Banks are a type of business that devotes special attention to security. One of the reasons for this is that having a good reputation is very important to them. Banks use video surveillance systems for both security purposes and gathering information needed for handling customer complaints. So it is not only necessary to equip bank offices with these systems, but also ATMs that are often situated far from each other and from bank branches.

Video Surveillance at Bank Branches
Bank branches use various security measures, such as video surveillance systems, access control, and security and fire alarms. One of the unique qualities about many banks is the high number of offices that are often located far away from each other, such as in different regions. The easy way to reduce the costs of maintaining a video surveillance system located throughout different branches is to create a single distributed system that can be centrally controlled.

Video surveillance systems in bank offices can use both analog and IP cameras. It should particularly be noted that some video surveillance platforms provide the opportunity to create hybrid systems, which use both types of equipment. This allows the company to optimize expenditures by using expensive and secure high-resolution IP cameras only where it is really necessary. AxxonSoft's integrated software solution Intellect, is a platform that makes distributed and hybrid video surveillance systems possible.

ATM Security
The ATM is one of the most vulnerable sections of a client's service system. This is because banks generally, have a large number of ATMs that are not only set up at bank branches, but also great distances away from them. Yet ATMs that are set up at branch offices or next to them and usually work 24/7. In other words, these ATMs are available even when the office itself is closed. So ATM security systems play a particularly important role, since they protect the bank when there are no security guards nearby.

In addition to alarm sensors and anti-skimming systems, ATMs are equipped with video surveillance systems that are needed to record information about events taking place.

This kind of information is required both to find out the circumstances behind various incidents, as well as behind grievances with bank clients. There are several options for implementing ATM surveillance systems.

Local Systems
The first option is a local video surveillance system that is not integrated with ATM software. Such systems are based either on stand-alone DVRs, or on the ATM's computer. For this purpose, a video capture card and an additional hard disk for storing video archives are added to the ATM computer, and video surveillance software is also installed. These systems cost the least, but have a number of disadvantages.
One of the drawbacks of not having an integrated system is that it is difficult to find video footage related to certain transactions. This footage can only be found according to the time when a card ID number appears on video, which is not very convenient. In addition to this, it is possible for the internal clocks in the ATM video surveillance system and in the processing center to be out of sync. In this case it becomes even more difficult to search for video footage based on when a transaction occurred.

One of the limitations associated with a local system is the need for a special team to leave in order to retrieve video archives, while another is the low speed for data acquisition. Additionally, the DVR can fail or be damaged by hackers , but a bank's security service can only find out about this after a few days during a scheduled ATM check. It should be noted that keeping a team to constantly complete ATM loopbacks is extremely costly, as ATMs are usually located considerable distances away from each other.

Integrated Local Systems
Another type of video surveillance system is the local system that is integrated with ATM software. These systems synchronize video with transaction data, allowing the user to search for video files not only by the transaction time, but also according to the transaction data. These systems are much more effective when searching for video files by transaction, but are still limited because they are outside of the information network. Also, these systems offer advanced features. For example, if any potentially dangerous events occur, such as an incorrectly entered PIN-code, the system can switch over to a mode for recording live video at 25 fps.

Integrated Distributed Systems
The third and final type of system is the integrated system that offers remote monitoring. This kind of system allows data to flow from a locally installed DVR that is integrated into the ATM's management software into a remote monitoring center. This gives the option to not only efficiently retrieve live video in the event that ATM alarm sensors operate, but also to access video segments associated with specific transactions for any DVR / ATM. This type of system is more effective in regards to safety; however, the technical implementation of similar systems is complex due to lower-bit-rate channel connections, which ATMs very often have.