Users of IP CCTV surveillance systems should consider network security, BSIA warns

Organizations using IP CCTV surveillance systems should also seriously consider the issue of network security, members of the BSIA (British Security Industry Association) have warned.

While the integration of video surveillance with IP networks carries significant benefits — including offering potentially cheaper and easier installation, the ability to distribute video images more widely and the ease at which additional cameras can be added to the network at a later date — these systems are also potentially vulnerable to cyber attacks, as unsecured cameras can become the weak link that provides hackers with an entry point to a network.

The BSIA believes that mitigating these risks must be a priority for each party involved in the supply chain and that manufacturers should ensure that accidental design or implementation errors are kept to a minimum and that systems are regularly scanned for vulnerabilities.

They should be proficient in secure coding and testing procedures and should ensure that their products are capable of supporting the stringent controls necessary for secure network communication, which may include end to End Encryption with SHA-2 & TLS, encrypted database communication system auditing, alerting and management, DDOS protection, restriction of ports, protocols and services and highly customisable user access and permissions.

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