HID, a worldwide leader in trusted identity and physical security solutions announced its inaugural State of the Security Industry Report, which gathered responses from 2,700 partners, end users, and security and IT personnel across a range of titles and organization sizes representing over 11 industries. Mr. Prabhuraj Patil, Commercial Director, Physical Access Control Solutions, South Asia, HID shares more insights about this report and discusses key trends in the security industry.
1. What are the key security trends that the Indian market should be aware of in 2023?
As per industry reports, India’s access control market size was valued at $160.20 million in 2021 and is projected to reach $313.11 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2021 to 2030. The pandemic has been the biggest market trigger and growing concerns about financial fraud on online platforms have also contributed to the growth of the access control market in India.
Our latest State of the Security and Identity report sheds light on some of the key trends that security players in the country can map into 2023 as the access control market continues to thrive:
● While the global supply chain sees overall improvement, disruptions will continue to persist across industries worldwide. Staying abreast of market trends, building networks and taking timely actions will be key to addressing issues such as labor shortages and short supply of semiconductor components.
● Business decisions, including end-user purchasing, integrator and installer supplier decisions, are now increasingly focused on sustainability. Security players will need to up their game by looking at sustainable materials and implementation practices to stay relevant.
● Demand for cloud-based security solutions will continue to grow with the rising adoption of hybrid work models. Prior to the pandemic, the cloud had already become a popular platform for access management capabilities, with the convergence of physical and logical access, now identity-as-a-service (IDaaS) will become a must.
● Adoption of Digital IDs will remain among the top trends with 47% of integrators and installers indicating that their customers are using mobile identities for identity verification. The demand for digital wallets has accelerated the growth of secure IDs which also includes mobile IDs.
● 59% of our survey respondents said they are currently using or plan to implement or test biometric technologies in the near future. Demand for both fingerprint biometrics and facial recognition technologies outside of the BFSI sector can be expected. The focus, however, will need to be on ensuring privacy and security concerns are addressed to accelerate adoption.
There is no doubt that India’s security ecosystem is undergoing a large amount of change. Therefore, staying informed of these changes and taking advantage of evolving technologies is important to end users and security professionals alike.
2. How do you see the role of sustainability in the security space?
The Indian government has been making serious headway and provisions as part of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This in turn has pushed the security ecosystem to relook at the role of sustainability to help address environmental issues. By using green technologies, sustainable materials and practices, security companies can help organizations reduce their carbon footprint and meet their sustainability goals.
A key part of this sustainability journey would be for security manufacturers like us to use sustainable materials in our solutions. This can include everything, from using recycled plastic in access control systems to deploying biodegradable access cards and using sustainable materials. We also need to ensure that our products and services are designed and deployed in a sustainable way. This can involve conducting life cycle assessments to identify opportunities for improvement, and implementing sustainable practices throughout the supply chain.
As we work together towards a sustainable future, it is our responsibility within the security community to collectively provide effective and secure solutions that promote environmental responsibility.
3. What are some of the potential benefits and drawbacks of biometrics, and how should organizations approach their implementation?
As per our report, the demand for biometrics and cloud-based identity management solutions will continue to rise in 2023 and beyond. We can expect fingerprint biometrics to expand into broader applications outside of banking and financial services. Similarly, facial recognition will also grow in popularity with improved security and a seamless user identification experience.
All of these solutions bring a number of benefits such as speed, accuracy and convenience to create, delegate, deliver and provide trusted identities for access. Biometric data is unique to each individual, therefore making it difficult for others to impersonate them. The right solution will be able to accurately confirm that users are who they say they are and that they are doing what was intended. As for drawbacks, biometrics introduce a different user experience than a standard card or mobile-based access solutions. It is, therefore, critical for businesses to work with trusted security partners who can provide the latest technology, keeping the important balance between convenience and security in mind.
Our latest report, State of the Security and Identity also found that approximately 59% of respondents are currently using or plan to implement or at least test biometric technologies in the near future. When it comes to implementation, organizations must first assess their specific needs and consider factors such as cost, convenience, and user acceptance. They must also prioritize protecting biometric data by encrypting and securely storing it. By addressing these top concerns and implementing biometrics after careful consideration, organizations can better tackle issues such as unauthorized access and fraud.
4. How can IDaaS help organizations secure their networks and data in a hybrid work environment?
With hybrid work models and global teams becoming the norm, Identity-as-a-Service (IDaaS) has quickly become a necessity. IDaaS can help organizations secure their networks and data in a hybrid environment in several ways – from managing identities to securing and accessing resources, regardless of where employees are working from. IDaaS solutions are easy to deploy, cost-efficient, adaptable and easy to manage. They provide enhanced security through measures such as multi-factor authentication, identity verification and access management policies. This helps ensure that only authorized users are accessing sensitive data and systems. They also help organizations meet compliance requirements and reduce the risk of data breaches. Additionally, IDaaS also provides real-time visibility and control over user access, helping organizations effectively monitor and address potential security risks.
A recent poll conducted by BQ Prime with 41 global organisations indicated that nearly 40% of big Indian organisations are still opting for a hybrid work model on a conditional basis. Therefore, there is a definite need to educate customers about the value of implementing IDaaS tools to increase security and reduce costs.
5. How are supply chain disruptions impacting the security space and how are players like you tackling the issue?
Supply chain disruptions continue to plague industries across sectors and the security space is no exception. 71% of our survey respondents indicated that “supply chain issues” will be a top trend in the security and identity industry for 2023. From a macro perspective, we anticipate supply chain disruptions to improve, although labor shortage and high demand will continue to strain global supply chains, including the availability of semiconductors. Integrated circuit chips are essential components in countless security devices, such as control panels, card readers, sensors, detectors, credentials, passports and peripherals. These challenges have caused a significant reduction in availability and have also impacted pricing.
There was a clear split among our survey respondents, with 50% being optimistic that the issues will ease and the remaining 50% remaining unsure. At a macro level, supply chain disruptions are expected to improve. While we work together to address these challenges, here are some broad strategies we can lean on:
● Go global: Work with global partners with a strong local presence in key markets
● Be flexible: Be open and ready to consider alternative solutions. This will open up more partnerships or suppliers you can tap into
● Make data-based decisions: Use industry data and reports to predict as well as understand market patterns to make timely decisions and reduce costs
● Stay connected: Consistently communicate with your partners and suppliers to ensure you have a clear and early window into anticipated shortages
