The Barox & MAKU “Smart Solution” Ensures Greater Security in Banks

Looking to the future of traditional bank branches, the banks of tomorrow will not only offer greater convenience and security for their customers, but also much more sophisticated, integrated security. For this purpose, barox Kommunikation AG, a global manufacturer of professional video switches, media converters, and IP extenders specifically designed for video applications, has partnered with MAKU Informationstechnik GmbH, a leading provider of banking security software and hardware.

MAKU is a leading provider of integrated security and information management solutions for the banking sector. MAKU’s customized integrated solution is approved by the German Finanz Informatik for use in the banking sector. This strict data technical certification is required to enable the integration of third-party systems into any centralized IT infrastructure of banks.

 

The integrated solution consisting of MAKU’s “DiVA Connect” (Digital Video Archive) and the proprietary “Switchguard software” of the managed barox Switch RY-LGSP23x processes videos and data from various sources, including ATMs, card readers, IP surveillance cameras, access controls, and audio devices. The combined data is processed and integrated by MAKU DiVA Connect + Switchguard. The intelligent device acts as a filter and distributes only secure video and data signals via a firewall to the bank’s secure servers.

The DiVA Connect + Switchguard software actively monitors and protects the video network/barox video switch ports, ensuring that any interruption of network communication, e.g., to a network camera on a monitored switch port, is detected and leads to the immediate shutdown of the port.

 

IoT enables innovation

The connectivity of the barox/MAKU system enables new solutions and innovative services to successfully address both known and new threat scenarios. For example: A concern in the industry is the security of customers at ATMs in bank foyers and especially in the increasing number of self-service branches. In the future, video surveillance solutions with visual alarm presets or virtual patrols for monitoring bank foyers will have a core function.

With the help of video analytics and important visual information, intervention measures can be initiated to stop an attempted cyberattack on a bank’s IT system. Thus, an act is thwarted in time. The intelligent video analysis in the IP cameras can also be used to identify people who are in the foyer, so that, for example, uninvited guests can be detected during daily operations.

 

“Integrated into the managed barox RY-LGSP23x switch, the MAKU Switchguard acts as a firewall to detect and stop unusual physical activities or data in the incoming network,” says Rudolf Rohr, barox co-founder and managing partner. “This intelligent solution offers financial institutions a high level of security against a variety of attacks.”