How to Safeguard Your Company From Hackers

What would happen if a hacker gained access to your company’s video surveillance feed or your accounts? Protecting your surveillance system is just as crucial as physically securing your data. Hackers have become a rampant threat recently, and any insecure area might be a point of entry into your company’s network. You can safeguard your systems to avoid unauthorized access. Here's how.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

While you may or may not have heard of the exact term before, you likely use multi-factor authentication on a regular basis. The old way of logging into an account to prove yourself involved simply providing a username and password. However, that is only one level of proving your identity.

With multi-factor authentication, you provide an additional method of proof. This can be accomplished by having an email or text message sent to you with a verification code. This is a better way to confirm your identity since a hacker will not likely have access to your cell phone or email account.

Use Passwords Carefully

Approximately 54 percent of consumers use the same password across different accounts. The problem is once a hacker cracks the password for one account, the attacker can then try those same login credentials to gain access to the other accounts. Passwords are one form of identification that should be hard for others to simply guess.

Avoid using default login credentials. For example, if a default password is "Welcome1," all an attacker would have to do is figure out the company usernames, and they would be able to easily obtain access to everyone's accounts. Require employees to create unique passwords upon first login.

Many people use the name of their spouse, kid, or pet as their password. The problem with this approach is that this information can easily be found out online via a simple social network search. Therefore, exercise care when choosing your password. Use a long passphrase instead of a short password. Longer passphrases are harder to crack than shorter ones.

Use Unique Credentials

A myriad of security issues ensues when a company doesn't provide unique user identification. Avoid allowing employees to share login credentials. Instead, set up unique credentials for each person.

In the event of a breach, an IT security professional would not be able to correctly account for the identities of those who had access to the system. Additionally, former employees might still have access to the shared login information.

Use Best Practices

How often do you check for software updates? Hackers constantly try to break critical software. That is the reason why the manufacturers of your cell phone, tablet, laptop, and PC send out system updates so often.

As soon as a hacker finds a vulnerability and the software gets patched, the manufacturer sends out an update so that you can arm your device against the vulnerability. Devices that aren't being updated are insecure until you update them.

If you ever suspect that unauthorized access has occurred update everyone's passwordsimmediately so that any unauthorized access will be stopped.

Use Minimum Permissions

Abide by the principle of least privilege, which states that you should only give login access to someone if they need it explicitly to do their job. Determine specifically who should obtain access to your video surveillance system and limit access to only those individuals.

For example, an IT employee may need access to update the system software. However, a customer service employee probably would not need access to the video feed, unless they are a manager who is observing employee's behavior for security purposes.

At Phoenix Access Control we are knowledgeable on how to secure your video surveillance systems. We offer a wide range of the world's best access control and security camera systems. We personally install our systems and provide topnotch service at a reasonable price. Find out how we can help you safeguard your video surveillance system from hackers.