What Lies Ahead For 2019

By Andrew Elvish

As you know, security is a fast-paced industry that touches the lives of hundreds of millions of people every day. What we do and what impacts us has the potential to effect organizations, communities, and governments around the globe. This is one of the reasons why a look at the top five trends for the year ahead cannot be taken lightly. After careful consideration, here’s what I think will be impacting our world in 2019.

Increased concerns around data privacy[subhead]
We in the industry have been thinking about privacy for a long time, and there is no sign that this is about to change. In fact, Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect earlier this year, and now many jurisdictions, including California, are following suit with new legislation based on it. Moving forward, concerns around privacy will likely reach new levels as both governments and international organizations come to terms with how they will navigate these rules. And this is great news.

Individuals everywhere are becoming increasingly sensitized to how their data and information are being used. We are already seeing the rise of technologies designed with privacy in mind. Companies that are able to leverage this forward-thinking approach will be the winners in the years ahead.

Data science and computer vision is on the rise [subhead]
There has been a lot of talk about what data science is and what it can be used for. The current applications of data science are ideal for improving efficiency and deriving understanding between datasets.  In 2019, we will see sensor and device manufacturers leverage data science to help us make sense of all the data points we’re collecting.

Whether it’s smart street lighting in a municipal lighting network or enhanced analytics for optical character recognition in license plate readings, data science and computer vision will play an even greater role in helping shape our world.

As a company focused on unifying vast numbers of sensors, Genetec is already a recognized leader in this regard, and we are excited to develop this area even further in the year ahead.

The need to build greater trust[subhead]
Issues of increased trust will reach many corners of our industry in 2019. First, organizations are going to be asking tougher questions of the vendors they work with in order to better protect their networks.  Keeping networks free of devices that have built-in vulnerabilities or that are manufactured by untrustworthy companies is an important step to maintaining security. Specifically, it will become essential for organizations to ask vendors if they use outside original equipment manufacturer (OEM) components in their products and, if so, who makes and owns the intellectual property behind these components.

In addition, the rise of data science, particularly in relation to machine learning, will also require increased trust. To unlock the benefits of machine learning, we must be able to correlate vast amounts of data. This can mean sharing information between organizations, which can only be achieved if we build a network of trust.

The most effective way to foster this type of collaboration is to be transparent and responsible in the stewardship of data. When organizations prove themselves to be trustworthy in their practices and interactions, it can increase everyone’s willingness to share.

Increased use of truly hybrid cloud solutions[subhead]
When it comes to the increasing amounts of data in our systems, one of the pressing challenges that will continue in 2019 is how and where to store everything that we’re collecting. Just consider the quantity of data citywide surveillance, large scale buildings, and industrial complexes, governments, and other organizations are already generating. Given that this is increasing exponentially, we must focus on providing real solutions.

If vendors do not take advantage of the scalability and elasticity of cloud computing in at least some part of their applications or offerings, they will miss a huge opportunity. Hybrid cloud solutions allow organizations to decide where to store their data to best suit their specific requirements. In many sectors, this allows organizations to comply with retention rates without blowing their budgets. Regardless of the industry, hybrid cloud solutions allow us to better control costs as we ensure the privacy and security of our information.

Data-driven policing[subhead]
After we have collected, stored, analyzed, and protected all this data, the question becomes what can we do with it? As we are starting to see, the possibilities in terms of what we can understand and how we can improve our lives seem to be limitless. One of the ways that we can improve our communities in tangible and meaningful ways is with data-driven policing.

In 2019, we will see an increase in the number of cities creating Strategic Decision Support Centers (SDSC) in their communities. An SDSC aggregates and analyzes data from multiple systems to facilitate data-informed decision making. Having an SDSC in a community allows local law enforcement to work together closely with their communities to make better sense of unique challenges in their neighborhoods.

Specifically, these centers facilitate collaboration between citizens, businesses, and police, helping them reduce crime through proactive policing strategies and making us and our police officers safer.

And, finally, I wanted to say how much I have appreciated this opportunity to share my insights and ideas about security with you this past year. This industry means a lot to me, in part, because I believe it allows us to make real and meaningful changes to our communities.

To my mind, there is no greater achievement for technology than increasing safety and security. But, of course, technology cannot do this on its own. It requires dedicated and knowledgeable people to implement and manage technology successfully. My hope is that, by engaging in truly meaningful conversations about our global understanding of security, we can all make this world a safer place.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy holiday season.

About The Author
Andrew Elvish is a columnist, explorer, and the Vice President of Marketing and Product Management at Genetec. Andrew has over 20 years’ experience in the software industry and will surprise you with his knowledge of great restaurants all over the world.

Source: genetec.com
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