Healthcare security and life safety is “a constant balancing act between securing the facility and offering an open and caring welcome.” That’s consultant Tom Clancy’s sage advice. And an echo of Ohio Health’s Harry Trombitas’ experienced guidance: His security operation “values an open and welcoming atmosphere that focuses on outstanding patient care.

Not surprisingly, radio frequency identification (RFID) and that technology’s “little sister” real-time location systems (RTLS) seem to be everywhere doing just about everything. Many times, solutions blend together security and operations at myriad enterprises, organizations and agencies. And, ironically, some of the most cutting edge applications are geographically far flung in areas where it makes business sense to leap-frog at times nonexistent legacy technologies.

Where there is darkness, light. Or, at least, actionable security video boasting higher quality images at night. George Carlin, as the hippy dippy weatherman, had his spot-on prediction: “Weather forecast for tonight: dark. Continued dark overnight.” Add an additional nighttime forecast of likely chance of greater crime risk, too.

Featuring new products for video surveillance, access control and more, next month’s ASIS International Seminars and Exhibits will showcase a variety of solutions.

For educational institutions, it may seem like there are never enough resources to cover all of the risks, incidents or areas of a campus. However, by partnering with police and other first responders, school security leaders can gain additional expertise, local risk updates and even force multipliers.

Ports – sea, air and land – handle people and cargo. And they need to be secured. Dr. Daniel J. Benny knows the need. At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Dr. Benny now offers a Bachelor of Science degree in aviation security. This program is designed to produce graduates qualified to enter aviation security, intelligence, military, homeland defense and corporate aviation security communities, either as entry-level career professionals or as mid-level managers.

Businesses and government agencies see value in using temporary workers, contractors and subcontractors. Nothing could go wrong. Right?

Wrong. Things could go very, very wrong.

It turns out that the hype about higher and even higher resolution security video is both real and unreal. The drums are now beating about 4K video but, according to end users and the experts, today’s megapixel sweet spot is 2 megapixels. It provides the image clarity, fits into many budgets and can work with most network infrastructures.

 The theme for RSA 2015 was the title of this article and sound advice in an era fast evolving into a global IoT (Internet of Things) environment. Two (of many) trends discussed at the show highlighted that digital crime has accelerated globally, and the attack surface (read criminal opportunity) of the IoT vastly compounds this growth rate.