October was Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and with the AV industry’s increasing reliance on connected systems, the timing couldn’t have been better. From corporate boardrooms to large-scale event spaces, the security of AV systems has become a pressing issue in the industry. In our October Temperature Check, we asked industry professionals about their experiences with cybersecurity and the best practices to protect AV solutions. Here’s what we learned.
In our first question, we asked respondents how confident they felt in the cybersecurity measures of their AV solutions. While 84% of respondents reported being either unsure or certain they had not experienced one, 16% admitted to having experienced a cyberattack or security breach. While this number might seem small, the reality is that as AV systems become more reliant on cloud services, the potential for cybersecurity risks is increasing.
Candice Aragon, chief experience officer at PSA, pointed out that even if an organization hasn’t experienced a breach yet, that doesn’t mean it’s immune to future risks. “Sadly, cyberattacks will only get more common over time,” she said.
To better understand how AV professionals are addressing these risks, we asked what proactive measures should be implemented to safeguard systems. Aragon outlined three essential steps:
- Regular System Updates: Keeping AV systems up to date with the latest patches is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to avoid security breaches. “Just like having insurance protections you hope you never use, you should have a strong plan in place to protect against potential attacks,” she said.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adding an extra layer of security, such as MFA, can help prevent unauthorized access to critical systems. Even if login credentials are compromised, MFA makes it much more difficult for attackers to infiltrate systems.
- Employee Training: Perhaps the most important, and often overlooked measure is regular training for all employees. Aragon emphasized that humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity. By educating staff on how to spot phishing attempts and other threats, organizations can greatly reduce their risk of being the victim of an attack. “There are many free training courses online or services like KnowBe4, where you can do phishing tests, trainings, and more to help train your teams on what to look for,” she said.
While 16% of respondents indicated that they had experienced a security breach, a surprising 22.7% felt that cybersecurity measures are only “somewhat important” in AV solutions. This raises an important question: Are AV professionals fully aware of the evolving security threats facing their systems?
Aragon believes that this may be due to a lack of firsthand experience with breaches. “Perhaps those who believe cybersecurity measures are only ‘somewhat important’ haven’t been victims of a breach. While this is excellent, it doesn’t mean they’re safe in the future.” As more AV solutions become cloud-based and integrated with clients’ IT infrastructures, the potential for unauthorized access, data breaches, and other cybersecurity risks increases.
Incorporating cybersecurity solutions into AV projects is not just about protecting systems but also about building trust with clients. Proactively addressing security concerns can help AV professionals win more business, enhance client relationships, and reduce the risk of costly breaches and downtime. Aragon highlighted that “Cybersecurity breaches can cause damage to an integrator’s reputation. Avoiding these breaches, or showing the proper precautions were taken from the outset, can increase trust among existing clients.”
As AV systems become more integrated with other technologies, cybersecurity is becoming a differentiator for integrators. The investments made in securing systems today has the opportunity to bring long-term benefits by ensuring clients’ systems are protected and reducing the risk of future breaches.
As Gina M. Sansivero, VP of marketing and corporate communications at AtlasIED, noted, many security integrators are expanding into the AV space, bringing with them expertise in network security, physical security, and cybersecurity. “Security doesn’t mean physical security anymore,” she said. “AV IT and security go hand in hand.” This shift is representative of the overlap between security and AV, as both industries recognize the importance of protecting connected systems. Sansivero also pointed out that the security side of AtlasIED’s business is the fastest-growing.