Peter Cavicchia II,
retired U.S. Secret Service Senior Executive,
& former Chairman of the security consulting firm
Strategic Services International LLC.
The Rise of “No-Response” Alarm Policies for Businesses
For years, industry watchers have pointed to a coming shift in how law enforcement handles home and business alarm calls. That shift is now well underway in departments across the country. The driving force behind it hasn’t changed. The overwhelming majority of triggered alarms turn out to be false alarms, and departments already stretched thin can’t justify sending officers to every one of them.
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Converged Security Programs: A Blueprint for Modern Organizations
Many organizations still run physical security and cybersecurity as separate departments, with separate budgets, separate leadership, and separate incident response plans. That structure made sense when a stolen badge and a stolen password were unrelated problems. It makes less sense today. A 2021 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report found that 85 percent of cybersecurity breaches involved a human element, including exposure to insider threats and physical breaches, a statistic Deloitte has pointed to as the core argument for why physical security programs need to be built with cybersecurity in mind from the start, not bolted on afterward.
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AI-Powered Video Analytics and Physical Security
For decades, video surveillance meant a wall of monitors and a guard. That model is disappearing. The global market for AI in video surveillance was valued at roughly 5.6 billion dollars in 2023 and is projected to reach 16.3 billion dollars by 2028, according to research from ResearchAndMarkets. The number is a useful sign for a bigger shift: security organizations are moving from watching footage after something happens to catching it as it unfolds.
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The Smarter the Building, the Wider the Attack Surface
Smart buildings were sold on a simple promise: connect a building’s systems, from HVAC to elevators to access control, and you get lower operating costs, predictive maintenance, and a better experience for everyone inside. That promise is real, and it is why the global smart building market is projected to nearly double to 121 billion dollars by 2026, according to research from MarketsandMarkets. What gets less attention is the tradeoff that comes with all that connectivity, one that a growing number of security researchers say most facility owners have not fully reckoned with.
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Insider Threats Aren’t a Technology Problem. They’re a Human One.
Most corporate security spending is aimed outward: toward firewalls, perimeter fencing, and access control systems built to keep unauthorized people out. Insider threats break that model, because the person causing the damage already has a badge, a login, and every reason to be in the building. Understanding why someone with legitimate access turns into a security risk has less to do with technology than it does with psychology, and the research on that question is becoming harder to ignore.
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Why Executive Protection Now Begins Online
Executive protection has traditionally focused on physical environments. Security teams assessed venues, planned routes, controlled access points, and monitored threats in the real world. Those fundamentals remain essential. What has changed is where many threats now originate. Today, an executive’s exposure often begins online.
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Workplace Violence Prevention: What Every Organization Should Know
Workplace violence is often viewed as a human resources issue, but it is fundamentally a security issue. The consequences extend far beyond the immediate incident, affecting employee safety, organizational culture, productivity, legal liability, and business continuity. Effective prevention requires preparation long before a threat emerges.
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The Security Case for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
Security is often associated with technology, but the physical environment remains one of the most powerful tools available. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, or CPTED, focuses on shaping spaces in ways that naturally deter unwanted behavior. The concept is straightforward. People are less likely to engage in criminal activity when they feel visible, when access is clearly defined, and when spaces appear maintained. These principles can be applied without major investment. Lighting is one of the simplest examples. Well-lit areas increase visibility and reduce concealment opportunities. This does not require excessive brightness, but it does require consistency. Dark corners and…
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