CYBER ATTACK ON SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS

​With the rapid growth of internet of things (IoT), we are moving towards a smart organizations and smart cities concept. Though we are being promised greater efficiency, it also widens the threat of being exposed to those seeking to steal, alter, or cause harm to the IoT ecosystem. With the rise of cloud computing, remote access and monitoring, Ethernet based networks continue to grow tremendously which made it a target to intrusion and cyber-attack. 

​According to the technology research firm Gartner, more than 25% of cyber-attacks will involve IoT by 2020.  Surveillance systems are meant to give us a peace of mind but unfortunately without adequate security, these security tools provide entry to personal, corporate or governmental networks which cause confidential data to be stolen or malware planted in it.
While you are aware of the harm of cyber security, but how many of you are aware that these devices that are supposed to keep you safe are also prone to cyber-attacks? Are your Surveillance System safe?
For example, the Mirai malware attack in 2016 turned millions of IP Camera into bots. These cameras are used to attack some high-profile websites which made it the largest distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. Another great example is the incident just prior to President Donald Trump inauguration in 2017. The ransomware attack affected almost 70% of the police department’s video cameras in Washington DC. The attackers encrypted the data of most of the NVRs and requested for a ransom. The problem was resolved by taking all devices offline, removing all software and restarting every single system.

​With all these attacks happening, it is a must to focus on prevention rather than cure. To combat such issues, there are new technologies and methods that are designed to enhance cyber security for these surveillance devices. It is critical to protect your system against vulnerabilities such as hacking.  The way physical security and surveillance solutions are designed and implemented is important. It is also equally crucial for users to be aware that such devices that are designed to protect your confidential property and information can be used to seize sensitive personal and corporate information if not protected. 

​Reliable Video Evidence

​IDIS uses a proprietary integrity check algorithm called IDIS Chained Fingerprint. Every single neighbouring image is chained with a fingerprint value. This chained fingerprint value is stored along with the images, so whenever the stored images are exported, if this chain is broken, it signifies that there was a possible tampering of the images. This is incredibly important in terms of evidence since video footage is often dismissed from courts because tampering cannot be ruled out. In addition, IDIS video streams are protected by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) cryptographic protocols when communicating across a network, making them incredibly difficult to tamper with or alter.

Built-in Resilience

​IDIS also uses a proprietary and patent-protected database file system, IDIS iBank. This purpose-built file system provides every IDIS NVR and external eSATA storage device with high-performance playback and stable use of HDD disk drives. IDIS iBank automatically restores and restructures damaged index info within the HDD disk drives, making it possible for IDIS NVRs and external storage to run properly, even in extreme cases of damage, providing the stability and reliability for even the most mission-critical of surveillance operations.