Both convenient and easily accessible, online shopping has become a preferred method of shopping for most. The number of consumers who shop online only grows during the holiday season. The downside is that package thefts also tend to increase during the holidays. Protect your possessions with these smart delivery tips.
Require A Signature
Choose this option whenever it is available. If your package requires a signature and no one is home, the package cannot be left at your doorstep, thus, eliminating the risk of someone snatching your package.
Use Shipping Locations For Delivery
If you have a secondary mailbox at a shipping location, you can usually have your packages dropped off here for free. That way, your package will be waiting for you at a secure location.
Flaunt Your Home Security System
Install signs to make others aware that you have a security system. This poses an added challenge and will likely deter most thieves from targeting you. If someone does approach, you can enable push notifications and will have pertinent footage to capture the suspect.
Sign Up For Email Notifications
FedEx and UPS, along with other businesses including Amazon, send email notifications for tracking. This allows you to virtually monitor your package from shipment to delivery.
Deliver To Your Place Of Business
Before doing this, make sure that management approves. If they do, this will ensure that you are able to receive your package rather than leaving it at your front door all day.
Lastly, if you are shipping a package to a friend or relative, include a piece of paper with your address and the destination address inside the box. In case the shipping label is damaged or missing on the package, FedEx or UPS can open the package, find the address, and ship it.
Do you have any other delivery tips for your peers? Share with us on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Monitor your front door and your home property with our quality CCTV surveillance systems. Find affordable prices and great service when you shop SecurityCamExpert.com.
Thanksgiving is a day set aside to be grateful and humble to all that we have, and we are so blessed to have such loyal and wonderful customers like you. Without your continued support over the years, we would not be here, and for that, we sincerely thank you. From the SecurityCamExpert.com family to yours, happy Thanksgiving!
Please remember that we will be closed on Thursday, November 24, 2016, and Friday, November 25, 2016 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Our normal business hours will resume on Monday, November 28, 2016. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
We hope you enjoy a safe & happy holiday weekend filled with love, happiness, and laughter!
The use of artificial intelligence in security systems provides more flexibility, especially with new cyber threats always emerging. Namely, machine learning has garnered much attention for its involvement and improvement of security systems.
Most people use the term “artificial intelligence” loosely these days, but it traditionally refers to the theory and development of computer systems that may perform human tasks. Machine learning is a type of AI that allows a computer to learn, grow, and change when presented with new data.
The evolution of AI can be best described in three stages. First is the basic expert system. If we used this system to help distinguish between a dog and a cat, for example, it would use a single feature such as number of teeth to make the decision. Second is the probability-based system, which evaluates different factors (ex. number of teeth, weight, size) to determine the probability (expressed as a percentage) of the object being a cat or dog. Lastly is deep learning, which uses seemingly endless amounts of labeled samples to differentiate between cats and dogs.
If we applied these to antivirus systems, you could understand how a basic expert system would be weak and need constant updating for new threats. The probability-based system would be a bit stronger, however, only so many features would prove relevant resulting in disregarded data. Deep learning seems the most promising, and a startup called Deep Instinct is looking to develop this approach for cyber security.
Within the Deep Instinct laboratory, the deep learning system is trained on all the known samples of malware, which takes about a day to complete. The process requires heavy-duty graphical processing units to analyze the data, and the end result is a trained system about a gigabyte in size. It is then reduced to about 20 megabytes and can be installed on any endpoint device (including mobile). It works to analyze any incoming threats within a few milliseconds to keep your devices safe.
To keep the system up -to-date, new malware samples are added every few months, and updates are automatically sent to the end point devices. But even if the system is not updated for months, the small brains within the end point devices remain vigilant and can detect new files. The success rate is promising and deep learning systems will likely gain more popularity over time.
While deep learning systems are great for detecting threats, they are not the best for explaining how they did it. Eureqa is a proprietary AI engine from Nutonian whose main job is to find out why things happen. It has proven very valuable for researchers and journal publications, but it also plays a role in cyber security by helping to determine the anatomy of a cyber attack.
Still, cyber security can be a tricky mess. Constant updates are necessary thanks to appearance of new threats and attacks daily. Even though you are employing security systems to protect your data, there are still vulnerabilities between updates. And during that time, hackers can use the security software to test their attacks until something breaks through, leaving numerous customers at risk.
Tailoring your cyber security approaches can help to combat this. For example, Masergy Communications is a managed networking company which uses a combination of both local and global factors to predict and prevent cyber security issues or attacks. The unique local indicators help to improve accuracy.
Acuity Solutions offers the BluVector appliance which uses machine learning for cyber threats, and also uses a local and global approach. The pre-trained engine learns what a benign code looks like, receives updates based on global data, but also engages in new learning based on the individual customer. While the global data is shared, the customer-specific data is not, creating a more unique and secure experience.
As discussed, artificial intelligence and machine learning can greatly benefit different aspects of cyber security. What are your predictions on the future of AI in security solutions? Share with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest!
For a wide range of security cameras and surveillance equipment, please visit SecurityCamExpert.com. To speak with a representative or request a site survey, please call 1-888-203-6294.
From law enforcement surveillance to recreational use by consumers, drones have grown in popularity over the years. Because of their advanced capabilities, a company has even created a drone home security system.
Proposed by Sunflower Labs, the system is designed to complement an existing alarm or security system. The drone streams video to your smartphone when a potential danger is detected, allowing you to determine whether you need to take further action or not.
The system is comprised of a drone plus in-ground smart lights used to detect motion, vibration, and sound. Using advanced data analytics, the system can differentiate humans from cars and animals. When there is a disturbance, artificial intelligence determines whether it is dangerous or not. For example, mail delivery persons will be recognized by their behavior (typically a quick stop by the front door or mailbox).
On the other hand, suppose a person approaches the back door and lingers. A push notification will be sent and you will be asked if you would like to look into the situation. Assuming you say yes, the drone will lift from its perch and autonomously fly to where the suspicious person is located. The drone will hover (30ft) until it is told to return to its nest. There is also an option within the app to alert local police.
By sending the drone to investigate first, Sunflower Labs CEO Alex Pachikov believes that this will decrease the number of false alarms. The drone also allows you to monitor your entire property instead of just entrances and exits, like most other security systems.
The drone is designed to be a minimal nuisance. Currently, the propellers automatically shut off if they hit anything, and considering its size, it is relatively quiet. The ultimate goal is decrease noises to a quiet hum and to get its weight down to half a pound (its current weight is two pounds) before it ships. In addition, it features two cameras which only capture footage of the home owner’s property in order to protect neighbors’ privacy.
Still, there are safety, privacy, and nuisance concerns about the drone. Since August, new rules allow operators who have passed an aeronautical exam to fly commercial drones under 55 pounds no higher than 400ft. And autonomous flying is not allowed for commercial drones.
Despite this, Sunflower Labs has no worries. They believe the policies will not apply as the homeowner will use the drone for non-business purposes. Since recreational users face fewer restrictions, homeowners will likely be held in the same regard.
As this system continues to develop, more details will emerge. As for now, the lights are expected to cost $159 each, and the drone may be rented for a fee (comparable to the cost of traditional alarm systems).
Would you consider utilizing this drone security system for your home? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest!
For traditional security cameras and equipment, please visit SecurityCamExpert.com. If you have any questions or need assistance, please call us at 1-888-203-6294.
When it comes to security, you want to deter intruders from targeting your property. Investing in advanced security and surveillance cameras with the latest technologies can be a smart approach, however, in order to be effective, they must be installed properly. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid when installing a security camera system on your property.
Mistake #1 – Hiding Your Cameras
The presence of security cameras can deter bad behavior, so why would you hide them? Making them visible from the street, yet out of reach, is a good idea. Keeping the cameras out of reach is important to prevent any tampering or vandalism that could compromise their performance. Burglars are always on the hunt for an easy target, and homes or businesses with security cameras create an extra obstacle.
Mistake #2 – Camera Positioning
The important places to monitor are rather obvious, but you must also take intermittent lighting and weather conditions into consideration. Things like direct sunlight can wash out your recordings, while rain or snow can build up on the lens, and windy days can make branches and leaves a problem. All of these can interfere with your recordings and possibly make your footage useless.
The best way to avoid these issues is to employ proper housing to protect and shade your cameras. Keep an eye on your feed to ensure that various weather conditions are not interrupting your surveillance.
Furthermore, if you’re using IP cameras, it is crucial that each camera location has strong and consistent Wi-Fi signal. Weak or spotty connection will impede your camera system’s performance.
Mistake #3 – Cheap Systems
Unfortunately, not all security cameras are equal. While there are many inexpensive cameras and systems that may seem appealing (especially to your wallet), you will likely run into performance issues. When shopping for security cameras, be sure to pay attention to features and specifications. Look into user feedback and reviews to ensure you are making a sound investment.
Mistake #4 – Passwords
With anything security related, we can’t stress enough how important strong passwords are. And always, always, ALWAYS change the default password. If someone gains unauthorized access to your surveillance feed, they can study the layout of your system and your daily routines, mapping out the best time to attack.
If you have an internet-connected system, it likely offers remote monitoring, thus you need a password to access it. Again, change your default password as soon as possible, and choose a strong, complex, and long password that you can remember.
Mistake #5 – DIY Installation
While it may seem more practical to set things up on your own, it might be better to leave it to the professionals. You don’t want to risk ruining your equipment because you installed it improperly. Trustworthy companies usually offer warranties, and will come back to fix any issues should they arise.
Do you have any other advice to add? Share with us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
For a great selection of quality security cameras & CCTV surveillance packages, visit SecurityCamExpert.com. For more information about our products and installation services, please call 1-888-203-6294.