ESSENTIAL SECURITY
MINIMISING THE CYBER SECURITY THREAT TO IP NETWORK CAMERAS When practically all the major phones and tablets already support Wi-Fi 6, why would you design for anything less?
Uri underlines that the industry must remain vigilant
Uri Guterman, Head of Product & Marketing and Elaine Moran, Technical Support & Field Engineer for Hanwha Techwin Europe have jointly produced a jargon busting explanation of video surveillance cyber security terminology and a reminder that combatting the activities of hackers needs to remain a top priority.
Concerns about the ability of hackers to access live images (or retrieve recorded images captured by video surveillance cameras located in security sensitive areas) have been around for a while. Many manufacturers of professional level cameras have responded to the threat by introducing device network set-up protocols which do not allow for a default password, or one that has consecutive letters or numbers, to be used. However, hackers are likely to continue to look at other ways to gain access to data, including via a camera’s ‘back door’. Regardless of whether it is for criminal or malicious purposes, or just seen as a challenge by amateur hackers, it is essential that end-users’ confidential data is kept secure. This applies just as much to the many thousands of small businesses and homes that entrust video surveillance solutions to protect their assets as it is for high security and mission critical end-users, such as airports, banks, local authorities, government, military and emergency services.
DESIGNED WITH CYBER SECURITY IN MIND
quickly respond with effective countermeasures, to any cyber security threats. Manufacturers should also be using independent cyber security testing agencies to help them identify any vulnerabilities. However, as in all areas of life, prevention is better than the cure. This is why manufacturers such as Hanwha Techwin are equipping their latest generation of cameras with chipsets which have been developed from the ground up to minimise the risk of unauthorised access by hackers and the infiltration of malicious firmware. Whilst no manufacturer can offer 100% guarantee that their products will never be hacked, the next generation chipsets on the horizon are likely to incorporate a long list of technologies which will significantly improve the cyber security credentials of the cameras they are built into.
JARGON EXPLAINED
Some of these technologies are new and have been developed specifically to combat cyberattacks whilst others, which were originally
Most responsible manufacturers of video surveillance cameras should recruite appropriately skilled software engineers to quickly produce firmware updates as new threats emerge. At Hanwha Techwin, our Security Computer Engineering Response Team (S-CERT) is totally focused on addressing any potential security vulnerabilities in our Wisenet products and solutions. Members of the team have been hand-picked for their expertise in being able to identify, analyse and
38 APRIL 2021
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