EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
WAI KING WONG , COUNTRY MANAGER ANZ , AXIS
COMMUNICATIONS
Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A + Q + A +
It is imperative that the vendors who make and distribute physical devices have cyber safety at the very core of their company DNA . Looking for potential cost savings while ignoring the pedigree of the vendor is just no longer a viable option in the modern world , where cyberattacks are a constant threat . A vendor should have a thorough cyber-hardening plan in place , which evaluates all potential threat vectors and moves to eliminate them .
Regular firmware updates from the vendor will ensure that operational software is up-to-date , and patched against the latest cyberthreats , as well as maintaining proper integration with other leading solutions that may need to interact with that device , thus ensuring that all devices , solutions and operating software work together to toughen an integration against attack .
This also accounts for integrators who provide managed services – it is imperative that devices are constantly updated and upgraded , to ensure they do not have vulnerabilities . A security ecosystem is no
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A VENDOR SHOULD HAVE A THOROUGH CYBER- HARDENING PLAN IN PLACE , WHICH EVALUATES ALL POTENTIAL THREAT VECTORS AND MOVES TO ELIMINATE THEM .
longer a set-and-forget prospect but needs constant maintenance and vigilance . Therefore , taking a pro-active approach to maintaining a camera ’ s operational efficiency and cyber safety is an absolute must .
Working closely with other vendors in a secure ecosystem of solutions is becoming ever-more important also . With deeper and more prevalent integrations between complementary technologies , vendor partners need to work closely with one another in an effort to ensure that solutions are secure at every stage of development and deployment .
Educating partner companies as well as integrators is imperative , and therefore it becomes increasingly important for vendors to maintain close ties , and work with one another to reach out to the broader security community and interact on education programs , seminars and workshops .
The physical construction of a device is perhaps the most overlooked element of cybersecurity . However , many products and their components are made and assembled across several manufacturing plants , often in different countries .
It is not uncommon for a camera to have its physical structure made in one country , lenses in another , computing chip in a third , wiring in a fourth , and then assembled in yet another country .
This exposes that device to risk – each step of the process holds risk of tampering and interference from external sources , and the less control a vendor has over the design , engineering and manufacturing process of their products , the more exposed to risk those products are .
Ideally , a vendor will own and control all elements of this manufacturing process in-house , with layers of security built into every step of a camera ’ s journey – however , this is not often the case . It is important to examine a camera ’ s pedigree very carefully before deploying it and making sure that it has a trustworthy lineage .
Cybersecurity is always a concern and must be top-of-mind at every level . Ensuring critical components of a security ecosystem such as cameras and other hardware are as risk-free as possible and reduces the overall risk of bad actors and foreign powers infiltrating private and public organizations and helps protect the interests of governments and individuals .
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