Contactless Access Credentials & Egress

Contactless Access Credentials & Egress 

THE business landscape changing so dramatically over the past few months — possibly irrevocably — the task for many in security, including for consultants, integrators, dealers and manufacturers. As businesses and organizations begin to reopen, many are rethinking the way they budget for security, including access control, video surveillance and intrusion Alarm.

It’s amazing that a microscopic virus from China could virtually bring the world to a standstill. The 2020 global pandemic has reshaped the way people work, learn and play on every conceivable level. In addition to the devastating impact on global health and safety, COVID-19 has infected the health of the global economy.

The growing call to return to work will surely accelerate many of the physical (not social) distancing, sterilization and occupancy issues that we are currently facing. Hopefully, modern medicine will rise to the challenge sooner than later with a COVID-19 vaccine, but this may take some time even with accelerated testing and approvals.

Commonly touched items that can cause the spread of coronavirus (and other infectious disease) can include things like elevator buttons, ATM and checkout keypads, door knobs and handles, keyboards and mice, and door/entry access control panels — just to name a few. When you think about all of the “touchable” items that you interact with each day it becomes a daunting task to stay away from them and feel safe, clean and virus-free. Well, it's no surprise that right now, businesses are feeling the need to provide solutions and upgrade their safety and security as the workforce begins to come back to the office or plan for that to happen soon.

Contactless credentials are the most common component used in an access control system and while many look alike externally, important differences exist. “Contactless credentials and touchless access control can help reduce the number of surfaces that people touch on campus and can help reduce contact transmission” said Arindam Bhadra founder SSA Integrate.

Credentials Overview

While other credential options exist, the most common choice is RFID 'contactless' types. Nearly 90% of systems use contactless cards or fobs built as unpowered devices that are excited and read when brought close to a reader unit. This 'wireless power' process is called resonant energy transfer.

In Proximity Reader technology the reader itself emits a field collected by the card, eventually reaching enough of a charge that temporarily powers a wireless data transfer between the two. The image below details typical internal components of the type, where the wire antenna collects energy, the capacitor stores it, and when full discharges ICC chip (credential) data back through the antenna to the reader:

In general, all contactless credentials work this way but the exact parameters like operating frequency, size of credential data, encryption, and format of the data greatly vary in the field. In the sections that follow, we examine these parameters in depth.

Contactless Credentials Dominated by Giants

One of the biggest differences in contactless credentials is the format of the data it contains, typically determined by the manufacturer. Upwards of three-quarters of contactless credentials use formats developed or licensed by HID Global and NXP Semiconductor.

HID Overview

Since the market began migrating away from 'magstripe' credentials in the early 1990's, HID Global gained marketshare with its 125 kHz "Prox" offerings. Now part of ASSA ABLOY, HID has become the most common security market credential provider, and OEM of products for access brands including Lenel, Honeywell, and Siemens. The company's best-known formats include:

·     "Proximity": an older 125 kHz format, but still regularly used and specified even in new systems

·      iClass: an HID Global specific 13.56 MHz 'smartcard'

HID is the most common choice for credentials in the US. Because of commanding market share, HID is able to license the use of its credential formats to a variety of credential and reader manufacturers. Even when marketing general 'ISO 14443 compliant' offerings, HID strictly follows "Part B" standards (vs Part "A" - described in more detail later).

NXP Overview

Formerly Phillips Semiconductor, Europe-based NXP offers a number of 'contactless' credential components used in a number of markets - security, finance, and industrial. With widespread adoption of ISO standards in credential specifications, NXP offers a catalog of types built to spec, including:

·    MIFARE PROX: NXP's 125 kHz format built on early drafts of ISO standards, but not as widely adopted as HID's "Proximity" lines

·  MIFARE/DESFire: an ISO Standards-based NXP 'smartcard' format, also operating on 13.56 MHz the 'DESFire' moniker was introduced in the early 2000s to distinguish the format from 'MIFARE Classic' credentials. DESFire credentials feature stronger encryption that required higher performing chips. The 'Classic' format fell under scrutiny for being vulnerable to snoop attacks, and DESFire countered this threat. Because these improvements were made only to credentials, and existing MIFARE readers could still be used, the new format became known as 'MIFARE/DESFire'.

Unlike HID, NXP's credential formats are 'license-free' and the according standards are available for production use for no cost. NXP manufacturers all ISO 14443 product to "Part A" standards. NXP's market share is largest outside the US, mostly attributed to the early (starting in ~1990's) adoption of HID Global formats inside the US, but the brand's formats are often the primary ones used in Europe and Asia for physical access control.

US vs the World

Because of NXP Semiconductor’s strength in EMEA and the lack of licensing, MIFARE, DESFire, and the associated derivatives are popular outside the US.

However, HID Global's strongest markets are in the Americas, especially in the US. Despite the additional cost of licensing compliant credentials and readers, the company also produces products that use the unlicensed NXP formats and has equal or greater operability as a result.

125 kHz vs 13.56 MHz

The credential's RF frequency factors a key role in its performance. Because readers can only scan credentials operating at specific matching frequencies, this attribute is the first to consider. If frequency and format do not match, credentials are simply not read. The chart below shows the frequency of popular formats:

Perhaps the biggest difference between 125 kHz and 13.56 MHz frequencies is credential security. 125 kHz formats do not support encryption and are easily snooped or spoofed. However, 13.56 MHz formats are encrypted (usually 128 bit AES or greater) and credential data can only be read by a device that is specifically given the key to do so. 

Deciphering Credential Types

One of the most challenging jobs for integrators and end users alike is simply identifying which credential a system is using. The market is crowded with hundreds of options with no guarantees of compatibility for items that all appear to be a blank white card. The image below details four different credential types with dramatically different performance and security characteristics, yet they all look the same to the untrained eye:

For contactless types, you must know three attributes that are not typically clearly printed or overtly labeled on the credential:

·     Format Name: This designates how and how much data the credential transmits, usually defined by an ISO standard for Wiegand formats. For example H10301 is the typical 26 bit format, H10304 is HID's Wiegand 37 bit, and so on. The best way to confirm the format used by a card is to locate a box label of existing cards (See image below 'Card Format Details') to interpret the raw hexadecimal output as a specific format. If card boxes are not available, researching the credential type used by checking the format used in the Access Control Management Software application, typically in the cardholder and reader configuration settings.

·       Facility Code: This attribute is NOT printed on the card in most cases. This piece of information is also typically found on box labels but can be decoded using the same online calculators for format name. In certain cases, access systems must be configured to accept specific facility codes and some low-end systems may limit acceptable codes to one specific number. Without knowing this code, credentials are not sure to work.

·       Card ID/Serial Number (CSN/UID): In many cases, the ID number is embossed or printed on the card. This number is the 'unique ID' that ties a user to a specific badge. While concurrent numbers are not an issue, redundant numbers are, and the same Card ID and Facility Coded credential cannot be issued twice in the same system. The image below shows.

Interestingly, the Sales Order/Batch Number information printed on the card is often not used by the access system at all and is only printed to assist in researching the origin of the card as shipped to a specific distributor, end user, or dealer.

In some cases, a card vendor or distributor will 'read' an unknown card for a fee, but turn around times may take several business days.

Often, the box for cards currently in production is often the quickest, easiest way to gather all three pieces of this information, if not a reordering part number, as shown below:

The ISO/IEC 14443 Division

Very little separates HID's iClass from NXP's MIFARE offerings, and if not for ambiguous interpretation of an ISO standard, they would 'look' the same to most readers. However, because early versions of the standard left room for differentiation, HID and NXP designed their 'compliant' standards with a different encryption structure.

The end result is both versions of credential claim 'ISO 14443 Compliance', but are not entirely interchangeable. To reconcile this difference, ISO revised 14443 to include parts 'A and/or B' to segregate the two offerings. The default, basic serial number of cards is readable in both A & B parts, but any encoded data on the card is unreadable between the two because the original standard left room for implementation ambiguity.

In general, because there is no licensing cost in using 'Part A' standards, many low-cost, non-US target market, and new reader products start here. However, readers marketed specifically in the US or from vendors with a broader global market license use 'Part B' compliance common to HID.

For example, this TSDi reader supports 14443-A, but not 14443-B, meaning in practical terms in does not support HID's 13.56 MHz iClass formats, but does support NXP's 13.56 MHz MIFARE/DESFire formats:

In contrast, HID iClass readers support both 'A' and 'B' along with the non-ISO specific 'CSN' such that either type of credentials will work with these readers:

13.56 MHz Smartcard Interoperability

While the 'Part A & B' division in ISO 14443 separates formats from being the same, it does not always mean they are unusable with each other. Portions of ISO 14443 are the same in both parts, including the 'Card Serial Number'. For some access systems, this is the unique number that identifies unique users, and because this number is not encoded, it will register in 'non-standard' readers:

·    CSN/UID String: Essentially the card's unique identifier is readable because it is not stored in the deep 'encrypted' media. Many simple EAC platforms use only this number to define a user, and instead use the internal database to assign rights, schedules, and privileges.

·    Encoded Read/Write: However, the vast majority of storage within the card is encrypted and unreadable unless compliant readers are used. Especially for access systems using the credential itself for storage (e.g.: Salto, Hotel Systems) and for multi-factor authentication (e.g.: biometrics) high security deployments, the simple CSN is not sufficient.

The CSN Loophole

In terms of security, not all credential details are encrypted. The 'Card Serial Number' (defined by ISO standards) for 13.56 MHz cards can often be read regardless of underlying format, modulation method, or encryption. The CSN may be usable as a unique ID by the system, but the full data set of the credential will not be available.

For smaller systems with only a few doors and a hundred or fewer cardholders, using the CSN as the primary ID is common due to the ease of enrollment in using CSNs as unique badge numbers. However, for high-security sites where access identity encryption is required by standard or when credentials are used for multiple integrated systems, using CSNs to identify issued cardholders is often not approved. Rather, the card's encrypted data is required instead.

Form Factor

Credential shapes are not just limited to cards or fobs. The size and method of hosting a credential can include stickers, tokens, cell-phone cases, or even jewellery.

The form factor of the credential often is an important consideration in overall durability and service life. For example, while a white PVC card may be ideal to print an ID badge on and hang from a lanyard, it can easily be bent or broken in a rough environment. A key fob, while unsuitable for printing a picture on, is designed to be durable enough to withstand abuse, harsh environment exposures, and even submersion in water.

The right form factor choice should be dictated by the user and the user's environment, and generally, all major credential types have numerous form factor options to suit.

Touchless Switches

Touchless wall switch makes opening a door simple and germ free. Blue LED back-lighting highlights the switch at all times, other than during activation. This provides a visual reference of the switch’s location in low light conditions. Its low-profile design makes it blend into your wall.

WORSHIP SURVEILLANCE DETECTION

WORSHIP SURVEILLANCE DETECTION

India has one place of worship for every 400 people, more than the countrywide spread of educational and medical institutions put together. And it does not seem that the pattern is going to change soon.

We often come and go from our Houses of Worship (HOW) with very little thought about who may be watching our activities. If we have implemented basic security precautions, we are probably comfortable in our setting. Security and worship can be successfully blended for those who worship in your facility. No house of worship (HOW), whether a church, mosque, temple, or synagogue is exempt from crime, whether committed by an internal member, a stranger, or as a random act of terrorism. On 5th September 2018 District Magistrate Srinagar, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, has ordered for installation of CCTV cameras in and around all prominent shrines, mosques and temples in the district.

Terrorists often gather significant pieces of information from open sources such as Google Maps and social media post­ings. They collect a lot of data about their target of interest and eventually they will conduct physical surveillance. After collecting initial data about the HOW, the terrorists will begin to survey the location, trying to determine the best time and mode of attack. Terrorists may look for a soft target that will bring instant publicity and maximize impact. A soft target can be a facility that doesn’t lock its doors or provide any type of security. Finding no resistance to their surveillance, they quickly realize there will be little or no threats to their safety, allowing them easy access in and out of the building. Depending on their plan of attack, they may send more skilled members to collect additional information by conducting surveillance inside and outside of the facility.

Risk Assessment

How do you know if someone is watching your facility? First, as a member it is always important that you are aware of who is in the parking lot. Be aware of any cars with people sitting in them that are in close proximity to your facility.

Now we need to find out risk factor in terrorists’ eyes.

Red Zones:

Terrorists seek locations to position themselves in what are referred to as red zones. These zones will normally meet the following three requirements:

1)  View of the target. Terrorists want to observe vulner­abilities so they need a good view. They will note the times of services. They will note how many people are there at any given time, seeking the opportunity to kill the maximum number possible with as little effort as possible. They will observe who comes and goes from the facility and will note the established patterns of behavior.

2)  Cover and concealment. Terrorists need to be able to apply cover and concealment tactics. While they are viewing the intended target, they do not wish to be observed by you.

3)  Safety and Exit. Terrorists do not want to be appre­hended and thus seek a safe exit which provides a quick exit, should their presence be observed.

Green Zones

As you are entering and exiting from your HOW, it is important that you are observant of suspicious activities.

Following are a few suspicious activities you might observe around your facility:

• Someone taking notes or photos who stops abruptly when approached

• Someone pointing at the target or casually looking around

• Circling the block repeatedly in a taxi or vehicle.

• Car, van, or truck parked nearby with occupants taking notes or photos.

• Circling the block repeatedly in a taxi or vehicle.

• Drawings or maps observed in a vacant car, van, or truck.

• Interest in security systems/someone enters and asks about the security system

• Someone glancing away or appearing to be nervous when approached.

• Someone enters the facility claiming to be looking for someone, and they appear overly interested in the physical layout of the building

The above listed activities may or may not indicate that your location is under surveillance. However, if observed, they should be noted and reported immediately. Another consideration as terrorist activities increase is that if law enforcement personnel are able to observe those conducting surveillance, it could result in lives being saved by collecting and sharing intelligence information. Otherwise, terrorists may move onto the next facility, which could result in many casualties. Regardless, the decision to question those conducting hostile surveillance or conduct additional surveil­lance must be made by law enforcement or a trained security team member.

Securing Worship

This part I divided into three (3) sections:

• Interior security

• Exterior security

• Procedural and/or best practices

• Interior security by

1.   Access Control:

Controlling and limiting access is one of the most important steps that can be taken to improve security. Some Worship staff and worshippers will not be comfortable with restricting access.

• Establish policies to maintain access control

• Limit access to childcare, business offices, cash counting area, and media rooms.

• Always install the latest patches and updates when prompted. This mitigates many hacking programs that rely on outdated vulnerabilities in your software. Set your computer to auto install updates.

• Doors and windows should be secured when the building is vacant.

• Limit points of access. When opening your facility, consider the event, the number of people, and the location of the event. Limit access by only opening doors that are close to the area being used. Do not open every door.

•  Establish checkpoints based on need--and staff accordingly. A checkpoint is an entry where all people and things are screened based upon the security plan for the current threat environment.

•  Keys for critical areas and master keys must be especially controlled.

2.   Burglar Alarm:

• Establish policies to maintain burglar alarm system.

• Ensure an alarm system covers access points and key areas where expensive items are housed.

• Use a reliable monitoring vendor and ensure contact information remains current.

• Develop a policy that addresses response to alarms.

• Install panic alarms at public reception areas where employees can initiate emergency procedures when suspicious persons approach and request access.

3.   Fire Alarm:

•  Ensure adequate addressable fire alarm coverage. The local fire department can help with determining what is needed for your facility.

• Develop a policy that addresses response to alarms.

4.   CCTV System:

Camera coverage should be considered for critical areas (such as areas with children, the business office, the clergy’s office, etc.) and access points. They can also be focused around items that are most likely to be stolen. For places of worship with little capital to spend, a camera with audio that can be monitored from a cell phone may be purchased for about $250 - $2500.

•  A Camera system can also serve as an alarm system by using video analytics and integrating with access control systems.

• Cameras should capture every door and point of entry. Additionally, cameras should be in the infant care rooms, daycare rooms, and areas where children play/eat/etc.

• If cameras are installed in daycare centers, inform parents and caretakers that you would be storing digital data of their children.

• Always install the latest patches and updates when prompted. This mitigates many hacking programs that rely on outdated vulnerabilities in your software. Set your computer to auto install updates.

Considering that places of worship are often targets of attacks, crime, and other losses, it is our belief that by auditing CCTV video footage as a standard operating procedure, and delivering a new powerful signage that states ‘WE CHECK CCTV EVERYDAY', far more benefits will accrue to them.

5.   Doors:

• Ideally doors should be wood or steel with a solid frame.

• Hinge pins should be located on the interior of door, or capped, if on the outside to prevent easy removal.

6.   Windows:

• Ensure that windows are secured prior to closing and latches are in working order.

• If windows are opened for air circulation, only open windows that are monitored and/or located where

people cannot climb through.

Exterior Security

Exterior security controls encourage us to think about how best to secure the perimeter of the church, parking lots, playground areas, and mass drop-off areas. Research says most violent crimes at faith-based organizations, more than 70% of the acts occurred outside the building on ministry grounds or parking lots.

• Consider enhancing perimeter security by adding a decorative fence—whether aluminium, board, stone, brick and/or multiple combinations thereof.

• Secure points of entry when no events are taking place. If your facility has back entrances and parking lots, these should be locked off.

• Remove potential fire hazards, such as trash and debris. Keep dumpsters in a locked dumpster pad.

• Consider vehicle barriers and/or bollards for vulnerable entries, special events, or in case of a terrorist threat when stand-off distance is required for vehicles. Barriers can be as simple as strategic parking of staff vehicles or as complex as a built-in place.

• Identify exterior hiding places, equipment vulnerabilities, utilities entries/shutoffs, fire department connections and hydrants. Check them for signs of activity before any event.

• Lights should be placed on all doors and windows. Motion detector lights should be considered for doors and windows. Ensure all lights are in working order.

• Lights should be on from dust to dawn. Consider lights with solar panels as this may reduce the cost of the energy.

• Larger facilities may need an officer to direct traffic. This will ensure timely entry and parking. The officer(s) can patrol the parking lots during the services. This task can also be completed by members of your “security team.” Outfit them in high-visibility vests and radios.

• Camera coverage is recommended for the exterior of the facility. Every area from the entrances to the parking lots should be covered. Some cameras only record when motion is detected, others record 24-7. Cameras can be monitored from the inside by your security team members and remotely on hand held devices as needed or based upon analytics,

• "Cameras never lie". But, how will a user ever know, unless he 'sees' what the camera 'saw'. Do audit own CCTV video footage as a standard operating procedure, for them to achieve optimal benefits from CCTV video, which includes (a) crime, fraud and loss prevention (b) faster solving of crime (c) risk mitigation (d) compliance issues and continuous improvement and so on.

• Appoint a “security leader” to oversee the development and implementation of the security plan. Schedule regular meetings to review procedures and incidents.

• Develop a “Welcoming Committee” of individuals and/or ushers who are trained in security detection and emergency responses.

• Conduct evacuation drills with staff and volunteers. Attend firearms training if your committee recommends that individuals are armed during services and special events.

"Considering that places of Worship are often targets of attacks, crime, and other losses, 'COM-SUR', the world's only CCTV video footage auditing, smart backup, and standardized intelligent reporting software is available for free to all places of Worship world-over, as part of our corporate social responsibility.

Places of Worship will need to take care of the hardware, installation, training, and so on; which can easily be carried out by their system integrators, who will need to be approved and trained by us. Besides a registration and training fee, a small consulting and administration fee will be charged by COM-SUR from the system integrator".

Resources:

Crime Prevention for Houses of Worship, 2nd edition, by Paula L. Ratliff. Published by AISIS International, 2015.

https://www.ifsec.events/india/visit/news-and-updates/com-sur-will-be-integrated-ai-ml-technologies-offer-holistic-solutions

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/agra/kasganj-cctv-cameras-to-be-set-up-at-worship-places-in-sensitive-areas/articleshow/62823320.cms

https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2019/apr/26/police-top-brass-meets-heads-of-places-of-worship-malls-1969148.html

https://defendry.com/4-ways-to-improve-security-at-your-place-of-worship/

ACTIVE INFRARED PERIMETER SENSOR

ACTIVE INFRARED PERIMETER SENSOR 

Perimeter sensors use infrared (IR), passive infrared (PIR) or light-detecting sensors to monitor your surrounding property. When movement is detected by these sensors, they can send notifications to your alarms or security system so you instantly know when someone is approaching.

An infrared (IR) sensor is an electronic device that measures and detects infrared radiation in its surrounding environment. Active infrared sensors both emit and detect infrared radiation. Active IR sensors have two parts: a light emitting diode (LED) and a receiver.

Active Infrared (IR) Fence Detectors, or Photoelectric Infrared Fence Sensors have been widely used in perimeter security systems. Unlike the electric fence, the Active Infrared fence detectors utilize invisible Infrared barriers to detect the intrusion. It has long detection/guarding range, low-cost, high-quality, and installation-friendly features. Some IR fence detectors adopt 4-channel frequency design to avoid IR interference between different beams, this can greatly reduce the false alarm rate to offer you accurate motion detection.

Some Active IR Fence Detector product portfolio includes 2∼10 beams, and detection range reaches up to 5m∼40m. These photoelectric fence sensors have N.O. and N.C. alarm output, can work with difference systems through reliable wired connection. It's the ideal security detectors for your intrusion alarm system, access control system, IP surveillance system and home automation system.

1# How active infrared fence detector works?

Each Active Infrared (AIR) sensor comes as a pair, consisting of a transmitter and receiver. IR transmitter emits multiple Infrared light to the receiver, this is the working principle of AIR sensors. The transmitter and receiver are installed opposite each other, the area between the transmitter and received has been guarded by invisible IR-beams. When a person or object crosses the IR-beam, the infrared beam is interrupted. The receiver triggers alarm and send alarm signals.

AIR fence detectors use an active infrared technique, it provides much accurate motion detection than PIR-based detectors. Additionally, the fence sensors use the pulsating code to filter out interference light sources from sunlight,car headlights and lightning flashes. The fence receiver only reacts to interruptions in this pulsating infrared beam, other light sources therefore do not affect the receiver. Our active Infrared fence detectors emit IR in 4 different frequencies to make it difficult to be replicated and interfered.

2# How to choose right AIR fence detectors?

To choose the right active infrared fence detectors, you need to consider the following two things; the number of beams, the detection range. Most active infrared beam detectors have 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 beams. The more the number of beams, the higher of the detector's height.  Typically, 2∼4 beams fence detectors are suitable for covering single window and door. 6∼10 beams AIR fence detectors fit the application of balconies and windows and doors in the array.

Active Infrared Fence Detector Installation 1

AIR Fence Detector Installation 2

Detection coverage/range is the another very important factor when choosing the detector. Unlike other detectors, the installation distance between the transmitter and receiver should be the exact/approximate same rated detection distance of Active Infrared fence detectors. This means if the detection range is 20 meters, users need to choose 20 meter Active IR fence detector, not the 40 meters product. However, the Active IR detectors allow users to adjust the intensity of Infrared light to change the detection distance.

3# How to connect the AIR fence detector?

Both IR transmitter and receiver requires power supply (10.5 - 15V DC) to operate. However, sync connection maybe required for the long range detection. When connecting the AIR fence detector to alarm systems, EOL resistor (2.2Kohm) connection is mandatory to supervise the circuit.

Note: In order to avoid false alarm caused by power failure/electricity outage, it's recommended to use UPS power supply.

Note: If the controller is an alarm panel, EOL resistor (R1) should be used, it should be connected in series to protect and supervise the circuit. Other controllers don't need to use EOL resistors.

India and China relation effect in Surveillance Market

 India and China relation effect in Surveillance Market

India faces trade imbalance heavily in favour of China. The two countries failed to resolve their border dispute and Indian media outlets have repeatedly reported Chinese military incursions into Indian territory. Both countries have steadily established military infrastructure along border areas.

Major Issues Between India And China

•      LAC issues – Border demarcation has been a major issue between India and China. ..
•     Water Disputes – The 4 Rivers flowing from China to India are the crucial source of water for some Indian states. ...
•     Dali Lama – India's step to shelter Dalai Lama, who has taken shelter in Dharamshala, after his exile.

According to Indian sources, melee fighting on 15/16 June 2020 resulted in the deaths  of 20  Indian soldiers (including an officer) and casualties of 43 Chinese soldiers (including death of an officer). ... On the Indian side ten soldiers were reported to have been taken captive while the Chinese numbers remain unconfirmed.

Many Indians largely blame China for the origin of the coronavirus, and criticize its lack of disclosure, its influence on the WHO, and what are seen as its efforts to take diplomatic or commercial advantage of the crisis. Because of COVID-19, China's GDP contracted 6.8% during the first quarter of 2020, the country’s first quarterly economic retrenchment in decades, according to data released April 17 by the National Bureau of Statistics of China. Thus, India’s government has announced restrictions on foreign direct investment from countries that share a land boundary with India — a move clearly directed against China. It has also been proactive in its neighborhood with diplomatic outreach, economic aid, technical assistance, and the provision of medical supplies.

Outside of China, the pandemic has severely affected the production of video surveillance equipment in areas where the equipment is being made, such as India, Vietnam, and Brazil, as factories remained shuttered under lockdown orders. It is difficult to say when production in these areas will resume since virus spread and containment efforts differ for each country.

To ensure that social distancing norms and the home ministry’s standard operating procedures are being followed, the government will ask all major companies that reopen with permits to share their CCTV footage.
“We will make it mandatory for all bigger organisations to share CCTV footage. We will set up a control room where our industry department will monitor this feed to ensure that the social distancing norms are being followed,” said additional chief secretary and GMDA chief VS Kundu. Besides this, officials from the labour department as well as Haryana State
Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC) will constantly monitor the factories. “We will also form teams of volunteers who will conduct random checks at the industry premises to see that the SOPs are being followed,” said Kundu. You need to audit video footage what your camera saw. As far as the construction sites are concerned, only those projects that have made arrangements for the workers’ accommodation at the site will be allowed to reopen.

China alone in 2019 accounted for approximately 90% of the worldwide production of video surveillance camera units, and its domestic surveillance market represented 47% of worldwide global market revenue, Omdia estimates, as shown by the chart below. 

Contactless technology was an inevitable demand that COVID-19 brought with it. Realizing this at an early stage of the pandemic. Facial recognition could grant access or unlock a door without physical contact, but in many instances, you would still need to open a door by touching its handle. To deal with this, manufacturer offered motorized swing door and sliding door operators. At exits, recommended touch-free buttons that could open the doors. But Facial recognition is costly, their capacity is lower than fingerprint-based systems, and chances of error are more. Even in a global pandemic, researchers are crawling the internet for photos of people wearing face masks to improve facial recognition algorithms...so, yes, the technology will continue to evolve and continue to be used.

 

The customers, on their part, are keen on these solutions, but because the Indian government had implemented a country-wide lockdown for almost six months from March, sales have been less. Even though the country-wide lockdown was lifted in May, regional lockdowns and restrictions continue, and many customers are still reluctant to decide to invest. Also need to remember India is a highly cost-sensitive economy. This reason Indian people depends on china low cost zero quality product. Some high-end customers, like a pharmaceutical company they upgrading from their existing fingerprint scanners is a significant capital investment decision because they have hundreds of readers across their premises. So, the market may take a final decision only after observing the developments of a vaccine or cure for COVID-19.

 

Some Si' s received an inquiry for a facial recognition-based access control solution, integrated with thermal screening and mask detection, where they categorically said not to go for Chinese products. Although there are customers interested in contactless access control technology, the Indian market appears to have taken a wait-and-watch strategy for now. However, the spread of the virus in the next few months would play a critical role in the decision-making process. By the end of this year or early next, we would get a clearer picture.

For a global security solutions provider, entering the Indian market begins with understanding the local customer’s requirements. But this is not easy, as the Indian market is fragmented and diverse, making it close to impossible to reach every end customer without investing heavily in a high-budget marketing plan. Security systems integration industry in India is not as organized as it should be. Delays in decision making are common in Indian public sector projects. Often there are also a lot of uncertainties because of political reasons. Post-sales challenges differ from customers to customers. Each project has its own set of challenges. These call for several levels of permissions that they are required to seek from different government bodies like National Highway Authorities, Railway Authorities, and other local authorities, before installation, which is another set of challenges during the execution stage.

 

Video Surveillance market especially regarding IP-based surveillance systems, is the customer’s lack of knowledge on what they want to buy. They compare IP Surveillance systems with IP devices that are used in general networking/LAN. The problem is that LAN/WAN is focused more on the network or the backend. For IP surveillance, they need to pay attention to the camera as it is the major component, apart from other network devices. This is where the price sensitivity issues that have become a nightmare for foreign vendors in India resurface. Competition from Chinese manufacturers is a challenge to SIs working with premium solution providers. Mr. Arindam Bhadra, Technical director of SSA Integrate said” “With the presence of various low-quality Chinese products, the biggest challenge for us is to convince our customers to buy products, which, although high in pricing, offers a better quality coupled with world-class technology. Still, many customers take cameras as just a device to watch the videos rather than for security surveillance. So, educating the customer and convincing them on the quality of products is the major challenge. Even they not bother type of cyber certification, UL etc.”

Cybersecurity threat mitigation awareness in the customer is not yet mature and, in such cases, we recommend products that follow best cybersecurity practices to ensure the IP Surveillance equipment doesn’t become the weakest link on the network. Marketing to end customers could be a possible solution, as this would support SIs in their efforts to convince the customer to not just focus on the price factor. When you combine this with steps to create more awareness of cybersecurity issues, customers will have a better understanding of what it takes to protect their surveillance data.

Several public video surveillance vendors in China have now released their Q1 financial reports that show their business being impacted at different levels. Revenue fell by 5% at Hikvision, by 19% at Dahua, by 36% at Kedacom, and rose just 0.5% at China Transinfo, the parent company of Uniview. The reversals are likely due to halted or delayed government-driven video surveillance projects as well as stagnant demand in the enterprise and small and medium business sector because of COVID-19.

Now I share one real life experience, happened with Nagpur based Si’s ACE Technologies, Mr. Ashish Agrawal said

“I would rather lose a order of 70 lakh than compromise on my nations security by Quoting on Manipulation done by Hikvision, Dahua, UNV or CP Plus.

For me Nation comes 1st.

May be emotional fool, but a Proud Indian at Heart.

Today i have rejected a customer asking me specs of these Chinese oem's. Kam profit hoga this FY, but at heart I'm happy that I've done my bit in securing safety and sovereignty of my Nation. My Tribute and Respect soldiers who laid down their lives for our security and security of this Great Nation from Pakis and Chinese. Many undercover we even don't know.

 

May be from business i made foolish decision, but not at cost of My Country.

 

It's time we as Indirect Security solution providers should stand together in supporting Safety, Sovereignty and Security of Our Nation.”

At last someone had to start, he did a bit. May be few SI's who have moral ethics and feelings for Nation can also do. Also few people who have sold souls and heart to Chinese companies can come back and Stand for their Nation.

 

Finally, dealing with government projects in India requires people who are familiar with how the system works. A potential solution some vendors have already considered is hiring such people to work as intermediaries. In a market like India, foreign vendors would always be better off with a reliable local representative. A lot of their success could depend on how efficient this representative could be.

Boycotting Chinese products & use NDAA approved video surveillance is correct process in new normal Indian society. Manufacturers wish and expect to make their products entirely in India in a few years, but there is much to be done before the country reaches that stage. “Make in India” is not as easy as it sounds. But “assemble in India” is good word.  

Download:

Restriction Rule Indian Public Procurement 2020 

New Make in India policy effective from 4th June 2020.

Why UL listing important

Why UL listing important

Standards are all around us, even if we are not always aware of them. One example of a widely-used standard is the A4 size for sheets of paper.

A standard is a document that sets out requirements for a specific item, material, component, system or service, or describes in detail a particular method or procedure. Standards facilitate international trade by ensuring compatibility and interoperability of components, products and services. They bring benefits to businesses and consumers in terms of reducing costs, enhancing performance and improving safety.

Standards are developed and defined through a process of sharing knowledge and building consensus among technical experts nominated by interested parties and other stakeholders - including businesses, consumers and environmental groups, among others.

“UL” is short for Underwriters Laboratories, an organization which has been testing and approving products for consumer safety since 1894. Originally known as the Underwriters Electrical Bureau, UL was founded in Chicago by William Merrill, and has since expanded to include 182 service centers in more than 70 countries. Underwriters Laboratories performs safety testing on 18,750 categories of electrical, mechanical and chemical products. So, UL a third-party certification company that’s been around for over a century.

When it comes to UL certification. Certifying products within your business can get expensive, fast. However, one thing that’s never worth skimping on is safety. Your customers’ and workforce’s safety are the most important thing to ensure brand loyalty. Safety and reliability can be the difference between long-term success and catastrophic failure.

UL markers are most commonly seen on industrial equipment and home appliances. These include furnaces, fuses, electrical panels, fire control panel, circuit breakers, cameras, smoke and CO2 alarms, fire extinguishers, sprinklers, glass, and thousands of low voltage equipment. UL Listing in this case means that the product is compliant with the American National Electrical Code (NEC), and is therefore regarded as "safe", i.e., not prone to electrical faults or failures which may cause damage to equipment, facilities, or people.

If your surveillance or safety equipment is not UL listed, it can be ripped out. Technically speaking, cameras and other low-voltage devices do not require UL listing, as they fall under the limited power source (LPS) category. Products in this category do not require listing themselves. Instead, the power source, whether it be a low-voltage supply, midspan, or PoE switch, is to be listed. In practice, however, inspectors often do not follow this, requiring the UL mark other products, as well.

In the surveillance industry, UL listing varies. Many mainstream brands are UL listed. However, it may not apply to every camera in their portfolio, with some lower-cost or SMB/SOHO product being unlisted. Others have only listed the current generations of their equipment. Finally, many lower-cost brands are completely unlisted, limiting their use in some jurisdictions. Users should be aware of these variances when selecting product, and make no assumptions.

In the safety industry, UL listing must be in Detector, Fire Control Panel, MCP, Module, sprinkler, Pump etc. Some OEM follow EN listing of said item for safety i.e., not prone to electrical faults or failures which may cause damage to equipment, facilities, or people.

Listing can generally be found on data sheets, normally in an "approvals" section, though not always. Sometimes it is found only in installation manuals, and other times users must contact the company to get listing information. All these variables make UL compliance a tedious process.

While 'UL Certification' implies electrical safety, the actual standard number it satisfies varies.

For surveillance gear, there are below certification standards that address different safety aspects:

• UL 60950: Is the most common for cameras, and applies to low voltage safety (ie: non combustibility)
• UL 1492: Audio/Video Products and Accessories
• UL 1995: Heating and Cooling Equipment
• UL 2802: Tests related to performance quality of Camera image quality.
• UL 2043: Standard for Fire Test for Heat and Visible Smoke Release for Discrete Products and Their Accessories Installed in Air-Handling Spaces.
• UL 60065: Audio, Video and Similar Electronic Apparatuses: Safety Requirements.
• UL 325: Safety standard for door, drapery, gate, louver, and window operators and systems. Specifically, it applies to electric operators for doors, draperies, gates, louvers, windows and other opening and closing appliances rated 600 volts or less.

For Life Safety gear, there are below certification standards that address different safety aspects:

·        UL 217: Single- and Multiple- Station Smoke Alarms

·        UL 268: Smoke Detectors for Fire Protective Signalling Systems

·        UL 268A: Smoke Detectors for Duct Application

·        UL 294: Standard for Access Control System Units

·        UL 1023: Standard for Household Burglar-Alarm System Units

·        UL 1610: Standard for Central-Station Burglar-Alarm Units

·        UL 864: Standard for Control Units and Accessories for Fire Alarm Systems

·        UL 1626: Residential Sprinklers for Fire Protection Service

·        UL 1971: Signalling Devices for the Hearing Impaired

·     UL 1741: Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection System Equipment for Use with Distributed Energy Resources

 

For Wire and Cable gear, there are below certification standards that address different safety aspects:

·        UL 62: Flexible Cords and Cables

·        UL 758: Appliance Wiring Material (AWM)

·        UL 817: Cord Sets and Power Supply Cords

·        UL 2556: Wire and Cable Test Methods

 

Someone is shopping for a new circuit breaker or contactor; UL certification might sway their decision. If two identical products or services are side-by-side and one is UL certified and one isn’t, which one would you likely choose? It’s been shown that the UL mark can be a powerful marketing tool for businesses, and so many of them strive to get their products approved. The UL logo gives the consumer peace of mind, and the business a public seal of approval.

Whether the UL mark is required on all electrical parts in an installation varies tremendously, depending on the municipality, and even between different inspectors. We have seen various requirements for listing, in different municipalities:

• No UL listing required: Some municipalities are extremely lenient, never checking any product for UL certification. 
• Ceiling-mounted products: One of the most arbitrary requirements we have seen is that all ceiling-mounted equipment must be listed, but no other parts of the system were checked. 
• High-voltage only: In other cases, only high-voltage products require UL listing. This means that electricians are required to comply, but low-voltage security equipment is exempt. 
• Strict, 100% listing: In the most extreme cases, the building inspector will require every last part of an installation to bear the UL mark, whether it be servers, cameras, cable, or any other components. 

These variations, and others, are why we suggest users should check with their AHJ before installation. In some cases, bids and RFPs may also provide requirements for UL certification, taking the guesswork out of the process.

Since the level of compliance required may vary significantly, it is recommended that users check requirements with the authority having jurisdiction before installation takes place, or even before furnishing estimates.

If unlisted products are being used, but the inspector requires certification, users have two options:

1. Replace the non-compliant product with compliant. This is often the simplest way to gain compliance. The major downside is, of course, that product must be removed and replaced, incurring additional material, shipping, and labor costs.
2. Contract UL to provide a one-time certification of the system of the whole. In this case, a UL engineer visits the site and performs testing of the system in place. While this may alleviate listing issues, it is extremely expensive, commonly in the $10,000+ range for even small installations. It is therefore considered a last resort.

UL Certification allows a company to innovate its safety standards and align themselves with industry-wide best practices. Being UL certified illustrates a businesses’ dedication to consumer safety, as well as the quality of their products. Another important caveat of UL certification is for insurance purposes and customer security.

Why is this important? If, say, an inspector determines a fire was caused by a circuit breaker that was not UL certified, an insurance company can choose to deny the claim. For this reason alone, many consumers opt for certified products, not just for large appliances but for small ones as well as laptop and cell phone chargers. UL certification adds a layer of protection and accountability for accidents, as well. UL is a third-party service; consumers of your products can be confident that the UL seal is not a superficial sales ploy. Instead, it’s a true indication of an item’s safety and longevity. It protects brand’s reputation by having an established certification company standing behind what you sell. Remember if you use UL product due to some malfunction you decided to repair your device / panel. Then you must involve said product OEM/ authorised professional. Do not repair through technician / engineer / repairing centre, if you do then UL listing is void. It assumed as zero safety. In case further malfunction or electrical hazard happened then OEM are not responsible for it.

So, don’t immediately assume your products aren’t safe just because it doesn’t have a UL certification. It’s never a bad idea, however, to seek out UL certification when designing into new electronics and appliances.

Even if it might cost a bit more for your business or take extra testing time, UL gives a consumer the peace of mind and a brand a big marketing boost. In the long run, third-party certifications from a trusted source will only help your business. UL Certifications have the ability to add accountability and enhance your brand’s reputation over time.

UL certification provides third-party Verification that the video monitoring services being provided are compliant with industry requirements, giving subscribers a new level of confidence.

Qualified monitoring stations will undergo an audit during each calendar year by our audit staff in order to verify continued compliance. Such audits will assess both the monitoring station facility and the delivery of services to subscribers who have been issued UL monitoring certificates.

The managed video service provider has personnel located at a managed video monitoring station in order to:

• View video streams
• Make informed decisions
• Interact with people or systems at a protected property
• Notify identified parties of events

Hopefully, now you feel a bit more familiar with that little UL logo and have a better idea of what it means and why it’s important for you and your business. When manufacturers are UL certified is shows their continued commitment to safety and quality.

Ready to upgrade your home or workplace with UL certified parts and products? Shop our full assortment of devices, switches, and other electronics.

Ref:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UL_(safety_organization)

2. https://standardscatalog.ul.com/

3. https://ipvm.com/reports/ul-listing-overview