Hikvision FIPS 140-2 Cybersecurity Certification Examined

Author: IPVM Team, Published on Aug 27, 2018

A week after the US government passed a law banning Hikvision, Hikvision announced it had obtained a FIPS 140-2 certification from the US government with Hikvision touting it as "another important milestone in Hikvision's cybersecurity program."

Many rightfully wondered: Had the US government changed its mind? Is the US government contradicting itself? Is Hikvision now backdoor free?

Here are key findings from our research:

  • The certification does not cover nor address backdoors nor cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
  • Hikvision has, undisclosed, rebranded the widely used open source OpenSSL as 'HikSSL' for the certification.
  • The 15+ year-old specification is rarely, if ever, required by US government agencies for video surveillance.
  • While the move is a marketing one, for Hikvision it is money well spent to help booster its brand, especially with its supporters and employees.

Inside, we examine each of these points in-depth.

* **** ***** ***** ********** ****** * *** ******* *********,********* ********* ** *** ********* **** ***-* ************* **** *** ** ********** **** ********* touting ** ** "******* ********* ********* ** *********'* ************* *******."

**** ********** ********: *** *** ** ********** ******* *** ****? Is *** ** ********** ************* ******? ** ********* *** ******** free?

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

  • *** ************* **** *** ***** *** ******* ********* *** ************* vulnerabilities.
  • ********* ***, ***********, ********* *** ****** **** **** ****** ******* as '******' *** *** *************.
  • *** **+ ****-*** ************* ** ******, ** ****, ******** ** US ********** ******** *** ***** ************.
  • ***** *** **** ** * ********* ***, *** ********* ** is ***** **** ***** ** **** ******* *** *****, ********** with *** ********** *** *********.

******, ** ******* **** ** ***** ****** **-*****.

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

Cryptography, *** ***************

**** ***-* ******* ** *** "******** ************ *** ************* *******", ***** **-**** *************, **** ******* ** ****, ********.

** **** *** ***** ******* *********** ******* *** *************** ** an *********** *********. ****** *** ***** ** ** *** ********* of **** **********, ****** *******, *** ****** *** ************.

*** ** ********** *** * "************* ****** ********** *******", ***** ********* *************** ********** ** **** ***-*. ***** *** 1,100+ ****** ************** (*** *********** ** *******-* ********* *******).

* ************* ****** *****, ******** **** ***** * (******** ****) to ***** *, **** *** ***** * ****** ******** ********** hardware **********.

Hikvision *************

********* ******** * ***** * ******** ************* ** **** **** (see:********* **** ***-* ***********), ******* *****:

*********'* ******** ***** ******* **** **** ***** '********' **** ********* but ********* ************ ******* ** ** ******* **** **** *** software ****** ***, *** ***** ******** (****: ******** *** ** certified *** ********* *** *** ****). *** ****** ****** *** be ****, *** *** ******, **** ***** ** ******* *** NVRs.

HikSSL = **** ****** *******

***** ********* ***** '******', ** ** * ******* / ******* of *******. ******, *** **** *********** **** * **** *******, ** ** ********* (********** **** ******) *** *** ************* ** ********* ******* *** *** **** 6 ***** ** **** ******* *** ****, ********* *****:

* ****** ** ********* *** ******* *** ***** *** **************, giving ***** ****** ** *******, ** *** ******* ***** ************* *** *************:

*** *******,******* ******************* ** **** **** *** ****** ** ******* ** ** support * ********* ** ******* / *******:

***** *** ******* **** ** ** ****** ****** *** ********* systems ** ***** **** ************, ** ********* *** ******* ******. We *** ** *** ******* ** ****** ******* *.*, ****** 6 & *, *** ****** **.** ** ****** ************** ** our **** *********** (** ****** *** *** ********* ******* ** the ******** ******* ************ ** **** ** *** ** *********). If * *** ****** ***** ** *** *** ******* **** module ** ***** ******** **** ******* ****** *** ******* (*** example), **** ** *** ******* ******* * **** *********** ** that *******'* **** **** ***** ********* ******* ****** ** ****** Configurations.

***** ********* ***** ** ****** ** ******* ** *** ********* nor **********, *** *** (*****) ********* ************* ****** ** *********'* **** ***-* ***************** *********** *** *** ** *******:

*** ********* **** *********** *** ************* ** **** *** *** fixes ** ************ **** ** ** *********** **** *** **********, limiting ***********.

Not ** ******** ******** / ******* ******** ********

**** ****** ** *** ********* ** ********* ******** ********, ********* to ********* ********* *******. ** *** **** ** **** **** FIPS ********, ** ********* *** ******* *********.

Rarely ******** ** ***** ************

*******, ***** *** ********** ************* ** ****** ********* ** ***** surveillance *************, *** ************* ****** ** ***. *******, ** ******* because ** *** ***, **** ***-* ************* *** **** ****** ignored ** ********** ****** ** ***** ************ ********.

*******, * ******* **** *** **** ** ** ********* ******, in *** *** ****, ** **** ** **** *** * validated ******. ****** ********:

** ** ********* ** **** **** ********** ************ *** ****** for ********************. * ****** *********** ** ******************* * ******* ** ***********, ** * ***************** *** ** ******.

Bosch ******* **** ***-* ***** *

***** ***** **** **** **** **** ****** ** * '******* ******** ******' ** * *****-***** **** ***-* ***** * ********* **** embedded ** ***** ** *******. ***** ************, ******, **** ** is **** *** ********** ****** ** ******* **** *************. *******, Bosch **** ***** *** ***** ******** ** ****** *** ****, rather **** * ******** ******, *** ********* ******* ** / application ********.

$50,000+ **** *** *********

** ******** * **** ** $**,***+ *** *********, **** $**,*** paid ** *** ** ********** / ****, $**,*** ******* ******* to **** *** ***** *** **** ********** **** ** ***** and *** *********'* *** **** / ****** ** *** *** validation.

Marketing **** *****

**** ** ********* *** *** ****** *** ** ********** ***, since ** ** ******, ** ****, ******** **********, ** ***** unlikely **** **** ** * ********* ****** ** **** ***********.

*** * ****** ******* *******, ** ***** *** ** ***** $50,000+ *** * ***** *******, *** ** ******** **********-*** ************, ** ** ***** **. **** ***-* ** **** ** obscure **** **** *** **** **** *** ******* ** **. Plus, ** **** ******* **********-******** ********* ***** *** * '**********' by *** ** **********.

**** ********* ***** ** ****** ********** (**** *** *********), **** are ************** ****** ** ** ******** **** *** ** ******* their *****.

Not ********* ** *** **, ********* ** ***** *** ******

*** *********** ********** ** **** ** ****, ** ****, ********* has ********* **** ** ***** *** ** ****** *** *** the ** (*** ** *** ** ***** ******* ****, *** *********** *** ******** ****,*** ** ********* *** *******). **** ** ******** **************** ***** **** ** * ** certification.

Comments (12)

John Honovich

IPVM | 08/27/18 04:39pm

*** ***** ***** **** *** *** **** *** **** *** are ***** ***********:

Undisclosed #1

08/27/18 05:08pm

**** ** **** ******* ******** ** *********'* ******* ********** ******* campaign ** *** *** ******* **** ***** ******** ***** ******** vulnerabilities *** ********** ******** **** ****.

*** *** ********* ***** ** ******** **** ** ** ********** of ****** *********, ***, *** * ***** ********* **** ***** cyber ******** *************** *** ******* ***** ********** *** *****. **** they ****** ** ****** ********* ********* **** **** *******, ***** "cyber ******** *****" *****, *** ****, ****** **** *** ***** vulnerable ********, ***** *** ***** ***** ********** ****** *** ******.

*********, *********'* *** ******** **** ******** ** ******** ***** *** fact **** *** ***** ****** ** *** ******* *** *** this ** ******* ********** ***** **** ***** ***** ********* ******** that ***** ***** ******** *** ************** ***** ******** ******.

* **** **** ********* ****** ******, **** ****** ********** *** poorly ***** *** ******** ********** ***** ********, *** *** ******** in ******* **** ** ****** *********** ***** ***** ****** ** real **** ** ******** ***** ****.

**** ***** * ** * ***** ******** ************* ******. *** can *** **** ** *** ***** **** ***** ***** ******* industry ****** *** ***** ******** ** ******.

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | 08/27/18 05:17pm

******: **** ****** ** *** ********* ** ********* ******** ******** according ** ********* ********* *******. ** *** **** ** **** this **** ********, ** ********* *** ******* *********.

**'** ***** **** **** ** *** ******.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Ethan Ace | 08/27/18 05:22pm

****, ** **** ****** ** **** * "******", *** *** even ** ********** ********.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

08/27/18 06:02pm

**** **** * ******. *'* ***** **** ***** ******* * suite ** ******** ** **** ********* ** ****.

Undisclosed Integrator #3

08/27/18 06:51pm

** * ********* ********, **** *** *********. * ******** ***** from * *** ***-***** *** ** **** ******* ******** **** Hikvision ** *** ****. **** **** ******* ** *** ********* has ******* *** **** *** *** ***** ***** ******** ***. For ***** ** ** *** **** ****** ** ********** *********, we **** *** **** *** *****-* ************* ** *** *** truly ************ ** **.

**** *** *** ********** (*** ********* ****(*)) ****, *** **** anything **** **** * ********* *****?

Ryan Tabbert

08/27/18 07:49pm

*****'* * **** ***** *** "$**,***+ **** *** *********" *******. It *****$**,****** ** *** ** **********.

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | 08/27/18 09:49pm

* **** ** ***** **** *** * *********** *** * large ******* **** **** ****** ** ****. * *** **** less ** * ********* ****** **** **** * *********** ****** due ** ** *** ***** ************. ***** *** ****, *** marketing **** **** ** ***** ** ** ** ***** **** to ****** ******** *********** **** **** *********.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 08/27/18 10:17pm

* **** ** ***** **** *** * *********** *** * large ******* **** **** ****** ** ****.

* ***** ****'* **********. ********* *** *** **** **** ******** but ** ** * ********* **********.

**** ***** ** * *** ********* ** *** **** **** through *** ******* ** ***** ***** *** *** ****** ******* when **** ***** ****, *** **** ***** *** ******, ********* / **** ** ******** ******. **** ** *** **** **** signals ** ***** **** ********* **** ******* / **** ******.

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | In reply to John Honovich | 08/27/18 10:18pm

* ***** *** ********** ** ** ****** ** ************* **** a **********, ***** *****?

Undisclosed Manufacturer #4

08/28/18 07:10am

* ***** *** ****** *** **** ********* *** ******* ********* OpenSSL ** ** **** *****.

***** **** ****: ****//*******.**/****/**/***********-*-****-***-*-***********/

*****: "There *** *** *********** ********* *** *****. Alternative Scenario 1A allows for rebranding of an already validated OEM module. Alternative Scenario 1B allows a different Lab than the original testing Lab to review the non-security relevant changes to the module. ****: ***** ***** ********** *** *********** ********* ** *** **."

* ***** **** *** **** ******* **** ******** *** ******* from *******. *** ******* ********* ** ******* ***** *** * lot ** *******, ** **'* ** ******* ** ****** *** software.

John Honovich

IPVM | 09/11/18 12:54pm

******: ********* *** *** ***** *** ****** * ***** ******* for **** *** ******* **** * **** **** ** ********* ********** *** ** / ****** ***** *******.

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