technology, Snap Guard is able to identify suspicious or unusual activity and dangerous objects. If any of these are detected, the server sends an alert via the property owner’s preferred communication channel, which can include Telegram, WhatsApp, email or control room software. The alert takes the form of a snapshot from the CCTV feed of the suspicious activity or object, together with a description of what the AI has seen that is out of the ordinary. This empowers the property owner to take swift action including contacting the local armed response company to assist (when setting up the system, a feed can be sent directly to your armed response company as well). Depending on network speed, this process can happen in a matter of seconds. A functioning CCTV system, Internet connectivity and steady power supply is all that is required to make use of Snap Guard. No capex is required as the software can be implemented into existing CCTV systems. Self-learning AI The Activeye self-learning algorithms analyse all the data they receive as well as the responses from clients. The outcome is continually evolving behaviours and their corresponding rules to ensure the system improves and learns as it is used. From this, anomalous behaviour can be identified and the correct personnel alerted to the event in real-time. All alarm signals, be it intruder alarms, fence alarms or fire alarms, can be managed on a single software interface. Snap Guard puts the power to act back in the customer’s hands. If, for instance, you are on holiday, you will be alerted of any suspicious activity at your home, in real-time, accompanied by a snapshot from the CCTV feed of what triggered the alert. You can then respond as you deem appropriate such as alerting the armed response company. Snap Guard was developed in South Africa by the Activeye team of developers. The company is fully compliant with the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA) and registered with the Information Regulator. Snap Guard as a stand-alone product is also PoPIA compliant. In addition, Activeye complies with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). For more information contact Activeye, +27 11 551 1765, [email protected], www.activeye.co.za
www.securitysa.com Issue 2 2022 5 NEWS Further extending its technological capabilities, Stallion Security has announced it has acquired Myertal Tactical Security. Myertal specialises in offsite monitoring and will enhance Stallion’s capabilities in the remote monitoring and artificial intelligence space. The deal was finalised as of 1 April 2022. Kevin Monk, MD of Stallion’s Technology Division, says, “Myertal operates throughout South Africa, with about 42% of its customers in the Western Cape. This will strengthen Stallion’s reach in the region while enhancing our overall offsite monitoring capabilities significantly. All Myertal employees will join Stallion and operators will be integrated into its new state-of-the-art control room in Johannesburg.” Schneeberger heads offsite monitoring business Stallion has appointedWayne Schneeberger as the MD of its offsite monitoring business, which will now constantly be monitoring over 6000 cameras across the country using the latest surveillance and AI-enhanced technologies to provide a range of services to its clients. Schneeberger started in the security industry in the mid-1990s and has worked for various companies in South Africa and the UK. His last positions included heading the CCTV and access control unit at EOH and Mark Kane andWayne Schneeberger join Stallion Security a senior management position at Praesidiad (Betafence). “This is an exciting time for the offsite monitoring market as the capabilities we can take advantage of from a technology point of view are growing by the day,” notes Schneeberger. “Stallion has positioned itself at the forefront of the offsite monitoring market for the security and facilities management industries, being able to sift through mountains of data to ensure the right, relevant information gets to the right people at the right time. “Stallion’s offsite monitoring offerings go beyond traditional security and include monitoring and managing IoT devices and scada systems from our centralised control room, which currently consists of 55 controllers and additional operations staff, all backed up by the other services in the Stallion group.” Kane takes the reins at MASC Stallion acquired MASC solutions in 2018 and the company has been run as the system integration arm of Stallion Security since then, under the leadership of founder Mike Smiles. Smiles has now retired and Mark Kane, another industry veteran, has been appointed as the MD of MASC. Kane started his career in the mid-1990s as well, gaining experience in the South African, American and Canadian markets. In the mid2000s he returned to South Africa and has By Andrew Seldon. Wayne Schneeberger. Mark Kane. been involved with many well-known industry names, such as 4C Technologies and SSG. He joined Stallion as the MD of MASC (still run as an independent company) in January 2022. “The drawcard for me joining MASC was the focus Stallion places on technology and integrating intelligent systems into all areas of the group’s operations,” explains Kane. “He says MASC is an ‘old-school’ systems integrator as it retains all the skills it needs onboard and does not outsource any work (it currently employs over 60 people). It is also active in Africa and boasts some big-name brands as long-term customers. Focus on innovation Monk says Stallion is fortunate to appoint such experienced security practitioners in these key areas of its business and hints that further acquisitions may be forthcoming. “A key driver for the business is innovation,” he says. “Having people with the broad experience and reputation of Kane and Schneeberger onboard will only serve to enhance the group’s ability to integrate proven technology into all its operations and enable its workforce to function at optimal productivity levels at all times.” The industry should be on the lookout for more exciting news from the Stallion group in the coming weeks and months. For more information contact Stallion Security, +27 11 533 8888, [email protected], www.stallion.co.za “This is an exciting time for the offsite monitoring market as the capabilities we can take advantage of from a technology point of view are growing by the day.” “Stallion’s offsite monitoring offerings go beyond traditional security and include monitoring and managing IoT devices and scada systems...”
6 Issue 2 2022 www.securitysa.com Cybersecurity is top of mind today with news of ransomware, hacks, data theft and more constantly popping up on almost every media site. The need to cybersecure one’s organisation and personal IT systems is therefore obvious, but there are many products and services available, making it hard for non-experts to make good cyber decisions. Magix has launched an online service to take much of the effort out of cybersecurity assessments and management with Pretect, an online service. It is designed as a subscriptionbased web app, with different services available depending on the user’s requirements, Pretect provides ongoing, automated assessments of your cybersecurity posture, supported by solutions from the top brands in the market as well as a team of experts available to assist customers 24 x 7. In addition, Pretect provides incident detection and response for your most vulnerable channels such as email and file systems. “Pretect is a collection of services available from one dashboard that makes it easy to set up and monitor your IT infrastructure automatically in the background, whether you are an enterprise or a small business,”explains Hedley Hurwitz, MD of Magix. “We have made the decision-making process simpler, the availability of expert advice only a click away and we have lowered the costs for ongoing assessments while making use of the most respected solutions available today seamlessly integrated into the service.” Prior to launching publicly, Pretect provided its service to a few companies to ensure the system delivered. The results have shown that it delivers as promised with companies such as Nashua, Clientele and Grindrod Bank using the system. It currently monitors over 1 million IP addresses daily. A limited free trial is also available for those interested in testing the applicability of the service to their companies. Services available Pretect is launching with six basic services available, depending on the plan selected. Vulnerability assessments: These general vulnerability tests will determine howmany vulnerabilities your company’s network and internal/external infrastructure may have, how severe they are and what steps can be followed to remediate them – by applying patches etc. Penetration tests: Run by ethical hackers fromMagix, these exercises try to enter your IT systems undetected and launch a contained exploit (i.e., doing no harm except proving that someone could hack into your systems). Web and mobile application assessment: As almost all software moves to the cloud and web-based access, this service tests the applications your company uses or builds, to see what vulnerabilities they contain, how severe Ongoing cybersecurity with a click By Andrew Seldon. they are and what steps can be followed to close the gaps. Managed detection and response: This service monitors your systems and data is automatically analysed by the latest software and can also be passed onto Magix experts for further analysis. All threats, incidents and activities are documented to ensure accurate monitoring and remediation. Firewall assessment: Often companies think that installing a firewall is enough to protect them. This service tests the company’s firewall/s to determine if it is configured correctly for optimal protection. Security awareness campaigns: Humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity and this service conducts security awareness testing on the organisations’ employees, scores the organisation’s overall cybersecurity awareness and provides individualised training to those who need it. Instead of running cybersecurity assessments once per year, or as is often the case, after an incident has caused havoc in a company, Pretect services run regularly and provide a real-time dashboard giving you insights into your security posture, with the ability to drill down into specific areas. And as noted above, experienced cybersecurity experts are available 24 x 7 to assist customers. For more information, go to www.pretect24x7.com NEWS
www.securitysa.com Issue 2 2022 7 NEWS Hi-Tech Security Solutions readers are exposed to many elements of the surveillance industry in the magazine and online, as well as in the various conferences and webinars we hold. The topics presented mainly focus on technology and its advances and capabilities, as well as insights into specific areas of expertise, such as control room staffing and efficiency in our regular columns from Dr Craig Donald. What is sometimes missing is the link between technology, detection and apprehension of suspects and the process to use surveillance footage as evidence that will be accepted in court and contribute to convicting criminals, or be accepted as evidence in disciplinary hearings. Sonja de Klerk, recently retired Brigadier from the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory, and someone who has spoken at a few iLegal conferences over the years, has written a book on the subject, aptly subtitled the ‘A – Z guide from the control room to court’, which is currently available as an e-book. De Klerk was the section head of Scientific Analysis, one of the six sections at the Forensic Science Laboratory. She was attached to the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory for more than 27 years. The book’s title is ‘The Complete Manual on CCTV Management’. It avoids any discussion on technology selection and implementation and focuses on the process of managing your installation effectively and collecting evidence for criminal proceedings (or disciplinary procedures). Importantly, De Klerk also covers the process in the courtroom, advising readers on what to expect and how to behave. To quote De Klerk, “This manual was drafted to address specific shortcomings in successfully using CCTV material in criminal cases and disciplinary procedures. To secure the integrity of CCTV material, the information in this manual must be used as guidelines and minimum required criteria.” Supporting records and paper trails We often believe that simply showing a video of some action or crime is enough to fulfil the needs of evidence. After all, if you can see the The Complete Manual on CCTV Management By Andrew Seldon. Sonja de Klerk. person clearly, what more could you need? When it comes to dealing with defence attorneys in a court, you may need a lot more. De Klerk explains that to be able to defend their client, the defence will often want to see the trail, or chain of evidence, which includes a paper trail. You could be required to show the full investigation, the process of gathering evidence, the documentation of the systems you use as well as your standard operating procedures (SOPs) your security operation adheres to. It is advisable, says De Klerk, to run a test to ensure your security operation can produce all the paperwork and records the defence may request. This, of course, also means your event management processes and procedures must be up to cross examination. Know your system De Klerk adds that familiarity with your surveillance system is also imperative, explaining the ‘BAD SOC’ process which stands for: • Backup capacity. • Archiving process and frequency. • Downloading procedure. • Software. • Overwrite frequency. • Colour/black-and-white system. She goes into more detail on each of these. At the end of most chapters, De Klerk also offers some key questions to help the reader ensure they understand the contents and are able to apply them effectively to their particular situation. The book also covers issues such as synchronising the time across your system, marking your cameras, system manuals, who has access to their systems and more. Incident management is also covered and readers are advised to implement a standardised approach to handling incidents, with special emphasis on what to do in terms of collecting evidence. Video footage should be collected on CD-R or DVD-R media only (to ensure there is no tampering) and only saved on new media, not reusable discs. An authorised person must save a master “What is sometimes missing is the link between technology, detection and apprehension of suspects and the process to use surveillance footage as evidence that will be accepted in court and contribute to convicting criminals, or be accepted as evidence in disciplinary hearings.” copy of the evidence in a secure location with access control. All access and the reason for it must be recorded. The master copy must be labelled as such and other copies are to be labelled as ‘working copies’. The serial numbers on the media must also be accurately recorded. De Klerk also touches on making sure that the video footage captured is able to identify a person – the court relies on visual identification, not the latest facial recognition technology. The face or vehicle must clearly fill at least 50% of the monitor, which should give pause to those who opt for low resolution, cheap cameras, or those who install cameras high above face level. Securing the master copy (the original data) is critical for court cases. De Klerk quotes a case where it was stated: “... it is impossible to detect manipulation in the absence of the original data…”. She devotes the ninth chapter to appearing in court, touching on what to expect, what not to do and other important issues those not accustomed to court appearances will find useful. Even issues such as how to answer questions and to whom the answer should be addressed are covered. Other areas covered include traceability of records as well as what records could be requested as part of the paper trail. De Klerk also touches on training and recruitment to provide a complete review of what managing your surveillance system will encompass. Readers interesting in obtaining the book are invited to contact Sonja de Klerk at [email protected].
8 Issue 2 2022 www.securitysa.com OPINION Why companies do CCTV control room surveillance training By Dr Craig Donald. Security personnel are often poor neighbours to other organisational departments when it comes to quality training. In a perfect world, we would do training for all who wanted it so they could rise to the pinnacle of their abilities and fulfil their unique contributions to companies and enhance their lives and the performance of the organisations they work for. In real life, there are a range of issues that impact on what training we give, who qualifies for it and the extent to which people are likely to receive it. Examples would include organisational culture, management priorities, risk management profiles, a willingness to invest in people, concerns over empowering people too much so that they move somewhere else and simple budgeting concerns and competitiveness for organisational resources. Although security typically has certain minimum training criteria imposed by regulatory bodies or industry associations, these are generally seen as requirements to ensure a minimum standard and registratory requirements to provide for legal protection and accountability. When it comes to getting resources for untapping the potential of people to realise their competencies and unlock the capacities of the systems they use, security personnel are often poor neighbours to management, financial, IT, HR and other organisational departments whose training schedules and course expenditures far outstrip those of security. Yet security is becoming increasingly important, technology orientated, sophisticated and relied on and the control room and use of CCTV is on the cutting edge of this. I often hear top management complaining about the lack of performance of their CCTV systems and their capacity to pick up issues that have occurred. The focus on enabling personnel to use their systems and know what to look for is fundamentally a training issue and something that top management just as frequently overlooks despite their expectations of high level performance. There are a number of real-life case studies where the operational and financial failure of some organisations, sometimes almost catastrophic, can be directly linked to the inadequate provision of appropriate security systems and the capacity of people to use them. High performing companies and training I’ve been privileged enough in the past number of years to have worked for a number of leading organisations where the role of security or protection services has been aligned with the risk profile recognised by executive management. In all of these organisations, there is a recognition of the high risk associated with a loss in lives, assets, reputation and organisational performance. This justifies a focus on ensuring that CCTV control room staff are developed and capable of recognising threats and effectively addressing them. These include organisations in precious minerals and metals, casinos, airports, town centres, reserve banks, national key points, manufacturing plants and shopping centres. Yet, while these organisations may be models for the industry, there are others in the same sectors that remain almost oblivious to the importance of a sound security function based on effective delivery by competent and trained personnel. In some cases, the focus of even leading companies may deteriorate when there is a change in executive management who display less concern for the risks or for organisational resilience. Often this occurs when the companies are facing other crises they are having to deal with, such as takeovers, restricting, industry crises, or social disturbances. Ironically, these kinds of times with increased ambiguity, exposure and possible disruptions are probably one of the most important periods for organisations to maintain their capacity to deal with threats through well managed and operated control rooms. In my experience, outstanding companies where security departments are committed to control room training are keeping to an already high standard in other areas. In a sense they are driven by the desire to be the best in all that they do and quality security is provided not only to executive protection, but all the way through the organisation. There is also a focus on proactive protection where threats or crime are addressed before they become issues affecting the company or its employees. For other companies, there are a number of more practical issues that may influence training, usually due to shortfalls in control room and CCTV delivery. These include: • A failure to detect something critical – the shock of control room failure to pick up a major event or breach that impacts on the company then creates a recognition that there has been a shortfall on skills. Often this is accompanied by a shock that all the expensive equipment invested in has not done the job. The recognition of not having the right calibre of people provides an urgent stimulus to spend money on training and to get a solution that makes management look good again and more secure. • Along with a failure to pick up something important, a control room operator who is going to be disciplined or fired states that he or she can’t be expected to detect something without being trained to know what to look for and how to pick it up. The organisation therefore trains to try and make people more accountable for their failures in performance.
www.securitysa.com Issue 2 2022 9 OPINION Dr Craig Donald is a human factors specialist in security and CCTV. He is a director of Leaderware which provides instruments for the selection of CCTV operators, X-ray screeners and other security personnel in major operations around the world. He also runs CCTV Surveillance Skills and Body Language and Advanced Surveillance Body Language courses for CCTV operators, supervisors and managers internationally and consults on CCTV management. He can be contacted on +27 11 787 7811 or [email protected] • There is a failure in apprehension or prosecution and losing cases because of poor quality footage, inadequate handling, inappropriate actions, or not following procedures. Basically, a criminal may have been caught, but because of the poor handling of the case, it is thrown out and this can contribute to a culture of impunity. The security manager comes under pressure and gets support to make up for a lack of training because nobody wants a repeat of this situation. • Somebody feels that the subsidies paid over in the Skills Levies tax should be recouped – possibly one of the most ineffective reasons as it is often poorly directed towards real solutions. • The person responsible for training is actually clueless about key security issues, often because of a lack of appreciation for the contribution of security to organisational performance and resilience. The result is training for training’s sake. To put it in the words of a client, “Sometimes personnel are ‘forced’ to undertake statutory training sessions that are completely useless and irrelevant to what we do as a department and a function.” In comparison, for relevant training the response was, “The training sessions were extremely informative, enjoyable and above all incredibly useful. I believe that some of our staff are looking forward to put some of the techniques they’ve learned into practice.” • Regulatory bodies in the area of security can provide a stimulus for training as a requirement for the industry, but may be way off any focus on the quality of training delivery and effective development of personnel. Some years ago when I was working in the UK doing training with one of the most recognised security training companies internationally, regulated industry minimum training requirements were introduced. But this unleashed a wave of almost anybody getting involved in training to meet these minimum standards. It had an immediate impact on the pricing and the market for high quality, relevant training was undermined and no longer sustainable. Security contractors Security contractors provide a prominent service to many organisations and that can include the provision of CCTV control room staff. The client organisations play a key role in how such services should be implemented and service delivery contracts. However, the managers of security contractors are squeezed between the need to provide a quality service at a competitive rate and being successful in a tender where pricing is often seen as the key factor in the approval of contractors. I’ve worked with very few security contractors who asked for training for their personnel because they wanted the best people possible for their contracts. Much of the internal training is conducted to meet minimum or regulatory criteria. In many cases, if the contracting company can get away with not spending money on training, they will do so. However, some contractors are willing to expend resources in training CCTV control room personnel to a high level due to some of the following situations: • The client company specifies the training as part of the tender, so the cost is equivalent for all companies who have to cost these factors in. Having said that, I often come across situations where companies are claiming that they are using my training, but I have not had any contact with them at all. There is often a philosophy where the contractor wants to get a foot in the door and then neglects obligations as part of the cost savings. • The security company spends the extra money or effort on high level training as part of an enhancement of their relationship with the client. The cost of training is offset against a stronger client relationship. This is tough to do in a cost-intensive contracting environment, but I admire the companies doing it. • Similarly to the previous point, providing specialised training in CCTV control rooms is a way of getting a competitive edge against other contractors where the superior level of staff is seen to put the company ahead. This commitment has worked well in a number of cases with high profile clients. There are also times when I get called in, just before contracts get renewed, as part of a previous commitment to training that the contractor has to make up for before renewal, or to facilitate the renewal of another contract term. • The contractor has a performance record that falls short of service delivery contracts and wants to implement CCTV control room training as an emergency measure to try and bridge the gap to satisfy the client. Often the training actually works and the turnaround strategy addresses the client needs. One of the key problems contractors face is training personnel to a high level and then losing them shortly afterwards. It’s not just contractors but even full-time personnel where this can happen. Companies handle this in various ways, including only releasing certificates after a certain time, having contractual obligations to pay back if staff leave too quickly, or just relying on their image as a preferred place to work to keep people from leaving. However, the act of not doing training is likely to do far more damage than a few people leaving after demonstrating their competence and creating a more positive image of the organisation. Using security guards without any training in control rooms, whether procedures, operational methods and systems, or behavioural crime detection, is a recipe for failure. The control room is a cornerstone of any security or risk strategy and to staff it with people who don’t know what they are doing is asking for trouble. Choosing the right people for the control room is fundamental. Further, if you don’t provide operators with the right skills, how can they be expected to leverage the technology to get the benefits that the company has spent so much on equipment and systems to try to achieve. Supervisors and managers are also critical in this development. If they haven’t been trained to know what their control room personnel are supposed to be doing and at what level, how can they effectively manage them. If control rooms are to have the desired effect, staff need to be empowered to realise that facility. Even more, they should have the skills to be able to take a proactive approach to resolve issues and add value for the various stakeholders who can benefit from control room operations. This article has been shortened. The full article is at http://www.securitysa.com/16022r
10 Issue 2 2022 www.securitysa.com The role of drones in farm protection By Laurence Palmer. Ending his series on preparing for and preventing farm attacks, Laurence Palmer discusses the role of drones and offers a free security risk assessment template for downloading (see below). The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is charged with promoting, regulating and enforcing civil aviation safety and security in South Africa. This is to be achieved by complying with the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), whilst considering the local context (SACAA web page: http://www.caa.co.za/). The UAV is an acronym for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, which is an aircraft with no pilot on board. UAVs can be remote-controlled aircraft (e.g., flown by a pilot at a ground control station) or can fly autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans or more complex dynamic automation systems. The FAA has adopted the acronym UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) to reflect the fact that these complex systems include ground stations and other elements besides the actual air vehicles. A UAV/drone needs more description to accurately describe what it is. Often, when someone says, “drones are bad”, they are actually referring to military attack drones, or domestic surveillance drones. These descriptive words are critical when discussing any matter related to drones. Remember, a drone is just an airplane without a pilot. In the future these craft will have unlimited uses and capabilities. They will do mundane Download a security risk assessment template This is the last in the series of protecting farms against terror and criminal attacks in South Africa by Laurence Palmer. To download a free security risk assessment template in PDF format, please go to www.securitysa.com/*farm2. This article is the opinion of the author and is based on the latest information available and his previous and current efforts to prevent farm attacks. For more information or to obtain the template in editable format, contact Laurence Palmer, +27 73 954 4450, [email protected] and dangerous tasks and play helpful and humanitarian rolls. They will complete search and rescue missions, deliver medicine and supplies to remote, inaccessible areas and more. They will save lives. Legal restrictions and/or limitations The laws around legal operation of remotecontrol aircraft recently changed in South Africa, introducing a framework for where and how drones can be flown and who is allowed to fly them. These new restrictions and regulations don’t, on the whole, apply to the kind of quadcopters that are going to be popular as presents this Christmas and if you’re flying a drone for fun the main thing to be aware of is where their use is banned. That’s within 10 km of an airport, 50 m of a building or road and no higher than 122 m (depending on usage). Also, a hobby drone must be flown within line of sight, which means you shouldn’t be flying at night either. For commercial purposes, things are a bit more complicated. There’s a list of requirements over at the Safe Drone website (www.safedrone.co.za/legal-requirements) and you’ll need to register your drone with the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) and provide documents, like an operations manual, before you can use your aircraft to make money. The first thing anyone who wants to fly a drone will need to do, however, is acquire a Remote Pilots Licence (RPL). It is estimated that to obtain a RPL, with all the related costs, will cost an individual around R45 000,00. Specifications An Unmanned Aircraft System or Drone is not a silver bullet against crime. It is, however, a very valuable and effective tool in the security practitioner’s toolbox, if: • It is the correct type of drone with the correct camera lens and technical specification. • The drone has a reliable power supply to suit the intended application. • The recording and evidence retention equipment is of good quality and technical specification. • The recording retention period is adequate for the intended application. • Provide a secure lock-up for the recording equipment and an off-site back-up of data, if possible. • Ensure a secure and reliable communication system, both on- and offsite. • There is a reliable and effective inspection and maintenance procedure in place. • There is a reliable local source of spare parts and service back-up. • The drone and supporting equipment have been designed and developed by a reliable manufacturer, who has research and development capacity to support the equipment into a future period beyond the initial guarantee period of the equipment. • Does the manufacturer provide a redundancy plan to keep the system and equipment up to date with the rapid rate of technical development taking place? Conclusion The development of the UAV technology has opened up a whole new era and multiple possibilities for planning for, coping with and responding to, the challenges of security in the rural farming areas of South Africa. Let us trust that the regulatory bodies will be progressive enough in their approach to permit the judicious and responsible use of the UAV technology to the benefit of all persons in the future. This article has been shortened. The full article is at http://www.securitysa.com/16020r OPINION Laurence Palmer.
www.securitysa.com Issue 2 2022 11 The war will have an impact on all financial institutions, but it will be a scaled impact depending on the organisation and its location. Those in Russia and/or Ukraine will be subject to greater challenges, but few, if any, will escape unscathed. In my opinion, the impacts will include: • Government expenditures in war. In the First WorldWar, Britain’s government expenditures amounted to £9,5 billion, which, judging from national income estimates for 1913 and 1924, was possibly one-third of total national income for the period. How do the governments raise these funds as there is less tax collected from countries that are at war, less loans being paid back, less liquid cash etc.? • Will monetary expansion and borrowing from the public become the chief forms of war finance? Russia has far more wealthy people that can support their cause than Ukraine and therefore Ukraine will always be on the back foot in regards to the financial side of a war. • What is the preparedness of the financial institutions for a short war and what are the reserves for a long-termwar? Has any financial institution included this as a risk in their risk management plan or will this be the same as when the pandemic started in 2020 and all financial institutions had to play catch up? • InWorldWar 1, the bank rate was raised from 3% on July 29, 1914, to 10% on August 1. On July 30, the government closed the stock exchange. On August 2 it declared a moratorium on bills of exchange, which was subsequently extended. On August 6 it passed the Currency and Bank Notes Act, which gave the bank permission to extend its fiduciary issue without additional gold reserves. In addition, the act authorised the Treasury to issue notes as legal tender[1], made postal orders legal tender until the Treasury notes could be printed and circulated and permitted the Scottish and Irish banks to meet their obligations with their own notes. The government underwrote shipping insurance up to 80% and the Treasury agreed to guarantee the Bank of England against loss on bills discounted for banks and brokers. What will the impacts be on each individual country and any rate increase, how does this impact each individual financial institution in the country? • As of the 27th of February, 156 000 refugees crossed Ukraine into Poland since the invasion began. How do Poland’s financial systems cope with the additional expense of having to house and feed all the refugees? • The fiscal impact on day-to-day money required from the commercial banks. Do the banks hold substantial quantities to provide for all the Ukrainian population wanting to withdraw their money?Will Ukraine currency lose its value and therefore result in Ukraine people not meeting their day-to-day living requirements? • With the war and curfews placed on Ukraine people and with the fighting, how does the country distribute currency to the commercial banks? This means that the logistics have been hugely impacted, which causes panic and infighting. At the outbreak of war there was a scramble for hard cash which could drive the US Dollar to a temporary premium. • DuringWWII, stock markets did initially fall, but recovered before its end, during the KoreanWar there were no major corrections, while during the VietnamWar and afterwards stock markets remained flat from the end of 1964 until 1982. Have the financial Institutions worked out the Russia/Ukraine war and its effect on financial institutions By Erica Gibbons, forensic director of Shelby Enterprises and ASIS SA treasurer. ASIS SA’s treasurer, Erica Gibbons, highlights some of the effects financial institutions should look out for as a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine. impact of their book if the top 10% of their customers lose due to an impact on the markets? • The United States, United Kingdom and other countries have imposed rigorous sanctions on Russia, targeting its financial sector, banks and politicians, which now creates more regulations that financial institutions must adhere to at a great cost to themselves. • Payments for imports and exports that have already been approved are now impacted and there could be huge losses. • Russia has been excluded from SWIFT, which will impact the Russian economy and the normal citizens of Russia. This exclusion will increase the costs of other transactions due to the number of transactions and increased security. • Russia is the second largest country in terms of the number of SWIFT users, Russia has up to 300 financial institutions using the SWIFT systems. While the Russian banks do have the option to use alternative banking systems i.e. cellphone banking or messaging apps to conduct banking, these banking methods can be significantly less secure and efficient. This will create a huge market and gap for the criminal minds in this world. • There will be an increase in scams asking for assistance and innocent victims who want to assist Russians or Ukrainians in desperate need. Financial institutions will need to undertake more preventive measures on an ongoing basis to protect money laundering. • Increased cyberattacks just from everyday criminals on all financial systems in order to gain access, or by planned attacks by Russia in order to weaken the world. Cyberattacks perpetrated by foreign adversaries represent one of the greatest national security concerns and the top priority of any country’s intelligence communities. Increased sanctions on Russia could result in Russia conducting cyberattacks on global financial services infrastructures. • Money laundering, according to information provided, Russia has stockpiled gold, hard currency and other items of value i.e. precious gems and metals which could now be used to support the war. • What will the impact on business be? Less profit, less transactions going through the bank, less payments of loans, businesses sinking, insurance claims and so on? Find out more about ASIS SA at www.asissa.co.za [1]https://www.gold.org/sites/default/files/documents/1914aug6.pdf OPINION
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