AST Digital Magazine September 2017 AST Digital Magazine September 2017 | Page 20

Volume 16
September 2017 Edition
System Security
ATI’s proprietary system control software, MassAlert™ is de-
signed to prevent intrusion and to secure the communication
links to warning systems in the field. The advanced software and firmware in ATI’s
equipment is completely secure against unau-
thorized access.
MassAlert® is a proprietary net-centric software
that uses cutting edge technology to provide the
most advanced, reliable and secure Mass Notifi-
cation System (MNS) in the industry. ATI has encountered a variety of hacking at-
tempts during three decades of experience in
this field.
With its unparalleled user-friendly graphical in-
terface, MassAlert® enables system operators
to instantly alert and inform personnel of what to
do before, during and after an emergency or di-
saster, and for daily announcements and signals.
MassAlert® enables simple activation of prere-
corded messages and live PA to be broadcast to
Indoor Speaker Units (ISU) throughout individual
buildings or to High Powered Speaker Stations
(HPSS) for outdoor areas.
It has long anticipated the potential for such vul-
nerabilities and has designed systems for many
years that incorporate advanced security proto-
cols to prevent attacks.
Radio control systems for sirens have evolved
greatly over the years.
Simple on/off control systems using
DTMF tones are relatively easy to hack
or spoof.
The MassAlert® architecture was devel-
oped to support a wide variety of solu-
tions for emergency communication. In contrast, using FSK modems to encode digital
data sent over the radio eliminates the most obvi-
ous vulnerabilities.
It is also a unique platform that is capable of
seamlessly integrating field equipment and pro-
viding remote activation capabilities. However, providing true cybersecurity is complex
and needs to be addressed from many angles.
Many older systems include few, if any, of the ad-
vanced security features ATI provides.
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