Are Smart CCTV Cameras the Way of the Future?

After the rise and rise of the Smartphone over the last decade or so, it seems more and more of our electronic gadgets and appliances are becoming cleverer than their owners. These days, it’s possible to turn on the coffee machine, regulate the temperature in our home and order more Pedigree Chum all at the touch of a button, and from afar.

CCTV has long comprised an integral part of home security, deterring criminals from attempting a burglary and monitoring events when they do transpire. Now, it’s being given the Smart treatment to make it even more formidable a weapon in the fight against housebreaking and general hoodlummery.

Advantages of Smart cams

What sets Smart-enabled cams apart from their less sophisticated brethren? Well, the technology is still very much in its infancy, and a whole host of tweaks and updates are sure to be added in the coming years. However, at the present time, manufacturers are looking to equip their CCTV systems with such capabilities as:

• Facial recognition software, enabling home security to automatically recognise a person from their image on the camera and allow/deny entry to the property as a result
• Integrated alarm sensors to be placed on windows around the home, thus centralising all of the security in one central command unit
• Tracking car registration plates and monitoring traffic patterns to give up-to-the-minute information on potential transgressors and best routes for navigation
• The ability to control the security apps via text or voice commands
• The ability to recognise unconsciousness in a person and summon emergency services as a result

These are just some of the potential boons of adopting a Smart CCTV network in your home or business and they are all at varying stages of development – some are already on the market, others are still a few months or years away from completion. Any way you look at it, the future is exciting for surveillance.

Disadvantages of Smart cams

One possible pitfall arising from the integration of Smart cams with security systems is the potential for cyber-crime. With hacking an ever-increasing concern for businesses across the globe, there is the fear that an outside party could gain access to your centralised security system and disable it, thereby rendering the cameras and any additional security you have useless.

Of course, such a scenario would be devastating for any conscientious home or business owner looking to protect their assets. However, a few simple steps should be enough to prevent any opportunistic attackers from infiltrating your system. These include:

• Keep your camera’s firmware up to date
• Change the default password which came with the camera to a more personalised one
• Enable WPA2 encryption for all of your Smart devices
• Make sure your internet network is secure from outsiders, chiefly through the deployment of an unbreakable password

Following these guidelines should be enough to prevent hackers from compromising your security system and gaining access to your premises.

County Limerick to trial Smart CCTV network this year

Over in Ireland, the County of Limerick is set to roll out a network of between 50 and 75 Smart cameras later this year in a bid to prevent crime and improve public safety in rural towns and villages. The project is expected to cost around €500,000, with €350,000 of that figure being devoted to the cameras’ purchase and installation and the remaining sum reserved for their maintenance.

The project will be funded partly by the local council and partly by the government, and is being welcomed by local councillors. A statement read:

“The aim of the pilot is to develop an integrated Smart CCTV system that can serve local communities in the longer term and can be expanded if more funding becomes available in the future. We have commenced a technical assessment to document the CCTV systems in use by the council and to define the standard technical capabilities required for the CCTV.”

Protect your property with Blackburn Alarms

If you’re concerned about the safety of your property, it’s wise to update the security systems which monitor it, Smart or not. At Blackburn Alarms, we have a whole host of intruder alerts, CCTV security cameras and access control systems to increase safety and give you peace of mind. To find out more about how we can help secure your home or workplace, get in touch with us today.