Hikvision security risks?

[richard83]

Hey, new to the forum, so go easy if this question has been asked before or is common.

I'm looking to update my CCTV at my work place and install a new setup at my home.. I have heard that Hikvision has allot of vulnerabilities and can be hacked? What is the score, are they safe to use in the home or not?

I have currently the..

HikVision
DS-7708NI-SP
Firmware version - V3.4.5 build 170518
One with the disk drive built into the front.

All the cameras on it are 1.3MP and 3MP, dome style. (the two 3mp cameras updated in 2016)

I would say the whole set up is easily 10years old. Nothing can be updated to new firmware as it has stop been supported. (fairly sure this was fair while ago too).

I must say, it has the same hard drives in for last 10 years, and all channels run at full frame and record constantly without any sort of movement stuff set up (I found in first few years setting up movement caused issues with recorder, since turning it off never had any issues).

Only issues with NVR is one of the PoE failed, well a channel, so I'm a channel down and the power blew up about 2 years ago.. but as it runs a atx gaming pc power pack I just bought it a new pc power pack and sat it on top and its been working mint since

The cameras have nearly all failed at one point or another.. stripping them down it was just the dielectric coming out of capacitors.. soldering in new ons the cameras worked fine again..

Point I'm trying to make, to have worked this long and had minor issues I'm very impressed and would have liked to stick with Hikvision... but depends if the security is crap now?

The saving grace to my cameras is they have never been connected to the internet, so good look hacking that but not because I didn't want too.. I remember trying the whole DNS pointing thing and port forwarding for it to be flaky as hell, and when it did work for the brief moment, it would do 1mb per second then die so was not useable.. all my cameras don't do the sub mask channel compression thing.. forget what its called.

So what is the verdict, are they safe or do I need to look at something else, and if so what is the new go to camera systems etc? I think I paid around £1500 for the recorder and 2x 3tb hard drives back when I first got it, the cameras where around £150-200 each.

One thing that stopped me from upgrading years ago was that next door unit got the new colour vue hikvision cameras few years back, and you couldn't make out the number plates in motion like mine can, and his was like 4MP or something.. don't know why, but mine seems to freeze frame stuff better and at night doesn't do that ghosting thing that h.265 seems to do in the compression?

Anyways... whats the score? lol

 

[Dan]

Hi @richard83

You are correct that in the time since you bought your 7708NI-SP NVR there have been some security issues with Hikvision, but all of these known issues have been fixed with firmware updates and now current NVR models will be far more secure than the model you currently have (which on its current firmware version might still have some of those vulnerabilities).

As long as you use strong passwords and other basic security measures, the Hikvision products will be as secure as any other manufacturer's products.

If you are looking for a replacement NVR we would recommend the DS-7608NI-M2/8P 8-channel NVR and for the cameras, we would recommend either the DS-2CD2146G2-ISU 4MP AcuSense Dome or the DS-2CD2346G2-IU 4MP AcuSense Turret.

 

[richard83]

That’s good to here it’s all resolved and no longer a concern as I do like the HikVision stuff.

I only wish to run 6 cameras, but what caught me out with my current recorder was the bandwidth, so at the time should have gone with the 32ch to give me more bandwidth. So not looking to make that mistake again.

Is the new M-series stuff the same level of recorder as my old unit? As a few times I’ve gone to upgrade of the years and been told my a NVR was a decent model.

Would like new one to be a little more advanced and be able to actually notify me and watch back footage from remote locations.

Defo want a built in Poe.

The dome cameras I have have been hit very hard with bricks when I had someone try to break in, and all I had to do was rotate the dome plastics round and was optically perfect again, only downside is water causes glare of the ir at night so I have to clean the lens once a month basically.

Are turrets now a good idea? (As IR are mounted separately).

I noticed allot of these night focused cameras which seem to focus on colour seem to lack detail in the day, I still don’t understand.

As I say next door has those new colourvue cameras and apart from night time recording they are poor imho in the day time.. we have huge flood lights on the estate so it’s not needed. Nor do I care if the grass looks green at night haha.

Are all H.265 type camera have this horrible ghosting issue in the compression?

Any of the cameras us the new starvis2 Sony sensors?

Actually supprised how little this tech has come on in 10 years tbh lol

 

[Dan]

Hi @richard83

Bandwidth won't be an issue with the M-series NVRs, these models were released with higher incoming bandwidth to support the latest 8MP AcuSense/ColorVu cameras which use a lot more data than earlier 8MP models.

If you set the new NVR up with the Hik-Connect app you will be able to receive notifications and review playback remotely.

M-series has built-in PoE ports.

Turret cameras will give you better night performance and although not actually vandal resistant the lens glass area is much smaller than the dome of the dome cameras so if something does hit the turret cameras it is less likely to do serious damage that would impact the image the camera produces (e.g. like a big scratch/crack in the dome).

The ColorVu technology is always improving and the latest models are probably quite a bit better than what your neighbour bought before, the latest ColorVu Hybrid Light cameras are very impressive and are already quite positive feedback from users (see this forum thread).

We are not aware of a ghosting issue with any current H.265 cameras.

We don't know for sure what sensors the Hikvision cameras are using, but due to their lower price point, we think it is unlikely that they are using the latest Sony sensors.

 

[Sonic007]

To make things extra secure, If you have a guest network on your router or can create an isolated VLAN, stick the NVR on that network so there is no risk of it getting to your personal network.

 

[richard83]

Yeah I thought about putting it on a VLAN so that it wasn't directly contactable from outside connection.. but I didn't know if it still needed all this port forward stuff setting up.. as the service provider wouldn't allow those ports to be unlocked at the time.