When it comes to filmmaking, virtual production (VP) is a game-changer. Instead of a physical set used in traditional production, more and more producers are turning to VP as it’s faster, more cost-effective, and has immense creative potential.
Virtual production techniques involving a virtual set, a game engine like Epic Games’ Unreal Engine to create a virtual world, and a huge LED volume screen has become increasingly significant since the pandemic forced film studios and creators into remote workflows. Between 2022 and 2027, the VP market is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 17%. It is clear this technology is here to stay.
However, as with all emerging technologies, the cybersecurity risks involved with virtual production technology are also evolving rapidly. Let’s explore the biggest risks and how a virtual production studio can better protect themselves.
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Understanding the Cybersecurity Risks in Virtual Production
Given virtual production’s dependence on digital assets, producers and others on the post team usually handle extraordinarily sensitive intellectual property (IP).
- From the virtual set and virtual art to written treatments, ancillary assets, camera and motion capture data, and visual effects, VP studios hold virtual production workflow data that might traditionally be stored physically or impossible to steal—for example, an entire virtual environment as opposed to physical sets.
- Film projects face the potential of an embarrassing data leak or ransom situation if a virtual production gets breached.
- Data breaches or a complete system lockout could also result in the scrapping of entire productions or the loss of revenue potential.
SOURCE: B&H Photo
It’s even possible for hackers to pose as authorized personnel and wreak havoc within a digital production process, similar to threats facing metaverse applications and digital world development.
Crucially, virtual production teams also face similar challenges to physical studios—and some of the best security tips for those studios frequently apply.
Key Vulnerabilities in Virtual Production
Without robust network infrastructure and preventive maintenance, a virtual production studio risks backdoor attacks, exploits, and ransomware.
Sensitive, unencrypted data shared on unsecured networks can also be stolen by squatting cybercriminals.
What’s more, one of the biggest mistakes a virtual studio or filmmaker can make is to take a set-and-forget approach to its security posture. There’s always a need for regular auditing, safeguarding, monitoring, updating, and patching. VP attackers, like all hackers, are getting smarter and more resourceful.
The same notion applies to data storage security, where there’s a risk of hackers gaining access to sensitive virtual environment, game engine, camera, or motion capture data through brute-force attacks or leaks of usernames and passwords.
Ultimately, virtual studios must remain vigilant for access control exploitation alongside potential malware attacks and security exploits.
Best Practices for Securing Virtual Sets and Assets
The best course of action for VP studios to take with their virtual production technology is to arrange secure network architecture. This encompasses controls such as firewall protection, ensuring physical device security (such as routers and PCs), and applying ruthless access control.
Zero Trust architecture
Observing a Zero Trust security framework is a must in any virtual production workflow. As the name suggests, this security model effectively replaces a digital perimeter with case-by-case checks and authorization. That means even legitimate access requests are always subject to the same checks and measures from session to session.
A Zero Trust approach gives studios complete oversight regarding who has access to data and VP tools, and ensures that bad actors don’t have freedom of lateral movement to access other systems or data if they were to gain a foothold in your system.
This type of framework requires extensive authentication system design and setup, meaning studios can benefit from working with cybersecurity experts who can create custom access plans.
SOURCE: Premiumbeat
Strong encryption
Beyond this, encrypting data to either AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) or RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) protocols helps to protect studios against cybersquatters who wait for vulnerabilities and sneak into networks.
Complex passwords
Good password etiquette, too, is a must. Brute-force attackers can gain access to studio data with tools that can guess hundreds of thousands of passwords a minute. Companies can counteract this by enforcing strong passwords (or passphrases) that are difficult to guess, aren’t re-used between multiple applications, and are regularly refreshed.
Penetration testing
It’s good practice to run penetration testing ahead of time. That’s when a studio authorizes a controlled, ethical “dry run” attack to see how their infrastructure responds. This type of testing is ideal for spotting hidden vulnerabilities and ensuring regulatory compliance before projects go live.
Security audits
Beyond these points, establishing a security compliance culture and running regular audits helps studios stay on top of evolving threats. Given the sensitive assets they hold—and the damage hackers could wreak if they gained access—it’s a wise move to engage in regular security audits.
A culture of security
All the tools and technologies will only support VP studios so much if their teams aren’t security-focused. Everyone in virtual production must understand the threats of hacking, data leakage, and unauthorized access.
Driving a security-first culture—preferably through ongoing (and not one-time) security awareness training—means studio workers protect data at all costs, understand how to mitigate risks, and respect compliance.
One of the best ways for studios to provide cybersecurity training and education is to invest in planning and exploring worst-case scenarios. Studios (and, quite frankly, any employer) must show employees the outcomes of poor security hygiene and why everyone has a part to play in keeping data safe.
With a security-first culture, a studio has a respectful, proactive team that acts as a further line of defense against evolving threats.
Advanced Technologies and Innovations in Protecting Virtual Productions
As VP threats evolve, so do preventive measures. For example, the artificial intelligence (AI) boom has spread to cybersecurity—meaning studios can use automation and machine learning to effectively tighten up and maintain their protection in the background.
The bad news, of course, is that cybercriminals also have access to AI-powered tools.
Studios, on the other hand, can deploy AI to scan data and build threat knowledge, effectively learning to combat emerging attack techniques without the need for human intervention.
AI tools such as Microsoft’s Security Copilot can even provide automated responses to threat incidents by learning what actions to take when specific threats are spotted.
Other emerging technologies, such as blockchain ID checks, can ensure access control is impossible to bypass. ID contracts created via blockchain are impossible to edit or counterfeit, meaning studios are always certain they’re permitting authorized personnel.
Ensure Virtual Production Security With the Right Expertise and Tools
The role of virtual production in media and entertainment is growing quickly. Robust cybersecurity in the age of virtual production is a must to ensure valuable IP isn’t leaked or otherwise compromised.
Studios (and their employees) must first understand the risks and key vulnerabilities of virtual production workflows, and then apply cybersecurity best practices to their VP workflows. These best practices include:
- Implementing Zero Trust architecture.
- Using strong encryption.
- Enforcing complex passwords.
- Conducting regular penetration testing and security audits.
- Cultivating a culture of security.
Along with these best practices, companies can also use secure tools and platforms to ensure valuable IP doesn’t get hijacked.
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