Video security is everywhere. From parking lots to facilities, the technology has evolved into a powerful tool to maintain visibility and control of an environment. However, with all of that security comes hours upon hours of recorded video – far too much for a single person to review manually. Enter video security analytics: software which helps security professionals review, analyze, and evolve better security protocols from what’s been recorded.
Today, analytics software provides a convenient way for companies to acquire data and insights from their video security infrastructure. Read on to learn more about these analytics, and what makes this information valuable.
According to Wikipedia, analytics are “the discovery, interpretation, and communication of meaningful patterns in data.” Therefore, video security analytics are pieces of data constructed from metrics or observations gleaned from reviewing security footage.
Sophisticated analytics software acquires most of this data, and may leverage machine learning, artificial intelligence, or automation. Together, these three technological innovations make it much easier to gain deeper insights into the environment in which video surveillance is applied.
Analytics are valuable, especially when it comes to security. Criminals are constantly developing clever schemes which may fool a physical observer. Devoid of the many errors routinely found in human judgment, however, analytics software is better equipped to spot these tactics.
However, analytics are broadly useful for understanding security, surveillance, and opportunities for business optimization. Analytics may help identify:
● Instances of abnormal behavior which may suggest malicious intent.
● Patterns in traffic flow which may shed insight into better ways to optimize other security elements.
● Recurring events which indicate inefficiencies in processes.
● Unsafe employee behavior or code violations.
● Opportunities for additional training or employee education.
● Issues in production quality.
In other words, video analytics improves security and business operation by providing the company with much more information about its environment than can be learned simply by watching the feed. It puts companies in a better position to anticipate security threats and make data-driven decisions.
When it comes to security, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. Business processes often represent the unique nature and needs of their respective business. However, a few metrics do exist by which an organization can determine the success or optimization of their video security strategies. Consider:
When it comes to security, threat detection is all about time. The sooner a threat is spotted or anticipated, the less of a chance it has to cause significant harm. Therefore, a good metric to apply involves how quickly analytics software spots and communicates meaningful patterns to a professional in a position to act.
Another major metric includes the time it takes from the communication of a meaningful pattern from video surveillance analytics to the time that the incident is resolved on the ground. In many cases, the swift response from security professionals can thwart situations such as intrusion or unsafe employee behavior.
Properly functioning analytics strategies should not only capture incidents but automatically rank them by type and priority. Likewise, an incident which occurs in the facility which is not captured by either the video cameras themselves or recognized by analytics software indicates an opportunity for improvement.
A well-functioning video security system saves a company money by quickly capturing and transmitting information about occurrences. Savings may include fines or other expenses that were avoided due to the rapid detection of code violations. Or, the use of automation and artificial intelligence may replace more costly manual methods. In general, video security analytics should make a noticeable, positive impact on a company’s security expenses.
Knowledge is power, and forewarned is forearmed. A strong analytics strategy for video security helps improve security across an organization in two major ways:
● Better anticipation and preparedness. Tools such as artificial intelligence work alongside analytics to help companies stay prepared, anticipating threats before they arise.
● A unified view of the attack surface. Video security is only one element of a company’s overall security strategy. However, by integrating with other aspects of company security, video security provides a deeper look into a security environment. It is especially valuable when 34 percent of security breaches happen on-premise by inside actors.
Keeping a premise physically secure is still a priority when it comes to security, but it can be next to impossible to manually watch every second of footage. Therefore, video security analytics is among the more powerful tools available for security professionals. By leveraging advanced technologies, analytics can provide more information faster, and in a more cost-effective manner.
DSI helps companies take advantage of the latest strategies and technologies to secure their facilities and assets. Contact us today to start a conversation about what we can do for you.