The release of VAST Security Station (VSS) introduces key practical updates designed to elevate operator security and forensic efficiency across modern surveillance ecosystems. Developed to eliminate manual operational bottlenecks, protect data privacy, and streamline post-incident investigation, this latest software version brings targeted improvements tailored for complex enterprise environments. By bridging the gap between historical video metadata and centralized database management, VSS v1.6 provides system administrators with enhanced system control and actionable intelligence.

By: Đorđe Baćić, Business Development Manager, VIVOTEK; E-mail: djordje.bacic@vivotek.com

Accelerated Post Search Forensics with List Management

VSS v1.6 introduces an embedded List Management tool that significantly enhances historical video investigations by directly linking Deep Search face data with structured database organization. Security personnel can easily capture specific individual faces directly from Deep Search results, enabling rapid identification from past video footage. When creating a profile with a single click, the system automatically checks the face against the existing database. It instantly alerts the operator if a match is found, preventing duplicate entries and keeping data clean. Extracted search results can be organized into saved lists directly within the database. This simplifies long-term tracking and historical review of specific individuals across multiple cameras.

Auto People Blur for Privacy Protection

Meeting stringent data privacy regulations when exporting video evidence often introduces significant operational delays. VSS v1.6 addresses this challenge with a powerful automated video masking tool. The system automatically applies a blur effect to all detected individuals in exported video clips by default to protect third-party privacy. Operators can use automatically generated person thumbnails to quickly identify, select, and unmask only the specific subject of interest. Instead of forcing the main recording server to handle heavy AI processing when exporting files, the software utilizes data already processed by the camera. This keeps the server running fast and reduces the need for expensive hardware upgrades.

View Permissions for Role-Based Operator Access Control

Managing large-scale or multi-site deployments requires precise data segregation to prevent accidental data exposure. VSS v1.6 upgrades system security by introducing detailed layout controls. Unauthorized View names are entirely hidden from the operator interface, preventing information leaks across different branches or departments. Upon logging in, operators see only pre-assigned structural layouts, reducing selection errors and accelerating incident monitoring.

Additional Enhancements

Beyond the core feature updates, VSS v1.6 implements critical usability updates to improve daily system maintenance and post-incident investigation. Support for layout playback and multi-channel synchronized playback allows investigators to review multiple camera fields on a single page simultaneously, speeding up evidence collection. The system now generates daily status email reports, automatically keeping administrators updated on device uptime and software health indicators without manual audits.

Security systems have fundamentally changed in recent years: what were once closed, hardware-centric isolated solutions have evolved into highly networked, software-based IT systems. Video surveillance, access control, and perimeter protection are now integral parts of IT infrastructure – and therefore exposed to the same threats as traditional IT systems.

With this development, the importance of audit logs has increased significantly. Audit logs are immutable, chronological records of actions in IT systems that document who did what, when, where, and with what effect. They serve traceability, security, compliance, and forensic analysis. Audit logs chronologically and tamper-proof document security-relevant activities, system events, and user actions. They are therefore a central tool for ensuring transparency, traceability, and control in increasingly complex security architectures.

New Attack Vectors – New Requirements for Evidence and Control

In addition to classic external threats such as malware, ransomware, APTs, or DDoS attacks, internal risks are moving further into focus. Authorized users in particular pose an increased risk. Administrators, maintenance personnel, or external service providers often have deep technical knowledge and extensive access rights. Manipulations may occur intentionally or unintentionally – and without appropriate mechanisms for evidence, they often remain undetected.

This is precisely where audit logs come into play – they close this gap. They document, for example, changes to configurations and parameters, access to live or archived video data, as well as user and role changes, system events, and software interventions. This turns a potentially invisible manipulation into a traceable action that, depending on the severity of the change, can also trigger a proactive alert.

Especially in cases involving insider threats or indirect attacks – for example through compromised credentials – audit logs are often the only reliable and robust source of evidence. Audit logs therefore form the basis for detecting threats from typical manipulation scenarios along the entire video chain – from the camera to data transmission to storage and display.

Audit Logs in the Context of Security by Design Axis consistently follows a Security-by-Design approach. Audit-log functions are an integral part of the Axis ecosystem – both at the device level and within the video management software. Combined with: user and role management, certificate-based authentication (e.g., IEEE 802.1X), encryption (TLS), and software and configuration monitoring, a security concept emerges that not only makes attacks more difficult but, above all, makes manipulations visible.

Audit logs can be accessed through various interfaces – for example via event streams to VMS systems, via HTTP/HTTPS using the VAPIX Audit Log API, or via remote syslog to central IT and SIEM platforms.

Audit Logs and Software Monitoring – Two Sides of the Same Coin

Modern security architectures increasingly rely on software monitoring (software sealing) to detect manipulations by authorized users. Audit logs form the operational foundation for this: detecting configuration changes, triggering seal breaks, and integrating changes into clearly defined approval and workflow processes. Without audit logs, any software monitoring remains incomplete, as changes cannot be clearly attributed.

Regulatory Requirements: KRITIS, NIS2, ISO 27001

Audit logs are no longer a technical detail but a strategic element of modern security architectures. They play a crucial role in open, networked architectures where monitoring and tracking activities are essential to detect and prevent security incidents at an early stage. They are also indispensable for meeting increasing regulatory requirements – keyword: compliance – such as those defined by KRITIS, NIS2, and ISO 27001.

These regulations require comprehensive documentation and monitoring of system activities to ensure compliance and close potential security gaps. Furthermore, audit logs are of great importance when dealing with internal and privileged users. They help identify and prevent misuse and unauthorized access, thereby sustainably strengthening the internal security and integrity of systems.

The speed of digital transformation now determines whether an enterprise can grow and survive. In the past, organizations managed cyber and physical threats with standalone firewalls and siloed systems. Today, however, the convergence of AI, real-time data, and global business operations has made the threat landscape far more complex. Emerging trends like hybrid work models, heightened privacy regulations, and the erosion of traditional network perimeters demand a new approach. Passive defense and single-point solutions are no longer adequate.

In this context, next-generation platforms—delivering AI-driven automation, unified management, and operational agility—have become the standard for enterprise competitiveness. Leading global market analyses confirm a clear shift in IT and security investments as we approach 2026. The future belongs to security platforms that integrate AI-powered automation, end-to-end visibility within a unified management console, and scalable infrastructure—transforming security and efficiency into lasting competitive advantages.

Innovate security and operational efficiency with AI-powered unified platform

Modern companies no longer tolerate fragmented, siloed tools. Instead, there is a decisive transition towards unified platforms that consolidate all critical security operations into a single interface, empowering security teams to make faster, data-driven decisions.

BioStar X sets a new benchmark for total control and AI-powered security, bringing together best-in-class biometrics access control, interactive maps, AI-enhanced video grids, and live alarms within a unified monitoring console. This design eliminates the inefficiencies of switching between multiple systems, allowing operators to respond swiftly and accurately to incidents. Advanced access control enables highly granular management, including detailed role-based permissions, flexible zone segmentation, and automated emergency protocols such as lockdowns or fire responses. Administrators can tailor access rules for users, zones, and devices, maintaining consistent security policies across single to multi-site environments.

Moreover, BioStar X leverages AI-driven video intelligence to deliver real-time detection of critical events—including falls, intrusions, loitering, and tailgating—empowering security teams to identify risks proactively and implement preventive measures. This holistic, integrated architecture streamlines operations and enhances situational awareness in real time.

Integration at scale—The power of open APIs

A core driver of transformation in security technology is the integration power unlocked by open APIs and modular design. These foundational elements enable seamless, future-proof integration across a wide range of third-party systems—from established platforms like VMS, ERP, HR, time & attendance, and visitor management, to emerging technologies like robotic patrols, drones, parking management, and smart building IoT sensors. This versatility has become a hallmark of high-performance security platforms, allowing organizations of all sizes to orchestrate security, operations, and advanced analytics through a singular, unified workflow.

BioStar X’s scalable infrastructure enhances this capability, providing support for multi-server deployments, database sharding, failover clustering, and reliable system resiliency. These enterprise-grade features ensure robust performance, high uptime, and centralized control across distributed, multi-site deployments.

Suprema’s commitment to trusted AI and data protection

Suprema is deeply committed to data protection, user privacy, and the ethical use of AI. BioStar X and all of Suprema’s solutions are developed according to globally recognized standards including GDPR, NIS2, AI Act, ISO/IEC 27001 for information security management, and ISO/IEC 27701 for privacy information management. Also, Suprema ensures robust encryption of biometric templates and personal information using protocols like AES 256, TLS 1.2, HTTPS and RS-485. This “secure by design” philosophy permeates every technology layer guaranteeing protection of user rights, reliable threat detection, and privacy-centric digital experiences for organizations worldwide.

Ultimately, leadership in the new era of modern security comes down to how effectively unified platforms like BioStar X can harmonize data, workflow, and intelligence across an organization. As demands for speed, adaptability, and resilience outpace the limitations of legacy tools, an integrated and open approach isn’t simply a competitive advantage, it is the new industry benchmark for security excellence and modernization.

Fire detection is mission critical. Yet, maintaining fire systems is becoming increasingly complex. System integrators face pressure to deliver reliability, compliance, and fast response times with limited resources, while building owners and facility managers must ensure continuous system availability, regulatory compliance, and occupant safety across one or multiple sites. In this environment, efficiency, transparency, and predictability are essential.

Bosch’s NEXOSPACE Fire System Explorer (FSE) addresses these challenges with a secure, cloud-based platform that connects fire detection systems to the digital world. With the introduction of the new Detector Self-Test functionality, NEXOSPACE FSE enables a more efficient, compliant, and scalable approach to fire detection maintenance, creating clear value for both service providers and system operators.

Automated Testing That Reduces Effort and Risk

The Detector Self-Test is fully integrated into the NEXOSPACE FSE Cockpit and will be available in the Remote Fire Safety App from autumn 2026. It enables automated, 24/7 testing of Bosch automatic addressable point detectors without requiring physical access to each device.

From a technical standpoint, testing is reliable and repeatable. For integrators, this reduces routine, labor-intensive site visits. For building operators, it provides continuous assurance that fire detection systems are functioning correctly and without disrupting daily operations.

The functionality is designed in accordance with VdS 3860, which defines the requirements, performance criteria, and test procedures for self-test functions in fire detection systems. Test results are automatically documented in the cloud, creating complete, traceable, audit-ready records. This simplifies compliance, reduces administrative effort, and provides transparent proof of system readiness for all stakeholders.

Higher Efficiency, Lower Operational Costs

By connecting fire alarm systems to the IoT via NEXOSPACE FSE, maintenance efficiency can increase by up to 25% per system, per year. In practical terms, this allows more systems to be maintained with the same team, or the same systems with fewer on-site interventions.

Key benefits include:

• Fewer routine site visits, reducing disruption to occupied buildings
• Lower travel time and costs, improving service profitability and sustainability
• Better use of skilled technicians, who can focus on fault resolution and value-added tasks

For portfolios with multiple sites or long travel distances, the Detector Self-Test directly supports a more predictable and cost-efficient service operation.

Software-Based Enablement Without Detector Replacement

The Detector Self-Test is compatible with existing Bosch automatic addressable point detectors and is enabled via software—no detector replacement is required. Activation requires the presence of compatible Bosch addressable point detectors and the following system components:

1. An AVENAR fire panel with firmware version 4.4 or higher
2. A Secure Network Gateway for encrypted Ethernet connectivity
3. A NEXOSPACE FSE Basic license

This approach minimizes investment barriers for building owners and enables integrators to extend digital services across their installed base without structural changes or operational downtime.

Predictive Insights for Reliable, Condition-Based Maintenance

Beyond automated testing, NEXOSPACE FSE provides access to operational detector data such as pollution levels, temperature trends, and operating hours. Maintenance can therefore be planned based on actual detector condition rather than fixed intervals.

In challenging environments, this helps reduce false alarms, avoid unnecessary maintenance actions, and extend detector service life. Early identification of deviations improves system availability and supports stable, uninterrupted building operations.

Shared Value Across the Fire Safety Ecosystem

NEXOSPACE Fire System Explorer provides a centralized overview of all connected fire systems, supported by automated notifications when action is required. For integrators, this enables proactive service delivery and clear differentiation in competitive markets. For building operators, it delivers transparency, accountability, and confidence in daily fire safety operations.

The Detector Self-Test transforms fire detection maintenance from a recurring obligation into a shared value proposition. Built on Bosch’s secure and future-oriented NEXOSPACE platform, it supports scalable service models, simplified compliance, and enhanced system reliability—while helping protect margins, reduce operational risk, and ensure a consistently high level of safety.

Investment is not without risk. With often large amounts of money involved, ensuring the reward outweighs the risk could be costly to get wrong. The same is true of your security system cost as it is with any other large purchase. This is why making such a decision based solely on the initial cost, without truly understanding what else is required, could leave you exposed to greater risk down the line, without you even knowing it.

In this blog post, we will delve into why understanding the total cost of ownership (TCO) is critical for any new security system and provide you with insights into how to calculate TCO, to turn your purchase into a smart investment.

What is TCO? 

To first understand what those insights are, it’s important to know what exactly total cost of ownership means. TCO refers to the full cost of acquiring, installing, using, and maintaining a product or service throughout its entire lifecycle.

Rather than focusing only on the initial purchase price, TCO includes additional security system costs such as implementation, operation, maintenance, training, as well as eventual replacement and decommissioning.

When you make that initial purchase, it may not be part of your thinking to factor in potential future costs. However, this opens you up to surprises down the line with installation, implementation and operation costs all under the TCO umbrella.

Even those ‘what if?’ costs that may occur over time. From hardware and software upgrades, product maintenance, to onboarding and updating training requirements. Keeping them in mind at the point of purchase can save you money.

By understanding the total cost of ownership ahead of time, you can better position yourself to make an informed decision, instead of jumping in on the upfront cost.

How much does a security system cost? 

When you factor in that an average security system can typically last anywhere from seven to 10 years, that initial cost can be forgotten once those long-term extra costs build up.

In fact, if you were to take a guess at just how much of the initial purchase cost comprises the total cost of ownership, it may surprise you to learn it can be as little as 30%. And that is across the entire lifespan of the system.

With 70% of costs therefore potentially hidden under the surface, that reality can bite hard down the line for someone who bought a system based on camera price alone. This really highlights the importance of considering the indirect security system costs.

Those future expenses and hidden costs can be greatly impacted by the choices you make early in the purchase process. Thinking about the TCO is a surefire way to protect yourself.

So have in mind questions like “What upgrades might I need in future?”, “How many staff might I need to train to use it?”, “What’s the power consumption?”, or “How often should I replace parts?”. Because in five years’ time, you’ll be thankful you did.

Key elements of total cost of ownership 

To truly understand the comprehensive security system cost over its lifespan, it’s vital to break down the key components that contribute to its total cost of ownership.

This section will delve into three crucial aspects providing a clearer picture of the investment required:

• Initial acquisition
• Ongoing operational expenses like storage
• Various indirect expenses

1. Initial acquisition costs 

When discussing initial security system costs, we typically look at the purchase price of hardware, software licenses, delivery, and installation. Unfortunately, too many conversations around requirements focus on the cameras alone, without considering the broader requirements of the system as a whole – from energy use to storage needs. It might be tempting to focus the budget conversation on cameras, rather than where money will need to be spent to operate and maintain those cameras. Yet the security system will need to support your needs for the foreseeable future.

2. Storage costs 

Beyond the initial security system cost, the cost to store recorded footage is one of the most significant ongoing expenses. Different regions have different legislations as to exactly how long you need to store footage, so it is worth finding out to avoid complications. Regulations, such as GDPR and HIPAA, will determine how long footage needs to be stored, thus making storage a considerable factor in overall storage costs.

To avoid being caught out with significant server and electricity expenses after cameras are installed, it’s critical to calculate how the different storage requirements associated with each camera model can impact your total cost of ownership. It can be a huge risk to purchase cheaper cameras to save money up front, as you will potentially sacrifice that in time with the costs of energy, servers, and storage.

Equally, if you plan to reduce storage costs by shrinking video file sizes, you must choose devices that don’t compromise image quality. This can be an issue in, for instance, evidence gathering, to the point that it’s no longer possible to identify a suspect or incident. Remember, compressing video can pixelate or blur the image, and that’s not a saving, that’s a sacrifice. Fortunately, modern cameras often include sophisticated technology to solve this dilemma. These technologies can reserve crucial forensic detail while lowering bandwidth and storage requirements—and therefore, long-term costs.

They might even help you reduce your TCO further by removing the need for additional external lighting.

It is always worth verifying claims of high-quality footage with low storage requirements before you install the system to ensure it meets your expectations.

3. Indirect expenses 

The type of device you choose will influence the expenses far beyond storage. A forecast of the total cost of ownership must also include ongoing expenses for monitoring, maintenance, and electricity use.

Once you crunch the numbers, the costs can start to build up quite quickly but crucially, the devices you choose will have a direct impact on the extent of these figures.

Opting for more economical cameras and devices at the start can result in staggering indirect expenses.

By contrast, choosing higher quality cameras and devices at the outset, you can cut those indirect security system costs in the long-term. This will free up savings which you can use to reinvest in and grow your business faster.

Simulating the total cost of ownership   

As we’ve explored, the true cost of a security system extends far beyond the initial purchase.

To turn that purchase into a smart investment, it’s crucial to understand the total cost of ownership. This is precisely where a TCO-simulator, such as the one offered in AXIS Site Designer, can provide valuable insights.

It models key factors like energy costs and device lifespan based on your selected devices and storage requirements, giving you a clear overview of what will drive costs over time.

By also comparing your proposed system against competitor benchmarks, it provides a tangible estimate of your potential long-term savings.

Final words on security system costs 

Throughout this blog we have explained that the question ‘How much does a security system cost?’ goes far beyond the initial purchase. By considering how your decision on which type of camera to buy can impact the chain of future costs, you can shift the purchasing decision into an investment. Achieving this can be as simple as asking yourself just a few questions: What camera functionality do I require, how much storage will I need if I purchase those cameras, how much electricity will be required to run the system in the long run, how do the technologies these cameras offer play into the total costs? In short, taking the time to ask the right questions at the outset – and finding partners who are open to answering those questions.

By understanding how to calculate the total cost of ownership you can avoid any nasty surprises in future electricity, storage, operational or maintenance costs. Importantly, it will also ensure that you end up with the security system that is right for your specific requirements. Find out which five steps can help you make the most of your security system investment.