Physical Security Solutions Network Security

Video surveillance is a vital part to building security, but most people fail to think of how protected the video surveillance solution itself actually is.

Having a video surveillance system offers many perks, including getting a better overview of an entire building spaces and surrounding land, including employee work spaces, and delivery areas, access points, basements, parking lots and sidewalks. Video cameras with High Definition display can help deliver the most accurate protection and identification in case of theft and break-ins. It can also be a pretty good visual crime deterrent.

However, some criminals are smarter than they look. If they are able to hack into your network, it can be quite easy for them to disable your security and maybe even delete recorded footage. That’s where network security comes in.

Network, data and device security are absolutely essential to conducting daily business in a secure manner, there are certain weak spots that are too often overlooked. Authorized offers a vast array of security solutions as well as I.T. solutions. we ensure your network is safe 24/7. If you have had a system installed by someone else, or are looking to get a surveillance system installed, here are some weak spots that could put your home or business security at risk:

Wireless Networks

Wireless networks are known for being less secure than a hard-wired connection. The problem is that there are no set boundaries for the reach of the network. With a hard-wired network, you know that only approved individuals can touch the wire in order to access the hardware. With wireless it’s just not that easy. As such wireless networks even if they are password protected are rather problematic to keep secure. Luckily there are ways and devices to ensure your network is as secure as it can be. A weak wireless password will almost guarantee an intrusion into your Wi-Fi network, which will in turn can then cause havoc to your devices. Measuring the size of your building and adjusting the wireless signal accordingly can be one of the ways to minimize the leakage of the signal outside of the building. If there are wireless bridges or similar solutions in play, ensure these devices are directional and don’t spread the signal everywhere. Wireless signals can also be scrambled or interrupted by another network using the same channel, as such we recommend not to use wireless cameras, when it is possible to run wired cameras.

Separate Network

This is both a security and performance concern. When installing multiple cameras it is usually a good idea to have them running on a separate network altogether. Otherwise you are risking performance issues on your network when trying to push large files through the line. Security is a major factor when considering the network design. Having the cameras or access control system on the same network as everything else in your building will expose every single device to everyone that has access to your network, or that can gain access to your network. Having a separate hard wired network that is running all your security traffic not only lightens the load on your main network, but also ensures that you only have a minimal point of exposure, that point being your server. Server security can be as easy as setting a proper password on the device.

Network Security

Routers, switches, access points and more usually all come with a web interface that allows for admin login to adjust settings. This can be a security risk, if the interface is easy to hack. From disconnecting your internet, to destroying any links that you may have set up in your switches, a malicious login into your devices can be a horrendous outcome. But unfortunately it is not just the software configuration side of things that you have to worry about. The hardware is also vulnerable, as no one is stopped from physically walking up to the device and plugging their laptop into the open port. Network security is a beast that is extremely important for any business, as everything resides within your network. It is however also very complicated to ensure your network is actively monitored and free of any issues that may arise down the road.

Passwords

Passwords,  even those we believe are safe and complex, can be a major security risk. There are factory set passwords on most devices that simply do not get changed. When receiving a new unit, the password should be changed immediately, before it even touches the network. This ensures that no unauthorized user can access the unit and disable it, or even inadvertently mess with the settings. Many devices now have a password strength indicator built in when changing a password. The new password needs to be complex, with a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols (such as !#$%^&*, etc.). Using a weak or easily recognizable password, such as a your name, birthdate, address, etc., may be easy to hack into. The stronger the password, the longer it will take for intelligent virus software to commit a brute force attack that repeatedly attempts to crack your password code–much like a burglar picking lock or safe.

A complex password makes your system more secure and tamper proof, although it may be extra steps on your end when you log in. If your system also supports password time-outs or similar solutions to limit the number of times someone can guess your password, this will make the unit even more secure. Authorized does offer password technology and systems that will continually renew passwords for access in-office and remotely (say, a home office or hotel room with pregnable WiFi) Unfortunately some integrator have very generic passwords that are used on their devices, which can risk your device security, although you did everything right. Talk with your integrator to ensure that they are using a very strong admin password. Otherwise you will be left with a security risk that you can do nothing about.

Next Steps

If you feel that one of the above points may have not been secured to the point that it should have been, act now rather than later. If you continue exposing your devices and your network to security leaks, it is only a matter of time until an issue arises. Our company is equipped with specialists that are trained for security and I.T. This allows us to minimize the exposure to threats right from the install. If you however had an integrator that you are not sure about, or want to simply ensure that your network is secure and all your devices are running as efficiently as possible, we would be more than happy to give you a free consult on your entire infrastructure. Call us at 1-844-230-2730 or email is at [email protected].

Get in Touch

Regardless if you are looking for a brand new solution, or you are simply wondering if your network is actually as secure as it should be, we are ready to help you. Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments. You can call us at any time at (403) 477-4800 or email us at [email protected].