Hikvision FIPS 140-2 Cybersecurity Certification Examined

By: 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.

* **** ***** ***** ********** ****** * law ******* *********,********* ********* ** *** obtained* **** ***-* ************* from *** ** ********** with ********* ******* ** as "******* ********* ********* in *********'* ************* *******."

**** ********** ********: *** the ** ********** ******* its ****? ** *** US ********** ************* ******? Is ********* *** ******** free?

**** *** *** ******** from *** ********:

  • *** ************* **** *** cover *** ******* ********* nor ************* ***************.
  • ********* ***, ***********, ********* the ****** **** **** source ******* ** '******' for *** *************.
  • *** **+ ****-*** ************* is ******, ** ****, required ** ** ********** agencies *** ***** ************.
  • ***** *** **** ** a ********* ***, *** Hikvision ** ** ***** well ***** ** **** booster *** *****, ********** with *** ********** *** employees.

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

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

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

**** ***-* ******* ** the "******** ************ *** ************* Modules", ***** **-**** *************, **** updated ** ****, ********.

** **** *** ***** general *********** ******* *** vulnerabilities ** ** *********** generally. ****** *** ***** is ** *** ********* of **** **********, ****** hashing, *** ****** *** cryptography.

*** ** ********** *** a "************* ****** ********** *******", ***** ********* *************** conformant ** **** ***-*. There *** *,***+ ****** certifications (*** *********** ** *******-* ********* Modules).

* ************* ****** *****, starting **** ***** * (Software ****) ** ***** 4, **** *** ***** 3 ****** ******** ********** hardware **********.

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

********* ******** * ***** 1 ******** ************* ** July **** (***:********* **** ***-* ***********), ******* *****:

*********'* ******** ***** ******* said **** ***** '********' were ********* *** ********* subsequently ******* ** ** clarify **** **** *** software ****** ***, *** their ******** (****: ******** can ** ********* *** Hikvision *** *** ****). The ****** ****** *** be ****, *** *** tested, **** ***** ** cameras *** ****.

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

***** ********* ***** '******', it ** * ******* / ******* ** *******. Indeed, *** **** *********** **** * **** version, ** ** ********* (see******* **** ******) *** *** ************* is ********* ******* *** the **** * ***** as **** ******* *** made, ********* *****:

* ****** ** ********* use ******* *** ***** own **************, ****** ***** credit ** *******, ** the ******* ***** ************* *** *************:

*** *******,******* ******************* ** **** **** one ****** ** ******* is ** ******* * different ** ******* / version:

***** *** ******* **** is ** ****** ****** new ********* ******* ** their **** ************, ** rebranded *** ******* ******. We *** ** *** process ** ****** ******* 8.1, ****** * & 7, *** ****** **.** as ****** ************** ** our **** *********** (** cannot *** *** ********* systems ** *** ******** OpenSSL ************ ** **** is *** ** *********). If * *** ****** needs ** *** *** OpenSSL **** ****** ** their ******** **** ******* CentOS *** ******* (*** example), **** ** *** quickly ******* * **** certificate ** **** *******'* name **** ***** ********* systems ****** ** ****** Configurations.

***** ********* ***** ** credit ** ******* ** its ********* *** **********, the *** (*****) ********* the********** ****** ** *********'* FIPS ***-* ***************** *********** *** *** of *******:

*** ********* **** *********** the ************* ** **** any *** ***** ** enhancements **** ** ** recertified **** *** **********, limiting ***********.

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

**** ****** ** *** available ** ********* ******** firmware, ********* ** ********* technical *******. ** *** want ** **** **** FIPS ********, ** ********* you ******* *********.

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

*******, ***** *** ********** crypotography ** ****** ********* by ***** ************ *************, the ************* ****** ** not. *******, ** ******* because ** *** ***, FIPS ***-* ************* *** been ****** ******* ** government ****** ** ***** surveillance ********.

*******, * ******* **** not **** ** ** certified ******, ** *** own ****, ** **** as **** *** * validated ******. ****** ********:

** ** ********* ** note **** ********** ************ are ****** *** ********************. * ****** *********** ** ******************* * ******* ** application, ** * ***************** *** ** ******.

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

***** ***** **** **** what **** ****** ** a '******* ******** ******' ** * *****-***** FIPS ***-* ***** * certified **** ******** ** their ** *******. ***** acknowledged, ******, **** ** is **** *** ********** buyers ** ******* **** certification. *******, ***** **** there *** ***** ******** of ****** *** ****, rather **** * ******** module, *** ********* ******* OS / *********** ********.

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

** ******** * **** of $**,***+ *** *********, with $**,*** **** ** the ** ********** / NIST, $**,*** ******* ******* to **** *** ***** Lab **** ********** **** to ***** *** *** Hikvision's *** **** / effort ** *** *** validation.

Marketing **** *****

**** ** ********* *** not ****** *** ** government ***, ***** ** is ******, ** ****, required **********, ** ***** unlikely **** **** ** a ********* ****** ** real ***********.

*** * ****** ******* company, ** ***** *** be ***** $**,***+ *** a ***** *******, *** as ******** **********-*** ************, ** ** ***** it. **** ***-* ** such ** ******* **** that *** **** **** the ******* ** **. Plus, ** **** ******* impressive-sounding ********* ***** *** a '**********' ** *** US **********.

**** ********* ***** ** widely ********** (**** *** elsewhere), **** *** ************** trying ** ** ******** they *** ** ******* their *****.

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

*** *********** ********** ** this ** ****, ** date, ********* *** ********* this ** ***** *** in ****** *** *** the ** (*** ** *** ** press ******* ****, *** *********** *** ******** ****,*** ** ********* *** Twitter). **** ** ******** counterintuitive ***** **** ** a ** *************.

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 ****** *** ***** ******** ** ******.

Avatar

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

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

Avatar

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 ** ***** **** ********* **** ******* / **** ******.

Avatar

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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