Beyond Legacy Systems: How Verkada's Cloud Architecture Revolutionizes Physical Security

The security landscape is constantly evolving, with physical security playing a crucial role alongside robust cybersecurity measures. Verkada, a company with over 1,800 employees and over 24,000 customers, has emerged as a leader in the cloud-based physical security market. This article examines Verkada's history, market position, and core offerings, providing an expert’s perspective informed by three decades of security architecture experience.

Source: Verkada Analyst briefing deck, published May 2024

Market Landscape and Verkada's Value Proposition

The need for robust physical security solutions is undeniable. Security incidents are on the rise across various sectors, as evidenced by the statistics provided:

• Increased security concerns: 58% of frontline retail workers and 69% of healthcare workers report concerns about physical harm at work.
• Vulnerability of legacy systems: Traditional on-premises security systems often suffer from limitations such as storage constraints, outdated technology, accessibility issues, and high maintenance costs.
• Human element in breaches: A staggering 85% of cybersecurity breaches involve human factors, highlighting the need for robust physical security solutions to mitigate insider threats.

Verkada addresses these challenges by offering a cloud-based physical security platform that integrates seamlessly with existing systems. Their focus on innovation is evident in their rapid product development cycle, launching six new products within seven years and releasing approximately 50 new features every three months.

Source: Verkada Analyst briefing deck, published May 2024

Verkada's Feature Set and Competitive Advantages

Verkada's core offerings encompass various security components, including:

• Cameras: High-definition cameras with local storage for uninterrupted operation during internet outages and a multitude of analytics in Search including people, vehicle, occupancy, and more.
• Access control: Comprehensive access control system that leverages Verkada door controllers, wireless locks, and door readers to grant granular access permissions to specific individuals or groups.
• Alarms: Real-time monitoring and notification systems for potential security breaches.
• Intercom: Two-way communication capabilities for security personnel and occupants.
• Air quality sensors: Integrated sensor systems and management tools for facilities to conduct environmental monitoring.
• Workplace: Visitor management tools for facilities.

Source: Verkada Analyst briefing deck, published May 2024

Key Differentiators:

• Hybrid cloud architecture: Verkada leverages a hybrid cloud approach, balancing cloud-based management with local storage on cameras for redundancy.
• AI-powered search: This innovative feature allows users to search for footage using natural language queries. Imagine asking, "Find who was wearing an orange shirt in the video today at 10am," and Verkada's large language and vision model retrieves relevant footage. This streamlines the investigation process significantly.
• Security-centric design: Encryption at rest and in transit ensures data security. Verkada requires token-based decryption of footage and mandates owner consent for access, demonstrating a commitment to user privacy.
• Partner ecosystem: Verkada leverages a strong partner network for broader integration and customer support, offering a tiered partner program designed to ensure shared customers receive consistently high technical service levels globally.
• Federated identity and provisioning/deprovisioning integration: Verkada supports systems for cross-domain identity management (SCIM) and open API for users, enabling seamless integration with identity management solutions.
• Device firmware updates: Verkada releases regular updates to its firmware to enhance security and functionality, which is pushed automatically.

Source: Verkada Analyst briefing deck, published May 2024

Standard Features of Verkada's Physical Security Solution:

Beyond its unique features, Verkada offers the following industry-standard functionalities:

• Secure system: Verkada prioritizes system security with tamper-proof measures and granular access controls.
• Camera control: Control features for camera optics, positioning, zoom, and focus (applicable to pan-tilt-zoom [PTZ] cameras).
• Video storage and retention: Secure storage of captured video footage with configurable retention periods based on organizational security policies.
• Device access: Granular access control for authorized personnel and devices (mobile, tablets, workstations, laptops).
• Video export: Extraction of relevant video segments in common formats for investigative purposes without altering the original footage.
• Chain of custody: Verkada's solution ensures secure chain of custody for video evidence.
• Video enhancement: Software-based enhancement features improve image clarity based on camera capabilities.
• Video analytics: Video analytics software can differentiate stationary versus moving objects and tag objects within video footage, enabling investigative capabilities.
• Dispatching: Tools for dispatching security personnel to incident locations and tracking their movements.
• Video review: User-friendly interface for reviewing video footage with timeline view and activity thumbnails for efficient investigation.
• Systems integration: Integration with various security systems like access control, panic buttons, fire alarms, and license plate recognition systems.

Source: Verkada Analyst briefing deck, published May 2024

Security Considerations

While Verkada offers robust security features, it's crucial for potential customers to conduct thorough security assessments before deployment. Here are some key considerations:

• Cloud security: Verkada relies on the security of its cloud provider, Amazon AWS. A thorough evaluation of the cloud provider's security practices is essential.
• API security: Verkada offers API integrations. Organizations should ensure their API security practices are sound to mitigate potential risks.
• Insider threats: No security system is foolproof. Role-based access control (RBAC) and other access control mechanisms should be carefully configured to minimize the impact of potential insider threats.

Our Take

Verkada has established itself as a prominent player in the cloud-based physical security market. Its innovative features, commitment to security, and focus on user experience make it an attractive option for businesses seeking to modernize their physical security infrastructure. However, a comprehensive security assessment is crucial before deployment to ensure Verkada aligns with an organization's specific security needs and risk tolerance.

You should consider other supporting best practices that can be applied to a solution such as Verkada. Some of these are:

• Strong password management: Enforce strong password policies and multifactor authentication (MFA) for all user accounts.
• Regular security assessments: Conduct periodic security assessments of the Verkada system and integrated systems to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
• Least privilege access: Grant users access controls based on the principle of least privilege, minimizing the attack surface.
• User training: Provide regular security awareness training for all personnel to ensure proper use of the system and awareness of other risks and how to respond.

Want to Know More?

Verkada - Experience Enterprise Cloud-based Security Systems at Scale

Integrate Physical Security and Information Security | Info-Tech Research Group (infotech.com)