Secure Your Property With Fingerprint Door Locksby Shahzad Mr Sindhu 2/29/2012 You can’t blame the bad guys, though, because of the really hard financial situation the whole world is experiencing recently. However, this is not enough reason to be a victim of stealing. A homeowner can only do so much. There is good news for every home owner, though. With the invention of fingerprint door locks, you can protect your family and your home better. This innovation is a product of technological advancement and human genius. Using the principles already present in some more sophisticated locations, such as hospitals and police departments, fingerprint door locks apply the method of using a biometrics system. The system requires the people authorized access and entry to a specific door/portal/gateway to have their fingerprints registered to the system initially. Afterwards, only those granted access will be able to enter the premises, making it harder for wrongdoers to break in buildings or houses. There are no key holes, so lock picking is no option and opening the door without creating a huge ruckus would seem impossible. Majority of the models also require a passcode (exclusive and confidential to those allowed access) to be entered as well. Another advantage of this system is that you will never have ... |
What Makes a Good DVR?by Daniel Cogan 2/29/2012 1. Ease of Use Take the video surveillance software for a test drive. Some manufacturers offer demo software that allows you to see just how easy their software is to use. This is important since a salesperson’s demonstration of the software may make it look easy but for someone unfamiliar with the software it may be very difficult to navigate. So a true test of the software’s user friendliness should be decided by you and the people that are going to be using the software. Do your due diligence since most likely you will be using this software for a long time. 2. A Quality Manufacturer What makes a good manufacturer stand out from the hundreds of other DVR manufacturers on the market? First look at the company; how many years has it been in business, how is the company funded (venture capital, privately held and funded), is the company profitable, what is the product warranty? Finding out these answers can be crucial to selecting the right DVR for your organization. A new start-up company (5 years or less) using venture capital may not be around in 2 to 3 years. Purchasing a DVR with costs in the thousands or even tens of thousands could be a big mistake if they are not in business in the near ... |
Functionality of GPS Tracking Devicesby Daniel K Winn 2/29/2012 How the device works Originally GPS tracking devices were solely intended for military use but gradually they have become common in commercial use. A GPS has a processor and a chipset for receiving signals and converting them into real time information on the location of the object. The signals transmitted from the satellite usually have low frequency. It is therefore important to put a powerful chipset in your tracking device so that you can detect signals. The chipset should receive frail signals and pinpoint the location of the car fast. Usefulness of GPS tracking devices GPS trackers are extremely useful when it comes to fleet control and management. They guarantee high efficiency and help provide safety of personnel and other vehicles as well. All vehicles can operate on optimum capacity hence reduce operational costs and increase profitability in the long run. The many ... |
Beware of New Business Identity Theft Schemesby John L Morrissey 2/29/2012 Fraudulent Changes to Business Entity Records While the term "business identity theft" (also referred to as corporate or commercial identity theft) includes a wide variety of crimes involving the misuse of entity names, the Secretaries of State are principally concerned with schemes involving a criminal making unauthorized changes to the state’s business entity records of a target company to make it appear that the fraudster is authorized to act on behalf of the company. The fraudster will then use the altered records to make a fraudulent application for credit. The perpetrator may take other steps, such as establishing virtual offices and fake websites to support the fraud. The fraudster will then use the credit to purchase computers, gift cards and other expensive supplies easily convertible into cash. After taking delivery, the criminal moves on leaving the supplier and target company to resolve who will take the loss. For example, Colorado has reported that a fraudster changed the address of the principal place ... |
Construction Site Security Tipsby Jeff Dean Robb 2/29/2012 The construction industry has been a target for major theft for many years because many contractors don’t consider using security guards. I have been to many construction sites to provide a quote for services and through my site review I have been baffled at the ease of access most construction sites have for thieves. I couldn’t imagine leaving tools and equipment laying around in my yard out in the open and hope it is there in the morning. The two primary sources of theft at most construction sites are from the public and from the construction site workers themselves. In order to provide proper construction site security, a solid plan needs to be developed by the contractor, with strict policies for how tools and equipment is accounted for each day. This is the first essential step in developing an accountability plan. It is amazing how many contractors don’t even realize that tools are missing until the project is completed. Creating a plan for securing tools and equipment each night, providing specific accountability for securing the tools. Who will secure the tools? When do the tools get secured? Where do the tools get secured? These are all questions that need answers to. Keeping a log book daily with a check sheet to ensure the tools are secured will ensure that proper follow up takes place. Stenciling the company name on tools or painting the tools with a bright color that allows for you to identify it is a company tool from a distance ... |
Consider Adding a Layer of Biometric Securityby Chris Hartpence 2/29/2012 We all take security pretty seriously. Gone are the days when most people would go to sleep at night before locking the house up. The same goes with protecting a company’s assets, be they data or otherwise. A great many facilities have magnetic key-card controlled security doors, password gates over their web systems, stout firewalls, and the like, but if you’re looking for yet another layer of protection, then one thing to consider would be biometric security devices. These most commonly take the form of fingerprint or retinal scanners, and are made these days, even to work on PC’s, such that an individual workstation will not function unless the would-be user scans his or her thumb print on a reader. Such systems provide an additional layer of security that is relatively hard to defeat. Fingerprints and the human retina are unique for each individual, and relatively difficult to reproduce (though not impossible, it should be said). Even so, such systems are useful only insofar as they control access to specific pieces of technology, or specific physical areas of your building (a retinal scanner controlling access to a doorway leading to a sensitive area of the company, or a thumbprint scanner controlling access to a particular workstation, for example). In the case of workstation control, however, such protection could be rendered moot if that device is connected to a LAN, or to the internet, because those connections open up the possibility for remote access of the machine, so it is not a bullet proof solution, ... |
When Did You Last Perform A Security Audit?by Chris Hartpence 2/29/2012 Do you want to leave the future of the business you’ve spent hundreds, perhaps thousands of hours nurturing and growing, to be left to Lady Luck? If the answer to that question is no, then you should make the time to pay attention to data security, because the statistics are not on your side. If you don’t have a solid system in place... if you don’t have that system tested regularly, and make sure that all the components that make up the layers of your data security are regularly updated, then it is just a matter of time until you are hit. Maybe you’ll get lucky. Maybe they’ll pass you by, or even if you do get hacked, you’ll be one of the lucky few who don’t see much of an impact to your bottom line, but again, do you really want to count on that many ’maybes’ all falling into line for you? Better by far to take a proactive approach. Put a solid system in place (or at least one that you feel is solid), then arrange to have it stress tested periodically (most people ... |
Personal Protective Measuresby Jose R Castillo 8/22/2011 Recommended Protective Measures General Security: - Be unpredictable. Vary daily routines. - Keep a low profile; avoid publicity. - Pay attention to surroundings and report suspicious activity to local law enforcement. - Secure personal and identity related documents and information. - Do not post your schedule on publicly accessible Web sites (to include Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Residential Security While Traveling: - Stop deliveries of newspapers and mail, or forward to a trusted neighbor’s home. - Do not indicate absence or itinerary on voicemail, email, Web site or with a written note on a door. - Do not hide keys outside the house. - Advise a trusted friend or family member of destination and arrival/departure times. Vehicle/Transportation Safety: - Keep car in good repair; at least half a tank of gas; tires inflated properly with good tread. - Use a locking gas cap. - Do not have personalized plates or decals with affiliations on vehicles. - Park in well-lit areas; park in reputable garages/lots with on-premise attendants; try not to leave the car on the street overnight. - Check for suspicious persons prior to and when approaching vehicle and exiting vehicle. - Examine exterior and interior of vehicle prior to using; if you find something suspicious, do NOT touch it - contact local law enforcement. - Always lock your car as soon as you get in and after you exit; have your keys in your hand prior to approaching vehicle. - Install a car alarm. - Always wear your seatbelt but lock vehicle doors prior to fastening. - Commute with other passengers when possible. - Avoid late night travel, isolated roads, or dark alleys ... |
Ultimate Surveillance - Add Audioby Christian M Gillman 8/22/2011 A standard surveillance system using cctv cameras can be a great asset in your home or business, and it can provide a modicum of safety and peace of mind for your applications. Why not go the extra mile however; and provide a complete surveillance experience by adding audio capabilities. Before we go into the possibilities of what you can do with audio surveillance, it is good to know that there are some legal issues surrounding the use of audio recording devices, and you should consult with an attorney or look up your local laws before using audio capable devices. This is rather imperative as you don’t want to have an audio system installed and be using it, only to find out that the evidence has to be dismissed due to a legal technicality. Catch The Crook With an audio recording device to accompany your surveillance cameras; you now have the capabilities to catch whatever noises and or conversations your trespassers may have. This could lead to a possible slip up and revealing of their names, plans, or other useful information to prosecute them with. Most all audio surveillance devices allow you to not only monitor but also record the audio to a DVR alongside your surveillance footage. Scare Them Off With a lot of the newer audio surveillance devices on the market today you have the option of two way communication. This means that if you are monitoring your surveillance system from home or some remote location, you can still have a little bit of fun and ... |
CCTV Record Rates and Resolution Explainedby Simon Whitmore 8/22/2011 To help you understand just what FPS or Frames Per Second actually mean when purchasing a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) as part of your CCTV Installation. Resolution There are three types of DVR resolutions, these being: CIF (320 x230 pixels) 2CIF or Half D1 (720 x 260 pixels) D1 (720 x 520 pixels) CIF: The lowest quality resolution at 320 x 230 pixels. Think of the picture size of an everyday 17 or 19 inch monitor on a PC - the resolutions are commonly 1024 x 768 or higher at 1280 x 1024 - these are large pictures. Now imagine the size of the image produced at CIF: 320 x 230. Very small, objects at a distance appear unclear. 2CIF or Half D1: Mid-resolution at 720 x 260 pixels - a little better. D1: Highest quality at present with 720 x 520 pixels. This is actually equal to DVD quality. SWI Security Concepts would always recommend this, although we have installed systems with a full D1 rated DVR and used 2CIF or even CIF quality recording to get longer recording times. DVR Frame Rates Real-time recording is at 50 Frames Per Second (FPS). This is the number of images that are captured in the video stream every second - and this is PER CAMERA. Therefore, to record 4 cameras in real-time (at 50 FPS) you would need to multiply the FPS x No. of Cameras (4) - I.e. 100 FPS rated DVR. A DVR which ... |
Determining Which Security Camera System Is Right For Youby Kathy Pruitt 8/22/2011 Residential or Commercial Security Camera Solutions Are you looking for residential or commercial surveillance systems? Seems like a basic question to ask, but most residential camera systems involve outdoor cameras, whereas commercial systems use both indoor and outdoor cameras. Even if your residence does require an indoor security camera solution, lighting is typically quite different from that of a business. Area That Needs To Be Monitored The quality of the video, light sensitivity and lens type are determined based on the area that you want to monitor. Is the area indoors, outdoors, daytime, night, some or all of the above? Camera placement (ceiling, wall, roof, pole) and lens type (wide angle? telephoto?) are determined based on how far away the area is from the camera. The camera angle and the type of camera are determined based on how narrow or wide the area to be covered is. If the area needs normal coverage, a fixed focus camera will work well. If the area requires a wider coverage, then a pan-tilt-zoom camera will be a good choice. Understanding the lighting conditions of the area(s) you want to cover will determine whether you need cameras that automatically adjust for lighting, or cameras that produce color images during the day, and black and white images at night. Viewing Video Surveillance Footage Is your viewing requirement a local one where you’ll be present to view activity on a CCTV monitor? Would you rather have a system installed that lets you view activity over the Internet on your PC, tablet ... |
Protect All Aspects of Your Business With Camera Surveillance Softwareby Patrick Ault 8/22/2011 Any business owner would agree that the next most important thing to consider next to business income is business security. Most big-time business owners invest in surveillance equipment that commonly involves CCTV camera systems which use state-of-the-art camera surveillance software for extensive use and effectiveness. Camera surveillance programs should include the following uses: • For sifting through the information (audio and video) that was recorded on the camera system; • For keeping track and organizing camera recordings from different dates, times, and areas where picture and sound were captured specifically; • For editing audio and video into segments and saved into readable format for recording or transferring to external devices (CDs, DVDs, etc.) • For archiving and categorizing video clips • For different Windows or Mac formatted PCs When businesses are in need of business surveillance that involve CCTV systems but are afraid to spend too much on business security, business owners can purchase cheap camera systems separately and complete the system with cheap DVRs, both systems being sold online for very affordable prices. Cheap security cameras cannot be guaranteed the best quality picture when it comes to video recording and most security cameras do not come with audio function. However, it can do for small stores who just need some sort of area surveillance system for store owners to keep an eye on the store while they are staying at the offices behind or outside the store. Wireless CCTV monitoring systems are also becoming more popular, so that store owners can access live camera feeds from the comforts ... |
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