Are Your Security Cameras a Cyber Risk? Protecting Michigan Businesses from Hacked Cameras & Access Control

Here's a question most Michigan business owners never think to ask: could your own security cameras be a way into your business? It sounds backwards — the cameras are supposed to protect you. But every modern commercial security camera, NVR, card reader, and door controller is really a small internet-connected computer sitting on your network. And when those devices are installed carelessly, they become one of the easiest targets on your property. New industry research shows a growing cybersecurity gap in physical security and access control systems — and attackers know it.

Why security cameras and access control are a cyber target

A camera system is attractive to attackers for three reasons. First, these devices are often installed once and then forgotten — default passwords are never changed and firmware is never updated. Second, they're almost always connected to the same network as your business computers, point-of-sale, and files, so a weak camera becomes a door into everything. Third, a compromised camera gives an attacker exactly what you were trying to prevent: a live view of your property, your people, and your operations.

The most common weaknesses we find on existing Michigan commercial systems are depressingly simple: the manufacturer's default password still in place, firmware that hasn't been patched in years, remote-viewing ports left wide open to the internet, and a "flat" network where the cameras can talk directly to the accounting PC. None of these require a sophisticated hacker to exploit.

The Hikvision and Dahua problem

Cybersecurity is a big part of why Hikvision and Dahua cameras are banned from U.S. federal systems under the NDAA, and why the FCC has expanded restrictions on them. Many Michigan businesses still have this hardware on the wall without realizing it. If that's you, it's worth reading our full guide to the Hikvision ban and what Michigan businesses should do — and planning a move to NDAA-compliant, security-hardened cameras.

How to protect your commercial camera and access systems

The good news: securing a commercial security system is well-understood, and a professional integrator builds these protections in from day one. The core steps:

• Change every default password — on cameras, recorders, controllers, and admin accounts, using strong unique credentials.
• Keep firmware updated — manufacturers patch security holes constantly; outdated firmware is the #1 easy target.
• Segment the network — put cameras and access control on their own isolated VLAN so a compromised device can't reach your business data.
• Lock down remote access — use encrypted, properly configured remote viewing instead of exposed ports, and disable features you don't use.
• Use hardened, NDAA-compliant equipment — cameras like the Hanwha Vision Wisenet series are built with cybersecurity in mind.
• Manage credentials and offboarding — revoke access the moment an employee or contractor leaves; lingering credentials are a top risk.

Cyber-physical convergence: why IT and security now overlap

The line between physical security and IT security has disappeared. Your cameras and door controllers live on the network, so they're an IT concern — and your network's safety now depends partly on how your physical security was installed. The businesses that handle this well treat their security system as part of their overall cybersecurity posture, with hardened devices, segmented networks, and a plan for who's responsible when something looks wrong. This is exactly why working with a commercial integrator who understands networks matters.

What Michigan Security Systems does differently

We're a commercial-only security integrator serving Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana since 2000, and we treat your cameras, access control, and network infrastructure as one hardened system — not a box on a wall. Every install is done by our own licensed Michigan technicians, with changed passwords, updated firmware, proper network segmentation, and secure remote access configured from the start. We also assess and harden existing systems across Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties. If you're not sure whether your current cameras are a liability, book a free on-site assessment and we'll give you a straight answer.