CCTV - Is it Secure?

In the news recently, certain CCTV brands have been wrongly shunned for their geographic origins. Born out of fear of hacking due to the political landscape, some manufacturers have been favoured over others. The truth is, all our offerings are hard-wired secure, there is no danger of being let through an imaginary backdoor.

The REAL danger is in the wiring...

From its origins to the advent of broadband, closed circuit television or CCTV systems were as the name suggests, a closed-circuit system and devices could only be accessed and viewed within this closed network.

With the progression of technology, the market has seen a shift towards open network systems that can be accessed from outside of the CCTV network via web browsers and applications for smartphones and computers alike. A key point of focus for manufacturers throughout the 21st century has been towards making the camera systems easier to remotely view through ever simpler to operate applications and software.

Whilst this improves the accessibility of the system and makes it easier to monitor, thought needs to be given to the downsides of creating this access. For example, with an online system, as with any online device, there is the potential for devices to be hacked or tampered with by unauthorized persons.

Manufacturers work hard to stay one step ahead of any potential security threats through regular firmware updates and use encrypted passwords on all cameras and system devices- this emphasises the importance of having a service package in place on your system to ensure such updates are periodically applied. Ultimately however, the most secure system will always be a closed network system.

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Security concerns have been raised by the UK government over the security of camera equipment from Chinese manufacturers but ultimately, any security concerns raised by these systems will also apply to a varying extent to any open networked camera system, regardless of manufacturer. We feel that at this point, it is important for companies with existing camera systems to not make any rash decisions and instead, consider whether they want their system to be a closed or open networked system.

Ultimately, the decision whether CCTV should remain on a closed circuit or not depends on various factors, including the legal requirements, ethical considerations, the specific use case and context, and the balance between privacy, security, access, and accountability. It’s important to carefully consider these factors and strike a balance that respects the rights and interests of all stakeholders involved.

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