Sabotage CCTV systems protection. Werewolves at the monitors

Situations when security and CCTV operators harm companies are not surprising. These are common ways of employees ‘ sabotage: from collaboration to valuable goods’ theft to motivation for inaction. At the same time, surveillance cameras can be incapacitated in a rather sophisticated and invisible way. Such an example is a needle specifically stuck in a coaxial cable: it leads to temporary “blindness” of the camera. This article will discuss popular ways to interfere with the surveillance system and, most importantly, measures to protect it.

Five types of employee interference in the CCTV system

Initially, you need to understand that video control operators are ordinary people who can be exposed to human weaknesses, temptations and pressure from interested parties.

IMPORTANT: We’re not accusing anyone. Our goal is to organize information about how employees interfere in the video monitoring system and give an up-to-date solution to the problem.

Falsification

Pursuing the same goal falsifications can take a different look:

• intentional absence or deterioration of the image;
• equipment hovering;
• temporary absence of video signal;
• pouring video recorder and remotes with liquids (coffee, tea, soup);
• use of monitors for no purpose (to watch movies, for example).

Interception of the data flow

Video streaming interception is possible if the content is placed on a local server or publicly available video recorder. It is possible to intercept the feed before the security service reviews it.

Blind zones and spots

An unscrupulous employee planning an offence (e.g. theft at an enterprise) approaches the event carefully. He usually relies on dead zones.

A dead or blind CCTV zone is a weak link in the video surveillance system, so when designing it, you need to minimize those areas that are out of the video camera’s sight.  

Power outage

Real power outages occur due to short circuits or network breaks.  In most cases, flawed or ill-conceived installation is to blame. How to kill the video monitoring system during installation read in this article.

If we talk about intentional interference in the operator’s system, the harmful practice of disabling power is often used. Based on the fact that video cameras are energy-dependent equipment, video and video broadcasting stop during power outages.

Misreaction

Incorrect actions of the operator in a normal or emergency situation can sign the operator’s interference in the system. Even though each operator should have official instruction, many people get lost, and others use events to take advantage.

Examples of misreaction include inaction, loss of time, and conscious incident concealment. 

Three strategic ways to protect the system

Surveillance systems are protected with such comprehensive measures as:

• access delimitation;
• the presence of a video camera in the operator’s office;
• cross-video surveillance;
• equipment and cables protection, including installation in inaccessible places;
• cables and storage rooms disguise or opt for cloud storage;
• other methods and ways of protection.

If you organize ways of operators protection from the crime influence, they can be divided into three groups (you can use them separately and in combinations), namely:

1. Conspiracy.
2. Contacts.
3. Control.

Let’s talk more about each group.

Conspiracy

The purpose of the conspiracy is that operators’ environment should not be aware of their work activity. Accordingly, operators are shielded from possible pressure by intruders or contacts with them.

If the operating rooms are located in the company’s territory, take several possible steps:

1. Ban taking photos of operators in the workplace and posting pictures on social networks.
2. Prohibit a discussion of professional topics and issues with both outsiders and family.
3. Distinguish communication between the staff of video surveillance operators and other employees.
4. Avoid the wearing of a uniform indicating the operator’s type of activity.

Contacts

To protect security and video surveillance officers from the influence of criminal gangs, you need to:

• collect up-to-date information about the communication circle of operators;
• check the operator’s living conditions for “living beyond their means”;
• conduct regular training (training);
• carry out systematic checks of employees on a polygraph;
• perform random rotations of employees (change shifts and objects);
• ban on the telephone and other conversations during work shifts;
• apply material incentives when responding quickly to incidents;
• use employees from several third-party security organizations and create cross-surveillance conditions.

Control

The purpose of the monitoring strategy is to carry out systematic checks or constant monitoring of the security system’s integrity.

IMPORTANT: Control measures must be recorded.

The use of biometric identification techniques in combination with intelligent video surveillance is an effective control method.

Instead of conclusion

Dealing with measures to combat operators’ sabotage and interference in the video monitoring system, you need to pay attention to employees’ internal state. Social tone and sense of responsibility, high moral principles and a sense of team cohesion are essential. We should not forget about measures of financial incentives for employees who perform their duties qualitatively. Thus, you can protect your business from werewolves at the monitors.