Surveillance Systems

(OBJ 1.2)

Surveillance System

• Organized strategy or setup designed to observe and report activities in a given area
• Maintain the security and safety of facilities, including business, home, or commonly used public areas
• Traditional security guards and high-tech sensors both aim to monitor for suspicious or harmful activities
• Surveillance systems often combine various tools and techniques to monitor, detect, and respond to potential threats or unusual activities
• "Keep an eye for suspicious or harmful activities"

4 main categories of surveillance

Surveillance is often comprised of four main categories

• Video Surveillance

  • The use of video cameras and beyond
  • Can include the following
    • Motion detection
    • Night vision
    • Facial recognition
    • Remote access
  • Provides real-time visual feedback and the capability to review the recorded footage after an incident
  • Security Cameras:
    • A wired solution security camera is physically cabled from the device back to the central monitoring station
    • A wireless solution relies on Wi-Fi to send its signal back to the central monitoring station
      • Easier to install but subject to interference or jamming by an attacker
    • Commonly known as Close Circuit TV (CCTV)
    • They have indoor or outdoor capabilities
  • Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) System
    • Can move the camera or its angle to better detect issues during an intrusion
      • Pan Up, Down, zoom-in, zoom-out
  • Best places to have cameras
    • Data center
    • Telecommunications closets
    • Entrance or exit areas
  • Cameras should be configured to record what they’re observing
    • Example: determine if a person was authorized to be there using machine learning to review the footage

• Security Guards

  • Flexible and adaptable forms of surveillance that organizations use
    • Trained to detect unusual behavior and make calls
  • Helps to reassure your staff or your customers that they are safe

• Lighting

  • Proper lighting is crucial for conducting effective surveillance using both video and security guards
  • If you create well-lit areas, this can deter criminals, reduce shadows and hiding spots, and enhance the quality of your video recordings
  • Motion activated lights iolluminate an area and also serve as a deterrent detection system for intruders

• Sensors

  • Devices that detect and respond to external stimuli or changes in the environment
  • There are four categories of sensors
    • Infrared Sensors
      • Detect changes in infrared radiation that is often emitted by warm bodies like humans or animals
    • Pressure Sensors
      • Activated whenever a specified minimum amount of weight is detected on the sensor that is embedded into the floor or a mat
      • Useful for detecting unauthorized entry into restricted areas or even for simple tasks like alerting store owners when a new customer enters a store
    • Microwave Sensors
      • Detect movement in an area by emitting microwave pulses and measuring their reflection off moving objects
      • Very high sensitivity level
    • Ultrasonic Sensors
      • Measures the reflection of ultrasonic waves off moving objects
      • Uses echo location to detect objects in their path
      • Used in automated systems like automated doors or to detect movement in an environment