SIA identifies security megatrends for 2019

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and announced the 2019 Security Megatrends—the foundation of SIA's signature yearly report defining the major trends and forces at play in the global security industry.

Forecasting of 2019's top 10 Security Megatrends was based on survey data generated in September and October 2018 from top security industry business leaders, association leadership and key volunteers and speakers for Securing New Ground (SNG), the security industry's executive conference, which is being held this week, Oct. 25-26, in New York City.

These trends—the top factors influencing both short- and long-term change in the global security industry—are expected to have sweeping impact on almost all businesses within the industry.

Cybersecurity was identified in the 2019 report as the standout trend shaping the security industry. By nearly 30 percentage points, industry leaders said cybersecurity's impact on physical security solutions was the most impactful trend they were expecting to face in 2019. A resounding number of respondents also called for artificial intelligence (AI) to be recognized as a megatrend, noting that AI is becoming vital to supporting the heightened volume of data produced by modern security solutions.

Other new Security Megatrends emerging for 2019 include workforce development, the emphasis on data privacy, advancements in digital identity and the integration of security into smart environments like smart buildings and smart cities.

The 2019 Security Megatrends are:
• Cybersecurity Impact on Physical Security
• Internet of Things (IoT) and the Big Data Effect
• Cloud Computing
• Workforce Development
• AI
• Emphasis on Data Privacy
• Move to Service Models
• Security Integrated in Smart Environments
• Advanced Digital Identities
• Impact of Consumer Electronics Companies

“Today, modern physical security solutions are comprised of IoT devices and sensors that generate high volumes of security data. Applying analytics and artificial intelligence systems makes this data more actionable and increases responsiveness for security systems users,” SIA chairman of the board Scott Schafer said in the announcement. “Cybersecurity continues to be at the top of the list of the most important trends identified by security industry manufacturers, systems integrators, security practitioners, architects and engineers, and SIA will continue to address this trend over the next year and in the foreseeable future.”

In addition to defining the latest Security Megatrends, the forecast for 2019 also identifies other forces at play in the security industry that may have a noticeable impact on some or all businesses, and the research identifies three potential areas of business disruption the security industry may face in 2019.

The official 2019 Security Megatrends report will be published in late November 2018 and available online for download and/or purchase. The 2018 Security Megatrends report is currently available to all members and non-members.

Each year at SNG, senior-level industry leaders and financial partners gather, trends are spotted, connections are formed and minds are opened. In addition to highlighting these Security Megatrends, SNG 2018 will feature keynote remarks by Jerome Pickett, senior vice president and chief security officer at the National Basketball Association, and Valerie Thomas, executive information security consultant at Securicon, and panel discussions on topics like the shift from smart cities to conscious cities, harnessing cyber-physical security technologies and how the changing residential security market is staying nimble.