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NVR vs. Cloud Security: Why Verkada’s Hybrid Model Beats Them All

California-based startup Verkada is offering a solution that closes the security gaps associated with traditional NVR/DVR and cloud surveillance systems.

By Carlos FoxPublished 4 years ago 4 min read
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California-based startup Verkada is offering a solution that closes the security gaps associated with traditional NVR/DVR and cloud surveillance systems.

Filip Kaliszan, the company’s CEO, dove headfirst into the industry after being troubled by how many security systems still operate off of technology from the ‘80s and ‘90s. “These solutions are built by guys who are used to building hardware. Most organizations are running NVR/DVRs on an infrastructure built in the ‘90s,” Kaliszan said.

Through system hacks and port openings, companies are finding new ways to access NVR footage remotely, not realizing that they are, in fact, weakening their security efforts and exposing their systems to major threats.

“People want to view things remotely, but they’re using cameras that were never meant to be used that way,” Kaliszan continued. “So people are using workarounds that leave the cameras open to attacks.”

These hacked together solutions are hardware centric, relying on legacy NVR (Network Video Recorder) systems and IP cameras to display video remotely through a network cable. Storage for such systems is typically handled with a disk drive or memory card. These systems have easily exploitable weaknesses due to their open port workarounds that make them particularly vulnerable to hackers.

For example, the recently discovered vulnerability, “Peekaboo” made it possible for hackers to hijack cameras, spy through these cameras remotely, and even alter recordings. Hackers were able to replace the live feed of a camera with an image of the area being monitored, allowing criminals to enter and exit the building while escaping detection.

Then of course, there’s the single-point-of failure risk with an NVR system. NVR software has to be manually updated, a chore which can be frequently neglected by a busy team or understaffed IT department. NVR cameras stop working during a power outage, and NVR failure can cause footage to be lost from all cameras. Finding footage requires video files to be sifted through manually. Should a camera go out of service, businesses are relying on staff members to notice.

When purchasing an NVR system, businesses have to pay for software, hardware, installation, and IT support. Additionally, NVR systems can’t “learn” the way a more AI-friendly system might, making it a limited resource that will inevitably need to be replaced somewhat regularly.

With cloud-based systems, businesses feel a false sense of security. IT professionals are able to easily install hardware and software updates, and with consistent hypervigilance, physical and cyber attacks are more easily prevented. However, cloud-based systems are deeply costly to a business, especially at scale. They utilize a large amount of bandwidth, and should the internet fail, staff no longer have access to a live stream or related footage. IP cameras can also open up vulnerabilities with port forwarding, often come with default passwords that not all users know how to change, and may need a user to actively turn on encryption.

The Hybrid Model Difference

Verkada has set out to offer security solutions that don’t have these vulnerabilities or shortcomings. In the short time the company has been operational, they’ve built an impressive customer base including schools, hotels, manufacturing facilities, banks, and more. After adopting Verkada’s security technology, Joseph Martin, Police Chief of the city of Parkersburg, WV states, “We’ve jumped 10 years ahead from where we were just a year ago.”

Verkada’s mission is to “modernize the world of physical security,” and they accomplish this by combining “cutting-edge camera technology with intelligent, web based software.” Verkada offers fully-functioning cameras that can be installed by clients right out of the box and used within 15-30 minutes of installation. The cameras are equipped with built-in authentication protocols and an ever-evolving software architecture that receives weekly updates, automatically.

Recordings can be live streamed to any authorized device, removing the need for traditional security monitors and on-premises servers. In the event that the internet crashes, businesses are still covered. Verkada’s hybrid-cloud architecture allows for storage both on the physical camera and on the cloud. If needed, clients can use Verkada’s offline mode and access the local stream, which transmits data over the LAN to deliver a nearly real-time feed. This mode requires authentication to the Command system, which is still accessible during an outage.

Verkada’s hybrid-cloud allows each camera to store up to four months’ worth of footage locally, all while cameras send a stream of thumbnail images and related metadata to the cloud every 20 seconds. This uplink only costs 20 kbps per camera, a stark difference with the typical 1-2 mbps per traditional IP camera. At this rate, organizations can utilize over 100 hybrid-model cameras at the same bandwidth of 1-2 typical IP cameras.

Kaliszan predicts that Verkada’s cameras’ AI will soon reach a point of facial recognition sophistication that schools and businesses would be able to use to warn personnel of unauthorized visitors. For now, the cameras’ AI can identify traffic patterns, heat signatures, vehicles, and people.

Additionally, Verkada’s intuitively-designed, activity-based indexing allows each camera to automatically scan footage. Its software also logs and charts periods in which motion is detected, making it easier to search a camera’s historical footage by selecting suspicious areas within the frame via the web interface. Once a specific area is selected, users have the option to export the clip with authorized users as an MP4 or share the link via email or SMS.

This feature is not only helpful to those contained within the enterprise. As John Spirko of Equinox Fitness Club has found, Verkada security systems provide benefits beyond their own organization. “I’ve gotten great responses and feedback from law enforcement – whether it’s a live feed or an archived clip, they’re excited to be working with the software because it makes them better at their jobs.”

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