Own or manage a business? You may have thought about security camera systems and how to use them safely. If you have, you’re not alone.
Tyler owns a hair salon on a busy street that backs onto a laneway shared by other businesses, pedestrians and residents. To help protect his business, he’s installed a new security alarm system with a camera. The system he has chosen connects to an app on his phone so he can monitor his business when he’s moving around the salon or is away from the premises.
But Tyler still wants to know: how can he help keep his security alarm system safe from being hacked?
To help Tyler as he adjusts to his new security camera system, we spoke with Geoff, a Complex Customer Service Specialist who’s been part of Telstra’s tech teams for over seven years. When your small business encounters a problem, he’s one of the people who’ll be on the other end of the line, offering 24/7 IT support. When Geoff isn’t helping small businesses get the most out of their tech, Geoff is playing Minecraft with his six-year-old son.
Businesses often call Geoff and the Telstra Tech Services team with questions about keeping their security alarm system, well, secure. When your camera system is run on a wireless network, Geoff says you need to be extra mindful of cyber security. But he has a few suggestions to help protect your business. Let’s break them down.
So, you’ve installed your security camera on your premises and downloaded the software’s app on your phone. Straight away, Geoff says, you should change the default password that comes with the camera. Make it something you don’t use for anything else – especially not your personal accounts, to help safeguard yourself early on.
Hopefully, it’s smooth sailing from here, but you still might run into issues. For example, you might find that the security software app excels while you’re at work but then stagnates when you take a few steps out of the building. This usually happens because your camera only syncs with other devices on the same Wi-Fi network. What this means is that once you leave the Wi-Fi zone, you lose the visual being captured by your security camera.
If this happens, Geoff says port forwarding might be your solution. This means redirecting the camera's message to your phone on a different Wi-Fi or data network. It can be tricky to do for the first time, so if you’re in a jam, he recommends calling Telstra Tech Services, who can help you set it up over the phone.
Then once you’ve set up port forwarding, you’ll be able to watch the footage of your premises from many places. So whether you’re on your lunch break, travelling on public transport, or on the couch at home, Geoff says you’ll be able to check in on your business quickly if there’s a security alert.
With a wireless security alarm system, data protection may be a concern. If you’ve changed the default password that comes with your security camera, Geoff says you’ve already taken a great step that will help to protect your business's data. From there, you can also set up two-factor authentication (2FA). This can feel tedious, but it helps reduce risks if your password is compromised.
Geoff also recommends not sharing your devices with anyone you don’t trust. In Tyler’s case, the salon might have customers waiting and people coming and going often. So, it’s best for him to make sure his devices are always in a safe spot.
Lastly, Geoff reminds you to keep your security camera app up to date in your phone. Updates usually include bug fixes which can add an extra layer of data protection. Plus, they may improve your experience when checking up on your security camera system.
They say prevention is better than cure, but sometimes it’s too late. If you’ve been hacked, don’t panic. But do take swift action.
Geoff knows he sounds like a broken record, but this is priority one: change your passwords on a regular basis, make them unique, and don’t share them with anyone. Also remember to change the password anywhere else you’ve used it (you shouldn’t reuse passwords at all, but you’re only human!). And turn on 2FA if you haven’t yet.
If your bank account has been affected, Geoff says to always call your bank first. And if you think your identity has been compromised, you can call ID Care, a national support service for people who have experienced identity or cyber security issues.
Priority one: change your passwords, make them unique, and don’t share them with anyone.
Geoff, Complex Customer Service Specialist
When you install a wireless security camera at your business, it’s wise to consider whether your business critical data is secure too. In addition to helping protect your business with Geoff's simple steps, you may want to consider bolstering your resilience with Telstra Data Protect.
The expert voices in this article are those of real Telstra team members. The small business scenario is an example of a common question Telstra’s experts can answer.
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