Page 42 - Security Today, September/October 2023

Banking on the Cloud Cloud migration flourishes, but some cybersecurity questions persist By Hans Kahler Walk the GSX or ISC West show floor and and can be accessed at anytime from anywhere. Banks are staffed by experts who know how to manage and you will see ample evidence that cloud has arrived. Cloud (and cloud-like) vid- protect your money. Similarly, a true cloud provider has a team of eo surveillance providers are entering the professionals solely focused on protecting the security and integrity of your video data. It is the bread and butter of what they do. They market and exhibiting at trade shows. Cloud migration is only expected to accelerate in coming years. monitor for problems; patch known vulnerabilities and constantly update the video management system with the latest features. Industry analyst firm Novaira Insights, in January forecasted the number of cloud-connected cameras in the United States will To have a similar level of service with your on-premises video increase at an 80 percent CAGR through 2026. Even the large leg- system, you would need to hire a team of IT experts or get your reseller to visit all your locations daily to check on updates and acy VMS players want in on cloud. We have seen them creating new cloud products or acquiring cloud companies in the past year. perform regular and proactive maintenance checks. As quickly as businesses are moving to the cloud, some ques- I do not trust the internet and I am worried about cloud com- puting. I need some reassurance. Business owners and resellers tions and misconceptions – generally having to do with cyberse- curity – persist. Here are five frequent questions we hear, followed do not necessarily think about it, but most business systems have by answers that explain how and why a trusted true cloud pro- already moved to the cloud. ERP systems and CRMs are cloud- based. Everyone uses online banking; people pay bills and taxes vider offers superior cybersecurity protection. Is it safe to put your video surveillance data in the cloud? To online. Cloud systems are used to manage business data, schools, medical information. Businesses and individuals trust the cloud answer this question, I like the bank analogy. Putting your video with all kinds of personal, private and confidential data. Video is data in the cloud is like putting your money in the bank, while keeping your video data onsite is like putting your money under just another kind of data. Of course, trust is an important part of the equation. It is al- your mattress. Most people opt for the bank over the mattress. Why is that? It is because you trust banks to physically safeguard ways important to vet any cloud vendor, their credentials, audits your cash, to take care of it in transit and to make it readily avail- completed, and to learn if they have a history of cybersecurity problems, but the bottom line is that many standard business sys- able to you when you need it. If your bank is in Austin, Texas, but you’re in Portland, Maine, tems are cloud-based. Video surveillance just happens to be one of the last systems to move to cloud. you can go to an ATM and securely withdraw cash. The same is true with cloud, your video data is secured, cared for in transit Can cloud help if video data is lost? Yes. Redundancy is an Shutterstock.com/ Fit Ztudio 42 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 | SECURITY TODAY CYBERSECURITY