Physical security market is rapidly embracing cloud and hybrid solutions

The adoption of cloud-based solutions for physical security is picking up speed as cyber-concerns about cloud security are lessening, finds Genetec’s 2024 State of Physical Security report.

The report by Genetec, a leading technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, is based on insights from over 5,500 physical security leaders worldwide (including end users and channel partners), and looks at the security strategies organisations are putting in place to effectively navigate the realities of a changing industry.

The report finds that while the adoption of cloud-based solutions for physical security has been gradually increasing over the past decade, uptake is now increasing with 44 per cent of end users reporting that more than 25 per cent of their physical security setups are now either in the cloud or use a combination of cloud and on-premises solutions. This is a significant jump from the 24 per cent reported in last year’s survey.

The survey also found that cyber concerns about cloud-based solutions are lessening significantly. In last year’s survey, end-users considered perceived cybersecurity risks to be the primary factor discouraging their organisations from adopting cloud-based security systems. However, there seems to be a shift in attitudes. This shift underscores growing confidence in the capabilities of cloud solution providers to establish robust cybersecurity measures. As a result, in the 2024 survey, respondents have relegated perceived cybersecurity risks to the sixth position among the factors deterring their organisations from adopting security systems in the cloud.

Feedback from channel partners also supports the idea that end-users are eagerly shifting towards cloud solutions. A substantial 74 per cent of channel partner respondents anticipate that more of their current customers will embrace cloud connectivity for security in the coming year. Furthermore, 39 per cent of channel partners stated that they prioritise cloud-based solutions whenever possible, and an additional 52 per cent offer cloud-based solutions upon customer request.

The increasing adoption of cloud-based physical security systems has led to a rise in cybersecurity threats, data handling, and compliance requirements. As a result, IT and physical security teams are becoming increasingly interconnected as evidenced by 55 per cent of end users indicating that the IT department has access to physical security data. As technology adoption grows and remote access from external networks becomes more common, the partnership between IT and physical security will continue to develop.

The future looks hybrid

It appears that most organisations will prefer a hybrid approach, combining both on-premises and cloud-based solutions. Sixty per cent of end-user respondents revealed that their organisations aim for a security deployment strategy that combines both. The transition to hybrid systems is already in progress, with 15 per cent of end-users stating that their organisations are currently storing video surveillance data both locally and in the cloud, marking a notable increase from the four per cent reported in last year’s survey.

Christian Morin, Vice President Product Engineering / Chief Security Officer at Genetec Inc. commented: “A hybrid cloud deployment clearly emerges as the ideal path forward for many organisations, seamlessly blending local infrastructure with the power of the cloud. With a hybrid-cloud solution, organisations can optimise their physical security installation to best fit their business. And no matter how their security needs evolve, their systems will remain agile and adaptable to continue providing them with the capabilities they require.”