Dahua Removes Auto Rebooting

Published Oct 17, 2017 16:05 PM

For years, Dahua has automatically programmed its IP cameras to reboot weekly, a highly atypical and questionable practice.

Following IPVM criticism here and here, a month later, Dahua's new firmware removes this:

Problems **** **** *********

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Response **** *****

***** ********* ** ****:

** **** ** *** ******* ** implementing *** ****** ** *** **** of **** ******, ***** ******** *** feedback ******** **** *** *********. ** appreciate *** ********** ************ ** **********’* comments ** **** ******. ** *** once ********** ******** **** ******* **********, but **** ********* ***** ******** ** keeping **** *******. *********, ** ******* the ******* ***** ** “***” *** **** *** feature *********.

Better ** **** ** ******

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Comments (5)
U
Undisclosed #1
Oct 18, 2017

Heh, I didn't even know about that "feature" (never used Dahuas). It wasn't possible to disable the reboot before?

It's a bit funny since I see mostly two things happening:

  1. cameras rebooting at the wrong time (system time not set / drifting)
  2. a big bunch of cameras rebooting at the exact same time.

I hope their reboot doesn't take many seconds. Perhaps you could stand close to one to pinpoint the exact system time, if it makes some noise or blinks while at it. If we generously assume a reboot results in five seconds of lost footage, with time synced between cameras watching over a 30m wide space, a methodical ninja warrior could sprint through without evidence. Then they would patiently wait a week for the two cameras in the next hallway to reboot.

(1)
Avatar
Brian Hampton
Oct 18, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Reboots typically take about 60 seconds, but true ninjas can make it past an active camera without being detected anyway. 

(2)
Avatar
Jon Dillabaugh
Oct 19, 2017
Pro Focus LLC

Yes, it was always able to be disabled manually. 

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Oct 18, 2017

Mobotix also used to have this auto-reboot setting on by default at 3am

(1)
Avatar
Brian Hampton
Oct 18, 2017
IPVMU Certified

I'm guessing this only applies to brand new models as many of their models that have just reached an EOL haven't had firmware updates since 2016...