October 8, 2004—Axcess International, a provider of RFID and video surveillance systems for physical security and supply chain management, recently re-affirmed the necessity of the embedded security features in its network-based video system to ensure against unauthorized access where other devices such as Webcams are now vulnerable. The warning comes amidst recent news of Webcams being hacked by unauthorized users, thereby compromising the security system and privacy of corporations.
Network-based video systems provide live digital video for enterprise surveillance applications. Their use is growing rapidly because of their lower overall cost and their flexibility for viewing surveillance video over the existing corporate network and Internet, explains Axcess. Network video cameras and transmitters are often referred to as “IPTV” appliances because they use the TCP/IP standard communications protocol familiar to other network devices such as computers and printers. Network-based video continues to supplant coaxial cable-based analog CCTV cameras in state of the art security systems because digital video can use existing corporate network facilities as well as the Internet.
Webcams have become popular as they are lower cost versions of network-based security video cameras, but they often do not have the necessary anti-hacking and other network security features built in, explains Axcess. Recently, a Web site provided the exact computer programming code for hackers to compromise these lower-end Webcams and tap into corporate surveillance video.
The Axcess LANcam & LANconnect products feature multiple “user rights” levels, encrypted log-in, and password entry to properly validate remote user information, says Axcess. A built-in mini-firewall prevents unwanted users from accessing video from, or obtaining administrative access into the devices.
The Axcess Prism Video products (including cameras, transmitters, recorders, and software) offer a complete, networked digital video system for the enterprise providing remote and local CCTV to the desktop for video surveillance and recording. The Prism compression technology is “best in class,” allowing video to be viewed live on any network computer using minimal network bandwidth, recorded, and retrieved on demand, as well as easily stored for archiving. Cameras and transmitters can utilize any transmission facility including standard phone lines, ISDN, LAN, Internet, cellular, or other facilities.
Axcess says that their high speed, real-time video and audio provide true visibility into operations to reduce theft and terrorism, increase criminal apprehensions, improve life safety, improve enterprise operations, observe sales programs, and monitor compliance with both legal and corporate guidelines.
