Cisco Settles False Claims Act Suit For Video Surveillance Vulnerabilities

By: John Honovich, Published on Aug 01, 2019

Cisco entered the video surveillance market in 2007 and suffered for many years through a variety of its own errors and arrogance. The conclusion of that embarrassing error may have just now been reached as Cisco has paid an $8.6 million settlement for cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

cisco whistleblower video surveillance

Inside this note, we examine:

  • The significance of this court case, settled after nearly a decade of secret litigation,
  • What Cisco did according to excerpts of the complaint
  • What this means for Cisco and the video surveillance industry including the benefits and risks of those who could use the 'False Claims Act' lawsuits against other manufacturers.

***** ******* *** ***** surveillance ****** ** **** and ******** *** **** years ******* * ******* of *** *** ****** and*********. *** ********** ** that ************ ***** *** have **** *** **** reached ** ***** *** paid ** $*.* ******* settlement *** ************* ***************.

cisco whistleblower video surveillance

****** **** ****, ** examine:

  • *** ************ ** **** court ****, ******* ***** nearly * ****** ** secret **********,
  • **** ***** *** ********* to ******** ** *** complaint
  • **** **** ***** *** Cisco *** *** ***** surveillance ******** ********* *** benefits *** ***** ** those *** ***** *** the '***** ****** ***' lawsuits ******* ***** *************.

[***************]

Case ********

******* (*** *********)*** ***** ** **** by * *************, ***** on ************* *************** ********** in **** *** **** Cisco *** *** *******,** *** *** *********, until ****. *** *************'* *********,******** & *****, **** that *** ************* *** $*.* ******* and *** "*** ** the *****, ** *** the *****, ***** ****** Act ***** ******* ********* cybersecurity ******".***** ********* ** **"* ******* ****** ** the ** ******* ********** and ** ****** *** products ********* ******* *****’* fiscal ***** **** *** 2013."

Excerpts **** ********* **** *****

*** ********* **** **** this ***** ******* **** an ******** ***** ****** with *****'* **** *** software *** ****** ** with ***** *** *** complaint ******** *** *** fix **:

** *** **** ** the ******, *** ************* worked ** ********* *******, per *** *********.

*** *************** **** ********* obvious, ********* ** *** complaint, ** *** ********* acknowledges **** *** **** needed ***** ********* *********:

*** *********, ****** ******** reasons, **** *** ****** what *** ****** ****, though **** ** ****, it ** ****** **** there **** **** ******* security ****** (**** ** mind, ** **** ******, ********* ******* **** being **** ********* ** ******** ******* password).

******** ** *** ***** VSOM *************** ********* *** user ****** **** ****** to *** ******:

** ******* ******* ** the ******* *****:

*** *********** ***** ** that ******** ******** ****** would *** **** ****** to ****** **** ***:

Cisco ********

*****,********** ** **** ** the **********, ****** ** ** the *****, ******:

*** ********* ** ***** suppliers *** ****** *** also ********... ** *****, what ****** ********** ** one ***** ** ****** meets *** ***** ** our ************ *****.

******* **** **** ****** was '**********' ** **** is ********* *********. *** fact **** ***** ***, even **** ** **** then, *** ****** ** networking, ***** ** **** harder ** ******.

******, ***** **** **** blame ** *********:

*** ******** *** ******* by *********, * ******* we ******** ** ****. Broadware ************* ******** ** open ************ ** ***** customized ******** ************ *** solutions ** ** ***********.

********* *** * ******** for ***** ** ****, many **** **** **** being *** ****** ******, as *** ********* ******** has **** ***** **** discontinued. ** ******, **** if *** ******** **** from *********, ***** ***** and **** **** *** many *****, ** *** responsibility ** ** ****. 

False ****** ***

*** *** ***** ** ***** ****** act*** ************* *************** ** important. **** ******** ********** for ***** **** **** these ****** ** **** as *** ***** **** are ***** ** **** such ************* *****. *** example, *** *** **** that *** **** ******* ** ****** '************* practices ****'. 

**** ************* ******** ****** increased *******, **** ***** be * ***** *** those ****** ** *** only **** *********** ***** (the ************* *** ******* $1.6 *******) *** ****** large ************.

Cisco ******

*** ****** ** ***** in ***** ************ ** likely ** ** *******. The ******** ***** ***** surveillance ******** ** *********** dead, **************** *** ***** '***** security' ******** ** ****. ***** ***** ** still ** *** ***** surveillance ******, **** ** through ******, ***** **** a ********** ********* *** unrelated ************ (*** ***** ****** ***** ***/******* Tested).

Industry ******

***** *** **** **** be ***** **** ******** in ********. *** ****** a ****** **** ******* was ****** (*.*., *** public) ** ** *** being *********. ** ** is ********* ******** ***** lawsuits ******* ***** ************* are *******.

*** ***** *** ********* this *** ******** ** the ********** *****, ** could ******* ****** ** step ******* *** *** the ***** ****** ***.

Comments (10)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

08/01/19 04:03pm

**** *** *** ********* Software **** **** ********. They **** **** ******** for *** ***.  *** leader *** *** **** is *** *** **** Puretec ***** ** ** the *** ***** ** Directors.

**** ****** ** * proven ******** ****** **** strengths ** ******* ********* direction, ******** *************, *** negotiating ******* *** ************. He *** *** ** BroadWare, ***** ********* ** platforms *** ******** *** integrating ******** ******** **** unified *********. ***** ******* BroadWare ** ***** ** 2007 **** ****** ** VP/General ******* ** *****’* Physical ******** ** ***** supplied ************, ****** *******, and ************* ******** ** the ******** ********. ***** to ********* ** ****** in * ******* ** CEO *** ********* ********** for ********* ** *** security *** **** *********** industries.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 08/01/19 04:05pm

***** ** **** ****** today? *******.*** ******** ********** *** **** ******* in * ***** ***** saying "* ** ********* ****** some **** *** ****** starting ** **** *******"

Undisclosed #2

In reply to John Honovich | 08/06/19 06:55pm

***** ** **** ****** today?

********* ** *** ***** :)

Avatar

Morten Tor Nielsen

prescienta.com | 08/01/19 07:39pm

******* ********* ** * cop-out. **** ****** *** due *********, *** ******* to **** **** *** turd *******. ***** *** US ** * ********* litigation **** (** ******** if ***'** * ****** I *****), ** ***** pretty ********* ** **** the *******.

**** ** *** ** "win", * ****** *** lawyers ** **** *** lions *****, ***** *** whistleblower ******* *** **** of ********* *******-********** ** order ** ***** *** into **********.

* ***'* ****** **'** see **** ** **** in *** *** *****.

********... ***** * ****** give ** ******** & Mr ***** * **** :)

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Morten Tor Nielsen | 08/01/19 08:04pm

***** *** ** ** a ********* ********** ****

***** ***** *** ********* reasons ** ********* *** US ***** ******, **** seems ** ******* ** a **** ***. ***** did ***** ** ** failing ** *** **** and *** *** ******* some ****** ** ********** (the ***** ** ******* but *** ****** ********* impact ** ***). ***********, it ****** **** ******* further ********** *** ************* to ******** *** ******.

Undisclosed #2

08/03/19 11:23pm

**** ************* ******** ****** increased *******, **** ***** be * ***** *** those ****** ** *** only **** *********** ***** (the ************* *** ******* $1.6 *******)...

* ** *********** * career ****** ** ‘*************’...

Undisclosed #3

08/06/19 01:48pm

* ********* ******** ******** a *** ** ***** software *** *** ***** for **?  ********* ***** someone **** ****?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 08/06/19 08:53pm

**, ** *** ***** when ** ****** ** NetDesign, * '****** ******* services ********". *****, ** went ** **** *** Milestone *** ** *** during **** ****, *** suit *** *****.

Robert Fuller

09/09/19 03:16pm

**** *** *** ********** terrible. *****'* ******* ** it *** ******* ** bad. ****, ***** ** a ****** ** **** I ***** ******** ** years *** ********* *** terrible ** ***.

****:***** ************ ******** - Case *****

luis rodriguez

10/29/19 06:51pm

** ** ***** ****** for ***** ** *** $10,000,000 ******* ** ******* !!! *** **** ***** the ******* ** ************.

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.

Related Reports

Open vs End-to-End Systems: Integrator Statistics 2019 on Nov 11, 2019
Preference for open systems is on the decline, according to new IPVM statistics. We asked integrators: For video surveillance systems, do you...
Rhombus Cameras, VMS and Analytics Tested on Nov 06, 2019
Rhombus boasts they have created "the new standard in Enterprise, cloud-managed video security" and told IPVM in January 2019 they offer twice the...
Aiphone Video Intercom Tested (IX Series 2) on Nov 05, 2019
Aiphone was one of integrator's favorite intercom manufacturers but how well do their products work? The company's newest offering, the IX Series 2...
90+ Companies Profile Directory on Nov 05, 2019
While IPVM covers the largest companies in the industry regularly (like Axis, Dahua, Hikvision, etc.), IPVM strives to do a profile post on each...
Avigilon Appearance Search Tested on Oct 30, 2019
Avigilon Appearance Search claims that it "sorts through hours of video with ease, to quickly locate a specific person or vehicle of interest...
Remote Access (DDNS vs P2P vs VPN) Usage Statistics on Oct 25, 2019
Remote access can make systems more usable but also more vulnerable. How are integrators delivring remote access in 2019? How many are using...
Security Canada Central Show Report 2019 on Oct 24, 2019
IPVM attended Security Canada Central in Toronto to see what is new in the Canadian market. Inside, we share videos and dozens of images...
Illustra Pro Gen3 4K Camera Tested on Oct 23, 2019
Johnson Controls has released the latest generation in their Illustra Pro line, the Pro Mini-Dome Gen 3, a non-OEM model claiming to "optimize...
Access Control Door Controllers Guide on Oct 22, 2019
Door controllers are at the center of physical access control systems connecting software, readers, and locks. Despite being buried inside...
Alarm.com Acquires OpenEye on Oct 21, 2019
Alarm.com is targeting commercial expansion and now they have a commercial cloud VMS with the acquisition of OpenEye. In this note, based on...

Most Recent Industry Reports

ADT Stock Surges - "Leading The Commercial Space" on Nov 15, 2019
Don't call it comeback... but maybe call it a commercial provider. ADT, whose stock dropped by as much as 2/3rds since IPOing in 2018, has now...
Gatekeeper Security Company Profile - Detecting Faces Inside Vehicles on Nov 14, 2019
Border security is a common discussion in mainstream US news and politics, as is the use of banned Chinese equipment by US Government agencies....
Hikvision CEO And Vice-Chair Under PRC Government Investigation on Nov 14, 2019
In a surprising and globally covered move, Hikvision CEO Hu Yangzhong and Vice-Chairman Gong Hongjia are being investigated by China's securities...
Camera Field of View (FoV) Guide on Nov 13, 2019
Field of View (FoV) and Angle of View (AoV), are deceptively complex. At their most basic, they simply describe what the camera can "see" and seem...
UK Big Brother Watch: Hikvision Is 'Morally Bankrupt' on Nov 13, 2019
UK civil liberties advocate Big Brother Watch has condemned Hikvision as being 'morally bankrupt' following IPVM exposing Hikvision marketing...
Color Low Light Mega Camera Shootout - Avigilon, Axis, Bosch, Dahua, Hanwha, Hikvision, Panasonic, Speco, Sony, Vivotek on Nov 12, 2019
This is the biggest color low light shootout ever, testing 20+ super low light models from 10 manufacturers: Increasingly, each manufacturer...
Wireless / WiFi Access Lock Guide on Nov 12, 2019
For some access openings, running wires can add thousands in cost, and wireless alternatives that avoid it becomes appealing. But using wireless...
Hikvision Global News Reports Directory on Nov 11, 2019
Hikvision has received the most global news reporting of any video surveillance company, ever, ranging from the WSJ, the Financial Times, Reuters,...
Hikvision Markets Uyghur Ethnicity Analytics, Now Covers Up on Nov 11, 2019
Hikvision has marketed an AI camera that automatically identifies Uyghurs, on its China website, only covering it up days ago after IPVM questioned...
Open vs End-to-End Systems: Integrator Statistics 2019 on Nov 11, 2019
Preference for open systems is on the decline, according to new IPVM statistics. We asked integrators: For video surveillance systems, do you...

What IPVM Is

The world's leading authority on video surveillance, with 200,000+ visits monthly.

  • Articles on cameras, video analytics, VMS, and trends
  • Tests showing actual performance and problems
  • Courses in surveillance, access control, etc
  • Camera Calculator for designing systems

Dedicated To Independence

We're dedicated to staying independent and objective. We're the only industry source to refuse any and all advertisements, sponsorship, and consulting from manufacturers. Why?