Genetec

What it does

Genetec makes Security Center, a platform that combines video management, access control, licence plate recognition, intrusion and communications in one system. Omnicast is its video management system (VMS) ^[1][2]. Genetec cites Omdia's 2025 research ranking it first worldwide in video surveillance software; this is analyst data relayed in a Genetec press release ^[3].

A VMS records cameras and routes events to operators; it is not a safety analytic in itself. For safety teams, Genetec offers two routes to alerts. The first is its own analytics. Genetec describes crowd estimation that counts people in defined zones and raises alerts when a set threshold is reached ^[4], and its YPF story describes KiwiVision analytics for intrusion detection and virtual fencing at energy sites ^[5]. The second is partners. Genetec's Partner and Integration Hub lists 235 partner solutions, 138 of them marked as certified integrations ^[6]. One example is Remark's Safety Space Platform, which the listing says detects PPE, falls, intrusion, crowds, smoke and fire on existing cameras ^[7]. We found no Genetec page that documents built-in PPE detection.

These are alerting and review tools. They are not safety-rated protective devices under IEC 61496 or ISO 13849, and they should not be used to stop machines or vehicles.

Who it is for

Genetec's buyers are mainly security and IT teams in sectors such as cities, transport, energy, retail and education. For EHS teams it matters most where a site already runs Security Center and wants safety alerts in the same operator console. Genetec was founded in 1997 in Montreal, is led by CEO Pierre Racz and says it has about 2,200 employees ^[1]. It is privately held and does not publish revenue; in 2025 it said it had more than 42,500 customers ^[3].

How it is deployed

Security Center and Omnicast run on premises, in the cloud or as a hybrid, and Genetec says Omnicast works with more than 10,000 devices from various manufacturers ^[2]. Security Center SaaS, launched in 2024 ^[3], is a cloud platform that can keep existing devices and use Cloudlink managed appliances for local storage and processing ^[8]. Genetec publishes SaaS prices: video connections cost $149 per year on the Standard plan and $199 on Premium, with hardware and storage extra ^[9]. For privacy, KiwiVision Privacy Protector pixelates people in video by default; seeing unmasked footage needs extra permission and is logged in an audit trail. It has held the European Privacy Seal (EuroPriSe) for six consecutive terms (vendor-reported) ^[10]. Genetec's privacy sheet for the SaaS product describes default 90-day retention of audit trails and access history ^[11].

Notable public customers and coverage

YPF, an Argentine energy company, uses Security Center with almost 3,500 cameras at 160 sites; Genetec says two people migrated the system in 18 months ^[5]. Havan, a Brazilian retailer with more than 9,000 cameras, says its audit team cut investigation time by 60% (vendor-reported security outcome) ^[12]. Genetec's compliance portal lists ISO/IEC 27001:2022, ISO/IEC 27017 and SOC 2 Type 2 among its claims (vendor claims) ^[13], and it publishes a pre-signed data processing agreement ^[14]. The US Department of Homeland Security lists a SAFETY Act certification for Security Center valid to June 30, 2028; this concerns anti-terrorism liability protection, not workplace safety performance ^[15]. Capterra shows only 4 reviews of Security Center ^[16].

Things to ask in an evaluation

• Which safety analytics do you provide yourselves, and which come only from partners?
• For a partner safety analytic, is the integration certified for our Security Center version, and who supports it?
• What accuracy and false alert rates were measured for those analytics, and how?
• What is the total per-camera cost for the VMS connection plus the analytics licence?
• Can Privacy Protector run on the same cameras as safety analytics?
• How do safety events reach our EHS or incident system?

Our take

Strengths

• Public SaaS pricing per connection, which is uncommon among VMS vendors ^[9].
• Documented privacy controls, including Privacy Protector with permissioned unmasking and audit trails, and a public DPA ^[10][14].
• A compliance portal listing ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 claims, and a current DHS SAFETY Act certification ^[13][15].

Watch-outs

• Built-in safety analytics are limited; PPE detection comes from partners, so quality depends on the partner ^[7][4].
• No published accuracy method for any analytic, and customer results are security outcomes ^[12][5].
• Few third-party user reviews on the platforms we checked ^[16].

Best fit: Organizations already running Genetec Security Center that want safety alerts in the same console, through Genetec analytics or a certified partner integration.