In a world where security threats are no longer confined to the realms of governments and enterprises, having a robust home surveillance system is not just a luxury but a necessity. This guide will take you step-by-step through setting up a military-grade surveillance system on a Windows 11 PC. We'll cover everything from initial setup to advanced configurations, integrating AI-powered surveillance software, and establishing a secure, resilient network.

The goal is to transform your Windows 11 PC into a powerful, secure command center capable of monitoring your home, protecting your data, and ensuring that you have complete visibility and control over your environment, much like a Security Operations Center (SOC) but scaled down for personal use.

### 1. Initial Setup and Configuration

#### A. **Initial Power-On and Windows 11 Installation** 1. **Secure BIOS/UEFI Configuration**: — **Update BIOS/UEFI**: Always start by updating your BIOS/UEFI to the latest version. This ensures compatibility with modern security features. — **Enable Secure Boot**: This prevents unauthorized software from loading during the boot process, safeguarding against rootkits and bootkits. — **Enable TPM 2.0**: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) provides hardware-based security features such as disk encryption and secure boot. — **Set BIOS/UEFI Password**: Prevents unauthorized users from altering boot settings.

2. **Windows 11 Installation**: — Use a **secure, verified installation media** from Microsoft. — During setup, choose **offline account setup** to avoid cloud-based dependencies initially. — Apply **BitLocker** disk encryption to ensure data remains secure in case of theft or unauthorized access.

3. **Initial User Setup**: — Create a local administrator account with a **strong passphrase**. — Enable **Windows Defender Application Guard** for an isolated environment when browsing untrusted websites. — Disable unused features like Cortana and Telemetry to minimize data leakage.

4. **Install Latest Updates**: — Run `Settings > Windows Update` and install all available updates. Apply any additional security patches to mitigate vulnerabilities.

### 2. Setting Up Surveillance Software

#### A. **Choosing the Right Surveillance Software** - **Blue Iris**: A powerful video management software that supports a wide range of IP cameras and provides extensive recording, alerting, and remote monitoring features. - **iSpy**: An open-source surveillance platform with capabilities like motion detection, object recognition, and cloud recording. - **Agent DVR**: A modern, web-based surveillance system that offers advanced features like face recognition, object detection, and AI integrations.

#### B. **Installing and Configuring Surveillance Software** 1. **Install Blue Iris**: — Download and install Blue Iris from the official website. — Configure Blue Iris to run as a Windows service, ensuring it starts automatically with Windows. — Add your IP cameras by navigating to **Cameras > Add Camera**, entering the RTSP URL of your camera, and configuring resolution and frame rate settings.

2. **Configure Alerts and Recording**: — Set up motion detection by navigating to **Camera Settings > Trigger > Motion Sensor**. — Configure alerts for motion detection, sound detection, or other triggers. — Set up a storage schedule to manage recorded footage, enabling overwrite options to maintain free space.

3. **Enable Remote Access**: — Configure remote access through Blue Iris by navigating to **Settings > Web Server**. — Enable a secure connection using HTTPS, and set a strong password for remote access. — Configure port forwarding on your router to allow external access to the Blue Iris server.

#### C. **Integrating AI for Enhanced Surveillance** 1. **Install Agent DVR**: — Download and install Agent DVR. — Set up the software to recognize your cameras and configure AI-based detection features like person detection, face recognition, and object tracking.

2. **Set Up AI-Based Triggers**: — Define rules for AI-based alerts. For instance, send a notification when a face is recognized at a specific time or when a person is detected in a restricted area. — Use the web-based interface to monitor AI alerts and review footage.

### 3. Network and Security Hardening

#### A. **Securing Your Network** 1. **Set Up a Secure Network**: — Use a **strong WPA3 password** for your Wi-Fi network. — Set up a **guest network** for IoT devices to keep them isolated from your main network.

2. **Enable Network Segmentation**: — Use VLANs to separate your surveillance network from your main network, ensuring that if one segment is compromised, it doesn't affect the others.

3. **Implement Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS)**: — Install an NIDS like **Snort** or **Suricata** on a separate machine to monitor network traffic for suspicious activity.

#### B. **Configuring Firewall and Defender** 1. **Windows Defender Firewall**: — Configure Windows Defender Firewall to allow only necessary inbound and outbound traffic. Block all unnecessary ports to reduce attack vectors. — Enable firewall logging to monitor for unauthorized access attempts.

2. **Enable Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)**: — Use Windows Defender ATP for advanced malware protection, endpoint detection, and response capabilities.

3. **Configure Enhanced PowerShell Logging**: — Enable script block logging and transcription to monitor all PowerShell activity, which is a common attack vector.

### 4. User and Access Management

#### A. **Creating User Accounts** 1. **Create Separate Accounts for Different Roles**: — Create different local user accounts for administration, monitoring, and guest access. — Limit administrative privileges to the bare minimum.

2. **Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)**: — Use hardware keys like **YubiKey** for MFA, adding a second layer of security to critical accounts.

3. **Implement Secure Password Policies**: — Use a password manager to generate and store strong, unique passwords for each account. — Regularly update passwords and use different passwords for each user account.

#### B. **Setting File and Folder Permissions** 1. **Secure Sensitive Data**: — Use BitLocker and EFS (Encrypting File System) to encrypt sensitive surveillance footage and configuration files. — Apply NTFS permissions to restrict access to critical folders and files.

2. **Audit File Access**: — Enable auditing on sensitive directories to monitor who accesses or modifies critical files. — Use PowerShell scripts to automate the generation of access reports.

### 5. Advanced Configurations

#### A. **Backup and Redundancy** 1. **Set Up Regular Backups**: — Use Windows Backup or third-party solutions to create regular backups of the system, configuration files, and recorded footage. — Store backups in a secure off-site location or a secure cloud service.

2. **Implement RAID for Storage Redundancy**: — Configure RAID 1 or RAID 5 for the surveillance storage to provide redundancy in case of drive failure.

#### B. **Disaster Recovery and Response Plan** 1. **Create a Disaster Recovery Plan**: — Define recovery procedures for different scenarios like data corruption, hardware failure, or a security breach. — Test the recovery plan regularly to ensure that it is effective.

2. **Set Up a Secure Remote Access Gateway**: — Use a VPN or a secure remote access solution like **ZeroTier** to access your surveillance system remotely without exposing it to the internet directly.

### 6. Final Checks and Maintenance

#### A. **Run Vulnerability Scans** 1. **Use Tools Like Nessus or OpenVAS**: — Perform regular vulnerability scans on your system and network to identify and fix security weaknesses.

2. **Apply Security Patches Regularly**: — Keep all software and firmware up to date, including the operating system, surveillance software, and network devices.

#### B. **Monitor and Review Logs** 1. **Regularly Review Security Logs**: — Set up automated log reviews and alerting for any suspicious activity.

2. **Conduct Regular Security Audits**: — Periodically audit your security configurations, access logs, and surveillance software settings to ensure everything is secure and functioning as expected.

### Conclusion: Building a Fortress of Home Security

By following this comprehensive guide, you will have transformed your Windows 11 PC into a military-grade home surveillance system capable of protecting your property with the highest standards of security and reliability. Remember, security is an ongoing process that requires regular updates, audits, and vigilance. Stay proactive, keep learning, and adapt to new threats to ensure that your home remains a bastion of safety in an ever-evolving digital world.