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Physical security is not uniformly obsolete, but many organizations are modernizing in stages rather than replacing everything at once. The clearest pattern in recent industry surveys is a blend of extending existing access-control and video systems, adding cloud and analytical capabilities, and connecting those systems to information-technology and cybersecurity processes. That is a more defensible interpretation of “catching up” than claiming the entire sector trails a specific benchmark.
What “catching up” means in physical security
Physical-security maturity varies by site, risk profile, budget and system age. A facility may have modern cameras but unsupported door controllers, or a current access-control platform that cannot share events with video, identity or incident-response tools. Modernization therefore has two forms:
- Replacement: retiring hardware or software that is unsupported, insecure or unable to meet operational requirements.
- Capability extension: keeping usable infrastructure while adding cloud services, analytics, integrations, cybersecurity controls or new credential types.
These approaches are not mutually exclusive. A phased program can preserve working equipment while removing the components that create the greatest operational or security risk.
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Where organizations are investing
Access control and video surveillance remain the most visible modernization priorities because they govern who can enter, provide evidence of events and generate data that other systems can use.
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| Finding | What it indicates | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| 51% of surveyed end users planned to focus in 2025 on leveraging existing technology | Organizations are looking for more value from current systems through cybersecurity tools, data analysis and departmental collaboration. | Reported in Genetec’s State of Physical Security 2025; it describes that survey’s respondents and 2025 plans. |
| 58% of channel partners saw more end users adding technology to existing systems in 2024 | Adding cloud and other capabilities to installed systems is a common modernization path. | Also from Genetec’s 2025 report; it is a channel-partner observation, not a census of all users. |
| More than 70% of respondents used unified or integrated systems | Integration is already a mainstream design goal for the organizations represented. | Vendor-reported results in Genetec’s 2026 report announcement, based on a survey conducted August 18–September 15, 2025. |
| 60% cited integration of new capabilities as the main reason to replace legacy technology | Replacement decisions are often driven by interoperability, not age alone. | Same Genetec survey and vendor-reported qualification. |
The Security Industry Association and ASIS International estimated the global physical-security equipment market at $60.1 billion in 2024 and forecast $70 billion by 2026. The second figure is a forecast, not a realized 2026 result, and market growth does not prove that every organization is behind or that any particular product will solve a site’s problems.
Should you replace a system or upgrade it?
Use the condition of the system and the outcome you need—not a blanket “old versus new” rule—to choose a path.
| Choose an extension when… | Choose replacement when… |
|---|---|
| Controllers, cameras and cabling are supported and can meet required performance. | Critical components are out of support, cannot receive security fixes or fail regularly. |
| An open interface or supported connector can share events with video, identity or incident tools. | Proprietary interfaces prevent required integrations or force manual re-entry. |
| You can isolate and harden legacy devices while adding a modern management layer. | The architecture cannot satisfy current network, authentication or segmentation requirements. |
| A phased budget and limited downtime favor incremental work. | Risk, compliance, a major renovation or an end-of-life deadline justifies a coordinated cutover. |
Document the decision for each subsystem. Keeping a working camera network does not require keeping an obsolete recorder, and replacing an access-control server does not automatically require replacing every reader.
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A practical modernization framework
1. Inventory the complete environment
- List readers, locks, controllers, cameras, recorders, servers, software versions, network paths and power dependencies.
- Record support and end-of-life dates, warranty status, firmware availability and the party responsible for maintenance.
- Map integrations with identity directories, visitor management, alarms, building systems, case-management tools and emergency procedures.
2. Define site-level outcomes
Translate risks into measurable workflows: faster removal of a departed employee’s access, verified alarms, usable video evidence, remote investigation, privacy controls or continuity during a network outage. Industry survey priorities are useful context, but they cannot substitute for a site assessment.
3. Compare architecture and deployment models
- On-premises: can preserve local control and existing investments, but the organization owns servers, patching, backups and availability.
- Cloud or hosted services: can simplify centralized management and updates, but require reliable connectivity, contractual review and a clear plan for offline operation.
- Hybrid: keeps time-sensitive functions local while using hosted management or analytics where appropriate.
4. Build cybersecurity into the project
Connected cameras, controllers and credential systems are networked computing assets. Apply unique administrator accounts, strong authentication, least-privilege roles, network segmentation, encrypted management traffic, controlled remote access, logging, backup and tested recovery. Include security review in procurement, commissioning and ongoing maintenance rather than treating it as a one-time IT approval.
5. Pilot a representative area
Test a real door group or camera zone with the identities, networks, lighting, retention rules and incident workflows used in production. Verify fail-safe or fail-secure behavior, event timestamps, video retrieval, credential revocation, firmware updates and operation during loss of connectivity before expanding.
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6. Plan the lifecycle
Set ownership, patch windows, spare-parts strategy, credential issuance, configuration backups, monitoring and replacement triggers. A modern installation can fall behind again if no one funds updates or knows who is accountable.
Why cybersecurity and physical security now overlap
The Security Industry Association’s Security Convergence 2024 materials describe convergence between cybersecurity and physical security. An access controller or camera may contain an operating system, store credentials or transmit sensitive footage; compromise can therefore affect both a facility and its information systems. Conversely, an identity-directory outage or ransomware incident can disrupt doors and investigations.
Make the relationship operational:
- Give physical-security and IT teams a shared asset inventory and escalation contacts.
- Review vendor remote access, default credentials, software bills of materials where available, vulnerability notices and incident-notification terms.
- Define what doors and cameras must do during network, power, cloud or directory outages.
- Test restoration from known-good configurations and preserve evidence-handling procedures.
What mobile credentials show—and what they do not
Mobile identity is an established area of interest, but adoption is not universal. HID’s announcement summarizing an IFSEC Global partnership report said 39% of organizations actively used mobile identities. In that survey, conducted from November 2023 through January 2024 with more than 1,200 security professionals globally, respondents named touchless or contactless solutions (48%) and mobile access (44%) as major trends.
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- 【AI Motion Detection 2.0】Driving AI to the next level, human&vehicle detection and flexible detection area are more accurate than before. For quicker locating in crucial moments, human&vehicle smart searching in recordings offers you great help.
- 【Tried-and-True Safe Guard】This one-stop security solution can work with TVI, AHD, CVI, CVBS & IP cameras, the kit includes 1080P cams. The 8CH 3K lite DVR can hook up with 1080P@30fps or 3K/5MP@20fps cams. Therefore, you can also DIY it with other cameras in your home.
- 【Reliable 24/7 Continuous Recording】With a pre-installed 1TB HDD(Support up to 10TB HDD), providing 24/7 surveillance recording for you. Upgraded H.265+ saves more storage space and uses less bandwidth, recording videos longer and smoother viewing.
- 【Smart Dual-Light Effectively Guard Your Home】This newly upgraded security system offers you a crisp full color night vision, IR mode and color night vision switch flexibly. Once detect intruders, immediate pushes pop up on your phone, securing your peace of mind day&night.
- 【Color Night Vision & IP67 Weatherproof】Built-in IR lights and white lights, these cameras can see up to 100ft in B&W night vision, full-color night vision up to 66ft. Rated IP67, these wired cameras can brave all weather, and stand from cold to hot.
Those figures describe that survey and period. Before choosing mobile credentials, check phone ownership and operating-system coverage, wallet or application behavior, revocation speed, privacy expectations, reader compatibility, offline use, accessibility and a fallback credential for dead batteries or lost devices.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Evaluating an IP camera or access-control upgrade
An IP camera system is a relevant equipment category when video is a documented priority, but a commercial deployment is not a simple plug-in purchase. Confirm camera, recorder or cloud-service compatibility; bandwidth and storage requirements; retention and privacy rules; firmware support; encryption; user roles; and professional installation needs. For access control, evaluate readers, controllers, locks, credentials, life-safety interfaces and integrations as one system.
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Ask vendors and integrators for a written answer to these questions:
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- Which components remain supported for the intended replacement timeline?
- Which APIs or connectors are available, licensed and maintained?
- What happens when the network, power, directory or cloud service is unavailable?
- How are vulnerabilities disclosed, patched and communicated?
- Can the organization export configurations, events and video in usable formats?
- What training, monitoring and maintenance are included after installation?
How to tell whether a modernization plan is working
Track outcomes that matter to the site rather than counting devices alone. Useful measures include time to revoke access, percentage of assets receiving security updates, successful recovery tests, time to retrieve relevant video, unresolved integration failures, false-alarm workload and completion of periodic access reviews. Establish a baseline before changes so an apparently larger or newer system can be judged by operational results.
What the evidence can—and cannot—support
Recent surveys support a focused conclusion: many organizations are extending existing systems, adding capabilities, pursuing unified workflows and considering mobile credentials, while access control and video remain central investments. They do not establish a single maturity score for the global industry, prove that every organization needs replacement, or identify one universally superior vendor or deployment model. The right modernization scope follows from the facility’s risks, architecture, support horizon and ability to operate securely over time.
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