How Real-Time Video Intelligence Strengthens Critical Infrastructure Protection

Eric Buer, Senior Director of Sales and Business Development, LiveU’s Public Safety division

Recent natural disasters, including hurricanes, have decimated city infrastructures, while risking the lives of countless civilians and first responders.

LiveU, a leading provider of IP-video solutions for mission-critical video intelligence takes a look at how Emergency Management, Disaster Relief, and a host of other local, state, and federal agencies can leverage emerging technologies to get a clear operating picture of evolving situations that threaten critical infrastructure.  

Critical infrastructure

The U.S. Government identifies 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered vital  and their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination the reof. They include: the commercial sector, energy, transportation networks, water and waste water systems, communications  etc. – essentially the backbone of modern society. As these systems become increasingly interconnected and digitized, they face unprecedented security challenges. Raw video surveillance and collection, which can be processed into intelligence, emerges as a cornerstone technology for protecting these national assets, providing real-time situational awareness, threat detection, and rapid response capabilities that traditional security measures cannot match in terms of capability or cost.

Modern Threats to Critical Infrastructure

Critical infrastructure faces increasing physical and cyber threats that require faster, smarter monitoring solutions. Recent incidents highlight the urgency: 

• Duke Energy (North Carolina): Thousands lost power after coordinated substation attacks.
• Puget Sound Energy (Washington): Eco-protesters damaged substations, disrupting service. 
• US Grid (2024): Bloomberg reported a spike in physical threats, especially near election periods. 
• Ukraine (2015): State-sponsored cyberattack disabled the power grid – an example of hybrid threats targeting physical + cyber systems. 

These threats, coupled with the potential for state-sponsored attacks, highlighted the vulnerabilities of the US power grid and combined with the 2015 Ukraine power grid incident, demonstrates how adversaries exploit vulnerabilities across multiple sectors simultaneously. 

Traditional perimeter security – static cameras, basic motion detection, and manual monitoring – often proves inadequate against modern threats. These current methods for gathering situational awareness data often face significant limitations, such as inconsistent connectivity and restricted access in remote areas. LiveU, born from the broadcast industry has a solution to these issues – an innovative, mission-critical solution that combines the capabilities of LiveU bonded IP-video with public safety tools including drones, Video Management Systems (VMS) platforms, etc.  

Security personnel cannot effectively monitor hundreds of video feeds simultaneously, leading to delayed threat detection and response. Factors like the nature of the threat, the complexity of the environment, and the effectiveness of detection and reporting processes all play a role.  

How Real-Time Video Intelligence Enhances Critical Infrastructure Protection

Critical infrastructure protection depends, not only on robust physical and cyber defenses, but also on the integration of intelligent video surveillance that delivers real-time situational awareness, enabling rapid response and proactive threat mitigation. Secure video intelligence transforms passive surveillance into proactive threat detection through advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and real-time processing. Modern video intelligence platforms leverage machine learning algorithms to identify anomalous behavior patterns, recognize unauthorized personnel, and detect potential security breaches before they escalate. 

Key capabilities include behavioral analytics that establish baseline activity patterns and immediately flag deviations, facial recognition systems that identify known threats or unauthorized individuals, and object detection that monitors suspicious items or activities. Integration with existing security infrastructure enables automated response protocols, reducing response times from minutes to seconds. 

Operational Benefits and Risk Mitigation 

LiveU On Premise Software (OPS) provide full control of video feeds at all times, allowing you to manage all video applications within the organization, including a  customized encryption option.  

Video intelligence provides measurable improvements in security posture and operational efficiency.  

• Automated threat detection reduces false alarms while improving genuine threat identification rates.  
• Real-time alerts enable security teams to respond to incidents within minutes rather than hours, significantly reducing potential damage. 

Beyond security, video intelligence enhances operational visibility across infrastructure facilities.  

• Predictive analytics identify maintenance needs before equipment failures occur, while workflow optimization reduces operational costs.  
• Emergency response coordination improves through centralized video feeds that provide incident commanders with comprehensive situational awareness. 

Implementation Considerations for Critical
Infrastructure Video Systems 

Successful video intelligence deployment requires careful attention to cybersecurity, privacy, and regulatory compliance. End-to-end security or encryption protects video streams from interception, while secure communication protocols are designed to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. Privacy-by-design principles address regulatory requirements while maintaining operational effectiveness and efficiency. 

LiveU solutions integrate with existing VMS and situational awareness platforms, allowing you to effectively manage all your video. This provides high-quality, low latency real-time video, which is mobile, rapidly deployed, and easy to use. The integration with existing security operations centers maximizes return on investment while minimizing disruption to established workflows. Scalable architecture accommodates growing infrastructure needs while maintaining performance standards. 

Critical infrastructure protection demands proactive, integration with intelligent video security solutions that match the sophistication of modern threats. Assisting decision makers in the deployment of assets and the distribution of intelligence in a timely manner, are all key mission factors. Efficient video streaming can support these efforts by contextualizing a situation, recognizing patterns, and predicting potential outcomes to make informed decisions and react effectively, especially in high-stress environments.    

Video intelligence provides the foundation for comprehensive security programs that protect vital assets while enabling operational excellence. Protecting critical infrastructure isn’t just about securing assets – it’s about safeguarding the systems that underpin national resilience, economic stability, and public confidence. LiveU technology brings substantial advantages to protection of critical infrastructure, dispatched units and field personnel. Its capabilities greatly enhance situational awareness and responsiveness.  

Organizations that invest in secure video intelligence today position themselves to defend against tomorrow’s evolving threat landscape, while ensuring the continuity of essential services that society depends upon. 

To learn more about our Public Safety Solutions for critical infrastructure, visit https://www.liveu.tv/solutions/public-safety/situational-awareness.  

Eric Buer serves as the Senior Director of Sales and Business Development for LiveU’s Public Safety division.