Security is more important for some people than it is for others. Cloud based solutions have different security risks than local storage.
Local cameras are more protected from cyber attack as there is no server or account to “hack”. Cloud cameras are more secure against physical destruction of cameras such as a fire or theft. Cloud cameras are generally less expensive than local cameras.
There are a lot of more details to consider than just these few, but let us jump into more information.
Security concerns
In the digital age that we live in, there are many opportunities for those with nefarious intent to gain access. They can hack into personal accounts, company servers, or just hijack your connection.
These security concerns are the things we run into whenever the discussion of “Smart Cameras” comes up. Although smart cameras are feature rich, these security concerns are often the biggest barrier.
Solutions to Cloud Security issues
The solution to this security threat is to have local storage for your cameras. This means each camera has its own storage card or you have a local system called a NVR to store your video.
Many cloud based cameras have some sort of way to store locally on the device. Wyze cameras are a great example with a MicroSD slot in them. They are designed to only store video of when things actually happen so that your storage is used to the best of its ability. The issue with this is that your cameras still have cloud access.
The only way to fully “hack proof” a camera is to eliminate its connection to the internet completely. In the security industry, a DVR or NVR is what is used. DVR stands for digital video recorder and an NVR stands for network video recorder.
These DVRs and NVRs need to be on their own system of cameras that are not connected to your standard network.
That being said, we generally connect these NVRs to the network so that they can be viewed locally by different devices.
Choosing a Company That You Trust
What cloud security systems can offer in terms of features is basically impossible with a completely impervious system.
For many people, that means they have to choose the less secure option. Anything connected to the world wide web has some degree of penetrability, but some services are less secure than others.
One example is Google. Google has never had any really large data leaks or hacks, so they are a great example of somebody that has a cloud security camera service that is somewhat reliable. They are going to be a lot more reliable than a random company from china that makes cameras.
The company that holds your data may say that they don’t access your camera data, but their word is the only thing that you have. There is nothing stopping them from accessing that data. That is what I mean by “Choosing a company that you trust”. Who do you trust to keep your data secure?
Local Cameras aren’t perfect either
Although harder to breach digitally, local storage has its own flaws. The advantage of video storage being in the cloud is that it is safe from physical forms of security issues.
For example, if a robber broke into your home and then destroyed the recording device on site then you wouldn’t have any footage of that break in.
Cost
Camera for camera, a cloud based solution will almost always be cheaper. There are many people out there that make the decision of what camera to buy solely based on cost.
There is always more things to consider besides just cost. As mentioned before, security and features are a huge part of the decision process.
Local Cameras
In general a cloud based camera is going to cost 25% the cost of a wired camera, and that is before the cost of the recording and storage device.
Cameras that run on the local network need to be hard wired. There is no other way to get the type of security that you are looking for. That wiring costs money, especially if the house is already built. New construction wiring is fairly easy, but if the wall are already up then you are going to have issues.
Cameras generally run on Category 6 cable, which is fairly expensive. The wiring plus the cost of the wire itself can be pricy. The great part about this is that it adds value to your home. Wiring is one of those things that adds more value to the home than what you spent on it simply because it is easier to run during the build process than after the fact.
Cloud Cameras
Although cloud cameras are generally cheaper than their local counterparts, they do have one large downside. Subscriptions.
Almost every single camera based on cloud storage has some sort of cloud storage subscription service. The cost of these services vary from pennies every month to several dollars a month.
The cost of a cloud based solution really isn’t the end of the world. If it was a free solution, you wouldn’t be able to have the storage you are looking for.
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