In the world of cybersecurity, ethical hacking proactively identifies security vulnerabilities before malicious actors (i.e., unethical hackers) can exploit them. By simulating real-world attacks, organisations can strengthen defences, protect sensitive data, and maintain public trust. In the physical security world, ethical hacking can transform cybersecurity of security systems from a reactive struggle into a strategic safeguard. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the role of ethical hacking as it relates to physical security?

Next-generation (Next-Gen) technologies are products, services, or infrastructures that represent a significant leap forward rather than a small, incremental update. In the physical security industry, NextGen products are those that enable disruptive change, breakthrough performance, and a fundamental change that renders previous products obsolete. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the next generation of physical security solutions, and how will they change the industry?

Emphasising proactive rather than reactive security shifts the focus from dealing with crises and damage control to prevention. Advantages of a proactive approach include cost efficiency, better business continuity, and fewer crises that draw attention away from strategic improvements. Staying ahead of threats is a core mission of the security department, and technology has evolved to enable security professionals to deliver on that mission better than ever. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: How are security systems transitioning from reactive to proactive, and what is the benefit?

Multiple technology trends are transforming the physical access control market. There is a fundamental shift away from physical cards and keys toward digital identities — mobile credentials, digital wallets, biometrics, and cloud-native access platforms. These next generation access solutions are radically reshaping how buildings operate, protect staff, and perform functionally. At the same time, AI and analytics solutions are being layered onto these physical access control systems to support predictive threat detection and behavioural insights. Access data itself is becoming an asset for sustainability, space optimisation, and smart building initiatives. Risk, impact operations and experience The annual HID Global Security and Identity Trends Report highlights these and other issues The annual HID Global Security and Identity Trends Report highlights these and other issues. The survey cites improving user convenience as a priority for nearly half of organisations, while 41% are focused on simplifying administration, and 28% struggle with system integration. These are not theoretical challenges, they are day‑to‑day friction points that add cost, increase risk, impact operations and experience, and, of course, must be addressed. HID Global’s commercial focus HID Global’s commercial focus is to help organisations digitise their access control — with mobile identities, biometrics, and cloud platforms — and then to use the data to deliver more value. “We are turning access control from an operational cost into a software-driven asset that improves efficiency, supports Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals and even creates new revenue opportunities,” says Steven Commander, HID Global’s Head of Consultant Relations. The impact of digital transformation Digital transformation is the method of moving access control from hardware and physical credentials Digital transformation is in the process of moving access control from hardware and physical credentials to a software-driven, integrated experience. The transformation strengthens security while also improving user convenience — transforming the “pavement to the desk” journey. HID enables this shift through mobile credentials, biometrics, cloud-native platforms, and solutions that allow third-party applications to run on door hardware. “This helps customers turn access data into operational and commercial outcomes, while also improving the overall user experience,” says Commander.  Digital transformation in access control is not focused on chasing the latest trends. Rather, transformation is about turning software, data and integration into outcomes that matter to customers, says HID. “Security becomes stronger and more adaptive,” says Commander. “Operations become simpler and more cost‑effective. Experiences become seamless and consistent. Sustainability moves from ambition to action. And the financial case becomes clearer as efficiencies are banked and new value streams emerge.” The challenge of futureproofing with long lifecycles Given that physical security technologies will be in place for 15 to 20 years, it is important to plan for how systems can evolve over time. Considering how rapidly security threats, compliance standards, and user expectations change, 15 to 20 years is a long time. The decisions made at the beginning of a system’s lifecycle can either limit flexibility later (which will be costly) or enable long-term adaptability. Support for open standards such as Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) is therefore important Choosing products and platforms that are open, interoperable, and designed for updates can enable future-proof projects. Support for open standards such as Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) is therefore important.  In addition, systems built on open controller platforms — such as Mercury — enable organisations to switch software providers or expand functionality without replacing core door hardware. Architectural openness is key to system lifecycles and maximising the return on investment (ROI) from a chosen solution. Digital credentials and mobile access Flexibility and upgradeability should also be top of mind when it comes to endpoints like access control readers. While RFID cards are still commonplace, there is a clear trend toward digital credentials and mobile access. Readers that support both allow organisations to transition at their own pace, without committing to a full system overhaul. A long system lifecycle does not mean technology should remain static. Security, particularly cybersecurity, demands more frequent updates. Technologies that support firmware upgrades in the field extend the value of a deployment while helping organisations keep pace with emerging threats. In that sense, lifecycle thinking is not just about longevity — it’s about maintaining resilience and readiness over time. Applying biometrics and mobile identities Biometrics is becoming mainstream as a credential alternative, strengthening security without adding friction Biometrics is becoming mainstream as a credential alternative, strengthening security without adding friction. Many organisations are now deploying biometrics to support fast, seamless access journeys, with adoption already around 39% in access control according to HID’s recent research.  In addition, 80% of organisations surveyed expect to deploy mobile identities within the next five years. Full technology integration enables tap‑to‑access without opening an app; the user journey becomes faster, safer, and more convenient. “It is where the industry is headed and we are at the vanguard of this,” says Commander.    Ongoing challenge of cybersecurity At HID Global, cybersecurity is embedded into everything, from corporate processes and development practices to the solutions they bring to market. “Our approach ensures that customers can strengthen their overall security posture, not only by deploying secure products but by benefitting from HID’s commitment to the highest industry standards,” says Commander. HID holds multiple globally recognised certifications, including ISO 27001, ISO 14298, SOC Type 2 and CSA STAR, which demonstrate their robust information security and cloud security practices. In addition, HID’s SEOS® secure chipset is independently SEAL-certified, providing one of the most advanced levels of protection available on the market today. “Ultimately, this means organisations are not just purchasing isolated secure products; they are implementing solutions developed and delivered within a comprehensive, cybersecure framework,” says Commander. “When deployed according to best practices, HID solutions enable customers to achieve the highest levels of resilience against evolving physical and cyber threats.” Developing green and sustainable solutions A huge amount of waste is generated from the manufacture of plastic RFID access cards Digital credentials align with the sustainable solutions that everyone wants. A huge amount of waste is generated from the manufacture of plastic RFID access cards. Over 550 million access cards are sold annually. This creates 2,700 tons of plastic waste and 11,400 tons of carbon, based on a PVC card weighing 5 grams.  Therefore, digital credentials self-evidently reduce the reliance on plastic cards (helping reduce carbon emissions by up to 75% according to HID’s research), while leveraging access control system data supports energy optimisation by shutting down or reducing systems in unused spaces. Energy use and CO₂ emissions can be cut dramatically, showing how access systems can contribute to sustainability goals and green building certification. What is the latest in smart buildings? Smart buildings increasingly rely on mobile access control as the backbone for digital services. Real-time access data enables new services such as automated room bookings, HVAC control, lift/elevator calling, e-bike hiring, and so on. Smart buildings increasingly rely on mobile access control as the backbone for digital services The financial upside is clear; smart, digitally transformed buildings can deliver around 8% higher yields per square foot versus traditional office space. Operational savings accrue from reduced administration, the removal of card production and shipping, and lighter IT support. This creates a value cycle — better experiences drive adoption, adoption fuels monetisation, and monetisation funds further improvements. Achieving technology impact in the real world One standout project is One Bangkok – a $3.9 billion mixed used development in Thailand – which demonstrates the scale of what can be achieved when access control data is used for optimisation, particularly when it comes to monitoring facilities usage and occupier behaviours. By switching lights off or lowering the temperature in unused rooms, for example, the One Bangkok building demonstrates this potential with a 22% reduction in energy consumption, saving 17,000 MWh and 9,000 tons of CO₂ annually.  Sustainability is a key factor in contributing to how properties are valued. And sustainability extends far beyond digital credentials having a lower environmental impact than plastic cards.  Buildings with recognised sustainability certifications often command rental premiums of around 6%, and three‑quarters of security decision‑makers now consider environmental impact in their procurement assessments.

Nutanix, a hybrid cloud pioneer and AI innovator, announces the general availability of Nutanix Enterprise AI (NAI) 2.8, and the upcoming general availability of Nutanix Kubernetes Platform (NKP) 2.19, along with new incentives, programs, and resources designed to help partners accelerate growth on emerging AI opportunities. Many enterprises face a major roadblock when deploying AI: AI is accelerating the shift to containers, while critical applications and data remain spread across both virtualised and containerised environments. This divide can force enterprises to add infrastructure silos, move data or rearchitect existing workloads to support AI alongside the applications and data they already run. Dual-native architecture Nutanix addresses this with a governed, dual-native architecture that runs traditional applications and modern AI side by side, allowing the infrastructure to flexibly support the workload, integrated with silicon partners to provide choice and flexibility to customers. By bringing AI to where enterprise data already lives, Nutanix helps customers reduce silos and accelerate ROI without costly rearchitecting or added networking and data layer complexity. Expanding on NCP capabilities, NAI and NKP are designed to enable organisations to securely run, manage, and govern AI, containerised applications and virtualised workloads through a consistent control plane. These complement the core platform capabilities for near-bare metal performance for AI on virtualised infrastructure introduced with NCI 7.6. Together, they give enterprises a flexible alternative to infrastructure stacks that limit architectural choice, drive up costs, and require disruptive platform changes. Adaptable multitenant cloud foundation For partners, the new Powered by Nutanix: Verified Services program aims to enable them to capitalise on major industry shifts and next-generation AI deployments by empowering them to build validated, high-margin services practices that span the full customer lifecycle. To operationalise these flexible new offerings, Service Provider (SP) Central provides an adaptable multitenant cloud foundation, giving service providers the control they need to grow infrastructure, platform, cloud-native, and AI services on their own terms. “Enterprise AI should not require customers to rebuild the systems that already run their business,” said Thomas Cornely, Executive Vice President, Product Management, Nutanix. “With our dual-native architecture, customers can bring AI to their existing applications and data while running each workload on the infrastructure best suited to it, with consistent operations and governance across VMs, containers and AI. This gives organisations a practical path to production without creating new silos or limiting future choice.” Unified and secure platform NAI delivers a unified and secure platform to deploy, manage, and scale AI workloads across hybrid environments. It enables enterprises to enforce governance over their agents and models, gain total visibility over token usage, and streamline AI development with a simple interface with built-in observability metrics and easy to use model-as-a-service while ensuring security, scalability, and integration with existing infrastructure. Key NAI updates include: Agent Gateway: This now includes a generally available MCP Gateway which serves as a secure, unified front door for AI agents to access tools and data without custom engineering. To complement this, Nutanix has also released MCP Server for NCP to help customers build agentic AI applications with secure access to the infrastructure managed by Nutanix.  Private Inference: New advanced inference and fine tuning capabilities enable scalable, multiGPU inference for LLMs via tensor parallelism, delivering high-throughput serving and low-latency response times for enterprise LLM workloads. In addition, this enables batch inference and speculative decoding. Key features include: 1) Parameter-Efficient Fine-Tuning which supports Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA) fine-tuning for smaller models (<8B parameters), helping organisations to cost-effectively customise open LLMs on private domain data using single-GPU compute while seamlessly deploying adapters straight to serving pipelines; 2) Scalable multiGPU serving which enables high-throughput multiGPU inference via tensor parallelism, delivering fast, distributed serving across enterprise hybrid cloud environments; and 3) Speculative decoding which accelerates LLM inference token generation by up to 2.5x using lightweight draft models, cutting output latency without sacrificing model accuracy. Enhanced Security against Rogue AI: With the rise of agentic AI and the risk of models breaking out of sandboxes, security is paramount. NAI provides robust protection against rogue models through our platform and APIs, featuring fine-grained Identity and Access Management (IAM), custom roles and seamless model sharing. This enforces least-privilege security, helping ensure agents operate securely and restricting access to only authorised roles, as well as support for air-gapped NVIDIA NIM deployment. Running agentic applications With NKP, organisations can simplify container operations across containers running on bare metal and VMs without piecing together complex, custom stacks. The upcoming release will provide an AI-optimised platform for building and running agentic applications at scale, including the following features coming soon: NKP Metal: Built to bring HCI-grade simplicity to bare-metal Kubernetes, with automated OS, firmware, and container deployment, and persistent, enterprise-grade storage natively, eliminating the complexity of patchwork platforms. NKP Full Stack: While NKP Metal is intended to bring simplicity to bare-metal deployments, NKP on AHV remains the cornerstone for organisations requiring robust, agile virtualised environments. Combined with Nutanix Flow, NKP on AHV is designed to deliver stronger network-level sandboxing for AI agents, helping provide essential isolation to mitigate the risk of rogue attacks and lateral movement. AI Applications Catalog: Offers a one-click deployment path for curated, validated AI/ML software (Kubeflow, Milvus, Slurm) to help bypass manual integration challenges. Hardware and Compliance: Planned expansion of ecosystem support with validated GPU integrations, alongside dynamic resource allocation for modern AI workloads. CNCF Certified Kubernetes AI Conformant Platform: NKP has attained formal CNCF certification to validate that NKP provides the standardised APIs and capabilities required to reliably operate enterprise AI workloads. Maximising GPU utilisation Demanding AI workloads require infrastructure that keeps data moving, maximises GPU utilisation, and reduces deployment risk. Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) recently achieved NVIDIA-Certified Storage validation at the enterprise level, providing a trusted, interoperable foundation that helps eliminate data bottlenecks. NUS establishes a low-latency, high-throughput data path directly to GPUs, maximising GPU utilisation and ensuring linear scalability for large-scale production AI workloads. According to Gartner®, “By 2029, 55 percent of enterprises will migrate 100 percent of workloads from VMware to alternative infrastructure delivery solutions”. To help partners capitalise on this market shift, next-generation AI deployments and other emerging opportunities, Nutanix recently launched the Powered by Nutanix: Verified Services program. This program provides the framework to support the broader partner ecosystem in transitioning from traditional, one-time deals to high-margin, recurring revenue streams by building validated services practices. Backed by streamlined onboarding, comprehensive service delivery kits, and exclusive badging across hybrid cloud infrastructure, Kubernetes, and VM migration, the program equips partners to own the full customer lifecycle, drive faster time-to-value, and maximise long-term retention. Broad portfolio of infrastructure Nutanix is also announcing the general availability of SP Central, a unified multitenant control plane that gives displaced VMware service provider partners greater choice in how they build and monetise services. Service Provider Central gives providers one consistent foundation to build and monetise a broad portfolio of infrastructure, application, cloud-native, and AI services, with the flexibility on deployment location and licensing they need. This is designed to help providers improve utilisation and protect margins while giving customers more choice in how and where they run applications and AI workloads. “The Nutanix Cloud Platform gives us a dual-native architecture that is governed and brings AI to our applications and data across virtual machines and containers.  This helps speed AI innovation across the production environments our organisation depends on,” said Jasim Abdul Rahman, Group Chief Information Officer, Power International Holding. Prioritising platform consistency Industry Analyst Commentary - “By introducing a “dual native” model that unifies services such as networking, security, and data protection across both VMs and containers, Nutanix is leaning into a competitive landscape where consistent policy enforcement and lifecycle management are becoming key differentiators. Enterprises are increasingly prioritising platform consistency as application portfolios span legacy, refactored, and cloud-native designs,” said Matt Flug, IDC. Ecosystem Partners Commentary - “As enterprises deploy agentic AI to automate complex workflows, they need infrastructure that delivers the performance, security and control required for production environments. Cisco is bringing that foundation. Together with Nutanix’s governed, dual-native cloud operating model, we’re giving organisations greater choice in how they deploy and operate AI while maintaining the control they need across their environment,” said Jeremy Foster, Cisco GM & SVP, Cisco Compute. Highly regulated industries "At Continent 8 Technologies, we've worked closely alongside Nutanix to help shape the next generation of cloud services for regulated industries. Our continued collaboration with Nutanix, including the development of Service Provider Central, is built around helping our customers adopt modern cloud and AI capabilities without adding unnecessary complexity. Together, we're enabling organisations in highly regulated industries to innovate faster and focus on their core business, while maintaining the security, compliance, and operational control they require,” said Edward O’Connor, Chief Technology Officer at Continent 8 Technologies. “The rise of agentic AI is redefining how AI services are delivered, making security and sovereignty foundational requirements. Through our collaboration with Nutanix, we are enabling enterprises and service providers to build high-performance, multitenant AI platforms with hardware-enforced isolation and security. This ensures that sensitive data and models remain protected in use, delivering the secure scale and efficiency required for next-generation AI factories,” said Bill Pearson, VP, Data Center Software, Intel. NAI 2.8 and SP Central are generally available now. NKP 2.19 will be available soon.

HackerOne, a pioneer in Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM), announces the appointment of Naveen Bhateja as Chief People Officer. Bhateja joins the executive leadership team to lead the company's people strategy, leadership development and culture. Bhateja brings more than 25 years of experience building leadership and talent in global technology companies through periods of fast growth and change. At HackerOne, he will focus on developing the company's leaders, deepening its bench and helping employees grow as the business scales, strengthening the foundation beneath everything HackerOne builds for its customers and the researcher community. Strengthened executive capabilities "The pace of change in security has never been higher, and the organisations pulling ahead are the ones that invest as much in their people as they do in their technology," said Kara Sprague, CEO of HackerOne. "Naveen has spent his career guiding high-performing teams through exactly this kind of change. We're building an AI-native company where exceptional people grow together and shape the future of security." Bhateja has held senior people leadership roles at companies including Medidata, Juniper Networks, Amazon and JPMorgan Chase, where he shaped enterprise-wide talent and leadership strategies, organisational effectiveness, and strengthened executive capabilities during periods of significant business growth and change. “I have always believed talent is one of the greatest differentiators between good and great organisations because it unlocks everything else,” said Bhateja. “What drew me to HackerOne is that the company has built something genuinely difficult: a model where AI and human expertise make each other stronger. My role is to help build an AI-native organisation that equips our people to move faster, innovate and deliver greater customer impact.”

Ambient.ai, the pioneer in Agentic Physical Security, announces new capabilities across the Ambient Platform, adding agentic intelligence to how security teams monitor, investigate, and operate. The new capabilities include an AI agent that continuously monitors every camera and surfaces what matters most, a new case management workflow that turns scattered clips into a single connected incident story in minutes, and infrastructure upgrades that double camera density on existing hardware. Fully connected investigation “Recording video was never the hard part,” said Vikesh Khanna, CTO & Co-founder, Ambient.ai. “The hard part is understanding what's happening on a site when it actually matters. Among the set of new capabilities, Agentic Video Walls  give operators an agent that monitors every camera on their behalf, and Case Management, an automated workflow that, paired with Semantic Search, turns hours of manual scrubbing into a fully connected investigation in minutes. That's the difference between a simple system of record and a platform that reasons alongside your team.” Plain-language description The Ambient Platform introduces enhancements across three core areas, situational awareness, investigations, and operational scale: Agentic Video Walls - Brings an AI agent to every connected camera on site, acting like a relentless, hyper-focused editor: scanning every stream, deciding what belongs on the front page, and surfacing it in real time. The agent monitors around the clock and surfaces the single most relevant event once every 60 seconds, paired with an AI-generated, plain-language description of what's happening. Case Management - Turns scattered manual work into one continuous flow. After tracking a person across cameras using natural language through Semantic Search, operators record clips directly into a case as they're found, then generate a fully editable, AI-written narrative with one click, complete with auto-sorted clips and metadata. From there, cases can be downloaded as a compressed, sequenced folder or shared through expiring, revocable links with a full audit trail. Semantic Search Streamlining - Semantic Search is the platform’s engine that lets operators describe who or what they're looking for in plain language, feeding straight into a case instead of hours of manual scrubbing. This release sharpens results across the board: matching frames of the same person or vehicle across a five-minute span now group into a single result, and results filter down to a specific camera or group. Double Stream Density - Ambient Foundation now supports up to 2x the camera streams on a single Ambient Edge Appliance, made possible by a smaller, more focused application that frees up compute and memory per stream. Existing customers get double the streams on current appliances, and new sites need half as many appliances to cover the same camera count. These new capabilities, along with other recent platform updates, will be demonstrated live at the Ambient.ai booth (#3923) at GSX 2026.

Genetec Inc., the pioneer in enterprise physical security software, announces that independent analyst reports from Omdia and Novaira Insights have once again ranked the company as the global market pioneer in video management software. Both reports show that Genetec increased its market share in 2025, reinforcing its leadership position in this multi-billion-dollar market as organisations worldwide modernise their physical security operations. Genetec grew 20% against the 13.3% growth in the video software and VSaaS market, according to the latest Omdia research. The second and third-place vendors did not keep pace, ending the year flat or down. Video management software “Growth in this market is not evenly distributed,” said Paul Bremner, Practice Leader for Physical Security at Omdia. “Buyers are consolidating around vendors that can deliver cloud, on-premises, and hybrid from a single open platform, and those vendors are taking share from ones that cannot.”      Independently conducted research by Novaira Insights also ranked Genetec number one worldwide in total video surveillance software and service agreements. The research also showed continued market share gains across regions, including the #1 spot in the Americas for the 15th consecutive year; the largest market share growth among the top 10 vendors in EMEA; and a strong top three showing in Asia Pacific. “The world's most demanding organisations are choosing Genetec as they modernise their security,” said Christian Morin, Vice President of Product Engineering at Genetec Inc. “They need a system of record built to IT standards, one that runs at enterprise scale and does not lock them in. They are choosing a platform they can build their future on, and our continued share gains show it.”

Milestone Systems, a provider of open platform video management software (VMS), is helping Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) bring together security operations, investigations, gaming compliance, and operational intelligence through an open platform video ecosystem built on Milestone XProtect VMS. Located on the iconic Las Vegas Strip, Resorts World Las Vegas is one of the newest and most technologically advanced resorts in the United States. Opened in 2021, the $4.3 billion property spans 88 acres and includes multiple hotel brands, a large casino floor, entertainment venues, retail spaces, and dining experiences that collectively attract thousands of guests each day. Diverse set of technologies Managing safety, compliance, and operational efficiency at this scale requires highly reliable and flexible video technology capable of supporting thousands of cameras and multiple specialised applications. Milestone XProtect VMS serves as the backbone that connects approximately 5,800 cameras and multiple best-of-breed technologies. The open architecture enables Resorts World to integrate a diverse set of technologies that support gaming surveillance, fraud detection, forensic investigations, business intelligence, and operational analytics while allowing operators to work from a consistent interface. "We rely on the system every day to investigate fraud, theft, and any activity that could result in a loss. It gives us the visibility we need to quickly understand what happened and take action," said Lindsay Dever, CFE, Assistant Director of Fraud & Nightclub Surveillance, Resorts World Las Vegas. Supporting regulatory requirements The full security system integrates camera technologies from Axis Communications, Bosch, and Hanwha Vision, while BriefCam supports forensic video review, people counting, and heat mapping. Oosto provides facial recognition capabilities, Aeyesky supports card-counting and cheating detection, and AXIS Case Insight helps analyse foot traffic and customer behavior. “Large, dynamic environments like Resorts World Las Vegas require technology that can adapt to multiple operational needs without adding complexity,” said Tim Palmquist, VP Americas, Milestone Systems. “An open platform approach allows this Las Vegas casino resort to bring together best-of-breed technologies into a single ecosystem, enabling teams to improve investigations, support regulatory requirements, and generate operational insights that extend well beyond traditional security.” Time-sensitive investigations Resorts World Las Vegas is able to respond to incidents more quickly, conduct investigations more efficiently, and support law enforcement with speed and confidence. The impact is particularly evident during time-sensitive investigations. Looking ahead, the resort plans to expand its use of AI-driven capabilities, including enhanced people counting, behavioural analytics, and tools that can better track guest movement across the property. Future enhancements will also focus on streamlining operator workflows and creating a more proactive approach to investigations.

Paxton’s new Solo system is giving student housing providers a simpler way to manage access at scale. This case study looks at how JPR Fire, Security and Data used the phone-based, cloud-hosted security system to modernise access for around 500 students without the need for network infrastructure. Homes for Students provide 235 student housing properties across the UK and Ireland. JPR Fire, Security and Data provide the security system for the One London Road site in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Access control solution Until recently, the housing was secured using a classic standalone access control solution requiring no network infrastructure. The existing system was becoming difficult to manage, with approximately 500 residents across 5 blocks, including the onsite gym. Registered students gain access by entering a valid access code or presenting their fob. The site managers were continuously replacing lost fobs, creating additional running costs for the system. Mike Gater, Department Manager at JPR Fire, Security and Data, approached the site after attending Paxton’s launch event for Solo; a phone-based, cloud-hosted access control system. Mike saw the opportunity to upgrade the site to a more modern solution. Cost-effective option Solo is a smart, convenient, connected access control system. With the simplicity of standalone and the power of a networked solution; Solo is designed to make access control a simple, cost-effective option where a smartphone is used to administer the system and gain access through the door. With the free Paxton Solo app, the site management team can administer access to the premises from anywhere, via their smartphone. For the students, it means never having to remember an access code or to carry a fob, as they will simply use their phone to gain access to their building. Appropriate access permission When a smartphone with appropriate access permission is presented to a Solo controlled door, the phone communicates to the Solo controller using Bluetooth Low Energy frequency to instruct the door to open. With minimal Wi-Fi on site, the phone uses mobile data to confirm appropriate access permissions are available for that door. Where no network connectivity is available, the credential can be stored on the phone for 3-4 hours, to allow access even if the phone is offline. By running Solo alongside the existing standalone system for a period, students were migrated over to Solo in a phased approach. The access code for the legacy system was changed to prevent access via this means, once all residents were up and running with the Paxton Solo app. Existing standalone system Mike said: “As soon as we saw the Solo introduction, we knew it would be a great fit for our clients at One London Road. The premises have no network infrastructure, so a standalone system was always going to be a requirement. But with approximately 500 students on site, our clients would really benefit from more features of a centralised system.” “We know that Solo is very new, but since it’s a Paxton product, we had faith in it from day one. We know Paxton products are reliable, and if it’s needed, the Paxton team is there to support.” As a Paxton Platinum Partner, JPR Fire, Security and Data have extensive experience with Paxton products, so felt very confident in proposing an innovative solution to meet the requirements of their valued and longstanding client. Network infrastructure requirements Mike continued: “Aside from the benefit of Solo being cloud-based, with no network infrastructure requirements, the other real selling point for our customers was the price. The upfront cost of the Solo kit is very accessible. Even with the ongoing cost of the door subscription, our clients would see a cost saving compared to extending their previous standalone system, as they were constantly replacing lost fobs in significant numbers. They were immediately interested in the new system.” With the introduction of the Solo system on site, One London Road was also able to secure access to the students’ common rooms. Where previously access was available to anyone who had gained entry to the building, Solo ensures that only students in residence with appropriate access permissions can use the space by presenting their phone to the Solo DoorTag. Providing accurate information Tallulah-Mae Moran, General Manager at Homes for Students said: “Paxton’s Solo system has reduced the ongoing costs of replacing fobs and time spent doing this. The ability to see the date and time of who accessed which door is extremely useful for us and allows us to manage the site to a better standard and provides accurate information when investigating issues on site. It also allows us to set users up and manage this remotely rather than provide and collect physical fobs. It has been a worthwhile investment and will continue to be effective in years to come.” JPR Fire, Security and Data intends to continue proposing Solo as a solution for all clients who are in search of a standalone system in the future.

ZeroEyes, creators of the pioneer multi-analytics weapons detection and threat intelligence platform, announces that its proactive AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software has been deployed by Goessel USD 411 in Kansas to help protect students, staff, and visitors from gun-related threats. Goessel USD 411 is a small rural district serving approximately 285 students and employing 75 faculty and staff members across two campuses -- an elementary school and a combined junior-senior high school. The district is strengthened by a caring and supportive community, engaged families, and a strong school board, all of which contribute to its success and commitment to student well-being. Broader community initiatives The district secured funding through the Kansas Safe and Secure Firearm Detection Grant Program, administered by the Office of the Kansas Attorney General, to purchase and implement ZeroEyes. The grant followed coordination with local law enforcement and community leaders that identified AI gun detection as a key safety priority aligned with broader community initiatives. “I was very impressed by the system’s performance during our calibration process,” said Scott Boden, Superintendent of Goessel USD 411. “The ability to accurately detect and identify a handgun from a distance exceeded our expectations and gave us added confidence in the technology’s role in helping keep our schools safe.” Intelligent situational awareness ZeroEyes’ AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software layers onto existing digital security cameras. If a gun is identified, images are instantly shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center (ZOC), the industry’s only U.S.-based, fully in-house operations center staffed 24/7/365 by specially trained U.S. military and law enforcement veterans. If the threat is determined to be valid, alerts and actionable intelligence — including visual description, gun type, and last known location — are dispatched to law enforcement and school officials, often in a matter of seconds from the moment a gun is detected. Proactive detection technology Goessel USD 411 works in coordination with county law enforcement and surrounding agencies to support school safety efforts. The addition of ZeroEyes enhances this collaboration by providing earlier detection and faster communication, helping bridge the gap created by geographic distance and limited local resources. “Goessel USD 411 is taking an important step in strengthening school safety by implementing proactive detection technology,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. “By leveraging grant funding to bring advanced capabilities into a rural environment, the district is demonstrating a strong commitment to protecting its students and staff while preserving the close-knit culture that defines its community.”

Verkada, a pioneer in physical security and operations, announces that the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium adopted its platform to enhance fan safety and security. Hard Rock Stadium's new Verkada deployment unifies video security, access control, guest management, intercoms and alarms into a single, cloud-based platform that enables its team to streamline security operations at the scale and speed that the 65,585-seat venue demands. "As a world-class venue hosting global events year-round, we prioritise solutions that align with the scale and pace of our operations," said Sameer Istafa, Chief Technology Officer for the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium. "Verkada's unified platform provides a seamless, connected operating environment that supports our focus on delivering a consistent, elevated experience for our fans at every event." Resource-intensive maintenance costs Verkada's unified platform gives Hard Rock Stadium's team: Faster response during high-pressure moments. Activity-based detection and intelligent alerts provide teams with greater visibility into activity across Hard Rock Stadium, enabling faster, more informed responses when needed. Proactive perimeter coverage. Advanced detection tools enable Hard Rock Stadium to take a proactive approach to monitoring the stadium's exterior and surrounding areas, flagging unusual activity before it escalates. Streamlined access across a large campus. Verkada's cloud-managed access credentials replace physical keys and disconnected badge systems. With all door events logged, Verkada's platform can flag anomalies. Flexibility across a wide range of events. In addition to the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium hosts college football games, concerts, and other global events – and each event has a different footprint and different security needs. Verkada enables the Hard Rock Stadium team to tailor protocols event-by-event without new infrastructure. Lower infrastructure costs. Moving onto Verkada's cloud-based platform is expected to save Hard Rock Stadium on time- and resource-intensive maintenance costs, with new features delivered automatically through software updates. Insight into operational efficiency. Visual intelligence from Verkada's platform provides insight into occupancy trends that can enable operations teams to reduce bottlenecks and adjust staffing in real-time. World-class experience "Hard Rock Stadium can swing from hundreds of employees and vendors on a weekday to more than 65,000 fans in a matter of hours," said Filip Kaliszan, co-founder and CEO of Verkada. "Verkada is built to handle this kind of complexity, with one unified platform that keeps pace with an operation that never stays still. We're proud to provide solutions that help keep fans, athletes and entertainers who visit Hard Rock Stadium safe – and to give the team behind these legendary events the tools they need to keep delivering a world-class experience." Video security infrastructure Hard Rock Stadium worked with Castaway Technology and Security (CTS) to support its Verkada deployment and implementation across the campus. CTS used Verkada's Command Connector to bring Hard Rock Stadium's existing video security infrastructure into the new platform during the migration period, ensuring a smooth transition and letting security teams work from Verkada's platform from day one. "Hard Rock Stadium is a marquee venue that demands a security infrastructure to match. Our goal was to help them transition to a more agile and integrated ecosystem. With Verkada, we were able to deliver a truly end-to-end solution that eliminates technical friction, allowing the security team to focus entirely on maintaining a safe, premier experience for every fan," said Craig Bruce, co-founder at CTS.