Hikvision China Criticizes The WSJ

Published Nov 15, 2017 18:22 PM

Hikvision, through the Chinese government's authoritative news service, has criticized the WSJ investigation into Hikvision.

In this English-language exclusive, IPVM shares the Chinese response, examining their counter-claims and how this will impact Hikvision positioning.

China Government **** ******

*** ****** *** ** *** ***** **** *******, *** ** *** ******* **********, as *** "************* ******** *** *** release ** ******** ***********". ** ******** commentary ** ******** ****** ******** ** '*********' ******** **** *********, titled (** *******) "***** *********** ******* "****** ************ ** the ****** ******" ***********: *** **** has ***, *** *** ** *** future **** ***":

** ******* ******* ** **** ****** from *** ******* ********** *** **** released.

On *** *** *** *****

*** ******* ********** *** **** ****** Journal *** ************ *** *****, ********** media ****, *** ******* ********** **** is ********* *****.

Declares ********* ***********

*** ******* ******** ********* ** ** independent:

********* ** ** *********** ****** *******

**** ** ********* ***** ***** ***** their *** ********** ******* ********** ********** ** ***** *********** ***********

****, *********'* ******** ** * ********* Party ********* ******** ********* ***** ******** *** *** company:

Never ********

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

***** ******, ** *** ******, *** in *** ******, ***** **** ** no ******** ** *** ******* ** steal ** ******** **** **** *** privacy.

**, *************, ******* *** **** **** backdoor ***** ** ********* ** ******* earlier **** ****. ********* ***** **** a ******** **** ** **** ***** address ** ******** ****** **** ****** pretending ** *** *** ***** ** that **** ***** ***** **** ***** ** *** ********.

Says WSJ ****** ** ******* *****

** *** ********** ** *** ******, they ***** ** * ******* ********** who ****** **** *********** ********* **** against ********* *****, ****** **** **** requires **** *********** **** *************. ***** this ********* ** ******** ** **** well **** ***** ******* *********, ** is ******** **** ***** ***** ******* Chinese ********** ** ******* ** ** military *****. *** '** ******* ** fix **** ** *** **** ****' tactic ** ******** ** ** ********** to *** ******** *** *****.

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

******** *** ******************** ********* *********, ********* ***'* ******** differs **** ********* ***** **. 

********* *** ******* *** ******* * relatively ****** *** **** ******** '******* ********' ****** ** **** ****** Journal *******:

*** **** ******* ******* ** *********'* *** response ** ******* **** ***** ********** ownership, ********* **** **** *** **** ** the **** *********** ***** *** ** American ********. ************* *** ***** *******, Hikvision ****** **** ******:

********* ** ********** *********** ***** *** ownership ********* *** ** ** **** 30, **** *** **** **** **% of *** ****** ***** ** * state-owned ********** (***), **** *** **** of *** ************ ***** ******* ***********,

**** *** ********** **********. ** **** wanted ** ** ***********, **** ***** acknowledge **** ***** '****** ***** ** a ***' *** ** **** ***** controlling ***********, ** ***** *** ********** ** ********, *****:

WSJ ******* *********

*** ********* ***** ** *** *** article **** ********* *** ****** *** industry *** **** ***********. ********* ** now ****** *** ******* ****** ****** and ****** ** ******* **** ** China *** ********** *** *****.

Comments (11)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Nov 15, 2017

You should make this accessible to the public...

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Nov 16, 2017

Maybe the WSJ will pick this up too.  I hate to say it but John’s team has made it easy for them.  All the research is done.

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UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Nov 16, 2017

John,

Have you considered making your Hikvision articles visible to the public?  I enjoy your membership based approach, but the value to the broader public beyond just our industry is significant.  End-Users, Large integrator employees, etc may not have effective access to this type of information.  

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JH
John Honovich
Nov 17, 2017
IPVM

Have you considered making your Hikvision articles visible to the public? 

We have made some visible to the public, especially the more foundational reports, e.g., Hikvision And The Chinese GovernmentHikvision and the China Communist PartyHikvision Chinese Government Origin And Control, to name a few.

This one I view as being more inside baseball since it relates a very specific countermove of Hikvision.

Of course, the links we cite are public and you can certainly share those links, i.e., the Chinese government / Hikvision WSJ 'refutation' and the Hikvision USA WSJ response.

 

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UD
Undisclosed Distributor #4
Nov 16, 2017

Never before, in the future, and in the future, there will be no backdoor in the product to steal or disclose user data and privacy.

 

"Never will there be NO backdoor" says to me  "There will always be back door!"

Funny they also disclaim "to steal or disclose any user data" but, in China, this could mean "sure there's a back door, but we don't use it to steal user data, only gain access to US Facilities"

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JS
John Steen
Nov 16, 2017

I am not smart enough to find it myself.  But, I have no doubt there are backdoors in HIK Vision cameras.  The Chinese have no problem stealing intellectual property (IP) and/or reverse engineering products.  These backdoors are not about getting access to the video.  They are about gaining access to the network to get the IP.

Unless it is going in to a mom and pop store, with no IP, the end-user is crazy to put in HIK Vision and the integrator should be advising them of this risk.  That will not happen though because of the lack of knowledge of the risks.

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #8
Nov 17, 2017

I have found that often even after being advised of the risks, many end users will dismiss them and roll the dice because they think the risk of being compromised is remote vs the expense and inconvenience of properly deployed network and operational security. 

In fact, currently I am cleaning up a hacked surveillance system in which the previous so-called integrator placed the NVR on the internet with the default port forwarded and the NVR application and cameras on default PW's, no segmented network, no application white listing, no nothing. just a wide-open door. 

My opinion is that, while manufacturer security vulnerabilities and/or defrauding of integrators and end-users by lying about undisclosed back doors or by-design software vulnerabilities to allow a back-door to be hacked are all important topics and should be exposed wherever and whenever they occur, on a higher level this industry had better get it together when it comes to deploying systems properly and ensuring that best practices are followed to avoid our industry from being painted as clowns who install open doors on to customers' networks. 

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #5
Nov 16, 2017

This HIKVision backdoor issue reminds of Huawei backdoor issue of 2012. The idea of having backdoor at the telecommunication equipment that is used in our nation's communication infrastructure gave a good chill to Homeland Security people.  Good enough to ban Huawei equipment.  How about the backdoor at surveillance and security devices?  Would it give the same level of chill?

Many US companies, for example Google, are banned doing business in China. I guess for the reason of their own national security.  

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U
Undisclosed #6
Nov 16, 2017
IPVMU Certified

This past weekend, an article entitled “Surveillance Cameras Made by China Are Hanging All Over the U.S.” appeared in the Wall Street Journal. We want to ensure that you are aware of this article...

Funny that they never say that the article is negative...  I’m sure somebody in PR is drooling over using just the title someday:

Wall Street Journal confirms that

“Surveillance Cameras Made [by Hikvision] Are Hanging All Over the U.S.!”

We’re No. 1!

;)

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JH
John Honovich
Nov 17, 2017
IPVM

I’m sure somebody in PR is drooling over using just the title someday

Next ADI across the board sale - "AS SEEN IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL!"

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #7
Nov 16, 2017

*yawn*

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