Gallagher Security, an esteemed global security manufacturer, underscored the necessity of incorporating federated identity in New Zealand during its Security Showcase in Wellington on 23 November. The showcase attracted hundreds of industry insiders, providing them with opportunities for knowledge exchange and networking.

Wayne Scott, New Zealand Sales Operations Manager for Gallagher Security, affirmed, “This was our first Wellington event in several years and we wanted to make it memorable. Because we were in our capital city, we thought it would be appropriate to spotlight the enormous potential federated identity has to transform the way our government treats access control, and I think we achieved that goal of making the event special.”

Chief Technology Officer, Steve Bell, led the attendees through the intricacies of federated identity solutions currently operational in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. He detailed how a single Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card could guarantee government employees secure access to computer networks and sites, bolstering authentication and revocation without undermining physical and logical access.

Following suit, Dan Richardson, Executive Director – Strategy and Risk at CyberCX, expounded upon the cybersecurity benefits offered by federated identity. He underscored recent cyber attacks and the emerging risks these breaches pose to critical New Zealand sites.

Reflecting on the day's theme, Bell stated, “The cyber threat landscape is changing, and it’s forcing the rest of the world to change along with it. If we want to be prepared to defend ourselves against those evolving threats, federated identity is a highly-effective approach for protecting our critical sites and setting a higher standard.”

Aside from the emphasis on high security, the showcase saw numerous contributions from Gallagher’s Technology Partners, including ASSA ABLOY, Avigilon, Axis, Catalyst Cloud, Channel Ten, Florence Digital, Milestone Systems, SALTO, and Traka, who demonstrated their solutions, notably adding to the event's value.

Scott sees the Security Showcase as a tremendous success, stating, “This is the second Showcase event we’ve hosted this year, and both times there was a palpable energy that could be felt throughout the day. I don't think it's a stretch to say that people were buzzing with excitement, which only goes to show that when we gather to share knowledge, we make each other stronger, and I think everyone who attended shares that sentiment.”

The Wellington Security Showcase was hailed as a triumph, largely attributed to the End Users, Channel Partners, and Technology Partners who dedicated their time to participate, transforming the event into a unmissable occasion within the industry.