This past year, the security industry has seen a continuity of challenges stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing international conflicts: supply chain issues continue to disrupt business as usual, impacts of labor market shifts continue to linger, and global financial uncertainty coupled with the regularity and impacts of cyberattacks continue to grow.
As we step into 2024, the security industry is set to undergo significant changes and advancements, from cybersecurity to integrations. Keeping up with these emerging trends will be crucial for businesses looking to stay secure in an increasingly digital world.
In this article, we will explore the emerging security trends that are expected to shape the landscape in the coming year.
Importance of Staying Ahead of Security Trends
With the increasing complexity and sophistication of cyber threats as well as advancements in technology occurring every day, businesses must be proactive in their approach to security.
Staying current on security trends means having access to the latest techniques and technologies available that can help prevent security breaches. Understanding the latest security trends also provides an opportunity to evaluate current security measures and determine if they are still effective or need to be upgraded.
Ultimately, being proactive and vigilant in staying ahead of physical and cyber security trends is a critical element of any effective security strategy.
1. Staffing, training, and growth
One of the key security trends for 2024 is expected to be an increased investment in staffing, training, and growth. Channel Partners, End Users, and Consultants have all identified recruitment and retention as major pain points in the industry, with a shortage of skilled technical staff being a particular challenge. As we move into 2024, all three groups are planning to prioritize hiring and the upskilling of existing staff.
By prioritizing continuous learning, organizations not only equip their employees with tools for success, but also build a culture that values growth and loyalty, ultimately leading to enhanced employee retention and organizational prosperity.
Beyond staffing and training, key trends in security will involve expansion into areas such as systems, sites, production, and staff numbers. There will also be a priority to upgrade existing security software and hardware for better security measures.
For End Users, key investments will be focused on upgrades and integrations with video surveillance and biometric access control, as well as mobile credentials.
Channel Partners are planning to grow their client base, commercial presence, services, verticals, and geographic regions. They will invest in training and upskilling to bring customers up to date, integrations, and capability uplift.
As organizations grow, security budgets and investments are also predicted to increase.
2. Acceleration of system integrations
Another key security trend in 2024 will be the integration of security systems with other business and site management solutions. In the past, security systems often operated in silos, making it difficult to detect and respond to threats in real time. However, with the emergence of integrated security platforms, businesses can now bring together their security and business operations into a single, efficient system. This integration enables a more holistic and proactive approach to security, as threats can be detected and responded to faster and more efficiently.
In our recently published Security Industry Trends report, system integrations were found to be the most important security system feature/technology among all participants. In this report, End Users identified surveillance as their top integration priority and repeatedly emphasized the need for video solutions to be added to their current systems. They plan to invest in these solutions now and in the coming year.
3. Fortifying cybersecurity
Cybersecurity and physical security are often inherently linked to one another: it’s difficult to have a secure physical solution without considering elements of cybersecurity, and impossible to avoid physical components within a cybersecure environment. It’s becoming increasingly important for businesses to consider both to achieve a holistic security solution.
Recognition is growing that strong cybersecurity defenses are critical, but help is needed to understand best practices.
In 2024, a key cybersecurity trend will be businesses strengthening their cybersecurity efforts with an emphasis on upgrades to existing systems and the education of staff. A transition from basic defenses to innovative solutions is on the horizon, but building a strong foundation is the priority for 2024.
4. Adoption of hybrid cloud solutions
Of all the security trends driving the evolution of security systems, arguably none has as much potential to transform industry dynamics than the cloud, which is dramatically changing how we protect people and assets – and the foundation of how businesses operate.
There’s an increasing recognition by businesses that transitioning to cloud-based solutions is inevitable, however adoption is slow. Those who do plan to deploy cloud solutions anticipate incorporating them as part of a hybrid deployment strategy with their organizational systems, with a minority planning an all-cloud environment.
In 2024, a key security trend will be the adoption of hybrid cloud solutions amongst business and cloud solutions will evolve to achieve more secure, sophisticated, and robust security options.
5. Access control will drive data reporting
There is a real and growing need in the market for the collation, reporting, and analysis of data to aid in decision making, identification of trends and anomalies, and predictions of vulnerabilities within organizations.
In fact, the big data analytics market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.3% to reach $638.66 billion USD globally by 2028 with the software segment responsible for driving most of the growth, demonstrating the increasing need for effective data management solutions.
One key security trend that we can expect to emerge is the use of data reporting via access control systems. Modern access control systems have become so much more than stand-alone products securing doors: they’ve evolved into sophisticated ecosystems providing not only enhanced physical security, but the kind of operational insights critical for making better decisions - and all through a single user interface. As such, data reporting via access control systems is set to become an integral component of security strategies in the coming years.
Embracing the Future of Security
Looking ahead to 2024, the security landscape appears poised for significant progress.
Organizations are making investments in personnel and increasing security budgets, which will result in better capabilities and protection against evolving threats. System integrations will accelerate as businesses streamline operations and leverage data from a variety of sources. Cloud solutions have grown in popularity and business will increasingly adopt hybrid cloud solutions as they look to increase efficiency. Lastly, access control is becoming a critical part of data reporting as businesses aim to make data driven decisions and keep both internal and external resources safe.
As these key security trends become more embedded into everyday practice, it’s essential that everyone be conscious of these changes to stay ahead of the curve.
Take the opportunity now to learn more about these developments by diving into our Security Industry Trends Report today!