As businesses wake up to the productivity, flexibility and security benefits that Internet of Things (IoT) technologies can deliver, the demand for security systems that capitalise on such advancements continues to grow. Rising security concerns and increasing urbanisation has meant that the video surveillance IP camera market has been flourishing, however, some companies still aren’t giving enough thought to the potential security ramifications and are unknowingly leaving personal data exposed to malicious third parties when using such devices.
There are an array of benefits to be had when connecting previously offline systems to a network. IP security systems, for example, give users the ability to respond to potential incidents in real-time, before a situation is escalated and then analysed retrospectively. However, what many businesses have struggled to identify is that these systems generate vast amounts of data that must be processed and stored, and therefore protected. IP CCTV, intrusion detection and access control solutions for example all generate personally identifiable information (PII) in the form of video, images and text-based data.
What is privacy by design?
In the past privacy and data protection has often been an afterthought, or even ignored entirely. That can no longer be the case. The arrival of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has signalled a new era where organisations will now be held accountable for the security of the data they hold.
To comply with the regulation, organisations need to be able to show they have implemented a privacy by design approach to their systems. This means data protection must be considered from the outset of any project and throughout its lifecycle – from building new systems for storing or accessing personal data, through to developing privacy, legislation, policy or strategies.
This is helping ensure businesses put robust data protection in place, but it’s worth remembering that the benefits go beyond compliance. A privacy by design approach to security system design protects your business from potential data breaches that could lead to financial or reputational damage it might not be able to recover from. That’s why it’s important to ensure you work with a systems integrator that keeps privacy and data protection in mind from the outset of any project.
A holistic approach to security system design
At NW Security Group, we offer a more holistic approach to security system design, considering data security and the impact on privacy when a system is designed. Our all-encompassing services walk you through the project, from consultancy and integration through to training and support, implementing good practice that ensures personal data is kept secure.
True data protection requires collaboration between the customer and integrator, which is where we believe NW Security Group excels. Working in partnership with our customers, we look at a system from every angle, providing assistance with security vulnerability risk assessments, security planning and, of course, GDPR compliance.
All factors are given equal consideration, as we understand that regulatory compliance is just as important as operational requirements and getting the specification of a high-performance security system right.
With in-depth knowledge of IT and security technologies, we’re able to help our customers get the most out of their IP-based security solution while ensuring robust data protection is put in place.
