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Security glossary

Security terms explained for real operations

A glossary of physical security, event security, access control and security technology terms. Each term is explained concisely and linked to a relevant service.

73explained security terms
5operational categories
Context firstmeaning, mistakes and related services

Term archive

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The glossary explains abbreviations and terms. If you already have a specific assignment, continue to the relevant service or see the frequently asked questions.

73 terms

73 matching terms

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Legislation

17 terms
Legislation

Necessary defense (§ 29 TZ)

Circumstance excluding illegality. The right to repel an imminent or ongoing attack.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Extreme emergency (§ 28 TZ)

Circumstance excluding illegality, when the danger directly threatening an interest protected by criminal law is averted.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Detention of a person (§ 76 of the Code of Criminal Procedure)

The right of every citizen to limit the personal freedom of a person caught in a criminal act.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Guard (68-008-E)

Professional qualifications required for the performance of work in a security agency.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Licensed business: security of property and persons

A business regime where free trade is not enough; operation is subject to a license and the fulfillment of legal conditions.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

OSH in the security service

Safety and health protection at work, i.e. rules for limiting the risks of workers and persons in traffic.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

GDPR: Legitimate interest

Legal title to the processing of personal data, if the processing is necessary and the rights of the data subject do not prevail.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Balance test

Assessing whether the administrator's legitimate interest prevails over the rights and freedoms of the persons concerned.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Information obligation for cameras

Obligation to inform persons that they are being scanned, who is processing the data and why.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Camera recording retention time

Setting record retention to be necessary, justified and documented.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Cameras in the workplace

Specific camera mode if the footage touches employees (higher sensitivity and purpose limitation).

Meaning in practice
Legislation

DPIA (Data Protection Impact Assessment)

Formal risk assessment of personal data processing before launch (mandatory for selected cases).

Meaning in practice
Legislation

EPS: kontroly provozuschopnosti

Mandatory regular inspections and tests of electrical fire alarm operation.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Fire safety at events

Organizer's set of responsibilities: escape routes, capacity, resources, patrols and instructions to participants.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Visitor rules

Rules for visitor conduct and a framework for stewarding and security service procedures.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Powers of event stewards

A stewarding service has no special powers beyond those of an ordinary citizen; it relies on house rules and general legal institutes.

Meaning in practice
Legislation

Fire evacuation plan

A document that establishes the rules and procedure for evacuating people from the building in the event of a fire.

Meaning in practice

Role

9 terms

Services

11 terms
Services

Action Safety Plan

Plan of routine and procedures in the event of incidents intended for security personnel until the IZS situation is taken over.

Meaning in practice
Services

Coordination plan

Coordination plan of the organization's management and partners (including emergency scenarios).

Meaning in practice
Services

Communication plan

Defines communication processes for both routine and incidents (channels, escalations, contacts).

Meaning in practice
Services

Evacuation / evacuation plan

Scenario for getting people out (evacuation) or hiding inside (invacuation).

Meaning in practice
Services

Guard service

An older term for physical security: a permanent guard presence protecting a site, entrances and property under a set regime.

Meaning in practice
Services

Stewarding service

Event operations people who provide navigation, input mode and security support.

Meaning in practice
Services

Mobile Patrol

A motorized (or foot) patrol that inspects multiple objects or a perimeter as planned.

Meaning in practice
Services

Keyholding

A service where the security company holds the keys and responds to alarms or trips outside of working hours.

Meaning in practice
Services

Video verifikace poplachu

Alarm verification via camera (live or clip) before exit or police escalation.

Meaning in practice
Services

Remote guarding

Remote surveillance combining CCTV, analytics, operators and immediate intervention (e.g. by voice call).

Meaning in practice
Services

Risk analysis

Systematic identification of risks, their impacts and measures (basis for plan and pricing).

Meaning in practice

Taktika

15 terms
Taktika

Proxemics (Reaction Zone)

Safe distance between guard and potential aggressor.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Verbal Judo

Tactical communication technique for de-escalating conflicts and gaining cooperation.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Interview stance

A safe communication stance that protects the reaction zone and at the same time does not seem unnecessarily confrontational.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Deeskalace konfliktu

Deliberate reduction of tension in a crisis situation to prevent physical conflict.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Advance Work

Preparation of routes, locations and security screening of places before the arrival of the protected person.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Crowd Management

Strategic management of crowd movement and behaviour at mass events.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Situational Awareness

The ability to perceive, understand and predict the development of the situation in space.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

OODA loop

Observe–Orient–Decide–Act Decision Model for Fast Situations.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Safety briefing

Brief briefing of the team before the event (and post-event debrief).

Meaning in practice
Taktika

SITREP (situation report)

Structured reporting of the situation to the event management or responsible team.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

ICP (Incident Command Post)

The location from which a tactical level intervention/incident is controlled.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Dynamic risk assessment

Rapid risk assessment in real time as conditions change.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Ingress / Egress

Management of arrival and exit routes, capacities and bottlenecks.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

AAR (After Action Review)

Structured evaluation after the action/incident: what worked, what didn't and what we will change.

Meaning in practice
Taktika

Force Use Continuum

The principle of gradual selection of means from presence and communication to physical intervention.

Meaning in practice

Technology

21 terms
Technology

PZTS (EZS)

Intruder and hold-up alarm system, formerly electronic security signalling.

Meaning in practice
Technology

Fire alarm system

Fire safety equipment for early smoke or fire detection.

Meaning in practice
Technology

CCTV camera system

Closed Circuit Television for visual monitoring and recording.

Meaning in practice
Technology

PCO (Centralized Protection Desk)

External monitoring center for receiving and evaluating signals from security systems.

Meaning in practice
Technology

Patrol system

A control system for recording guard activity using RFID chips or GPS.

Meaning in practice
Technology

ACS access control system

An electronic system for controlling access and recording passages of people and vehicles.

Meaning in practice
Technology

Turniket

Entry device dosing the passage of people (individually) and preventing "slipping".

Meaning in practice
Technology

RFID access identifier

Contactless card/chip used as a “key” to the access system.

Meaning in practice
Technology

MIFARE DESFire

A more secure contactless platform for access and ticketing systems (typically with AES).

Meaning in practice
Technology

Wiegand (interface / protocol)

Older de-facto standard for connecting the reader to the controller (DATA0/DATA1).

Meaning in practice
Technology

OSDP (Secure Reader Protocol)

Open Supervised Device Protocol – a modern protocol for access systems (including Secure Channel).

Meaning in practice
Technology

ONVIF (standard pro IP kamery)

Open interface for interoperability of IP security devices (mainly CCTV).

Meaning in practice
Technology

PoE (Power over Ethernet)

Power supply of IP devices (typically cameras) via Ethernet cable.

Meaning in practice
Technology

NVR (Network Video Recorder)

Network recorder for recording IP cameras.

Meaning in practice
Technology

VMS (Video Management System)

Software for central management of cameras, recording, users, events and integrations.

Meaning in practice
Technology

ANPR/LPR (License Plate Recognition)

Technology that automatically reads vehicle license plates from camera images.

Meaning in practice
Technology

Alarm Relay System (PPS)

Transmission of alarm messages between the object and the receiving center (alarm receiving center).

Meaning in practice
Technology

DPPC / ARC (Surveillance and Alarm Reception Centre)

Workplace for receiving, evaluating and processing alarms.

Meaning in practice
Technology

PSIM (Integrated Security Platform)

Software to integrate physical security into one console (CCTV + PZTS + ACS + others).

Meaning in practice
Technology

UPS (backup power supply)

Backup battery source to bridge power failure.

Meaning in practice
Technology

RAID (disk array for camera recordings)

Storing data on multiple disks for higher availability and/or performance.

Meaning in practice