Gallagher Security said its High Security Controller 7000 has met UK National Protective Security Authority compliance requirements for Automatic Access Control Systems and Cyber Assurance of Physical Security Systems in the UK and Europe.

The company said the controller, which it refers to as the High Security C7000, received compliance under the NPSA schemes known as AACS and CAPSS. The NPSA runs assurance and guidance programmes that sit alongside wider government security requirements for organisations that manage sensitive sites and systems.

Gallagher Security positions the High Security Controller 7000 as a version of its Controller 7000 platform aimed at higher-assurance environments. The company said the product builds on the functions of its Controller 7000 Standard variant and adds further cybersecurity measures.

NPSA schemes

AACS covers access control systems used in protective security settings, while CAPSS focuses on cyber assurance for physical security systems. Suppliers seek listing or compliance under these schemes when customers require evidence that products meet specific criteria for use in higher-security environments.

Gallagher Security said the High Security C7000 incorporates a microcontroller that it described as FIPS-approved. The company said the controller enforces security policy set in its Command Centre management platform. It said the device reports on local security events and uses authenticated and encrypted communications with connected sensors, alarm terminals, and readers.

The company also described the product as aligned with requirements used across the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. It did not specify customer deployments. It framed the announcement as relevant for customers with compliance obligations and for organisations reviewing security assurance for physical security systems as cyber risks grow.

Market demand

Jason Hunter, High Security Manager UKI at Gallagher Security, linked demand to organisations that operate in regulated environments and around critical systems.

“We’re increasingly seeing an appetite from enterprise organisations who need solutions that are certified to be used on critical national infrastructure,” said Hunter. “These are not necessarily for government sites, but also commercial enterprises seeking to mitigate risk to ensure business continuity. These customers are wanting devices that are designed with that extra level of security – they want to get ahead of emerging threats.”

The company said the High Security C7000 targets both public sector and commercial buyers. It pointed to customers looking for formal assurance of physical security components, including controllers that sit between management software and field hardware such as door readers and alarm inputs.

Product details

Daniel McVeagh, Value Stream Lead – High Security at Gallagher Security, said the High Security C7000 goes beyond the Controller 7000 Standard model.

“While the Controller 7000 Standard already has excellent cybersecurity functionality, the High Security C7000 goes a step further, with bolder government and commercial applications firmly in mind. Specifically, this controller is tested and complies to many stringent government cyber and physical security standards and is built with the latest FIPS 140-3 compliant components for advanced cryptographic security,” said McVeagh.

The company described the Controller 7000 range as IP-based controllers. It said the devices can manage local access control, intruder alarms, perimeter security, business automation, and logic functions within an organisation. It also said the platform includes features intended to address firmware attacks in the supply chain. The company did not provide technical validation details beyond the named schemes and standards.

Gallagher Security said the Controller 7000 range can operate independently from the Command Centre server. It said the controller can execute predefined responses to monitored events when the server is unavailable. It also said the system design supports deployments that range from single-door systems to large installations, and it stated a maximum of up to 10,000 controllers per server.

Compliance with NPSA schemes can feature in procurement requirements for organisations operating sensitive sites, including parts of critical national infrastructure. Vendors in the physical security market increasingly reference cyber assurance as access control and alarm systems connect to corporate networks and remote management tools.