Page 14 - Security Today, January/February 2019

One of the risks we run with adding an ever-increasing number of sensors to our systems is that security personnel can be inundat- ed with minor events, major alarms, and notifications. This in itself can be a security risk. For example, when an operator receives more alarms than they can respond to or a significant number of false- positive alarms, their reaction can be to either ignore incoming alerts or turn off reporting.
Investing in a collaborative decision management system (CDMS) to automate workflows and guide security personnel through tasks and decisions can alleviate this burden. A CDMS, like Genetec Mis- sion Control, provides security personnel with increased situational intelligence, visualization, and complete incident management ca- pabilities. By ensuring a timely flow of information, it allows them to make better-informed decisions when faced with routine tasks or unanticipated situations.
A CDMS can also help organizations move beyond simple event and alarm management. Working in real-time, a CDMS automatically analyzes the data it collects and qualifies from different security sys- tems as well as thousands of sensors and devices. This enables it to spot the most complex situations and incidents and determine whether or not security personnel should be sent to investigate potential threats. Once decided, the system can then guide security personnel in their re- sponses following pre-defined processes and compliancy requirements.
Network Security is Everyone’s Responsibility
The last, and perhaps most far-reaching, challenge associated with our increased connectivity over the internet is cyber security. In order
to leverage all the advantages of the IoT, we are essentially creat- ing incredibly large networks with thousands of connected devices. Given that our systems are only ever as secure as their least secure element, even a single unprotected camera or door controller that still has its factory-set default password can be all the attack surface a cybercriminal needs to gain access to an organization’s network.
There are several ways to mitigate the risks of criminal cyber activity, including advanced encryption, authentication, and autho- rization. Encrypting data both in transmission and at rest protects private information and enhances the security of communication be- tween client apps and servers. Authentication keeps data from getting into the wrong hands by preventing unauthorized access and autho- rization allows administrators to restrict the scope of activity within your system by providing access rights to groups or individuals for resources, data, or applications and by defining what users can do with these resources.
Given the substantial rewards for criminal cyber activity, in- cluding financial gain, access to valuable data, or system control, cyberattacks will continue to evolve. Organizations must not only protect themselves today, but must also lay the groundwork to con- tinue to mitigate against the risk of future threats. As we continue to discover the myriad insights and advantages to
be found in the IoT, protecting ourselves against criminal cyber activity will not only be good for business, it will also help foster a safer global community.
Jimmy Palatsoukas is the product marketing director at Genetec.
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