Securing EZ Watch Pro 4.0
From EZWatch Wiki
EZ Watch Pro 4.0 is a PC-Based system, which means that the PC in question can be used for other tasks. Many users of EZ Watch Pro use the PC for browsing the web, word processing, e-mail, or any other number of tasks. This does constitute a security risk - programs or users who are given access to the PC may adversely affect the system, either by slowing it down (Thus decreasing recording quality), deleting/corrupting data by accident or on purpose, or disabling the system entirely by shutting the PC down or by closing/crashing the software.
Depending on your specific needs, you may need to secure the system from being accessed in a number of ways. This article contains information on how to secure your PC to prevent accidental or intentional interruption of your surveillance.
Physical Security
If the system is placed somewhere where users can physically access the computer then it is at risk. A troublemaker may attempt to access the power/reset buttons on the front of the machine to shut the system down or disable the cameras. If they have access to the back of the computer they can unplug the cameras, or they can unplug power to disable the system. If the system is in a highly visible location then the PC itself could become a target for a thief during a break-in, especially if they realise the camera recordings are present.
Whenever possible, we recommend placing the PC in a secured location - a closet or cabinet which can be locked, or a secured enclosure. Special safes can be purchased which are ventilated to allow a computer to run inside. If the computer cannot be located somewhere secured, keep it as low-profile and out of sight as possible. Place it against a wall or desk, have the wiring as hidden as possible. Place it low to the ground to be more easily overlooked or bypassed.
OS Security
If you are using the computer to read e-mail, browse the web, play games or do other tasks then your video surveillance could be at risk. Be aware that running high-performance programs, such as watching videos, playing games, or working with very large programs can slow your system down. If your system becomes significantly bogged down then it will affect how well your video is compressed down, which could result in lower quality recordings or may make your recordings take up larger amounts of your hard drive (Which will result in less time being recorded). For this reason, please make certain that no high-performance applications are being run while EZ Watch Pro is in use.
If this system is being used for web access then please be especially careful of the sites that are visited. Viruses downloaded from websites and e-mail can disrupt video surveillance by lowering system performance (Which, as stated before, can result in lower quality video and larger files), corrupting your recorded video (Thus preventing you from being able to play it back at all), or crashing the software. Protective programs such as firewalls, anti-virus, and anti-spyware can help keep your PC safe, however many of them will slow your system down as well.
For absolute best performance we recommend using a router and firewall to protect the system and do not recommend browsing or using e-mail from the system.
Please disable any screen saver, sleep mode, or hibernation on the system. When the system enters any of these modes the recordings will stop.
Using Windows XP -
Click on 'Start', then go to 'Control Panel'. In the control panel, look for 'Display' (If you do not see 'Display', click on 'Appearance and Themes'. Display should appear there).
Inside Display, click on the 'Screensaver' tab and ensure the screensaver is set to (None).
On the same tab, click on the 'Power' button at the bottom. Select the 'Always On' Power Scheme.
'Turn off Monitor' is safe to set to whatever value you wish - your PC will still run fine with the monitor off. 'Turn off Hard Disks' should be set to NEVER. Turning off the hard disk will prevent EZ Watch from recording. 'System Standby' should be set to NEVER. You cannot record or view remotely while the system is on standby.
Click on the 'Hibernation' tab, and remove the check mark from 'Enable Hibernation'. Hibernation will prevent you from recording or viewing remotely.
Using Windows Vista -
Click on 'Start', then go to 'Control Panel'. In the control panel, Click on the section marked 'Appearance and Personalization' (If that section is not present, click 'Control Panel Home' and you should see it).
Within 'Appearance and Personalization' click on Change Screen Saver. Ensure the screen safer is set to (None).
At the bottom of the screen, click on 'Change Power Settings'. On the new screen that appears, select 'High Performance' and click on 'Change Plan Settings'. 'Turn off the Display' can be set to anything, as the computer will run just fine while the diesplay is off. 'Put the computer to sleep' should be set to Never, as the software cannot record or be viewed remotely while asleep. After those are set, click on 'Change advanced power settings'.
In this new window, click on the + sign next to 'Turn off Hard disk', then the + next to 'Turn off hard disk after', and set it to NEVER'.
Software Security
The EZ Watch Pro 4.0 software must be on and running to be able to record or view the cameras remotely. If the software is closed or disabled then it will not record any new clips and you cannot remotely view the cameras. If the computer cannot be physically secured so that unauthorized users cannot access the keyboard and mouse, then EZ Watch Pro has a built-in software lock which will secure them and prevent a user from being able to use those to close the software.
Important : Do not lock the system unless you know the password, as you cannot unlock it without the password!
To Enable the Lock -
While the Main Console software is running, click on 'Start', then click on 'Lock System'.
While the system is locked, ALL hotkeys including CTRL-ALT-DEL, ALT-TAB, CTRL-ESC, and any other system keys are disabled. The software cannot be closed, cannot be minimized, you cannot log out, and you cannot stop the recording or alter any settings at all. You can enable/disable camera rotation, and turn fullscreen on or off while the system is locked (Press 'ESC' to exit fullscreen), however all other functions are disabled.
To disable the lock, simply click on 'Start' then click on 'Unlock System'. Enter your password to unlock the system. Full functionality will be restored.
