Karyn Hodgson

Karyn Hodgson is a long-time security industry reporter with previous assignments at Security Magazine and SDM Magazine. Karyn is the managing editor for SDM Magazine. She can be reached at 630-694-4025.

Security’s Central Role in Smart Buildings

Karyn Hodgson

August 15, 2022

What’s in a Name? If you plug in the term “smart building” to Wikipedia it automatically redirects you to the term “building automation.”

Security Systems & PropTech: Coming to a Smart Building Near You

Karyn Hodgson

June 9, 2022

You may already be familiar with the term “PropTech,” short for property technology. Wikipedia defines it as “The application of information technology and platform economics to real estate markets.”

How AI Will Influence the Future of Smart Buildings

Karyn Hodgson

December 13, 2021

Smart buildings have been around for years, but often focus on the building controls side, such as HVAC and energy efficiency.

Smart Building Trends to Watch

Karyn Hodgson

November 11, 2021

At the recent Securing New Ground conference, held virtually October 28, the topic of smart buildings came up multiple times — particularly in regards to new technology trends, pandemic impacts as well as cybersecurity concerns and the differences between IT/OT.

Cyber Risks in Enterprise Security Systems

Karyn Hodgson

October 12, 2021

This October marks the 18th annual Cybersecurity Awareness month. Over that span, cybersecurity has gone from being a topic the IT department mostly worried about, to one that is top of mind for everyone from the CEO to the receptionist at most businesses.

TV Station Upgrades with Visitor Management System

Over the past 15 years the visitor management market has evolved from a simple “hello my name is” label to roaming officers processing visitors with 4G-enabled tablets and evacuation systems

Karyn Hodgson

September 1, 2014

Employees are currently able to pre-register guests both from their desktop and from their home computer or laptop. KGW is collaborating with Veristream to work on an app that will also allow them to do it from their cellphones in the near future.

Business, not Tourism: How the Willis Tower Handles Visitor Management

Visitor management challenges at Willis Tower, the tallest building in North America, extend beyond mere tourism.

Karyn Hodgson

September 1, 2013

At 110 stories, the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) is the tallest building in North America.

How Access Control Fits into Multi-Tenant Housing Security Budgets

While video gets all the press, access control can be the key to incident prevention in housing facilities.

Karyn Hodgson

September 1, 2013

Multi-tenant housing environments, whether they are condominiums, apartments, high rises or low income, must have security to protect the residents.

Critical Campus Communication

Karyn Hodgson

May 1, 2012

On a Sunday late in May 2011, the campus of Missouri Southern State University, located in Joplin, Mo., was hosting the Joplin High School graduation. Within 30 minutes of the commencement’s conclusion an EF5 tornado took aim at the town. Although the regular students, usually numbering nearly 6,000, had gone home for summer break, the campus was still full of visitors for the graduation.

Not the Same Old Guard Tour

Karyn Hodgson

June 12, 2008

Contract officer company Executive Security Systems, Inc. relies on guard tour systems to make sure their officers are making the rounds as designated. Courtesy Executive Security SystemsNewer generations allow companies

Ransomware and the propulsion of the extortion economy has rapidly eclipsed into a national priority. Recently, we observed the catastrophic impact of a widescale ransomware attack impacting gas pipelines and raising national gas prices overnight.