Punjab PSEB Sr. Sec. NSQF Private Security (CCTV Video Footage Auditor) key terms

A documented, unbroken record of who handled a piece of video evidence, when, where and why, from the moment of seizure or export until final disposal, used to prove the recording was not altered.

A short digital fingerprint calculated from a video file's contents; recalculating it later and getting the same result shows the file has not been modified since export.

A duplicate of the original recording used for review and analysis so that the master file stays untouched; the original is preserved and any edits are made only on copies.

The first, unaltered recording as written by the camera or recorder, kept sealed and unplayed where possible; all later copies are derived from it and compared against it for authenticity.

The state of a recording being complete, unedited and exactly as captured, protected by controlled access, verified copies and documented handling so it can be trusted in an investigation or court.

Data about the recording rather than its pictures, such as file name, creation time, camera identifier, duration, codec and frame rate, which helps prove where and when footage came from.

The date and time stamped on a video frame or file by the recorder; auditors compare it with real time to detect drift, wrong time zones or deliberate tampering.

Gradual difference between a recorder's clock and true time caused by hardware inaccuracy or missing synchronisation, which can shift events by minutes and undermine an alibi or timeline.

A standard method that keeps devices' clocks synchronised to a common time source over a network; recorders using it produce timestamps that align with other systems and logs.

Digital video recorder: a device that receives analogue camera signals, encodes them digitally and stores footage on an internal hard disk for later search and playback.

Network video recorder: a device that records IP camera streams over a network onto storage, often managing camera settings, motion rules and remote access from one interface.

A camera that sends digitised video over a network using internet protocols, allowing remote viewing, central recording and software-based analytics rather than a direct analogue cable to a monitor.

The compression method, such as H.264 or H.265, that shrinks video for storage and transmission; the player must support the same codec to open the file correctly.

The amount of data used per second of video; higher bit rates give clearer images but fill storage faster, and variable bit rates change with scene activity.

The number of images captured or shown per second; low rates can blur fast movement, so auditors note it when judging whether a person or vehicle can be identified.

The pixel dimensions of a video image, such as 1920 by 1080; it sets the maximum detail available, though lens quality and distance also decide whether a face is recognisable.

The number of pixels covering a subject, commonly expressed in pixels per metre at the scene; it predicts whether a person can be detected, recognised or identified in the footage.

The area a camera actually sees, set by lens focal length and sensor size; a wide field covers more ground but reduces detail on each person or object.

The chosen height, angle and direction of a camera, which determines what can be seen and whether glare, obstructions or blind spots will limit the value of its recordings.

An area within or around a monitored site that no camera covers, leaving gaps in the record where incidents can occur without any video evidence being captured.

A plan of the premises marked with camera positions and their viewing areas, used to check for gaps, plan reviews and show a court what the system could and could not see.

The set time a recorder keeps footage before automatically overwriting it; auditors must know this limit because evidence older than it will already be gone.

The process where a full recorder deletes the oldest recordings to make room for new ones; it means footage disappears on a rolling basis unless exported in time.

A formal instruction to preserve specified footage and stop its deletion or overwriting, issued once an incident, claim or investigation is known so evidence is not lost.

Copying selected footage from a recorder onto external media or a file, usually with a player and log attached, so it can be reviewed and preserved away from the system.

The original file structure and codec produced by the recorder, exported without conversion; keeping native files preserves quality and metadata that re-encoding may destroy.

Converting video from one format or codec to another, which can reduce quality and strip metadata; if done for review, the change must be documented and justified.

A recorder-generated list of system and alarm events such as motion triggers, camera loss, logins and configuration changes, each with a time, used to cross-check what the video shows.

A chronological record of who accessed, viewed, exported or changed footage and settings, allowing an auditor to trace actions and detect unauthorised handling.

A recorder function that starts recording or flags an alarm when pixels change within a set area; it saves storage but can miss slow events or trigger falsely on light and rain.

Software that automatically interprets video, for example counting people, detecting loitering or reading number plates; results must be verified by a human reviewer before being relied on.

The reviewer's task of spotting and confirming a security-relevant event in footage, then recording its time, camera, persons involved and description in a clear, factual note.

A written account of an event covering what happened, when, where, who was involved, what was done and what evidence exists, written factually and without speculation.

The auditor's structured document stating the scope, methods, findings, evidence references and recommendations of a footage review, written so a non-technical reader can follow it.

The factual conclusions an auditor draws from the footage and records, each supported by a specific time, camera and clip reference rather than opinion or assumption.

A short record made when footage or equipment is taken into custody, noting item, source, date, time, person taking it and condition, forming the first link in the chain of custody.

Whether a court will accept video as evidence, decided by relevance, authenticity, completeness and lawful acquisition; poor handling or gaps can lead to exclusion.

Rules limiting how personal data such as identifiable images are collected, stored, shared and erased, requiring a lawful purpose, limited retention and restricted access.

A sign or statement telling people that cameras are operating, who controls the footage, why it is recorded and how to raise a concern, supporting lawful and transparent surveillance.

The principle that surveillance and data use should be no more intrusive than needed for the stated security purpose, balancing crime prevention against individuals' reasonable privacy expectations.