In anticipation of Data Protection Day, Genetec Inc., a prominent entity in enterprise physical security software, has shared strategies aimed at safeguarding sensitive security data while ensuring operational efficacy.
With physical security systems generating extensive volumes of data from video, access control logs, and license plate information, organizations face increasing responsibility to handle this data responsibly amidst evolving privacy regulations and cyber threats.
This data is integral to daily operations and investigations, necessitating robust data management practices.
Sensitive Data Concerns
Mathieu Chevalier, Principal Security Architect at Genetec Inc., emphasized the importance of rigorous data protection methods. "Physical security data can be highly sensitive, and protecting it requires more than basic safeguards or vague assurances," he stated.
Certain market approaches, which exploit or share data beyond its intended use, pose significant privacy risks. Chevalier insists that organizations demand clear usage limits, robust lifecycle controls, and technology designed with default privacy considerations.
Adopting Best Practices
Data Protection Day, celebrated every January 28, highlights the collective responsibility of safeguarding personal data. Physical security teams are encouraged to align their privacy and security practices by embracing strategic clarity, robust technologies, and reliable partnerships. To bolster data protection within physical security systems, Genetec suggests several best practices.
Implementing a Data Protection Strategy
Genetec advises organizations to routinely evaluate collected data, its purpose, storage, retention duration, and access permissions. Thorough documentation helps minimize data exposure, reveals policy discrepancies, and aids in regulatory compliance enhancement. Transparent data handling practices are crucial for nurturing trust among stakeholders.
Privacy by Design Approach
Adopting a privacy-by-design approach involves mitigating privacy risks—not just through security controls but also in data collection, usage, and governance. Organizations should apply principles of purpose limitation and data minimization ensuring only necessary data is gathered. Implementing strong security measures, such as encrypting data in transit and enforcing rigorous authentication, further minimizes unauthorized access risks. Privacy-enhancing technologies like anonymization and masking play a role in protecting individual identities while maintaining data efficacy.
Maintaining Cybersecurity
Continuous system hardening, vulnerability management, and timely updates are vital for countering emerging cybersecurity threats. Viewing privacy and cybersecurity as ongoing operational duties helps strengthen overall security frameworks.
Leveraging Cloud Services
Cloud-managed solutions aid organizations in keeping up with security patches and privacy controls, easing the operational load on internal teams. A balanced approach to scalability and data residency—merging on-premise and cloud environments—supports resilience and compliance.
Choosing the Right Partners
Partnering with transparent and privacy-committed technology providers is crucial. Organizations should scrutinize vendor practices regarding personal data management, usage limitations, and privacy communication. Credentials from independent security bodies, such as ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 Type II reports, assure data protection and mitigate privacy risks from unauthorized access or misuse. Evaluating vendors' data governance, vulnerability disclosures, and artificial intelligence implementations is also recommended for reinforcing privacy and safety in operations involving personal data.
To support Data Protection Day, Genetec Inc. (“Genetec”), the global leader in enterprise physical security software, is sharing best practices to help organizations protect sensitive physical security data while maintaining effective security operations.
Physical security systems generate large volumes of information from video footage, access control records, and license plate information. As this data plays a growing role in daily operations and investigations, organizations are under increasing pressure to manage it responsibly amid evolving privacy regulations, rising cyber threats, and heightened expectations around transparency.
Sensitive data
“Physical security data can be highly sensitive, and protecting it requires more than basic safeguards or vague assurances,” said Mathieu Chevalier, Principal Security Architect at Genetec Inc.
“Some approaches in the market treat data as an asset to be exploited or shared beyond its original purpose. That creates real privacy risks. Organizations should expect clear limits on how their data is used, strong controls throughout its lifecycle, and technology that is designed to respect privacy by default, not as an afterthought.”
Best practices
Observed annually on January 28, International Data Protection Day serves as a reminder that protecting personal data is a shared and ongoing responsibility. For physical security teams, adopting clear strategies, resilient technologies, and trusted partnerships can help ensure privacy and security objectives remain aligned as risks and regulations continue to change. Genetec recommends the following best practices to help organizations strengthen data protection across physical security systems:
- Start with a clear data protection strategy: Organizations should regularly assess what data they collect, for which purpose they collect it, where it is stored, how long it is retained, and who has access to it. Documenting these practices helps reduce unnecessary data exposure, identify policy gaps, and support ongoing compliance as regulations continue to evolve. Transparency around data handling practices also plays an important role in building trust with employees, customers, and the public.
- Design systems with privacy built in: Privacy-by-design means limiting privacy risk not only through security controls, but also through how personal data is collected, used, and governed. Organizations should apply purpose limitation and data minimisation principles to ensure only the data required for defined security objectives is collected and retained. Strong security measures, including encrypting data in transit and at rest, enforcing strong authentication, and applying granular access controls, help reduce the risk of unauthorized access. Privacy-enhancing technologies, such as automated anonymisation and masking, further support transparency and help protect individuals’ identities while preserving the operational value of security data.
- Maintain strong cyber defenses over time: Data protection is an ongoing process. Regular system hardening, vulnerability management, and timely updates are essential to address new cybersecurity risks as they emerge. Treating privacy and cybersecurity as continuous operational responsibilities helps organizations maintain a stronger overall security posture.
- Use cloud services to support resilience and compliance: Cloud-managed and software-as-a-service deployments can help organizations stay current with security patches, privacy controls, and compliance features, while reducing the operational burden on internal teams. Many organizations are adopting flexible deployment approaches that allow them to balance scalability, control, and data residency requirements across on-prem and cloud environments.
- Choose partners committed to privacy and transparency: Working with trusted technology partners is critical. Organizations should evaluate vendors based on how they govern personal data, define clear limits on data use, and communicate transparently about their privacy practices. Independent security standards and attestations, such as ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 27017, and SOC 2 Type II reports, provide important assurance around how systems and data are protected and managed, and help reduce privacy risks associated with unauthorized access or misuse. Organizations should also assess vendors’ vulnerability disclosure processes, data governance practices, and approach to developing and deploying artificial intelligence, including whether they prioritise transparency, safety, and human-led decision-making when personal data is involved.
