4 Ways Bank Surveillance With Cloud Video Reduces Risk and Improves Compliance

Cybersecurity remains a critical concern for financial institutions, arguably more now than ever. Across 2024 and 2025, banks suffered the greatest number of data breaches, signaling the need for increased network security for these institutions. 

Banks utilize a variety of systems to ensure their branches are secure, but with each system implemented, various risks and bottlenecks can ensue. Cyberthreats and pressure from regulatory bodies create additional complexities which banking teams have to work to navigate. 

However, teams that lack support and tools to handle these systems put financial institutions not only in danger of cyber-attacks, but also noncompliance. As regulations become stricter, it’s critical that banks have surveillance systems in place to reduce compliance risk, while also being easy to use. With many IT departments burdened by menial tasks tied to outdated or clunky systems, incorporating a streamlined cloud video security platform is just as crucial to reducing any unwanted burden. 

The Digital Bottlenecks Creating Unnecessary Risk for Banks 

Compliance and cyber-threats affect the integrity of banks, creating risk not only for the safety of employee and client data but also for business operations. Finding the best surveillance solution to mitigate these risks is important as it not only ensures IT teams have the proper support they need to keep data secure but also protects customer information and builds better bank-client relationships. 

Lack of Secure, Advanced Tools Needed for Efficiency 

As more institutions move quickly toward cloud-based systems, some branch environments end up with cloud deployments that deliver the “lift and shift” benefits but lack the administrative and security re-architecting needed to run efficiently at scale. The result is often a tradeoff between usability and control when the system wasn’t designed with banking cybersecurity expectations in mind. 

At the same time, cloud adoption expands the attack surface and raises the bar for vendor security assurance. For many banks, that means looking for platforms that have passed globally recognized security standards (such as SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022 certification). 

Rapid implementation can also create governance gaps across a growing set of solutions. In practice, IT teams may absorb more repetitive operational work, such as physically rolling out updates, handling password resets, and troubleshooting access. These tasks reduce the time available for higher-priority security and infrastructure initiatives. 

User management becomes another common pressure point. Without consistent training and strong identity/access controls, new systems can unintentionally introduce inconsistent practices and visibility gaps that increase operational risk. 

Ensuring Regulatory Compliance 

Since 2008, the banking industry has seen an uptick in the number of regulations that accompany running a financial institution. These regulations are put in place to ensure that client data and assets are protected, as well as to monitor the conduct of banks. 

These regulations, while needed, place a level of strain on banks, especially smaller organizations with leaner teams who may struggle to keep up with maintaining their system as regulations change or are introduced. Because of the risks that arise from non-compliance, banks can often find themselves trapped between operational burden and the threat of fines.

4 Ways Video Surveillance Systems for Banks Are Improved With the Cloud

Deploying a video surveillance system in a banking environment is a necessary measure, but safeguarding that system against cyber threats, unauthorized access, and data loss is an equally important responsibility. 

It’s vital to choose a solution that’s easy to use, helps meet regulatory requirements, and is secure, all while reducing burden on IT. 

1. Stronger Security Audits 

One primary advantage of a cloud video platform is the ability to easily perform operational audits for more thorough monitoring of user activity. 

Operational audits offer insight into how your teams are using the bank video surveillance solution, ensuring that any user-created gaps in security can be quickly identified. Historical reports of account-based actions provide the necessary information to track specific user activity and pinpoint if there’s been misuse of the system. 

Threats to a cloud video platform can be internal just as much as they can be external. Having complete awareness of individual user activity helps protect the overall system. 

2. Cybersecurity Best Practices 

A complete cloud-managed video security system helps reduce risk and simplify IT compliance by ensuring your surveillance video and data is protected. 

What are some cybersecurity best practices for video security systems? 

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA helps prevent account hijacking due to stolen or misplaced credentials. It also prevents unwanted access from credentials left in orphaned remote clients on uncontrolled systems.  

• Single Sign-On (SSO): SSO allows users to leverage the same set of credentials across platforms, helping financial institutions integrate their surveillance platform and other systems seamlessly into the network. 

• Automated Lost Password Resets: A secure cloud platform should simplify the process of resetting lost passwords by allowing platform users to easily create a new password without involving IT. This lessens departmental burden and reduces the likelihood of shared user credentials as users. 

3. Video Retention Requirements 

With the right cloud surveillance solution in place, banks can easily set minimum video retention per recorder or channel to help simplify compliance. 

This is aided by storage retention alerts, which ensure specific cameras don’t fall below the set limits required for a financial institution. In the case that a device begins to near its capacity, an alert will be sent to an operator so the issue can be resolved quickly. This prevents institutions from finding themselves without footage because it’s been deleted due to a lack of storage. With alerts in place, alongside reports for easy verification of current system storage retention, banks can automate manual checks of their surveillance devices and trust that their solution is recording when they need it to. 

An open cloud video platform can integrate with additional storage options to improve video retention, as well. Tiger Surveillance, for instance, a redundant cloud storage solution, helps extend and provide redundant video storage for financial institutions.

4. Automated Health Monitoring

To ensure video is there when you need it and that all systems are functioning properly, health monitoring through a cloud video platform can ensure IT teams are up to date on the status of a bank’s entire surveillance infrastructure. A solution that automates the otherwise manual process of reviewing and checking the status of each camera or recorder can save your team precious time while also helping you avoid blind spots in your camera network if a device goes down unexpectedly. 

With automated health monitoring, you’ll be alerted on and can verify any pending critical issues and potential problems with your video system, including:  

• Hard drive errors
• Connection lost to camera
• Changes in a camera’s view
• Network outages

Reduce Risk and Enjoy Ease of Use With OpenEye Web Services

The challenges faced by banking institutions in maintaining compliance and mitigating risk are multifaceted. By implementing a secure cloud video surveillance platform, these challenges can be effectively addressed. 

OpenEye Web Services (OWS) not only improves bank surveillance but reduces risk through its secure and easy-to-use platform to help build more secure, compliant, and easy-to-manage banking environments. OWS offers powerful benefits including: 

• Stronger Security Audits: Perform audits based on locations, devices, and users with thumbnail and inventory reports. 
• Cybersecurity: Reduce risk and simplify IT compliance with a platform that helps enforce security best practices. 
• Video Retention Requirements: Easily set minimum video retention per recorder or channel to help simplify compliance. 
• Automated Health Monitoring: Ensure video is there when you need it, and that all systems are functioning properly. 

To see how your team can reduce risk across your financial institution while taking the burden off IT, book a demo today with OWS.