CCTV and Network Privacy (VLANs)

On a standard "flat" network, the answer is technically yes. If a camera is compromised or has a firmware vulnerability, a bad actor can use that camera as a "beachhead" to scan your network for other devices, such as NAS drives, PCs, or servers. This is known as Lateral Movement.

To prevent this, we implement VLAN Segmentation (Virtual Local Area Networks).

• Isolation: We place all CCTV hardware on its own dedicated "island" (VLAN). Even though they share the same physical cabling, the cameras are digitally locked away from your private data.
• Preventing Snooping: By default, we configure firewall rules that allow your NVR to record the cameras, but prevent the cameras from ever "talking" to your PCs or the wider internet unless specifically authorized.
• Traffic Management: This also ensures that high-bandwidth video traffic doesn't "flood" your main network, keeping your VoIP calls and Netflix streams stutter-free.

The Kent-ITS Standard: We don't just "plug and play." We use MikroTik and Managed PoE switches to ensure your security system is a closed loop, invisible to the rest of your digital life.