Mixed Deck — All CST Topics Flashcards

Which practice BEST supports the legal defensibility of a surveillance system's footage in litigation?

Answer: Implementing access controls, audit logs, and encryption to establish footage integrity and a documented chain of custody

Access controls, audit logs, and encryption collectively demonstrate that footage has not been altered or accessed improperly, supporting its authenticity and admissibility as evidence.

What is the primary function of video analytics in a surveillance system?

Answer: Automatically analyzing video content to detect events or behaviors

Video analytics uses algorithms to automatically analyze video content and detect specific events, behaviors, or objects without continuous human monitoring.

A PM task calls for checking the video wall display used in a control room. What is the primary maintenance concern for these displays?

Answer: Pixel uniformity degradation, backlight brightness, and heat dissipation

Video wall displays in continuous-use control rooms degrade in pixel uniformity and backlight brightness over time, and heat management must be verified to prevent premature failure.

When exporting video evidence for court, which file attribute is most critical to preserve to demonstrate the footage has not been altered?

Answer: Cryptographic hash value (MD5/SHA)

A cryptographic hash value (MD5 or SHA) provides a verifiable fingerprint proving the exported file is bit-for-bit identical to the original.

What is the purpose of 'camera tamper detection' in a video analytics system?

Answer: Alerting when a camera is obstructed, moved, or spray-painted

Camera tamper detection identifies when a camera has been physically interfered with—such as being covered, repositioned, or defaced—and triggers an immediate alert.

When selecting cameras for an indoor retail environment, which feature is most important to prevent blind spots near shelving units?

Answer: Varifocal lens with wide minimum angle

A varifocal lens with a wide minimum angle lets the installer adjust the field of view to eliminate blind spots around shelving.

Which federal law governs the protection of stored electronic communications and gives users rights against unauthorized access by third parties, including employers in some contexts?

Answer: Stored Communications Act (SCA)

The Stored Communications Act (Title II of ECPA) protects the privacy of stored electronic communications such as emails and restricts access by service providers and third parties.

In a school environment, where should cameras NOT be placed due to privacy regulations?

Answer: Restrooms and locker rooms

Cameras in restrooms and locker rooms are prohibited by privacy laws and regulations, including FERPA considerations and state statutes.

What does the term 'credential management' refer to in access control?

Answer: The lifecycle process of issuing, tracking, modifying, and revoking access credentials

Credential management encompasses the entire lifecycle of access credentials — from issuance and assignment to modification and revocation.

What does the pixel per foot (PPF) metric measure in surveillance system design?

Answer: The image detail available at a specific distance from the camera

PPF quantifies how many pixels are available to represent one foot of the scene at a specific distance, directly determining the level of detail captured.

What is one of the legal consequences of unauthorized surveillance in certain areas?

Answer: Criminal charges, fines, or lawsuits for privacy violations.

One of the legal consequences of unauthorized surveillance in certain areas is facing criminal charges, fines, or lawsuits for privacy violations. Conducting surveillance where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy without consent or legal justification can lead to severe penalties under privacy protection laws.

Which recording mode is most appropriate for a high-security entrance where every event must be captured and storage is not a limiting concern?

Answer: Continuous 24/7 recording at full resolution and frame rate

Continuous 24/7 recording at full resolution and frame rate ensures no gaps in coverage at critical entry points, which is essential when complete accountability is required and storage is sufficient.

Which recording mode conserves storage by only recording when motion is detected?

Answer: Motion-triggered recording

Motion-triggered (or motion-activated) recording conserves storage space by only recording footage when motion is detected in the camera's field of view.

Which standard must law enforcement meet to obtain a pen register order (capturing numbers dialed, not call content)?

Answer: Certification that the information is relevant to an ongoing investigation

A pen register order requires only a certification that the information is relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation, a lower bar than probable cause.

During a surveillance installation, you discover that the total cable run to a distant camera will be 320 feet of Cat6. What is the likely concern?

Answer: The run exceeds the 328-foot (100m) Ethernet specification limit

The IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard limits copper UTP cable runs to 328 feet (100 meters), beyond which signal degradation can cause connectivity issues.

During a PM visit, a technician tests the camera failover to a secondary NVR. The failover does not activate automatically. What is the most likely cause?

Answer: Failover configuration settings are incorrect or the secondary NVR is not properly registered

Automatic failover requires correct configuration on both the primary and secondary NVR, and a failure to switch over typically indicates a setup error or registration issue.

What is the advantage of using HTTPS instead of HTTP for VMS web client access?

Answer: Encrypted communication that protects credentials and video data in transit

HTTPS encrypts the data channel using TLS, preventing interception of login credentials and video streams by unauthorized parties during transmission.

Which quality assurance method is most commonly applied in ip camera & poe networking to verify that CST professional standards are being met?

Answer: Structured audits, peer reviews, and performance metrics aligned with industry benchmarks

Structured audits, peer reviews, and performance metrics aligned with industry benchmarks are the most effective quality assurance methods in ip camera & poe networking, providing objective, measurable evidence that CST standards are consistently met.

Which H.264 profile is most commonly used in IP cameras to balance compression efficiency and hardware compatibility?

Answer: High Profile

High Profile provides the best compression efficiency and is widely supported by modern IP cameras and NVRs for surveillance applications.

What is the primary ethical obligation of a CST professional when a conflict of interest arises during evidence export & timestamping activities?

Answer: Disclose the conflict to all relevant parties and recuse from the decision if necessary

The primary ethical obligation when a conflict of interest arises in evidence export & timestamping is to disclose it to all relevant parties and, if necessary, recuse from the decision. This maintains professional integrity and stakeholder trust.