Manufacturing Sector Profile
Manufacturing
Location
Philadelphia area, PA (client details generalized for confidentiality)
Services Provided
Cyber-centric physical security integration and network security remediation
The Challenge
A small manufacturing plant began experiencing crippling network performance issues. This wasn’t limited to a few security cameras dropping offline—core network resources were consistently saturated, available bandwidth was disappearing, and day-to-day operations were being disrupted.
The organization did not have a dedicated managed IT provider. Instead, their alarm vendor was also handling IT support, while the ISP repeatedly recommended bandwidth upgrades without identifying the underlying cause.
When increasing bandwidth failed to resolve the issue, the manufacturer contacted Systems Integrations to assess both the physical security environment and the network supporting it.
The Discovery: Remote Access Misconfiguration and Compounding Risk
Our assessment identified several compounding issues that created an easy path for compromise and significant bandwidth consumption:
- High-risk hardware mix: The site was running a mix of Dahua and Hikvision cameras feeding into NVR software that was not well-suited for an industrial environment.
- Insecure edge configuration: The business was operating on an infected SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) router. UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) was enabled, and multiple port-forwarding rules exposed cameras, the NVR, and Remote Desktop (RDP) directly to the internet.
- Unauthorized outbound traffic consuming bandwidth: With vulnerable devices and remote access exposed, the environment was compromised and generating malicious traffic that contributed to the bandwidth drain.
- Legacy operating systems: The issue was compounded by severely outdated, unsupported endpoints still in use on the network, including Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.
What initially looked like a “camera problem” was actually a broader cybersecurity incident enabled by poor network hygiene and insecure remote access.
Key Takeaway
Cybersecurity and physical security are now the same conversation. A poorly deployed camera system isn’t just a blind spot—it can become a pathway into the entire business.
The Solution: Securing the Foundation
To restore performance and reduce risk, Systems Integrations executed a remediation and upgrade plan:
- Threat containment and cleanup: We quarantined affected segments, cleaned infected devices, and immediately removed direct internet exposure of RDP.
- Network hardening and segmentation: We replaced the SOHO router with a commercial-grade firewall and segmented the network to isolate physical security devices from core business systems.
- Endpoint modernization: We decommissioned unsupported Windows XP, Vista, and 7 machines and upgraded the environment to modern, supported endpoints.
- Best-practice remote access: We disabled UPnP, removed unnecessary port-forwarding rules, and implemented secure, encrypted remote access so authorized users could view cameras safely.
The Outcome
By approaching physical security through a cybersecurity lens, the manufacturer regained a fast, stable network and reliable video surveillance.
They also eliminated unnecessary ISP bandwidth upgrades and reduced ongoing risk by removing insecure remote access, modernizing endpoints, and implementing proper segmentation—helping protect the facility from both physical and digital threats.
Call to Action
If you’re seeing slow networks, camera dropouts, or remote access that was set up by a vendor without a security review, Systems Integrations can perform a security-focused network and physical security assessment to identify risks and stabilize performance. Contact us today Systems-Integrations.com