Helping Integrators Strengthen Video Cybersecurity

Free March Networks GURU Smartphone App identifies video recorder configuration vulnerabilities and recommended fixes

Cybersecurity. Read any news portal or magazine, attend a tradeshow or conference and the topic is everywhere – and for good reason. With data breaches being reported almost daily and affecting how consumers choose to engage with once-trusted brands, the stakes for any business today are high. To help protect their data, organizations want to know that their networked devices are installed and configured as securely as possible and are looking to their service providers for assurances.

To help systems integrators improve the security of their video surveillance installations, March Networks® has incorporated a convenient Security Audit feature in its free GURU Smartphone App.

The audit capability automatically analyzes and rates how secure the configuration of installed March Networks video recorders is against a list of potential vulnerabilities. It then provides guidance on how to make the configuration more secure, such as changing a password that’s been left at the default setting or closing ports that don’t need to be open.

Technicians can act on the recommendations to further harden the system, and email a report to themselves, a supervisor or a customer for future reference — all using their smartphone or tablet and a wireless connection to the recorder.

“The Security Audit provides technicians with a very quick and convenient way of assessing the security of the configuration by running through a checklist and offering fixes for possible errors,” said Dan Cremins, March Networks’ Global Product Management Leader. “As we know, video surveillance devices are like any other on the network — they can be hacked if they aren’t securely configured, which can leave corporate networks and data vulnerable.

“Some vendors are providing integrators with guidelines to check recorders for configuration vulnerabilities, but as a leader in the video surveillance space, we’ve gone one step further.”

A checklist on a piece of paper can easily get lost, damaged or left to collect dust on a shelf. It takes time for a technician to go through it at the customer’s site and can be easily overlooked if they are in a hurry. GURU’s new Security Audit automates the process and instantly identifies configuration vulnerabilities.

“We’ve all seen media reports about hackers using security systems to access an enterprise environment,” said Cremins. “The GURU Security Audit is one way to reassure the installer and customer that the system has been configured in a secure manner. It’s a great addition to the many capabilities already available via the app and one we know our certified partners appreciate and use frequently.”

The March Networks GURU Smartphone App runs on iPhones, iPads and Android devices and can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play. It works in conjunction with the unique QR code on the front panel of every March Networks 8000 Series, 9000 Series and RideSafe Transit NVR to help technicians easily access a recorder’s serial number and warranty status, troubleshoot possible issues, process RMAs on the spot, and run valuable installation audits.

“The Installation Audit gives our partners and end users peace of mind knowing that the installation was performed properly,” said Cremins. “The Security Audit does the same thing by supplying partners and customers with a secure configuration verification report emailed directly from the technician’s GURU app.”

Learn more about March Networks’ video surveillance and video-based business intelligence solutions

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