Auditing Security Devices Debrief
- Modern security devices connect to your network, which makes them a potential cyber target as well as a physical safeguard.
- The most common weaknesses are default passwords, out of date firmware and devices exposed to the open internet.
- Compromised cameras and devices can be used to spy, steal footage or reach the rest of your network.
- An audit starts with knowing exactly what connected devices you have.
- Changing default credentials, updating firmware and separating devices onto their own network close most of the risk.
- This is an ongoing task, not a one off, as new threats and devices appear.
- A good security provider can carry out and maintain this audit for you.
Why Connected Security Devices Are a Target
It seems odd that a security device could be a security risk, but the logic is simple. Anything connected to your network and reachable from outside is a potential doorway, and security devices are often the least protected things on the network.
Cameras, recorders, alarm panels and access controllers are frequently built for function rather than cyber security. Many ship with default passwords, receive firmware updates rarely, and get installed by people focused on the physical job rather than the network side. Once in place, they tend to be left alone for years.
Attackers exploit exactly this. Compromised security cameras have been hijacked to form botnets, used to steal and sell footage, and used as a quiet foothold to move deeper into a company’s systems. A device watching your car park should not become the weakest point in your entire network, but without attention that is often what happens.
Step 1: Find Out What You Actually Have
You cannot secure what you do not know about. The first step in any audit is building a complete list of every connected device tied to your security.
Work through your premises and record:
- Every camera, including older ones and any added piecemeal over the years.
- Recorders and storage devices, whether on site or cloud connected.
- Alarm panels and sensors that connect to the network.
- Access control readers, controllers and door devices.
- Any smart or connected additions, such as video doorbells or intercoms.
For each, note the make, model, where it is, and whether it can be reached from outside your network. This inventory is the foundation of everything that follows, and it often reveals forgotten devices that no one has thought about in years.
Step 2: Check for Default and Weak Passwords
The single most common weakness in connected security devices is the password that came in the box. Many devices ship with a standard username and password that is publicly known, and if it was never changed, anyone can find it.
For every device on your list, confirm that the default login has been changed to a strong, unique password. A device still using its factory credentials is effectively unlocked, no matter how good the rest of your security is.
Where a device supports it, enable additional protection such as two factor authentication, and make sure each device has its own credentials rather than sharing one password across everything. If a single shared password leaks, you do not want it opening every device you own.
Step 3: Check Firmware and Updates
Firmware is the software that runs a device, and like any software it needs updating to fix security flaws. Out of date firmware is one of the main ways attackers get into connected devices, because known weaknesses stay open long after the manufacturer has issued a fix.
For each device, check what firmware it is running and whether updates are available. Devices that are behind should be updated, ideally on a regular schedule rather than only when someone remembers.
This step also surfaces a harder problem. Some older devices no longer receive updates at all, because the manufacturer has stopped supporting them. A device that can never be patched again is a permanent risk, and the honest conclusion is often that it needs replacing rather than keeping.
Step 4: Check What Is Exposed to the Internet
Many security devices are set up so they can be viewed remotely, which is useful, but it can also leave them reachable by anyone on the internet if it is done carelessly. Devices exposed directly to the open internet are among the easiest for attackers to find and target.
Check how remote access to your devices is arranged. Cameras and recorders should not be sitting openly on the internet with only a password between them and the world. Secure remote access should go through a properly protected route, such as a reputable cloud platform or a secure connection, rather than exposing the device directly.
If you are not sure how your remote access is configured, that uncertainty is itself a reason to have it checked. This is one of the areas where a professional can quickly tell whether you are exposed.
Step 5: Separate Devices From Your Main Network
Even a well maintained device can develop a flaw, so a key principle is to limit the damage if one is ever compromised. The most effective way to do this is network segmentation, which means putting your security devices on their own separate network, kept apart from the computers and systems that run your business.
The reason is containment. If a camera on an isolated network is compromised, the attacker is stuck on that segment and cannot easily jump across to your files, finance systems or customer data. Without this separation, one weak device can become a route to everything.
For most businesses, setting this up properly is a job for whoever manages the network, working alongside your security provider. It is one of the highest value steps in the whole audit, because it reduces the impact of anything the other steps might miss.
Step 6: Review Who Has Access
Finally, look at who can see and control your security devices and footage. Access should be limited to the people who genuinely need it, and no wider.
Check who has logins to your cameras, recorders and access control, remove any accounts belonging to people who have left, and make sure former staff and old contractors no longer have a way in. Where possible, give people only the level of access their role requires, rather than full control for everyone.
This matters for data protection as well as cyber security. Footage of identifiable people is personal data under UK GDPR, so keeping access tight is part of handling that data responsibly.
Make It a Habit, Not a One-Off
An audit is not a job you do once and file away. New devices get added, new threats appear, firmware moves on and staff change. A system that was secure last year can drift out of date without anyone noticing.
Build a simple routine. Revisit your device inventory periodically, apply firmware updates on a schedule, review access when people join or leave, and re-check your exposure from time to time. Treating this as ongoing maintenance, in the same way you service a fire alarm, keeps the risk low rather than letting it quietly build.
Protecting the Systems That Protect You
Connected security devices bring real benefits, from remote viewing to smarter alerts, but those benefits come with a responsibility to secure the devices themselves. Left unchecked, the very systems meant to protect your business can become its weakest point.
Working through this audit, knowing what you have, locking down passwords and firmware, controlling exposure and access, and separating devices from your main network, closes the great majority of the risk. Do it regularly and your security systems stay an asset rather than a liability.
Work With Croma For Full Security Peace of Mind
At Croma Fire & Security, we install and maintain connected security systems with cyber risk in mind, from secure configuration and firmware management to advice on protecting your devices on the network. We can review your existing systems and help you close the gaps.
If you would like your connected security devices assessed for cyber risk and upgraded, contact Croma Fire & Security today to speak with one of our experienced security specialists.
