No need to replace existing cameras

CCTV’s Shift into IT and Cybersecurity Strategy

written on 3 February 2026 by Megan Armstrong

For decades, CCTV has sat comfortably within the physical security domain. Cameras were installed, footage recorded locally, and systems were largely isolated from wider IT infrastructure. Responsibility typically fell to security managers or facilities teams, with minimal involvement from IT beyond providing a network connection.

That separation is disappearing fast.

As organisations modernise their estates, embrace cloud services and tighten their cybersecurity posture, CCTV is no longer viewed as a standalone physical security system. It is increasingly treated as a connected IT asset — one that stores sensitive data, traverse corporate networks and, if poorly managed, can introduce material cyber risk.

This shift is forcing a fundamental rethink of how video surveillance is specified, deployed and supported. CCTV is no longer just about cameras and coverage. It is now part of a much broader conversation around IT governance, cyber resilience and managed services.

The Changing Nature of CCTV Infrastructure

Traditional on-premise CCTV systems were built around local servers or network video recorders (NVRs), often running proprietary software. While these systems were effective in their time, they were rarely designed with modern cybersecurity principles in mind.

Many legacy deployments still in use today exhibit common challenges:

  • Outdated operating systems and firmware
  • Infrequent or manual patching
  • Default credentials and inconsistent access controls
  • Limited visibility for IT teams
  • Single points of failure within local infrastructure

As organisations scale, these challenges multiply. Multi-site estates introduce complexity around management, maintenance and resilience. Each site effectively becomes its own mini data centre, complete with servers that need power, cooling, monitoring and lifecycle management.

At the same time, expectations have changed. Security and operational teams now expect remote access, centralised management, high availability and strong cyber controls — capabilities that traditional CCTV architectures struggle to deliver without significant overhead.

Traditional on-premise CCTV

Why CCTV Is Now a Cybersecurity Concern

Cameras are networked devices. They sit on corporate infrastructure, communicate over IP and often have direct or indirect access to wider systems. In many cases, they capture sensitive information about people, processes and environments. This reality has not gone unnoticed by threat actors. Poorly secured cameras have been used as entry points into networks, as components in botnets and as tools for surveillance and data exfiltration. From a compliance perspective, video data is also subject to increasing scrutiny under data protection regulations, placing further pressure on organisations to ensure systems are secure by design. As a result, CCTV is now firmly on the radar of CISOs, IT directors and risk teams who are more familiar with modern IT and cloud security practices.

The Rise of Cloud CCTV and VSaaS

SEiNG Dashboard: compliant Cloud CCTV

Cloud-hosted video surveillance, often referred to as Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS), has emerged as a solution to these challenges.

Rather than relying on local servers at each site, cloud CCTV platforms centralise storage, management and intelligence within secure cloud environments. This model brings several advantages:

  • Reduced on-site infrastructure
  • Centralised visibility across multiple locations
  • Faster deployment of updates and security patches
  • Built-in redundancy and resilience
  • Easier scalability as estates grow or change

However, cloud CCTV providers take different approaches when it comes to the service they provide. Some platforms focus primarily on the software, leaving customers to manage devices, networks and security controls themselves. This is where managed cloud services go a step further to strengthen cybersecurity, whilst reducing the IT burden.

Managed CCTV: Bridging Security and IT

For many organisations, the challenge is not just moving CCTV to the cloud but ensuring it is operated securely and reliably on an ongoing basis. This is particularly true in environments where IT teams are already stretched, and security teams may not have deep expertise in cloud architecture or cybersecurity. A managed approach to cloud CCTV can bridge this gap. A managed service model goes beyond platform provision. It encompasses:

  • Design and onboarding
  • Secure configuration and hardening
  • Proactive monitoring of cameras and connectivity
  • Ongoing maintenance and updates
  • User management and access controls
  • Support and incident response

By treating CCTV as a managed IT service rather than a static installation, organisations can reduce operational risk while improving performance and resilience. This level of control transforms CCTV from a “set and forget” system into a governed IT service — one that can be reviewed, assessed and improved over time.

SEiNG: A Managed, Cyber-Aware Approach to Cloud CCTV

SEiNG was developed with this shift in mind. Rather than positioning cloud CCTV as a self-service software platform, SEiNG delivers video surveillance as a fully managed service. The aim is to remove the operational and cybersecurity burden traditionally associated with CCTV, while giving organisations the flexibility to scale across sites.

Any Camera, Not Just New Cameras

One of the biggest barriers to adopting cloud CCTV is the perceived need to replace existing hardware. In many estates, cameras represent a significant capital investment and are often deployed across dozens or even hundreds of sites. SEiNG is designed to work with any ONVIF or RTSP camera — legacy or new. This allows organisations to migrate to a cloud-hosted model without a costly rip-and-replace programme. Existing cameras can be brought into the platform, while new cameras can be added over time as requirements evolve. This flexibility is particularly valuable for multi-site operators, where camera estates are often mixed across brands, generations and capabilities.

Cloud CCTV unlimited cloud storage
Security Role Matrix

Managed Service by Design

At the core of SEiNG is a managed service philosophy.

From initial onboarding, the platform is configured and supported by a dedicated team. Cameras are monitored for health and connectivity, issues are identified proactively, and updates are applied centrally. Access controls and user permissions are managed in line with organisational policies, reducing the risk of misconfiguration or unauthorised access.

This approach aligns closely with how organisations already consume other critical IT services — such as networking, cloud infrastructure and security tooling.

UK-Focused Delivery and Compliance

Data sovereignty and regulatory alignment are increasingly important considerations, particularly for organisations operating in regulated sectors.

SEiNG is delivered with a UK focus, ensuring that data handling, support and service delivery align with UK regulatory expectations. This provides reassurance for organisations that need confidence in where their data resides – as everything is safe at SEiNG’s own UK data centre - and how it is managed.

SEiNG Cloud Gateway

Cyber Hardening Through Cloud Gateways

As a true-Cloud solution, SEiNG allows users to take their IP or Cloud CCTV cameras to the cloud, without any new hardware at all. However, for sites using legacy cameras, or if bandwidth and buffering is a concern, the optional SEiNG Cloud Gateway offers a third deployment option.  The gateway also offers cybersecurity benefits.

Rather than exposing cameras directly to the internet, the Cloud Gateway acts as a hardened intermediary between on-site devices and the cloud platform. This reduces the attack surface, enforces secure communication and allows security controls to be applied consistently across all connected devices.

From an IT perspective, this model mirrors best practice in other cloud-connected environments, where edge devices are isolated, monitored and managed through secure intermediaries.

The SEiNG Cloud Gateway is backed by accreditations including Secured By Design and Cyber Essentials Plus, giving users confidence in its security.

CCTV as an IT and Cybersecurity Conversation

The shift of CCTV into the IT and cybersecurity domain is not a passing trend. It reflects broader changes in how organisations think about connected systems, risk and responsibility. For security professionals, this means closer collaboration with IT teams. For IT leaders, it means recognising CCTV as part of the wider technology estate. And for organisations, it means choosing solutions that are designed for this new reality. Cloud CCTV, delivered as a managed service, offers a way forward — reducing complexity, strengthening cyber resilience and aligning video surveillance with modern IT practices. In that context, platforms like SEiNG represent not just a change in technology, but a change in mindset: treating CCTV not as an isolated system, but as a secure, managed service fit for today’s connected world.

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