Ever since adopting IP technology, physical security systems have become susceptible to cyberattacks. Experts have warned of cameras installed in public and private areas being configured insecurely that would allow attackers to easily access live or archived footage and seize control of the camera operations.
Ever since adopting IP technology, physical security systems have become susceptible to cyberattacks. Experts have warned of cameras installed in public and private areas being configured insecurely that would allow attackers to easily access live or archived footage and seize control of the camera operations. Access control solutions and alarm systems that are connected to a network are also similarly vulnerable.
Fortunately, several large manufacturers are beginning to realize this issue and are taking steps to ensure their systems are hacker-proof.
Tie-ups with cyber security companies
One of the many ways that manufacturers are looking at to improve security is by joining hands with cyber security companies. Last year,
Panasonic announced plans to work with Symantec to come up with secure platforms for its video surveillance solutions.
In a statement, Panasonic acknowledged security of surveillance data was becoming increasingly important as issues such as hacking, data breaches and tampering become widespread.
“Through the relationship, Panasonic will combine Symantec’s highly reliable certificates and technology for detecting and analyzing cyber-attacks with its own in-house embedded cryptography technology to provide a highly secure and robust protection layer for its embedded surveillance products,” the statement said.
Dedicated teams
There are some companies that are assigning dedicated teams that would ensure cyber security.
Tyco Security Products recently introduced its Cyber Protection Program, which would be led by a team responsible for monitoring the product development process and authorizing final product release to ensure compliance with secure development and best practices.
Deploying secure protocols
Bosch Security Systems recently announced its building integration systems software that offered improved cyber protection in access control and alarm management systems.
“New OSDP (Open Supervised Device Protocol) v2 Secure Channel controller-reader encryption is combined with established client-server and card-reader encryption to create continuous data security throughout each step of the access control process,” Bosch said in a statement. “Improved user account controls prevent unauthorized access, improving protection not only against external hackers but also against exploitation by internal offenders.”
It’s not just such hardware manufacturers that are taking such steps. Early this year, VMS maker IPConfigure released the latest version of its platform that makes use of secure real-time transport protocol (SRTP) encryption technology. Most VMS transmit video and audio using HTTPS protocol, which was developed to secure web content, not particularly video. SRTP provides similar security as HTTPS but with lower latency, higher throughput, and better quality.
As physical security solutions become more and more integrated with other devices, cyber security would be a major cause of concern for solution providers as well as their customers. The coming days could see more efforts from solution providers to ensure surveillance data is as tamper-proof as possible.