by Brianna Crandall — October 24, 2018 — Viakoo, provider of an innovative proactive automated system and data verification solution for the security industry, introduced its Camera Firmware Update Manager (CFUM) at the ASIS Global Security Exchange (GSX) 2018 event in September. This solution provides capability across a distributed geography to automatically update firmware on surveillance cameras from one or more vendors, and performs these updates with a chain-of-trust method designed to ensure the integrity of the firmware.
CFUM adds to other foundational capabilities provided by Viakoo that help organizations achieve reliable and sustainable cyber hygiene.
Viakoo Camera Firmware Update Manager enables automatic cyber-secure firmware updates on surveillance cameras from various vendors across a distributed portfolio. Image courtesy Viakoo
In the past two years, a number of cyber threats have directly targeted networked Internet protocol (IP) surveillance cameras, including well-reported malware such as WannaCry, Devil’s Ivy, and Mirai. The solution to these growing threats has been to update the camera device firmware, yet for many organizations the time and cost of manually upgrading their camera devices is prohibitive. Viakoo’s CFUM is touted as the industry’s only solution, from a single management console, to automate firmware upgrades across a distributed security system with multiple camera vendors and video management system (VMS) manufacturers.
According to Bud Broomhead, CEO, Viakoo:
Firmware updates often include patches for security issues, and are released on an unpredictable schedule. Installed cameras, and even newly added cameras, may be connected to the network with outdated versions of software and, over time, fall even further behind, creating cyber vulnerabilities. It has been difficult for many firms to keep up with this changing environment by routinely identifying and cataloging the camera devices and their firmware status. Automating and managing firmware updates can provide assurance that your camera devices are running on the most recent and secure version of camera firmware.
Henrik Sydbo Hansen, group manager of Devices and Integrations at Milestone, pointed out:
For anyone who has many cameras or multiple sites — and particularly for anyone that has an extensive system with cameras from more than one manufacturer — keeping track of the firmware status of those cameras and applying the firmware updates in a timely manner is a real headache.
Viakoo’s CFUM makes it simple to navigate and update a large deployment of devices across an organization through a single management interface. It is a cost-effective and simple method to easily update firmware before out-of-date software or security problems become an issue. Viakoo has incorporated a firmware chain-of-trust mechanism to ensure that what is installed is correct and secure — a higher level of integration that helps reduce risk and simplifies the firmware update process.
For more information on the Camera Firmware Update Manager, visit the Viakoo website.
