Securing Your Avigilon System Against Unauthorized Access
An Avigilon surveillance system is a powerful tool for protecting your assets, but its effectiveness depends on its own security. Unauthorized access can lead to data breaches, tampering with evidence, and a complete loss of situational awareness. This guide provides actionable steps to identify, respond to, and prevent unauthorized access to your Avigilon Control Center (ACC) and connected devices.
## Immediate Steps to Take if You Suspect a Breach
If you have any reason to believe your system has been compromised, you must act quickly to contain the threat.
- Isolate the System: If feasible, disconnect the Avigilon server and cameras from the external network (the internet). This can prevent a remote attacker from continuing to access the system.
- Force Password Resets: Immediately change the passwords for all user accounts, starting with all administrator-level accounts. Ensure the new passwords are strong and unique.
- Review Access Logs: Begin a detailed review of the ACC event logs. Look for login attempts from unknown IP addresses, access at unusual times of the day, or unfamiliar user accounts.
- Preserve Evidence: Take backups or snapshots of log files and system configurations before making significant changes. This information is crucial for any subsequent investigation.
## Proactive Measures to Prevent Unauthorized Access
The best defence is a proactive one. Implementing robust security practices is essential for protecting your Avigilon installation.
### 1. Strengthen User and Access Management
- Strong Password Policy: Enforce a policy that requires long, complex passwords (a mix of upper/lower case letters, numbers, and symbols) that are changed every 90 days.
- Principle of Least Privilege: Do not give every user administrator rights. Create user groups with specific permissions tailored to their job roles. An operator who only needs to view live video does not need rights to change camera settings or delete footage.
- Disable Default Accounts: Always change the default password on all cameras and devices from the factory setting (e.g., 'admin/admin').
### 2. Harden Your Network
- Network Segmentation: Your surveillance system should be on a separate network or VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) from your main corporate or guest networks. This contains any potential breach and prevents attackers from moving laterally between systems.
- Firewall Configuration: Use a firewall to restrict access to the Avigilon server and cameras. Only allow connections from trusted IP addresses and on the specific ports required for the system to function. Block all other traffic.
- Disable Unused Ports: Physically and logically disable any unused network ports on your switches and on the server itself to reduce the attack surface.
### 3. Maintain System Health and Updates
- Regularly Update Software: Consistently check for and install the latest updates for the Avigilon Control Center (ACC) software. These updates frequently contain critical security patches.
- Update Camera Firmware: Just as important as updating the ACC software is updating the firmware on every camera. Camera firmware patches vulnerabilities that could be exploited to gain access.
- System Audits: Schedule regular audits of your system. Review user lists, check permissions, and look through logs for any anomalies.
By treating the security of your surveillance system with the same seriousness as your physical security, you can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and ensure your Avigilon solution remains a trusted and reliable asset.