Genetec, a technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, has unveiled its 2024 State Physical Security report results. The study examined the physical security strategies of over 5,500 physical security leaders worldwide, providing vital insights into the rapidly changing industry of Australia and New Zealand.

The report reveals a significant uptick in the adoption of cloud-based solutions for physical security over the past decade, experiencing an acceleration in recent years. A quarter of Australia and New Zealand end users have reported their intentions to move physical security data to the cloud within 2023. Also, 19% aim to make this transition within 12-18 months and nearly all respondents plan to complete the transition within the next five years.

However, cybersecurity concerns remain paramount amidst the swift adoption of cloud services. In 2023, 54% of organisations in Australia and New Zealand reported placing high importance on improving their cybersecurity strategy. These concerns are justified, with nearly two-thirds of them listing vulnerability to cybersecurity threats and business continuity planning as their primary challenges.

The report also reflects changing global attitudes to cloud-based solutions. Previous surveys reported perceived cybersecurity risks as the prime factor discouraging organisations from adopting cloud-based security systems. But recent results show a shift towards optimism, with cybersecurity risks now ranked sixth among such deterring factors.

The feedback from channel partners in Australia and New Zealand underlined increasingly high demand for cloud and hybrid solutions, with 70% of customers replacing their video surveillance and access control systems. These changes are motivated by a desire to integrate new technologies and acquire new capabilities. Almost nine out of ten customers have enabled some level of cloud connectivity for their security systems, and this trend is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.

As the adoption of cloud-based physical security systems rises, cybersecurity threats, data handling, and compliance requirements also escalate. This has facilitated greater interconnectivity between IT and physical security departments. Over half of the end-users in Australia and New Zealand reported that the IT department has access to their physical security data.

On examining the future trajectory, it appears that most organisations favour a hybrid approach, amalgamating both on-premises and cloud-based solutions. Over 90% of respondents plan to deploy such systems within five years.

George Moawad, Country Manager Australia and New Zealand at Genetec said: "A hybrid cloud deployment clearly emerges as the ideal path forward for many organisations, seamlessly blending local infrastructure with the power of the cloud."

The survey was conducted from August 21 to September 15, 2023. It encompassed physical security professionals worldwide, including regions such as North America, Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, Southern Asia, South-Eastern Asia, Central Asia, Western Asia, and Australia-New Zealand.