Hikvision Removing Auto 'Phone Home'

By John Honovich, Published Mar 24, 2017, 07:50am EDT

Facing pressure over their cameras auto phoning home and their Chinese government ownership, Hikvision has begun quietly removing automatic Hikvision cloud connection.

In this note, we examine what Hikvision is doing and how this impacts their competitive position.

Opposition ********

**% *************** ****** ********* ***** home ******* ** ******* (351 *********), **** **% voting **** ** ****** be ******** ********.

Removing *******

******** **** *.*.* ********, Hikvision ** ********* ***** Hik-Connect ***** **** / cloud *******. *** ******* **** no ****** ** **** enabled *** ******** ******* will have *** ******* ******** by *******.

Previous **** *************

** ******* **** ************, ******* *** **** knowledge ** ******, ***** Hikvision ******* ** ****** reach *** / ******* to *** ******** *** Amazon *** ********:

**********, ** ***** **** low *** ****** (*****/***** ****) ******* ***** ********, while ****** *** *****/*** models (********************, **, ***.) *** ***.

*******, ******** ** ******** 5.4.5, *** ****** **** have *** ***** ******* supported *** **** **** to ** ******** *******.

Extra ***** ****

*** ***** *** **** to *** *** *******, it **** ******* *** extra **** ** ******** the *** ** **** device **** ****** ** be ***** **********. ** is ** ***** **** but ** ** * fairly ***** / *************** one ** **.

Hik-Connect ***** *******

*** **** ** ***-*******, see: ********* ***** ****** *** ********* ************ '*********' ****** ***** ******** *** ******* and *********** ** *********'* current ***** ********.

Good **** *** *********

**** ** * **** move *** *********. ***** there *** ********* **** concerns **** ************* ****** direct ******* ** ******* within ******** ******** (********** when ***** ** *** Chinese **********), ****** *** feature ******* ** ******* was *********** *** **** and *** **** *** worse ********** ******** **** the '******* ********** *** listening **' ** ****** noticed **** ***** ********* cameras **** ************ ****** to *********** ******* ** the *******. ******** **** will ****** **** ** those ******** *** **** that ********* ** **********.

*** **** ******, ** Hikvision ********* ** **** down ***** **** ******* (this ******** **** ******* Hik-Online ****) ***** ********** ***** to **** ** ***** cloud ******* ** ******* one *** ***** ********* to **** **** ****** access **** ***** *******.

Comments (5)

Matthew Netardus

IPVMU Certified | 03/24/17 02:21pm

Looks like HIK is now willing to trade away some ease of install (at the frustration of its core traditional customer) in order to have a better play into the field they want to be in (true integrators and larger companies). Definitely took longer than I would've thought but it'll be interesting to see what the next move they make after this is (I imagine it will still be focused on the cyber end of things since they won't/can't alter the government ownership aspect)

Robert Sears

In reply to Matthew Netardus | 03/28/17 03:59pm

Most people dont link the actual connections that exist. The govt in Red China consists of all branches including their military and intelligence services especially if it has any military or intelligence potential in the slightest. Both their military and intel agencies are involved in the commercial security industry world wide.

Americans have always assumed them to be organized as we are and their propaganda promotes that misconception to their advantage very successfully.

Undisclosed #1

03/24/17 03:02pm

This move:

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 03/24/17 04:26pm

Any step in the right direction is a good move.

Rudi Machilek

03/28/17 03:08pm

This has gotten beyond absurd. This is not analog anymore. The camera VLAN should not have access to anything (no outbound NAT) but the recording host. Any "Integrator" should be able to deal with this. Or are we really just harping about installations done by marginally competent persons/companies? Or complaining that we are priced out because we can't use $100 Netgear security appliances or dumb switches with no ACL or VLAN capability.

We tell our clients, this is what it costs to do the job correctly, in our opinion. We itemize the quote/invoice. And we are willing to explain the benefits without resorting to FUD. If the potential client wants to take a risk with a less-capable/cheaper install; we move on.

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