The bigger picture: loss prevention, threat analysis and the value of video data; by Ian Graham, SVP and General Manager EMEA, Video & Situation Intelligence Solutions, Verint Systems Inc.
When most of us think of data, we tend to think of words and numbers. For most security professionals, it’s images that matter but, despite the almost universal use of digital CCTV equipment, many security professionals still think of CCTV recordings as ‘footage’. In the digital age, however, all footage is data –and data can be analysed.
Physically watching CCTV recordings, whether retrospectively or in real time, is neither an efficient nor a particularly effective way of turning data into information. In the past, it was the best method on offer, as it was nearly impossible for software to interpret images, but that is no longer the case. Whether a system is taught to recognise treats as they develop, or a collection of images is analysed for a specific incident known to be a threat, modern video intelligence systems can identify things not always obvious to the human eye.
From monitoring retail stores for shop-lifters and bank branches for potential robberies, right up to securing rail stations and airports against potential terrorist threats, video and situation intelligence is now an effective tool for ensuring public safety.
Evolution of CCTV
In the early days of CCTV, it was assumed that cameras themselves would act as a preventative measure, in much the same way that a big yellow speed camera on the motorway persuades motorists to obey the speed limit. However, while that deterrent relies on most motorists’ rational decision making, most would-be criminals have already decided to cast rationality aside. Nowhere was this more vividly demonstrated than during the London riots, when over a thousand youths looted shops in full view of the city’s sophisticated CCTV network.
Where criminals do think rationally about CCTV, they often doubt the efficacy of the retrospective or ongoing analysis of the images in question. Indeed, it may be that that feeling is not misplaced – while the skill and commitment of the average security professional is not in doubt, their numbers relative to the quantity of CCTV data collected most certainly is. Corporations and public organisations alike are being forced to make cutbacks, and fewer personnel means fewer eyes watching incidents develop on-screen, fewer boots on the ground responding to an incident, and a slower and less complete analysis of incidents once they are over. Automating both real-time and retrospective analysis means that security personnel can respond to incidents faster, and that analysis of past incidents can contribute more scientifically to the improvement of security strategy. Whether in the context of public safety, loss prevention, or perimeter security, this is the future of situation intelligence.
Detect, prevent incidents
As an example of this process in action, we have led the development of the Total Airport Security Solution (TASS), a project which uses analysis of CCTV data to enhance security. TASS involves a consortium of twenty technology companies, research institutes and industry organisations, and forms one of the most advanced threat detection frameworks ever applied to civilian premises.
This new framework is in use at Heathrow Airport, where it has been subject to a regular series of stress tests and simulated attacks. The system collects and analyses information from hundreds of CCTV cameras, as well as information from the security devices that secure the airport’s physical perimeter and internal barriers, and builds a real-time picture of the security situation and threat level across the whole site. It combines all this data onto one platform so that the operators have a complete view of what is happening in any location at any given time. Historically, these processes had been fragmented and dispersed across multiple locations, but having such a comprehensive view allows threats to be detected as they emerge, and immediately be brought to the attention of the relevant personnel. The system can spot a threat long before any pattern of suspicious behaviour becomes apparent to a human operator, and prompt appropriate action.
That’s just one example of what can be done. In fact, physical security concerns on almost any premises can be addressed by analysing the data that is collected by modern situation intelligence technology. This allows security leaders to take a more proactive approach to threat identification, and the achievement of their core security objectives.
Putting data first
Security teams must take a positive approach towards video data. Doing so can offer a more effective monitoring solution, with more personnel able to spend time on operational duties, as less are needed to sit in front of screens. Correct management and analysis of video data can close many of the existing loopholes in a business’s physical security strategy, helping to prevent crime and ensure the safety of the public.
