How To Detect An Intruder In A Bank
Elangovan, October 2, 2019Intrusion is one of the major problems that banks battle with on a daily basis. In order to end this problem, both human resources and technological software must be deployed. Humans can be taught how to be sensitive and alert to people coming without any business. However, since banks have closing and opening hours, it would be bizarre for us to leave everything to human efforts alone. This is where the need for software comes in.
More so, banks and building societies have many of their branches housed in buildings with floors above them occupied by other companies. If these other companies do not have effective security systems and intruder deterrents then there is scope for intruders to break into these offices when empty, cut a hole in the floor and thus gain access to the bank or building society below (APS, 2019).
In this article, I will focus more on the technological aspect because detection is mostly needed when bank workers are busy and not at work.
How to detect an intruder after work hours
Afterhours intrusion detection, at baseline, may be very similar to other facilities. Motion detectors, glass break detectors, seismic activity detectors, and door contacts are the primary lines of defense. These devices are connected, wired or wirelessly, to an intrusion detection alarm panel within the bank. The alarm panel is connected to an off-site alarm monitoring center via telephone line (POTS), internet, or cellular connection or combination of connections. When one of the detectors within the building senses an abnormality, a signal is transmitted to the alarm monitoring center. Bank staff and local authorities are notified offsite, while an audible alarm is activated locally (Securitronics, 2018).
Banks equipped with modern video surveillance systems have an added, pro-active security advantage: video analytics. Modern video analytics, performed within the camera or on a server, can observe the outside of the bank to identify specific human behaviors that aren’t allowed. For example, cameras on the exterior of the building may be programmed to sense loitering around the building. Detection specificity allows the system to identify specific object size range, and to perform additional tasks, such as a broadcasted audio track that alerts the potential intruder to leave the premise immediately. The remote alarm monitoring center can also receive the related video stream to evaluate images and verify an imminent intrusion attempt. If intrusion risk is identified, law enforcement can be notified and given specific information about the location of the potential intruder, as well as a physical description. This level of alarm specificity provides law enforcement with much more information than normal alarm point activation without video verification (Securitronics, 2018).
How to detect intrusion during the opening and closing procedures
Opening and closing the bank is particularly dangerous for staff. An employee could be ambushed and forced to assist an intruder under duress. To limit risk, and provide immediate alerting to the remote alarm monitoring facility, security cameras with video analytics and intrusion detection systems should be used. Security cameras with video analytics provide important information to staff prior to exiting the building. Staff can observe live streams from the cameras on the outside of the building to verify that no one is present around the facility. Also, video analytics can be used to detect suspicious loitering and trigger an immediate alarm notification (Securitronics, 2018).
The intrusion detection system can be programmed with dual authentication. Dual authentication requires two bank employees to enter their personal identification numbers into the keypad before the alarm can be disarmed in the morning or armed at night. The first entry upon opening silences the beeping of the alarm. This could give an intruder the false security that the alarm is off. However, the first code simply silences the local keypad beeping sound. The second PIN disarms the facility. Without the second code in less than a minute or two, a silent duress alarm will be sent to the remote alarm monitoring center and law enforcement will be alerted of an active robbery in progress (Securitronics, 2018).
Having said that, here are few recommendations banks should always take into cognizance while making decision on the detection software to use:
- Organizations should ensure that all intrusion detection and provision system components are secured appropriately because these systems are often targeted by attackers who want to prevent them from detecting attacks or want to gain access to sensitive information in the intrusion detection and prevention system, such as host configurations and known vulnerabilities.
- Organizations should consider using multiple types of intrusion detection and prevention technologies to achieve more comprehensive and accurate detection and prevention of malicious activity. The four primary types of intrusion detection and prevention technologies – network-based, wireless, network behavior analysis and host-based – each offer fundamentally different information gathering, logging, detection and prevention capabilities.
- Organizations planning to use multiple types of intrusion detection and prevention technologies or multiple products of the same technology type should consider whether or not the systems should be integrated. Direct intrusion detection and prevention system integration most often occurs when an organization uses multiple products from a single vendor, by having a single console that can be used to manage and monitor the multiple products. Some products can also mutually share data, which can speed the analysis process and help users to better prioritize threats.
- Before evaluating intrusion detection and prevention products, organizations should define the requirements that the products should meet. Evaluators must understand the characteristics of the organization’s system and network environments, so that a compatible intrusion detection and prevention system can be selected that can monitor the events of interest on the systems and/or networks.
- When evaluating intrusion detection and prevention products, organizations should consider using a combination of several sources of data on the products’ characteristics and capabilities. Common product data sources include test lab or real-world product testing, vendor-provided information, third-party product reviews and previous experience from individuals within the organization and trusted individuals at other organizations (ISMG, 2012).
References
APS (2019). Security For The Banking Industry. Retrieved from https://www.aps-perimeter-security.com/applications/banks/
ISMG (2012). 5 Tips To Improve Intrusion Detection. Retrieved from https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/5-tips-to-improve-intrusion-detection-a-4983
Securitronics (2018). Intrusion Detection Security Solutions For Banks. Retrieved from http://www.securitronics.com/2018/08/02/intrusion-detection-security-solutions-for-banks/
© 2019 LPS Training Services All Rights Reserved.