Senetas Encryption Secures Closed Circuit TV
CCTV systems are being installed in ever increasing numbers to support the need for continuous surveillance in both the public and private environments. Given rapid growth in the number of installations and the sensitivity of the captured images the need for data encryption has become evident.
A wide range of facilities, including airports, train stations, critical CBD areas, banks and military applications now use CCTV systems. Multiple cameras constantly transmit images over high speed networks to remote monitoring centres thus creating comprehensive remote video surveillance systems.
The use of high speed networks has major advantages over traditional site-based systems:
• Simplified Image Storage. Removes requirement for local video recorders and the attendant management costs.
• Reduced System Costs. Reduces equipment and staffing costs and piggy backs on to existing network infrastructure. The use of high speed networks links however presents some challenges that need to be addressed in the overall design of the system:
• Confidentiality of data. The nature of the surveillance, particularly in the case of public venues and military bases, requires that the transmitted images be sent with full confidentiality to prevent readily available copper or optical taps eavesdropping on sensitive information.
• Support for emerging Technology. The rapid development of high definition networked CCTV cameras (which produce signals at resolutions of 1920*1080 pixels) provides a challenge to ensure that there is sufficient bandwidth available to maintain the quality of the transmitted images.
• Network Performance. The challenge lies in choosing an encryption solution that will not impact on the network performance and still allows sufficient bandwidth to retain image quality.
CCTV security concerns
The advent of gigabit Ethernet technology promises to change the way the industry uses networked cameras for machine vision. As an example, the ‘GigE Vision’ standard which has been developed by a group of 50 companies, provides an interface for networking high performance industrial cameras using the Ethernet.
Network links are very vulnerable to interception during transmission as the signal is sent across cable, fibre optic or other links. Commercial equipment to tap into the link is inexpensive and readily available and could be used to intercept and even alter images to prevent prosecution.
Encrypting the encoded video signal provides the privacy protection that is required by the users of surveillance systems.
Encryption considerations
Practical experience has shown that encryption technologies such as IPSec are not well suited to encrypting video images. The IPSec methodology requires the addition of further information into the communications stream which consumes bandwidth thus reducing the effective transfer of video images.
A preferred approach is to adopt encryption technologies such as Senetas layer 2 Ethernet encryption that provide full line rate encryption up to 10Gbps with low fixed latencies and no impact on the transmitted video quality even for the latest generation HD cameras
The Senetas high speed CN and CS families of network encryption hardware products are are accredited to the highest international government security standards (FIPS and Common Criteria). Customers include Government, military and law enforcement agencies in Australia, USA, Middle East, Asia, and the EU, as well as leading financial institutions.
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