Page 25 - Security Today, May/June 2020

at the scene of an incident must be verifiably authentic for it to be considered acceptable as evidence. This is particularly relevant for right now, as bleeding-edge technology has enabled the astonishingly realistic counterfeits known as deepfakes.
Deepfakes are videos that replace the face of one person with an- other using artificial neural networks. Using this technology, it is pos- sible to make any individual appear to be saying anything at all; for example, a CEO could be shown making racist or explicit comments. With this new threat, chain of custody becomes even more of a criti- cal issue for surveillance video.
The best video surveillance solutions ensure that all video and au- dio captured during an event are protected and securely stored, creat- ing evidence files that are easily managed and validated. This should be equally true for the metadata contained within the video, which as noted can be a highly significant element of the evidence needed for court. The chain of custody should be automatically logged by the system, making it easy and fast to comply with any requested audits and documentation.
A Complex Function
In order to demonstrate that the files have not been tampered with, it is ideal to have the video stored in a proprietary and encrypted for- mat. Hashing, a complex function used to defeat hacking, is another strong protection for stored video. When a specific piece of video is needed, you should be able to pull an unencrypted copy, redacted
as needed, without affecting the integrity and authentication of the original. Each required redaction and edit should happen on a sepa- rate tracked file, so that it is possible to trace all changes.
Most organizations are now moving towards some type of combi- nation of local and cloud storage rather than keeping all video on local servers. Cloud storage delivers both cost and time savings and makes it more convenient to retain video for much longer periods of time.
This is essential as it may be years between the time when an in- cident takes place and the need for specific evidence in an arrest or trial. In order to best retain video, it makes sense to use a hybrid solu- tion that automates storage and archiving while preserving all verifi- cation of evidence.
Ultimately, the accountability for risk mitigation at any organization falls to the security department, IT and the C-suite. All three are similar- ly potential targets for personal liability in the case of any criminal activ- ity. This considerable responsibility includes being tasked with the ability to maintain video evidence that is impeccable and unimpeachable.
By choosing a video surveillance solution that enables spotless storage, archiving and transferring, you can minimize any potential chain of custody issues that could invalidate the video as evidence. It’s the most responsible way to manage video documentation across your entire organization.
William (Bill) Brennan is the president of Pansonic i-PRO Sensing So- lutions (PIPSA).
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