Protecting Video Systems and Sensitive Video Data
Volume 5
Protecting Video Systems and Sensitive Video Data
By John Merlino , Business Development Manager , Government , Axis Communications , Inc .
According to Army LTG Alan R . Lynn , the direction of the Defense Information Systems Agency ( DISA ), cyberattacks on government installations used to be a gentlemanly sport . Hackers would sniff around the systems , watch for a while , maybe take a little information and then quietly leave . Now the enemy is kicking in the doors and moving fast to snatch and grab everything they can . Defending against this new type of cyberattack requires evolving ever more sophisticated strategies and programs to protect government surveillance systems and data . This battle to stay ahead of the cyber threat curve raises both technical challenges and ethical questions about the balance between sovereignty , national security and the right to privacy . These issues not only extend to the systems and data under government purview but also those of their vendors and supply chain .
June 2016 Edition
Which Layer is Most Vulnerable to Attack ?
What should government worry about most – a potential breach into the entire eco-system via the video device / application or the unauthorized access to sensitive video data ? It depends on who you ask and the value of the data and systems they ’ re using . End users such as the Chief Information Officer , field agents , intelligence officers and other functional users look at the situation from a different perspective than system integrators and hardware / software vendors . But in truth , the two layers are so intertwined that any security measures by necessity need to protect both . To successfully manage this holistic approach to cyber security , however , Physical Security Teams need to work closely with the Logical / IT Security Teams to understand each other ’ s policies and associated risks .
Hardening the Video Management System ( VMS )
Many government IT departments treat the VMS as just another application on the network . They generally employ a standard operating procedure such as virtualization to harden the system . Creating virtual servers on existing machines provides isolated , independent environments in which to test new applications or operating systems without affecting other applications . Server virtualization also enables government agencies to employ redundancy – running the same application on multiple servers – without purchasing additional hardware . If a server fails for any reason another server running the same application can automatically take its place , which minimizes any interruption in service . Another best practice IT departments commonly use is to deploy a static “ build or image ” on the server . This not only ensures consistent behavior throughout the entire eco-system , it also drastically reduces the uptime necessary to restore the solution in the event of system or user anomalies . Image-based backup captures a picture of the entire workstation or server and stores it as a unique point in time . If an agency needs to rebuild or virtualize a machine due to damage or disaster , they can quickly restore all of the files , applications and operating systems . Another basic best practice organizations should adopt is the deployment of firewalls to keep destructive elements out of a network or specific computer . Firewalls can be configured in system devices or applications or both and contain specific criteria to block or prevent unauthorized access to a network .
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