Security cameras: detection, evasion, and system reset guide

Security Access Planning: Clearance, Keypad Hackers, and Route Recovery

Security cameras in the facility are tied to a broader access-control system that governs which doors open, which sectors remain locked, and how much resistance you face when moving through a corridor. Treating cameras as isolated detection hazards misses the larger problem: the security system itself must be bypassed, disabled, or reset to make progress. This guide focuses on the planning and preparation steps that determine whether you reach your objective or hit a locked door with no way forward.

Prerequisites: What You Need Before Entering a Security-Controlled Sector

Before attempting to pass through any area with active security cameras, confirm you have the following:

• Keypad Hacker, appropriate tier. Each security door requires a specific hacker tier. Using a higher-tier hacker on a lower-tier door wastes materials. Craft the minimum tier needed for your target sector. If you do not know the tier requirement, carry one tier above your best guess — but avoid using it unless necessary.
• Spare crafting materials for a replacement Keypad Hacker. If your hacker breaks or you use it on the wrong door, you need to craft another. Carry at least the base materials for the tier you expect to need.
• A clear route to the Security Sector main objective. The permanent security system reset is a story goal located in the Security Sector. Until you complete it, cameras remain active and doors remain locked. Prioritize reaching this objective over clearing side areas that require high-tier hackers.
• Enough health supplies to survive a retreat. If you trigger an alarm, you may need to fight or flee through multiple rooms. Do not enter a camera-controlled area with low health and no healing items.

Route Choice: Evaluating Your Path Before Moving

When you enter a new room or corridor, do not step into the open until you have assessed the following:

1. Camera count and placement. Identify every camera in the room. Look for secondary cameras covering the same area — one camera may be obvious, while a second one hidden behind a pillar or on a ceiling track covers the same zone from a different angle.
2. Door locations and lock status. Note which doors are security-locked and which are open. If the only exit requires a Keypad Hacker you do not have, do not proceed into the room — backtrack and craft the correct tier first.
3. Enemy patrol routes. Enemies may move through the area independently of camera detection. If you disable a camera, the noise may draw patrols. Check for nearby enemies before using any tool or weapon that makes sound.
4. Fallback positions. Identify at least one corner, doorframe, or piece of cover you can reach quickly if an alarm triggers. Do not commit to crossing a long open area without a retreat point.

Use this decision table to choose your approach:

Numbered Workflow: Passing a Camera-Controlled Corridor

Follow this sequence when you need to move through a corridor with active cameras and a security door at the end.

1. Stop at the entrance. Do not step into the corridor. Identify all cameras, their sweep patterns, and the location of the security door. Confirm you have the correct Keypad Hacker tier for that door. If you do not, turn back now — this is the point where recovery is easiest.

2. Time your first movement. Wait for the nearest camera to begin its sweep away from your position. Crouch-walk to the first piece of cover — a desk, crate, or corner. Do not sprint unless you are crossing a gap with no cover. Sprinting increases detection speed at close range.

3. Reassess from cover. From your new position, check whether any secondary cameras now have line of sight to you. If a camera you did not see from the entrance now faces your direction, wait for it to turn away before moving again. Repeat this pause-and-check pattern until you reach the security door.

4. Use the Keypad Hacker. Once at the door, equip the correct tier hacker and interact with the door panel. Move through immediately. Do not stop to loot or fight in the doorway — close the door behind you if possible to block line of sight from cameras in the previous corridor.

5. If an alarm triggers during the sequence: Do not continue toward the door. Retreat to the nearest cover or back to the entrance. Enemies will spawn near the camera that detected you. Fight or flee from that position, then reassess whether to attempt the corridor again or take a different route.

Recovery Advice: What to Do When a Door Is Blocked

If you reach a security door and cannot open it, you have three options:

• Backtrack to craft the correct Keypad Hacker tier. This is the safest option. Retrace your steps through areas you already cleared. If cameras have reset during your absence, treat each room as a new encounter — do not assume the path is safe.
• Find an alternate route. Some sectors have secondary paths that bypass security doors. Look for ventilation shafts, maintenance tunnels, or breakable walls. These routes may require tools like a crowbar or welding torch.
• Trigger a controlled alarm to force doors open. In some sectors, triggering an alarm causes certain security doors to unlock temporarily. This is risky — enemies will spawn — but may be your only option if you cannot backtrack and have no alternate route. Only use this method if you are prepared for a fight.

If none of these options work, the area may require progression through the main story. The permanent security system reset in the Security Sector is the only way to fully disable cameras and unlock all doors in the facility. Until you reach that point, treat every camera-controlled corridor as a temporary obstacle that requires planning, preparation, and a clear exit strategy.