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.

Absolute Security, an enterprise cyber resilience pioneer, today unveiled Lenovo ThinkShield TraceLock. Powered by the Absolute Security Cyber Resilience Platform, customers can leverage this innovation to locate, wake, connect, control, and restore supported devices through a firmware-embedded, persistent connection, even when they are powered off or disconnected from WiFi or local area networks. With the ability to locate and control offline, lost, missing, or stolen PCs, security and IT teams can help ensure their networks, systems, and data remain protected and resilient against threats, theft, compromises, negligence, and downtime caused by software failures and cyber disruptions. Restore supported devices “Businesses use hundreds of millions of PCs to keep their operations running and employees fully productive, yet new research shows that organisations can’t locate or control 25 percent of their deployed devices,” said John Herrema, Chief Product Officer, Absolute Security. “Working with Lenovo, we’re helping our customers to maintain connectivity, visibility, and continuous control over their devices, even when they’re powered off or disconnected.” ThinkShield TraceLock is enabled by the Absolute Connections Framework™, a firmware-based architecture designed to maintain persistent communication with endpoint devices. Through remote connectivity capabilities and a single cloud-based console, organisations can: Maintain visibility and control of supported devices from below the OS, even when they have been powered off or disconnected from corporate networks and the Internet. Reduce the risk of data breaches, ransomware, and compromises, with the ability to reinstate and enforce security, compliance, and access policies across supported endpoints. Help prevent unauthorised access to networks and sensitive data with the ability to remotely lock devices and wipe hard drives. Meet internal compliance policies and industry regulation requirements with documentation through audit-ready templates available to major industries. Reduce downtime by automating the restoration of failed PCs back to a last known good state, including reimaging of crashed, compromised, or corrupted operating systems. Extra layer of protection “AI has changed cybersecurity and today’s enterprises demand a new level of control and peace of mind that doesn’t stop at the operating system or on the network edge,” said Nima Baiati, Vice President and General Manager, Commercial Software & Security Solutions, Lenovo. “Developed in partnership with Absolute Security, Lenovo’s ThinkShield TraceLock gives organisations an extra layer of protection and visibility. IT teams can now remotely locate, wake and wipe devices even if they are powered off or not on the corporate network.” Starting July 1, 2026, ThinkShield TraceLock is available on select ThinkPads equipped with WWAN including: ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14, ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 11, ThinkPad T14s Gen 7 Intel and ThinkPad T16 Gen 5 Intel. When ordering new ThinkPads, ThinkShield TraceLock can be added through Absolute Control and Absolute Resilience licenses. To learn more about Lenovo ThinkShield TraceLock and other Absolute Security Cyber Resilience solutions, visit booth 339 during Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit (SRMS) 2026 in National Harbor, MD, June 1 – 3.

In an agentic AI world, organisations must act and defend at machine speed and scale. Cisco Cloud Control, unveiled today at Cisco Live, is a unified platform built for humans and AI agents to manage, monitor and defend critical IT infrastructure — and the foundation for Cisco’s AgenticOps operating model. With one login, Cisco Cloud Control delivers a single view of Cisco networking, security, compute, observability, and collaboration in one secure environment. People and agents work from a single data layer, sharing the same operational context and the same system of action, while humans stay in control. Customers can build their own applications and agents using natural language directly within the platform, which also connects to a large ecosystem, including AWS, Linear, Microsoft, PagerDuty, ServiceNow, Slack, and Google Cloud, which now includes Wiz. Single management plane “AI agents reason and act continuously at software speed, and that changes everything about how we scale, manage, and defend our critical infrastructure,” said Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer, Cisco. “Cisco Cloud Control is a command center for agentic AI: a platform where your team and your AI agents work together, in the same environment, with the same information, and with humans in control." Cisco Cloud Control is the single management plane that brings a customer’s entire estate into one environment — one login, one view. It’s a new way to run critical infrastructure that ties together: Cross-domain telemetry. The rich data flowing across networking, security, observability, collaboration, and more – comes together in Cloud Control so humans and agents can act on the same information to address key business imperatives like uptime, agent behaviour, and tokenomics. Purpose-built models. Cloud Control reasons across complex problems with the right mix of purpose-built and frontier models — including Cisco's Deep Network Model, grounded in 40 years of Cisco operational networking data. The result is system intelligence that scales with the complexity of the problem, not the size of the model alone. Trusted agents. Through Cisco Cloud Control, operators will be able to work with autonomous agents that can follow a structured path from signal to action: spotting trouble, identifying causes, carrying out fixes, testing changes before deployment, and confirming the user experience has recovered. These agents will be powered by Cisco telemetry and purpose-built models, and they will leverage other capabilities, such as Expanded Experience Metrics, Deep Reasoning, Digital Twin, and Cisco Agentic Workflows. Teams will be able to automate network ops with an agentic loop, while keeping actions visible and governed. Cisco AI Canvas. A multiplayer, generative workspace where operators and agents work from the same live evidence to investigate and resolve complex issues together in real time. Context persists across shifts and escalations, so nothing is lost, and nothing is repeated. Cloud Control Studio. The design space that unlocks two customisation environments. Agent Builder lets customers build agents for Cloud Control tailored to their own policies and workflows, with the ability to connect to more than 50+ third-party platforms and tools through native connectors or the open Model Context Protocol (MCP). App Builder lets customers build and publish apps and workflows for Cloud Control from natural-language prompt, with OpenAI Codex, an agentic platform that helps you build and ship with AI, built in. Everything built in Studio — plus agents and apps from across Cisco's ecosystem — can be published to Cloud Control Marketplace. AI-driven security evaluations Cisco Cloud Control enters Controlled Availability in United States today, with Global Availability to follow. Reactive defence is no longer enough when the window between vulnerability and exploit has collapsed from weeks to minutes. As a charter member of Anthropic's Project Glasswing and OpenAI's Daybreak, Cisco stress-tests its own products using the latest frontier AI models — finding the weaknesses adversaries would, before they can. Cisco isn't keeping that advantage to itself: through the recently open-sourced Foundry Security Spec, every defender can apply that same rigor to their AI-driven security evaluations. Cisco is expanding protections across its infrastructure to shield customers from new vulnerabilities quickly following discovery — with Cisco Cloud Control as the security command center where defence plays out in real time. Digital immune system Live Protect acts as a digital immune system for Cisco products, shielding them from newly discovered and prioritised vulnerabilities for supported platforms at runtime — no reboots, no upgrades, no maintenance windows. Now available in N9000 series switches and included with the Nexus One product entitlement, Live Protect is expanding to more products in the Cisco Portfolio in the coming months, starting with campus and branch smart switches, followed by secure routers later in the year. Hybrid Mesh Firewall extends unified protection across networks, applications, and Cisco and third-party firewalls — limiting the blast radius when something goes wrong. Agentic security offerings AI agents are joining the workforce, working alongside humans, and taking on tasks that require a secure environment. At RSAC, Cisco announced an array of new innovations to protect agents from the world, protect the world from agents, and detect and respond to issues at machine speed. Today, Cisco announced further enhancements across its agentic security offerings, from AI Defense, to Zero Trust for agents, to the Agentic SOC. "Harvest now, decrypt later" attacks are already happening, collecting encrypted data to unlock when quantum capabilities catch up. Cisco is turning tomorrow's threat into a plan enterprises can start building today: New Quantum-safe communications advancements across Cisco’s core portfolio. With a commitment to enable quantum-safe communications capabilities across the majority of Cisco’s core portfolio by December 2026, Cisco is extending post-quantum protection to the systems where the most sensitive enterprise traffic flows. Quantum-safe by default for new infrastructure. Starting today and moving forward, any newly introduced campus, branch and data center routers, switches, and firewall series will launch with quantum-safe secure boot. This builds on the same quantum-safe technology already shipping in campus smart switches. The new Quantum Ready Assessments, available through Cisco IQ, identify the assets most exposed to "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks — and where to start. Global availability planned for July 2026. The new Quantum Resilience Framework gives enterprises a structured approach to post-quantum cryptography across two pillars: quantum-safe communications and quantum-safe products. Long-term resilience with Cisco To help customers navigate this new era, Cisco Services is announcing new capabilities: Resilient Infrastructure Services, delivered through Cisco Support and Professional Services, is a new three-step approach — Exposure Assessment, Infrastructure Modernisation, Defense Resiliency — that helps customers mitigate risk from frontier model threats. Cisco IQ, fully integrated into Cisco Cloud Control, is Cisco's AI-powered delivery vehicle for Support and Professional Services. It’s helping customers build the long-term resilience that today's threat landscape demands with a Resilient Infrastructure Playbook, built with AI-driven insights and Zero Trust principles. Supporting customers with data sovereignty requirements, Cisco IQ will now support on-premises deployment options. Cisco IQ’s Peer Benchmarking uses anonymised data to provide data-driven insights on areas such as Last Day of Support (LDOS) risk exposure and security vulnerability rates, enabling comparison with organisations of similar size, sector, or infrastructure profile. Global availability planned for July 2026.

Responding to the phased shutdown of the legacy 2G network in the UK, Reliance Protect has launched its next generation 4G lone worker safety key fob device. The new Pulse+ device is among the first solutions to support full Voice Over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) communications across multiple networks, ensuring voice calls and alarm transmissions can operate entirely over 4G infrastructure. Delivering emergency support The UK’s mobile network infrastructure is undergoing its biggest transformation in decades with the 2G network the next scheduled for shutdown. The 3G network is already effectively shut down. For organisations in sectors ranging from health, social care, social housing and transport to retail and hospitality that rely on lone and frontline worker safety technology, the transition presents a critical challenge: ensuring devices remain connected, compliant, and capable of delivering emergency support when it matters most. Critical safety systems As Chris Allcard, director at Reliance Protect, explains, “Network providers are now actively working through plans to decommission the older 2G technologies to free up bandwidth and support the huge increase in connected devices we rely on every day, from smart infrastructure through to vehicles and IoT technology. Organisations using lone worker devices need to prepare now for these changes.” The UK Government has set a 2033 deadline for the withdrawal of 2G services, with operators planning to complete the process sooner. Upwards of half a million lone worker devices currently operating in the UK still rely on 2G technology for emergency voice calls and alarm communications. While historically dependable, 2G infrastructure is increasingly unable to support the modern connectivity, resilience and data insight demands now expected from critical safety systems. Essential alarm voice calls Reliance Protect’s new solutions are engineered to remove dependency on legacy 2G voice networks. It’s important to note that many existing 4G lone worker devices still revert to 2G to complete the essential alarm voice calls. Reliance Protect’s VoLTE-enabled devices allow alarms, voice communications, location information and supporting background data to operate simultaneously over the 4G data network, roaming across multiple networks. Allcard further explains. “A lot of devices currently marketed as 4G still rely on 2G infrastructure for voice functionality, which doesn’t actually remove the 2G connectivity risk. We wanted to create a genuinely future-proof platform that customers could rely on for at least the next five to ten years.” Faster alarm activation Developed over a period of 18 months, in parallel with the 4G VoLTE ID+ discreet ID badge style device, the new solution delivers significantly faster alarm activation and response times by transmitting voice calls, GPS and WiFi locations and incident data concurrently. The platform also enables richer data collection, opening opportunities for future integration with external health and wellbeing sensors, such as heart rate monitoring and body temperature tracking, which could, for example, support proactive tracking of stress and tiredness levels. Reliance Protect currently processes more than five million rows of operational data every day, including network performance and coverage data. Long-term procurement strategies Importantly for customers planning long-term procurement strategies, the new 4G devices have been introduced at a price point comparable to Reliance Protect’s existing 2G solutions, helping organisations to future-proof their lone worker protection without significant additional upgrade costs. “All organisations using lone worker technology need confidence that their devices will continue to function as networks evolve,” Allcard adds. “Our latest solutions give customers stability, resilience and future-proof protection, while ensuring the people carrying these devices remain connected to support whenever they need it most.”

SAFR today announced new investigation capabilities for SAFR Guard, without the need for on-site servers. Retail security has been burdened by costly, infrastructure-heavy systems that are complex to maintain and slow to scale. SAFR Guard now changes that, combining real-time proactive alerts with new investigation capabilities, all without server bloat. With built-in privacy guardrails, it’s designed for responsible use from day one. Server-dependent infrastructure As retail crime becomes increasingly frequent and connected, traditional systems built around manual case building are struggling to keep up. Security teams are expected to act faster, manage growing operational demands, and reduce shrink, all while dealing with the costs and maintenance of server-dependent infrastructure. SAFR Guard introduces a modern approach to retail security, helping retailers move from isolated incidents to actionable patterns. By combining proactive alerts with smarter investigative insights, SAFR Guard enables teams to detect repeat activity, surface connections across events, and respond more effectively in real time. “SAFR Guard’s ability to investigate and alert on high-harm individuals is key to its success,” said Chris Ochs, Director of Product at SAFR Guard. “Early warning directly translates into safer stores,” he added. Modern retail security Unlike traditional infrastructure-heavy systems, SAFR Guard eliminates the burden of on-site servers, reducing operational complexity and cost while enabling faster deployment and easier scaling across locations. The result is a more streamlined approach to retail security, one designed to help teams focus less on managing systems and more on preventing loss. With real-time prevention, faster investigations, and infrastructure-free deployment, SAFR Guard is helping define a new standard for modern retail security.

ZeroEyes, creators of the multi-analytics weapons detection and threat intelligence platform, announces that its proactive AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software has been deployed by Perry-Lecompton USD 343 in Kansas to help protect students, staff, and visitors from gun-related threats. Located in Northeastern Kansas, Perry-Lecompton USD 343 serves approximately 730 students and employs 160 staff members district-wide. The district will deploy ZeroEyes at Perry-Lecompton Middle School and Perry-Lecompton High School as part of its continued commitment to maintaining a safe, welcoming learning environment. 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 to identify AI gun detection as a key safety priority aligned with broader community initiatives. “The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority,” said Justin Dunnaway, Assistant Superintendent of Perry-Lecompton USD 343. “We are proud to have secured funding through the Kansas firearm detection grant program to bring ZeroEyes to our middle and high school campuses. This technology adds another proactive layer of protection and aligns with the collaborative safety efforts we’ve been building alongside local law enforcement and community leaders.” Situational awareness software layers 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. “Perry-Lecompton USD 343 has taken a thoughtful and proactive approach to campus safety,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. “By leveraging state grant funding and building upon existing security investments, the district is demonstrating its strong commitment to protecting students and staff while preserving the close-knit culture that defines its community.”

ZeroEyes, creators of the multi-analytics weapons detection and threat intelligence platform, announces that its proactive AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness software has been renewed by Sumter County Schools following two successful years of deployment. Serving nine schools across rural Sumter County, the district supports approximately 6,000 students and 700 faculty and staff. ZeroEyes has been integrated across these schools as part of the district’s commitment to maintaining a safe, secure, and welcoming learning environment. Welcoming learning environment “I personally have been very impressed with ZeroEyes since day one,” said Philip Martin, Safety and Security Specialist for Sumter County Schools. “The level of detail that ZeroEyes provides, as well as the responsiveness of their customer service, is outstanding. Communication is always quick, which is critical from a customer standpoint. It’s reassuring to know that this technology is helping keep our students and staff safe.” Sumter County Schools maintains a strong, collaborative relationship with local law enforcement. The district works closely with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, ensuring that security protocols are consistent, proactive, and responsive. This renewal reinforces the district’s dedication to combining modern technology with community-centred safety measures. 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. “Sumter County Schools has demonstrated a thoughtful and proactive approach to campus safety,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. “By leveraging real-time intelligence, the district continues to protect its students and faculty while preserving the close-knit community culture that makes Sumter County special.”

Genetec Inc., the pioneer in enterprise physical security software, announces 40 Leadenhall has deployed Genetec™ Security Center and Genetec Mission Control™ to create a seamless modern experience for visitors and tenants. Located in the capital’s insurance district, 40 Leadenhall is one of the biggest City of London developments ever to receive planning permission. It spans over 900,000 square feet of commercial office, amenities, and retail space, serving up to 10,000 occupants. Original performance specification A unified security platform formed part of the original performance specification, with Genetec Security Center ultimately selected to give 40 Leadenhall the flexibility to integrate best of breed hardware and software, support informed decision making, and tailor the interface to a wide range of user needs and access privileges. “Genetec is proud to be safeguarding a growing portfolio of flagship buildings across the City of London - including some of its newest and largest developments,” said Viet Tang, Account Executive at Genetec Inc. “40 Leadenhall is a standout example of how forward thinking property owners are embracing unified, intelligent security to deliver safer, more efficient and more intuitive environments.” Standardising incident response The smart building solution incorporates over 200 cameras, more than 250 doors, and 2,600 data points, all managed through Genetec Security Center and hosted on Genetec Streamvault™ servers and archives. Genetec Mission Control™ further enhances operations by standardising incident response with advanced automation. By integrating with other building systems, it can automatically trigger workflows for events such as power loss, water leaks, or high winds thus enabling teams to respond proactively with timely notifications and targeted actions that help ensure occupant safety. Access control and visitor experience technologies from partners including HID Global, Mercury Communications, and STid help enable seamless navigation throughout the facility. Occupiers can use mobile wallet credentials for frictionless entry, while visitors receive QR code passes that remove the need for temporary plastic cards. Integrated cameras from Axis Communications enhance situational awareness across the site. Truly smart building Genetec workstations located throughout the building provide role based access for operators. Reception staff can enrol visitors, while control-room security teams can run reports, investigate events, and monitor live video on either dedicated workstations or tablets. “The Genetec security system is easy to use and enables us to deliver a world class service to our occupiers and guests, ensuring occupant wellbeing and building security,” says Stewart Maynard, Smart Systems Manager at 40 Leadenhall. “Collaboration between delivery, systems and service partner teams has helped make 40 Leadenhall a truly smart building.” Quickly identify devices By uploading interactive floor plans into Security Center, operators can quickly identify devices, investigate activity, or access live video with a single click, significantly reducing training times. The building’s digital experience is further enhanced through integration with the 40 Leadenhall app, powered by VTS Activate. Occupiers can issue virtual visitor passes, receive arrival notifications, and seamlessly access amenities including wellness spaces, cycle facilities and the Peloton studio. “We believe Genetec provides the ideal platform to support 40 Leadenhall’s future growth and technology goals,” concludes Maynard. “The investment in leading technology, supported by strong partnerships, positions 40 Leadenhall at the forefront of innovation.”

ZeroEyes, creators of the multi-analytics weapons detection and threat intelligence platform, announces that its AI gun detection and intelligent situational awareness platform has been deployed by New Jersey’s Sayreville Borough School District to protect students and faculty against gun-related violence. Located in Middlesex County, the district serves approximately 6,500 students and employs approximately 750 staff across 10 buildings, including a high school, middle school, upper elementary school, four K–3 elementary schools, two preschools, and a specialised 18–21 program that operates a publicly accessible store and café for job training. With strong community involvement, the district prioritises proactive safety measures and operates on the principle of staying ahead of evolving security needs. Incident management software ZeroEyes enhances the district’s comprehensive, multilayered security strategy and will be integrated with Singlewire’s InformaCast incident management software. This enables real-time gun detection alerts from ZeroEyes to automatically trigger Singlewire’s InformaCast system, which can instantly distribute customised alerts across a wide range of devices, supporting faster, more coordinated emergency responses and ensuring critical information reaches those who need it most. “Our responsibility is to create an environment where students and staff can focus on learning while knowing that safety is taken seriously,” said Dr. Richard Labbe, superintendent of Sayreville Borough School District. “By integrating advanced technology, such as ZeroEyes, into our broader security framework, we are strengthening our ability to identify potential threats early and act quickly, helping us move from awareness to action in a matter of moments.” Secure learning environment 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 operation center, which is staffed 24/7/365 by specially trained U.S. military and law enforcement veterans. If these experts determine the threat is valid, they dispatch alerts and actionable intelligence — including visual description, gun type, and last known location — to law enforcement and school security teams as quickly as 3 to 5 seconds from detection. “Sayreville Borough School District’s leadership has demonstrated a strong commitment to creating a safe and secure learning environment,” said Mike Lahiff, co-founder and CEO of ZeroEyes. “We’re proud to support their efforts by turning existing security infrastructure into a source of timely, reliable insight that supports faster, more confident action.”