Deviant Ollam Is Thinking About Doing A Smartphone App

Update: It looks like a Twitter user brought up, Haven - The Guardian Project's physical security app developed by Edward Snowden.

Have you heard of Haven? I think it does what your looking for.

Source Code:https://t.co/o2RcQSwFtQ

Play Store:https://t.co/fnE6ZUP8sb

— AWildBeard (@AWildBeard) August 19, 2018

Welp, it looks like @DeviantOllam, the physical security penetration tester and trainer, is looking to do a hotel room security app. If he can check off all the boxes and can provide some more features, I'd be all in.

I'm going to try to raise money and coordinate talent for the development of a new smartphone app exclusively for easy and secure monitoring of your room or personal space.

RT and reply back to me if you think you'd find an app that worked like this useful and beneficial. pic.twitter.com/Yt3rj2D3UJ

— Deviant Ollam ツ (@deviantollam) August 18, 2018

What would I be looking for in a physical security smartphone app?

1. Various ways to notify users of an event. Push alerts to my other devices would be great, as well as home AI integration with Alexa or Google Home.
2. Motion sensor sensitivity and detection range settings that are user-friendly. Other apps do this but they don't walk you through these settings.
3. The ability to choose between cloud storage or phone storage.
4. The ability to use a tilt sensor for drawer openings.
5. Noise detection.
6. Customized annunciation. I like customized audio messages for various intrusion-related alerts.
7. Integration with a door stop physical device. When bumped by a door, it would set off an alert. Great for closets in hotels.
8. The use of your phone's flash as a strobe when an intrusion has been detected.
9. Using a combination of alerts to determine the nature of your alert. I may want to know if the maid came into my room but I'd really be interested to know if they entered that closet I placed the door stop at.
10. Remote SMS alarm disarm.

What would you want to see?

10 Ways to Help Mitigate and Repel Home Invasions

In my real world job, I come across many crimes. None of them is more troubling than home invasions. According to the Department of Justices' Bureau of Justice Statistics:

• An estimated 3.7 million burglaries occurred each year on average from 2003 to 2007.
• A household member was present in roughly 1 million burglaries and became victims of violent crimes in 266,560 burglaries
• Offenders were known to their victims in 65% of violent burglaries; offenders were strangers in 28%.
• Overall, 61% of offenders were unarmed when violence occurred during a burglary while a resident was present. About 12% of all households violently burglarized while someone was home faced an offender armed with a firearm.

Often, victims seem to picked at random or targeted by someone they know. However, in my experiences there a few things I think could mitigate the risks and the aftermath associated with home invasions.

1. Prepare, prepare, prepare, prepare. Seriously, prepare. Most people assume because they lock their doors and have a gun that will stop someone from coming into their homes. Sometimes it and sometimes it doesn't. In order to mitigate this crime, potential victims have to prepare for the unthinkable and oftentimes, unlikely - someone will come and eventually break into your home while you're there. Just like every other disaster, homeowners and tenants should make preparations as if it could happen.
2. NEVER EVER receive a visitor at a door you have never received someone at before. Many people who do home invasions often pick rear entrances to force their way inside. Think about it. Why don't you receive guests at your back door? Is it because it's dark, away from the drive, or is not in a place where you can see them approach? These are all of the reasons attackers love these entrances.
3. NEVER EVER leave a door open that you're not close enough to shut when needed. I get it. The weather is blazing hot. Your entire house feels like an oven and all you want is a breeze. So you leave a door open. If an attacker is looking places to commit this crime, an open door is too appetizing to pass up. No matter how heroic or brave you think you are, you can never react in enough time if an attacker can open an unlocked door into your home.
4. Consider a dog. I know. I know. Stop rolling your eyes. Seriously. Dogs can't fix everything and they are not a crime solution. However, if you live alone, a dog can be both an alarm and a defender. In a home invasion, you need all the help you can get. Imagine that it's 3am and you hear your backdoor being kicked in. So does your 100 pound German Shepherd. He goes to investigate or stays with you. Either way, there's a good chance whoever is in your home will know you have a dog (probably because he sank his teeth into the invaders flesh) or your neighbors could hear his bark.
5. Consider buying new windows or new window locks. Older windows are ideal for home invasions, primarily because they are difficult to adequately secure. Over time, people paint over their locks which then become immobilized. Many people never bother to check if the windows lock. Checking your window locks is very important and should be a part of your daily routine.
   
   

   

   (Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics)

   
   

   
   

6. Buy or build a duress alarm. I know this sounds a bit extreme and complicated. I can assure you that neither is true. I recently, built a home duress alarm for my home in less than 15 minutes using speaker wire, a rocker switch, a piezo siren, and D cell battery pack. Once I flip the switch, the same siren you hear on a car alarm is heard throughout my home. I won't divulge where I keep it but suffice it to say I have it somewhere I plan to go the second I hear or see someone break into my home. You should consider doing the same. If you don't have the materials to make one, you should buy a window/door alarm sold at "dollar stores" found across the United States. Just keep one near where you plan to be during a home invasion and activate it once it occurs. The sound will distract and alert the bad guy that you know they are there and so will most of your neighbors. Some alarm companies can install a duress alarm in your home that will emit a siren and call the police. I prefer my method only because I know firsthand that phone service can go down and cellular backups aren't installed in every home security system. Plus my method cost me $20 when I made it myself and was $2 when purchased as a window/door alarm.
   
   

   

   Here's a duress alarm I built. This is without an enclosure which I'll add soon enough

7. Have a phone at your bedside and wherever you are in your home. There's nothing worse than having someone break into your home, getting to your safe haven, and not having a phone to call the police. Have a phone near you at all times. In the military, it was a cardinal sin not to be within arm's length of your weapon at all times. I consider the same to be true of your phone. Also don't have a phone near you that won't work like a cell phone you know that doesn't get reception in your home. I also can reiterate the need to have a landline phone. Stop rolling your eyes. Seriously. If your cell phone doesn't work, you'll need to get help somehow. Trust me. You'll thank me later.
8. Figure out your safe haven. Many people call this a "panic room". I hate that term. During an emergency situation, you can't afford to panic. You need to be ready to fight off the attacker in a deliberate fashion. Ideal places for safe havens are places you and your loved ones can get to when the attack occurs. I also find it useful to think of this place as an area where I will make my last stand. In other words, should the attacker breach the door into this area I will use any and all force available to repel him. Should you find yourself in a position where you have to defend an area while your family moves to a safe haven, have a "password". You may find yourself having to gain entry into their safe haven should you believe the attacker has left or you have repelled him. Your family should know to never open the "safe haven" door unless they receive the "password". Consider giving the dispatcher this "password" so she can tell first responders and you can know if they are friend or foe.
9. Consider your armaments. Most people think a gun is the perfect solution. In some cases, it might very well be. This isn't a discussion about calibers or rifle vs handgun vs shotgun. This is about whether your weapons can and will repel an attacker. I can't tell you what to arm yourself with. There are some folks who are just as lethal with a carpenter's pencil as they are with a shotgun. What I will tell you is to ARM YOURSELF!! Trust me. Don't get caught without a weapon during an attack. You should have armaments stationed in places you can get to immediately during an attack. Whether it be a knife or a gun, have it ready and nearby. Also don't use something you haven't trained in using and retaining. An area most gun owners fail in doing is learning weapons retention skills. There are loads of classes and seminars on this topic. Do your research and learn about how to use and retain your armaments.
10. Secure places you have left unsecured. Sun Tzu says, "So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak." This is true in crime prevention. Your enemy will always hit you where you're not preparing for him at. That's why you check the first floor doors and windows, basement entrances to include windows, storm shelters, etc. Any place a human being could get into you should be checking daily for signs of weakness. 

The Top 7 Questions You Should Be Considering When Improving Home Security

The show above is a clear demonstration as to how security professionals should approach home security planning and risk analysis.

Many times I'm asked by various people how to properly secure their home. Initially, it can be very difficult sometimes to give advice as to how to provide adequate security for your residence. I feel in order for your home to be secure you must first realistically assess your risk tolerance, the nature of the threat and your vulnerabilities, and what you're willing to do to mitigate the threat. I do this by asking several questions:

1. What's security mean to you? Most people look bedazzled when I ask this. I firmly believe security is a mindset and not a result. If you live in a really nice neighborhood with no crime, you might feel secure with your door unlocked. However, in a bad neighborhood, that may not be ideal. So what makes you secure?
2. What can't you lose? Some people naturally reply "nothing". I have had some be very specific. This is an important question to ask because most people may not need to spend hundreds of dollars on elaborate security if the only thing they're afraid of losing is fairly replaceable if lost. That also depends on personal perspective. Losing my father's watch would be a terrible loss for me but not someone else. In sales, they call these first two questions "What's your pain?"
3. What's your terrain like? In other words, what's the nature of the environment you're securing? Is this a high crime area? Do people routinely talk to their neighbors? Are you visible during the day? Is your neighborhood well-patrolled by police? If not, why? Most people don't have a good answer for this last question, though, it may be the most important one. Does your property allow visitors inside without credentialing them? This question is especially important for those who live in housing developments with rental units. Are there ways your neighbors and others can naturally see your home unobstructed? You should see some recurring themes from previous articles.
4. What's the threat? In other words, who wants your stuff? How do they know your stuff or could know it? The threat identity question is the most important question you can ask yourself and anyone who asks for your advice. Figure out who is likely to attack the home and for what reasons (home invasions, stalker, burglars, etc.). You may have to get an accounting of the client or yourself (if it's your home). That means asking about prior domestic violence, violent crime in the area or the home, any overt threats made, attacks on homes nearby, shady people seen in the neighborhood. From there, use the third question about terrain to determine likelihood of an attack.
5. Just how vulnerable are you? Many people have two ways of assessing vulnerabilities and neither of them work - being overly optimistic or overly pessimistic. Homeowners think the way normal, law-abiding citizens do when they think of burglars. They assume burglars look for the same things they do. Often, they get these faulty ideas from television or vivid imaginations. Just because you might be able to climb a ledge and walk to your window two stories up with perfect agility doesn't mean a drug-addicted burglar will even care. So how does someone think like a criminal and find vulnerabilities? First, be realistic. Next, check for yourself. Crooks have experience so they already know what does and does not work. I'm not telling you to break a window but there's no harm trying to drive a wedge in a door or walking on the other side of your fence to see what a burglar would see. Walk around your neighborhood and ask yourself what house looks the easiest to hit. Then ask yourself why. Ask yourself what would the burglar do with your stuff. Will he pawn it? If so, then an inventory of all of your high risk items is necessary with serial numbers.
6. Next, what can you do to protect yourself? Most people's natural security reflex is to buy a safe and then an alarm. Good? Nope. Actually both are terrible in some cases though not all. I like safes and alarms. However, what good are both if you don't understand why they were made? An alarm cannot stop all burglars. Many bad guys will already plan for this and hit your house any way. Alarms are great for getting the cops there as soon as possible. Picking a reputable company to install and monitor it is absolutely key. Safes are designed to slow thieves down. No safe is impenetrable. Every safe has a weakness. Most consumer safes have the same vulnerability - you can transport them. You can pick them up and take them somewhere to be cracked later. So what should a homeowner with one do? Bolt it to the floor and buy a safe that doesn't have electrical locks. Trust me. Don't buy a big threatening dog either. Some dogs work but some don't. Don't gamble your property or your life hoping a canine will stop an attack. Guns are great against home invasions and other intruders. However, don't advertise them. Remember what I said about gun buy-back programs.
7. Finally, what are you willing to sacrifice to feel secure? The number one complaint about security always revolves around convenience. I don't care what you're protecting. Someone will complain about the inconvenience on their time, energy and money to have it. The toughest part of consulting anyone on home and personal protection is this part. People can't wrap their heads around giving up something to protect against a threat they may never see. Remind them (and yourself) threats don't engage us on our calendars. They may not come now or anytime soon. However, it is better to be prepared and be able to live your life securely and worry-free than to not prepare and lose things you hold most dear.

These questions are tough but necessary before you can advise anyone on how to properly secure their homes. I recommend giving them (and yourself) a few days to think about the first two questions as these will surely be the hardest. As you're asking these questions, don't be afraid to ask if you missed something. Finally and most importantly, give the client a chance to contribute - it's their security after all. If it's your house, get your entire household involved. The more stake everyone has in this process the easier it is to have a comprehensive security plan.

Do you have any suggestions on what other questions homeowners should be asking? Feel free to leave a comment or a question below.

Lessons Learned By a Security Blogger Whose Office Had Been Burglarized

My office at 9:00 AM. I arrived to hear my office had been broken into over Super Bowl weekend.

There is a certain amount of irony one must acknowledge when his own office has been burglarized soon after posting articles talking about burglaries. Some would call it foreshadowing. I'll call it a great streak of luck. What? Yup. Good luck. Why? Mostly because of the lessons I learned. This wasn't my home office. It was the office where I work. Many times we prepare ourselves for the eventuality of being burglarized at home, but seldom do we think of our work. With that, we'll inherently learn lessons about issues we never considered.  So what did I learn?

1. You need an inventory of all the equipment they issued you at work. This inventory will be much like the inventory for your home but this should also encompass day when you were issued the equipment, number of items, serial numbers, and office responsible for accounting for the gear. Go through this list when you look for missing items.
2. Keep an inventory of personal belongings. Let me be clear: "Personal does not mean your lunch bowl". I'm talking about sentimental and expensive items like your iPad, laptop, DVD player, etc. See the lesson from above to consider what to annotate. You may want to keep this list at home or online. 
3. People will undoubtedly start to go crazy. Most people have never been the victim of a crime, so they often experience shock, sadness, and anger about being a victim. It happens and you could feel the same way. When you feel these emotions, remember people rob businesses and government agencies all the time. Sometimes, there is little you can do to prevent it except pay attention to what countermeasures failed you and which things worked. Then get to work and fix what's broken.
4. People will be tempted to play detective. Listen, it's great that you watched all of Perry Mason and Law and Order. However, you probably won't be able to solve this caper. Becoming distracted with how and why you were victimized, keeps you away from fixing what's broke with your security measures. Remember, the best thing you can do is give law enforcement exactly what they need (any video, scene protection, etc.) and think about what went wrong (did someone not lock a door, did someone not set the alarm, is this an inside job).
5. Protect the crime scene. The first thing people want to do when they hear they've been burglarized is find out what was taken. Sounds great. So you let them walk around and look inside drawers, open filing cabinets,turn on computers, etc.. You see no problem with this. Do me a favor - STOP your coworkers from entering the crime scene until law enforcement says they can. It'll impede operations but save the cops a lot of time in processing the scene.
6. Have a procedure in place. We have mechanisms for setting alarms and responding to false calls but no one ever has a procedure for an actual break-in. It's really simple. Write it out. Who needs to be notified? Who needs to know what? When do you need to call? Where should co-workers report for work? What's the impact on operations if the cops need inside? Who should have alarm codes? Who has a master key? What are your lost key procedures? Where are the list of emergency contacts for employees? The list could go infinitely. You get the idea, though. Make it simple, yet comprehensive.
7. Never assume it was anyone's fault other than the burglars? Seriously, don't be stupid and start blaming people for not setting the alarm. People forget things. The alarm code could be one thing. Let it go and work on who should be able to open and close your office. Opening and closing is a big responsibility. Ensure you're entrusting the code to someone who can deal with this added duty. Ensure the people you authorize are the only people allowed 24 hour access. Trust me. You'll thank me later.
8. After the burglary is not the best time to learn your security system sucks. Be intimately familiar with your system and monitoring station protocols. Don't assume anything with a monitoring station. Their procedures for validating the current security status of your facility could be incompatible to your facility. If your monitoring station calls the second floor about the security status of the third floor for which they have no discernible access, then this could very well be counterproductive.
9. If you share an office building with several other tenants, find out what the existing procedures are for lobby security after-hours. You may want to know why they leave the lobby unlocked during the weekend when no one is there. Just saying.
10. Cameras are WORTHLESS if you don't have someone monitoring them. The American population is in the neighborhood of 300 MILLION people give or take. You can catch these guys on tape and get them put in jail if the cops get them. Go ahead - pat yourself on the back. You did a great deed. Ask your security company what it costs to monitor your cameras. Now you have a 24 hour surveillance system that can track and notify authorities of a threat. If not, then you're giving cops video so they can maybe arrest the perpetrator who will more than likely sell what he took. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE cameras. But I HATE when people claim they "feel safer" because of the new cameras they got put in AFTER a burglary. 
11. Your window adjacent the door will get smashed. Remember what I said about concentrating on fixing crappy security measures? Get that fixed.

That's it for now. I would love to hear your war stories about being burglarized. Please post some of the comment section below.

Top 12 Awesome Way To Beef Up Your Home Security

As a continuation of my home security article previously, I decided to publish a list of tips to upgrade your home security. Have a look and let me know what you think.

Here are my suggestions for beefing up your home security:

1. Get to know your neighbors. Seriously. I know they're annoying and their kids tear up your yard. But they're "natural observers". They'll take greater interests in you and who is at your home. They may also alert you to suspicious activity and call the authorities. There also great for mail pickups when you're not at home.

You laugh but your nosy neighbors could be the best security system you have.

2. Be seen throughout your neighborhood. A person who is active and occasionally walks outside is unpredictable. When terrorists were planning to hit military bases, they chose Ft Dix in New Jersey over Dover Air Force Base. Why? Because Air Force cops don't follow a patrol "pattern". They were literally seen everywhere.

3. If you get a home security system, understand what it's there for. It sounds an alarm and calls the police. The burglar is still inside and may have already planned on that contingency. Does that mean don't get one? No. Get one. Just understand it may not stop a burglar from hitting your home. When you shop for one, understand the technology behind it and understand false alarms do happen and your locality may penalize you for them.

4. Buy a new lock on any newly constructed home. Don't install the lock yourself. Call a reputable locksmith. Next ensure you have a good door. What does that mean? The door should solid if wood and metal if not. There should very little spacing between the lock, the door, and the wall. Ensure you put a good lock on a good door.

5. Don't buy dummy cameras. They're useless and most pros will recognize it as such. Buy a real camera instead if you want one.

Either buy a camera system that works and one you monitor daily or don't get one at all.

6. Fences are bad and good. They can be a useful barrier if they are locked and not easily scaled. That being said, they can prevent natural observers from doing what they do best - observing and being a visual deterrent.

Getting a fence that is too high can be just as bad 
if not worse as getting a fence that is too short.

7. Don't advertise that you have a gun. What that says to a burglar is "I'll wait until I know you're gone and look for your guns to steal". Remember resale is $200.

Signs like this DO NOT keep bad guys away. 

8. Don't buy "no trespassing signs". They never stop a burglar. Ever.

9. If you have a sliding door, get it replaced by actual swinging doors or get a very sturdy lock for them. Ensure the slide is properly mounted to the floor.

This is a VERY sturdy deadbolt lock.

10. Check your windows. How long has your lock been there? Is it crusted over by paint? Is it rusted? Is it flimsy or accessible easily from the outside? If so, it's time for a new lock and a new window.

This lock is keeping NO ONE away. Consider getting a new window if needed.

11. Take expensive product boxes to a recycling center. No ifs and or buts.

Look. Someone got something really nice recently.

12. Don't advertise you're going out of town except to those who NEED to know. By need I mean, it is critical to sustaining your livelihood (they need to pick up mail, approve vacation time for your job, babysit your kid, etc.). The post office can collect your mail if needed. Here's a link - https://holdmail.usps.com/holdmail/

Honeywell Gets How Duress Switches Should Be Designed

Duress alarms are nothing new.  I recall during the early years of my career setting off a few by accident.  If I do remember anything else, it would be where they were installed.  The vast majority of accidental annunciations were caused by poor placement.  Many were located near an area where you sat like a desk but that sat knee-high on the average person.  Or they were placed were everyday objects were nearby and prone to collision.

So you can imagine how delighted I was when I caught this little gem while perusing another blogger, Colin Bodbyl's site - Zeecure.  In this video he's reviewing the Honeywell 264 Money Clip. This is a duress/hold-up alarm designed for cash-only businesses and activates a silent alarm to a central station or the police when the cash is removed from the clip. Of course, this would need to be installed with an existing alarm system.  But this, as Colin aptly pointed out, you no longer need to have a very conspicuous duress button to be located discretely.  Now, the robber gets the "bait-money" and the alarm is set with very little to be done.  Imagine having help dispatched at the onset of the robbery instead of wasting precious seconds or minutes trying to call or push a duress button while completing the transaction.

An additional problem faced by many security practitioners, with regards to duress alarms, is appearance.  Many duress alarms look like switches with no correlation to where they're placed.  For example, why place a duress switch near a counter-space with no electro-mechanical devices near it?  Why not place it where operator and suspect will have their interaction and it not be seen or look to obvious?  I think designers should remember one key thing about duress switches - ALL BAD GUYS WATCH HEIST MOVIES.  This means they're expecting the duress switch.  Why put employees in danger by having a small metal switch near them?  Why not have something like the Money Clip installed where the interaction is and triggered by the interaction and not the employee?  The awesome thing about the Honeywell 264 Money Clip is it looks like a standard clip found in any cash register or cash drawer. It should be noted Honeywell offers three other types of duress/hold-up alarms to include the 256 Foot Rail, 268 Hold-up Switch, and the 270R Hardwired Hold-up Switch in a plastic case.  A prudent customer would require redundant systems (any of the devices listed previously strategically placed inconspicuously) and (if it's not already included) a duress code (numerical code known to select insiders) added into any alarm control panel as well.  I would prefer one that caused the alarm panel to function normally but send the duress signal to a central station or police dispatcher.  Many systems are designed like this.  However, there are some that are not.  Colin also has some unique uses for it as well.  Check his review out below.

Click on the link below to get product information:

http://www.security.honeywell.com/hsc/products/sensor/ho/21634.html

Click on the link below to find out where to purchase it:

HONEYWELL SENSORS 264 MONEY CLIP HOLD-UP SWITCH

The Power of Sound In Security

 

So, I don't have my hover-board nor my flying car. However, we have seen numerous technological feats within the security industry. Whether it be BRS Labs' use of artificial intelligence to "learn" and detect human behavior via CCTV feeds or the ever-changing world of biometrics, we have witnessed some very interesting and promising tech tools for the industry. Some of them we have featured here at The Security Dialogue.  The other day I came across the Twitter feed for Audio Analytics, a UK-based company which has developed a new dimension to the electronic security world.

Being the curious soul that I am, I contacted Audio Analytics about an interview to learn more about their products.  I spoke with Dr. Christopher Mitchell (PhD), Audio Analytics's CEO and Founder.  Going over his LinkedIn profile and other information I gathered from the Internet, I was drawn to Dr. Mitchell's extensive knowledge of sound information and signal processing.  He's received training at Harvard and a NCGE Fellow.  I digress.

Using audio in security applications is nothing new. Sonitrol was the first and remains the only company using audio as part of its monitoring service. So I asked what was the difference between what we've seen traditionally done with sound in our industry.  Dr. Mitchell replied, "Where Audio Analytic differs is that it does not capture a sound and then trigger an alarm at a monitoring station based on audio level for a human to interpret." Audio Analytic analyses the sound looking for specific sound pattern that can be used to raise an alert into an existing piece of security equipment such as a IP camera or VMS. The sound is looked at as data rather than as a recording or real-time stream of sound.

What surprised me about was the breadth of sound the software can detect.  Dr. Mitchell said it currently looks for sound in four categories - glass breaks, signs of aggression, car alarms, and gun shots. As you can imagine, glass breaks, gun shots, and car alarms didn't trigger as much interest as "aggression".  We've seen glass breaks and gun shot detection in various forms.  In law enforcement, ShotSpotter has become the latest in a growing use of sound analysis technologies.  When asked how they detect for "aggression", Dr. Mitchell stated they look for changes in pitch mostly and sounds attributed to aggressive behavior. Applications where you might see this deployed are lone workers, hospitals, convenience stores, and other places where any sign of aggressive behavior would need to be detected and mitigated as soon as possible.

Speaking of deployments, given the vast array of sounds Audio Analytic could possibly detect with applicable algorithms, it is not surprising to imagine the customers and applications extend far beyond the traditional security realm.  When pressed about this, Dr. Mitchell was quick to inform me they had been contacted by various entities who also recognize its potential and whose specific requests could not be discussed.

Knowing many of our customers are particularly liability conscious, I also inquired as to its implications to privacy. Mr. Mitchell explained the software "analyzes the sound as bits of data".  Therefore, there is not the ability within their software to "hear" the data being analyzed.  That capability would need to be addressed by a secondary piece of software or hardware.

Like all analytics, this is purely software that would need to be integrated with existing hardware designed to capture both sound and video. A company who has already integrated many of Audio Analytics' features is Next Level Security Systems an integrator offering a full suite of security services. NLSS' Gateway Security Platform provides "Audio Analytic with Glass Break Analytic and optional Gunshot, Aggression and Car Alarm packages", among a slew of other features. 

Overall, I am quite impressed with what I see being developed in analytics and Audio Analytic's software is no exception.  I can only imagine its applications and deployments as it continues to develop.  One of the greatest problems we face in security are false alarms.  Audio Analytic has the ability look deeper into the environments we protect and aid us in determining more accurately the difference between the benign and an actual threat.  Dr. Mitchell said it best, "In the security world, we have affection for silent movies".  Perhaps it's time we move on.  As I stated before with BRS Labs, I have seen the future and it's now.

Top 10 MORE Questions To Ask Your Prospective Alarm Company

Not too long ago, fresh out the military, I was an alarm system salesman.  It was a wonderful learning experience that taught me many things.  One of those lessons was "All security companies are not created equal."  People assume, like they do with all major purchases, the most popular or cheaper brand is in fact the better brand.  The majority of the time they learn this is not case.  So, I decided to post some questions for prospective customers to ask when they begin their search for a security company.  (Please note this doesn't just apply to alarm systems.  You can apply these questions to camera systems, access control, locks, etc.)

1. What areas will this alarm system not cover?  There is an implied belief among some customers that an alarm system protects their entire property.  Have you ever considered what would happen if someone broke into your neighbor's store and punched a hole in the drywall you share?  Do you have a sensor that will pick up the noise or vibration?  Chances are you don't.  The problem with modern security systems is they advertise exactly where you have coverage and where you don't.  Don't believe me?  Walk into a small storefront and notice how many infrared sensors you set off.
2. What's your apprehension rate in my area?  This is particularly important if you're in an area where burglaries happen a lot.  If someone breaks into nearby businesses who use the popular name brand security service without getting caught, should you be buying from them?
3. What's your response time to service issues?  What happens if some drunk rams his car into a nearby power pole and kills your alarm system?  Does your system have battery backup until service is restored?  If not, how soon can your company arrive to remedy the issue?
4. How much do you charge per service calls?  Some companies make a living by selling a crappy installation and billing you every time it breaks and they have to come out and fix it.  You want a company with a good reputation for service and who makes house calls on the cheap.
5. Can I cancel at anytime?  One of my first sales lead I had was a lady who was opening up a small Internet cafe.  She knew she had a need for the system but was concerned about our price and contract obligation.  The economy was rough and she, like many small business owners, didn't know if she would be in business for 5 days let alone 5 years.  Pick a company who is sympathetic to that.
6. Are you developing original product lines or selling me something made by the lowest bidder?  I can't tell you how many companies I see selling all sorts of "new groundbreaking technologies" that were developed by a previous competitor just marketed differently.  If they'll lie about the product's origins, they'll lie about anything.
7. Can I manage my account all in one place online?  Some of you aren't real tech savvy nor like to handle business online.  I totally understand that and encourage you to do what's comfortable for you.  However, if you like doing everything online as much as possible, inquire if they offer online account management.  If you're responsible for a large system and want to track multiple alarms or trouble alerts, it would be extremely helpful to have this capability.
8. What kind of redundancy do you have for your alarm centers?  Do they transfer alarm monitoring to another facility if the original is affected by natural disaster?  Wouldn't it be a shame if where your building is at there are sunny skies, but the alarm center which is another state several thousand miles away was hit by a blizzard with no power for weeks?  What happens to your alarms?
9. How much familiarization do your sales personnel get with the product?  Wouldn't you hate being sold a car the car dealer never drove?  How can someone tell you about the quality of their installation and service components if they've never seen them in action?  I would be highly impressed by any company who had new sales personnel going out on these calls with their experienced technicians.
10. What separates you from everyone else?  Most salesmen will attempt to answer this but usually fail.  Why?  Because they're focused on what their company told them makes them different.  If he or she gives you an honest answer such as "We charge a higher price", he's good to go because he'll follow up with "You get what you pay for in life.  If you want a free root canal, I could give it to you but you won't sleep easy.  We charge more because we're worth more.  We provide better service, a better product that we developed, and a commitment to protecting your business rain or shine.  It took you a while to build this business.  We want to ensure you have a while to enjoy it."