http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/23/technology/flaws-in-videoconferencing-systems-put-boardrooms-at-risk.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

I started reading and realized quickly that as AV and IT merged and intermingled, our disciplines have yet to successfully communicate and at times understand each other. The network, security, server and the AV trades are all in the same boat and from the early rifts, I think we have come a long way in understanding what each discipline brings to the table, but we still seem to fail continuously when working with each another. This seems to be a classic example of how the AV implementations can jeopardize the network and act as portal into your systems. Clamping down on the AV systems in response to perceived threats means hampering the communication within the organization or with customers and clients.

I have had hacking attempts on my gateways from many countries but mainly from China. None have yet to manage to make a relay through my system or into it (or at least I have not found evidence in logs) but fact of the matter is that we are just as vulnerable as everyone else connected to the network/internet….

What’s our combined future? Obviously neither discipline will go away or lose in relevance. Will AV guys end up having to understand networks and security or is this a new field of AV security on the horizon? How about the encryption or the privileged doctor-patient or lawyer-client relationships that we may have to protect or the implementation of campus wide IPTV systems that live on the network and as such could become targets of infiltration attempts… We have seen the infiltration of roadway signs, will large digital signage systems or advertizing networks become the next targets?