ONVIF, the US-based standardisation initiative for IP-based physical security products, has released Candidate for Profile Q. This latest specification is now available for review on the ONVIF website.
Profile Q gives users and installers the tools to connect systems and devices as seamlessly as possible, the body says. Profile Q covers the security-specific needs of an set-up and basic device level configuration. A Profile Q conformant product will have ONVIF enabled automatically as the default setting. Per Björkdahl, Chairman of ONVIF’s Steering Committee, said: “ONVIF developed Profile Q in direct response to the industry’s request for out-of-the-box functionality and easier and secure configuration. With Profile Q, systems designers and installers will be able to more easily realize the full potential of interoperability using ONVIF.”
Profile Q also supports Transport Layer Security (TLS), a protocol designed to provide secure communication between devices and clients, with authentication involving the exchange of certificates and keys over a network. The profile manages certificates and keys on ONVIF devices themselves, which can then communicate with clients across the network in a way that protects against tampering and eavesdropping.
ONVIF circulates a new profile first as a ‘Release Candidate’ for six months, fo members and stakeholders to review. When that process is complete, the final profile is published and technology providers will be able to test their products for conformance to the final version of Profile Q. This process is intended to allow members to more quickly introduce conformant products when the final version of Profile Q is released in mid 2015.
About ONVIF
With more than 500 members and about 4,000 conformant products, ONVIF was founded in 2008, and has seen its membership grow by 25-50pc each year; visit: www.onvif.org.