Protecting Your Cloud Solutions at the Edge
A new cloud-based security solution for video surveillance and physical access control seemingly emerges monthly. Many solutions bring fresh and exciting capabilities in video analytics to crunch and store the video data.
Why the Cloud?
The primary appeal of cloud solutions is outsourcing the maintenance and management of a given solution with many inherent advantages. Computing power, disaster recovery, mobility, and automatic updates are just a handful of the benefits sought by Security Management when they consider a cloud-based solution. The oldest and biggest players in Video Management and Physical Access Control already offer a cloud version or have one on their roadmap.
Is the Cloud Risky?
Risks to the Cloud Service Provider (CSP) are many and not necessarily in the end user’s power. Users have reduced visibility and control of their assets with information in a data center somewhere. Internet-accessible management application programming interfaces (API) can be compromised by hackers or exploited by botnets. Insufficient due diligence increases cybersecurity risk if the end user does not plan appropriately or fails to protect the cloud-connected devices.
The Cloud Connection
The connection between the device and the cloud solution is typically encrypted, but devices are not often protected directly on-premises, except for a firewall at the network core. Razberi Monitor™ allows users to remotely monitor their network via the cloud as well as view all physical security assets and their cyber posture from a single dashboard.
Additionally, hardening at the edge, or “ground,” is critical. With many threats already directly targeting CSPs, it is not advisable to introduce another vulnerability layer by having an edge device exposed to on-premises threats. The network switch that the cloud-connected devices are using is critical in deciding what cloud devices are being used. It must provide power and data connectivity while shielding devices from potential threats introduced by inadvertent acts on-premises or by a more direct attack through unauthorized physical access. Many typical security installers lack the network skills to effectively cyber-harden a network switch. Hiring people to manually cyber-harden a network switch would be expensive and time-consuming, adding overhead to a project installation that is margin sensitive. With CameraDefense™, connected devices are secured within minutes using a simple wizard to protect against many common attacks and unintentional threats.
A cloud solution provides no advantage if the edge device is not working correctly. Therefore, monitoring video and audio streams and rebooting cameras automatically in the event of a video loss is incredibly valuable in maintaining system resilience. Switches enabled with CameraHealth™ will reduce the number of truck rolls to diagnose common issues, thereby preserving more project margin.
Controlling the Controllable
Cloud solutions are critical and require protection in the cloud as well as on the ground. So, be sure to control what you can from your ground-level position so you can maximize and protect your investment.
