For how long should video cameras and access control mechanisms be stored?

The appropriate duration for storing video camera footage and data from access control mechanisms is three months, which aligns with best practices for security and compliance. Retaining this data for a period of three months allows organizations to effectively monitor security events and incidents, such as unauthorized access or suspicious activity, while also ensuring that they do not keep data longer than necessary to minimize the risks associated with data storage.

This retention period balances the need for surveillance with the obligations around data protection. Keeping footage for a shorter duration might result in the loss of valuable evidence needed to investigate incidents, whereas retaining it for too long could lead to unnecessary data storage costs and potential violations of privacy regulations.

In this context, shorter or longer retention periods may not suffice for adequately addressing security concerns. For example, a one-month retention period might be too brief to capture critical events, while a six-month or one-year retention could lead to challenges in compliance regarding personal information management.