Concerns ****** ** ****** *****
*** ****** *********** ** Lettre ****** ****** ************* ****** ********, * French ******** ****, ***** Hikvision **** ******* *** a $*.* ******* ******** Ministry ******** ***** ** *****. (***** ****** ***** had ********** ******** ** the **** ********************* **** “*** ******” is “* ******** ***** surveillance ******.”)
** ****** * ********* Hikvision ** * ********* “Trojan ***** *** *******” due ** ********** ***** ****************** ******. ** **** ******* Allwan *** *** **** because ** * *** price.
Deal *******
**** *************************’* ********, ****** ** Fur [**** ** ****** available], ***** *** ****:
- ** *** ********* **** the ******** ** *** 10,400 **** *******: *,*** for ******’* ******** ****** and *,*** *** *** gendarmerie. (** ******, ***** are ******** ********-***** ****** forces, *** ********** ***** that *** *********** ** overseen ** *** ******** while *** ******** ****** is ********.)
- *** ***** ****** ***** used ***********’* ************, **** ***** ******** modifications *** * ****** firmware. ** *** ******** to **** * ***-**** cost *** *** *******.

- *** ******* **** ** worn ** ******** *** helmets *** **** ******* to **** ******** ****** on ******** ** ******. The ******* **** ** facial *********** ********** *** they ******* ***** *** integrated ** (********* '** to * ******').
- ******** **** ***** *** cameras ** “*****” ** police ******** ** ****** their ****; **** *** police ***** **** **** access ** *** *******.
- *** **** ** ****** out **** * *-**** period, *** ******’* ***** batch ** ******* **** be ********* ** *** ministry ***** **** ****.
- ** *** ******* *** bidding ******* *** “**** competitive” *** ******** ** security ********* ** *****.
Hikvision ******* **** ** ****, **** **********
** *** ****** **** against *** **** *** Hikvision **** ******* ********* a ******** ******** **** for ******, ****** ** was “**********” *** ***** to ******* **** ** its *********. “*****’* ** possible ************ [** *****],” he ****.
** ********, ** *** said *** ******** ******* had ** **** ************ or ***** ** *********’* cloud *******, ***-*******, *** that ****** ******** *** the ******** ********* ******** with ****** ********.
Hikvision ****** ***** ****** ********
*******, ** *** **** that ****** ****** ******* with ********* ** ****** the ****** ********. **** custom ******** ****’* **** in ***** ** ***** security *****; ******, *** purpose *** ** **** interior ******** ************** **** ensuring ******** ******’* ****** footage ** ****.
************* ********** ******** ** a *********** ***********, *** Allwan *** **** ****** 10 *********, ********* * engineers, ********* ** ** Fur. *********’* *********** **** Allwan ******* *** ********** to ******* ******* ** the ********’* *******, ******* it *** *** ********, Le *** ****. (****** is * ****** ******* of *********, ****** *** equipment ******** **** *** factory.)
*** **** **** ******’* price *** ***** **** its ***********’, **** ** **** quoted ****** *-* ***** Allwan’s ***, ****** ****** win ** ****, ** Fur *****.
*******
*** *** **** ****** cost ** ~$***, ******** a $*.* ******* ***** deal *** **,*** *******. That ** ****** *** for **** *******, **** Western ************* ********* ******* them, ** ****** *****, at * *********** ******* to ****. ** ********* has **** **** ** undercut ******* ** ** cameras, * ******* ******** is ***** ****** *** body *******, * ******* market ** **** ****** departments ******* ***** ***.
Axon / ***** ***********
****, ******** *****, ** *** ******* brand ** **** *******, known *********** '****' **** ********* ****** *********** *** for******** ******* ***********. ***** ******** ***** is *** ******** ** Hikvision's, **** **** ******** on ****** *** ***** from ************* (*.*., **** away *** ******, **** it ** ** ******* storage ********). ** ********, Hikvision's ******** ***** ******* the **** *****, ** many ****** *********** ***** prefer ** ***** *****-****** storage *****, ****** ******* for ***-**** *********.
“A *********** **** *** *****”
** *** **** ***** was ** ****** *** Allwan’s *********** **** ********* on * ******** ****** contract ** ***** ********.
“**'* * *********** **** any *****,” ** ****. “I **** *** ********** the ***** *** ************ attacked *********.”
*** ****** ******** ******** did *** ******* ** IPVM’s ********* *** *******.
Comments (19)
John Honovich
We are trying to report on more stories outside the US. Charles is a native French speaker who also speaks Spanish and Russian, so if you have ideas for stories in different parts of the world where Charles might be able to help, just post it here or email charles@ipvm.com or john@ipvm.com
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Undisclosed #1
This may be true, but they do not know what code is running in the SoC chipset itself. Granted, it is highly unlikely that Hikvision or the SoC vendor has some kind of deeply-buried trojan-horse, but it is also not at all impossible.
Additionally, it is reasonable to assume that new firmware for these will be released over time. These updates could each contain a piece of a backdoor, done in a way as to not make it obvious a backdoor was being added. This approach was used years ago in the DirectTV Black Sunday Kill, for example. Hikvision could easily pass this off as "security checks" or other necessary bits of code buried in the firmware, assuming that anyone would even be deeply examining those updates in the first place.
When you are dealing with embedded hardware like security cameras, body cameras, access control boards and so forth you are implicitly granting trust to every major entity that has a hand in the software AND the hardware.
If the French government feels they can fully and unequivocally trust Hikvision, HiSilicon (or whoever did the SoC), and the Chinese government, among others, then they should have no concerns. If they do not trust ALL of these entities fully, then custom firmware is not a solution.
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Undisclosed Distributor #2
Once again Hivision by-passed the distribution channel and goes direct, pffft.
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Mick Brown
It’s unlikely in my view that hikvision have the expertise to make the body worn cameras
and probably rebranded from an incumbent Chinese supplier
the Chinese market is 750000 body worn cameras per annum
and this looks like a premium price of anything a basic body worn camera should be sub 150 usd for this volume
if Anything they over paid
worth investigating but I don’t believe either dahua or hikvision make body worn camera
merely buy they in and rebrand
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Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Factory cost of this unit at this quantity would be around $60-70usd.
Assume there is some software backend, and additional equipment. It's fair to say someone is buying a nice new car and house with the profits on this little number.
2Inch screen, poor battery life, this is an old outdated device.
Hikvision don't specify the firmware or SoC inside. but my guess it's an Ambarella solution, because HiSilicon solutions use too much power and suck at being a Body Camera.
My guess is A7 solution.
Let's hope they don't put the laser on the devices and go blind someone these units all build in China are all the same, it's designed for domestic use. And lacks a lot of security features, like no encrypted video!
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Mick Brown
Sure is a sweet deal
1.5 m in your pocket
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Charles Rollet
UPDATE: French newspaper l'Express reports that there is a new, 15 million euro ($18.2m) tender from the French Interior Ministry for 30,000 police body cams and Hikvision is competing for it. L'Express asked the Ministry about the US government's NDAA and human rights sanctions but the Ministry declined to comment. The tender process finishes on January 5, 2021.
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