Surveillance Systems Remote Access Usage Statistics

Author: Brian Karas, Published on Oct 11, 2017

Remote access is a major benefit and risk for video surveillance.

It is a benefit because it allows users to manage security or review operations at home or on the road.

It is a risk because it potentially opens up security systems to public attack, especially when companies have serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities (e.g., the recent widespread Dahua hacks).

Video surveillance used to literally be 'closed' circuit TV (CCTV). However, new IPVM integrator statistics show that overwhelmingly systems are providing remote access.

We analyze integrator responses on this topic and provide details on where remote access is nearly a given, and where it is practically non-existent. We also examine manufacturer responsibilities around remote connectivity enablement in their products.

****** ****** ** * ***** ******* *** **** *** ***** surveillance.

** ** * ******* ******* ** ****** ***** ** ****** security ** ****** ********** ** **** ** ** *** ****.

** ** * **** ******* ** *********** ***** ** ******** systems ** ****** ******, ********** **** ********* **** ******* ************* vulnerabilities (*.*., ********* ********** ***** *****).

***** ************ **** ** ********* ** '******' ******* ** (****). However, *** **** ********** ********** **** **** ************** ******* *** providing ****** ******.

** ******* ********** ********* ** **** ***** *** ******* ******* on ***** ****** ****** ** ****** * *****, *** ***** it ** *********** ***-********. ** **** ******* ************ **************** ****** remote ************ ********** ** ***** ********.

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

Most ******* **** ****** ******

********* **** ~*** *********** **** **** **** */**** ** ******** surveillance ******* **** **** **** ** ****** ****** (*.*.: ***, VPN, ****-**********, ****, ***):

* ********* ** ********* ** ********* ******** ****** **** **** 40% ** *********** ****** ****** *** ** ****** ******:

*********** ********* *** **** *** **** / **** ********** **** a ******* ******** ***** ***, ** ********** ***** ****** *****:

Remote ****** ****** ** *********

******** ******* *** ****** ****** **** ***** **********, **** *********** stating **** ********* ****, ** ** **** ***** ******, ****** access ** ***** ************ *******:

  • "***% **** *** *** *** ** ***** *****"
  • "***%. **'* ****** ** *** *** ** ***** **** ****."
  • "**% ******* ****** *** *** ******* **** ** ****** *******"
  • "******** **% **** ****** ******. ****** **** ** **** **** happens **** **** ****’* *****."
  • "**%, ********* **** ** ** **** ** *** **** ** going ** **** **** *** *** *****."
  • "**%. **** *** **** ** ** **** ** *** ***** cameras **** ***** ****** *******"
  • "** % ******** ***** ** ** **** ** **** ** app ** ***** ***** ** **** ***** ****** *******."
  • ****** **** ***% ** ****, ****** ******* ******** *** * smartphone ** ****** *** ** **** **** ** **** ** eye ** ******, *** **** **** ** *** ******* *** farms *** **** ****'* ****** ** *** **** ** **** want ** ** **** ** **** **** ********** ** ***** and ***** *** **** **** ****, ** **** **** **** driving *** ***** ** ***** **** ****."
  • "****** *** ** ****. ****** *** ** *** ****. **** of ***** ***** ******** ******** *** ********* ******** ** **** expect *** ******* ** ** *** ****."

***** ******** ****** **** ****** ****** *** ******* ** *********, but ** ******** *** ******* ****** ********* ** **** ***** used **** *****:

  • "**** ***** ** ******* **** ****** ******* *********. ***** ** typically ***'* **** ****** ** *** *** ****'* ********, **'* often ** ** *** ** **** ** *** **** ** configure *** ********. **** **** ****** **** *** ********* ** whether **** *** ********* ****** ** ** **."
  • "******** **% ** ******. **** ** *** ********* **** ** have ****** ****** *******, *** *** ******** *** ********* ** dependent ** ***** ** **********."
  • "**% ***** ******** ** ***% - *** ** **** ***** the ********* ** ********** ****** ******. **** **** ** ***** things *** ** *** ****** *** ***** ****** ***. *** a *** ** ********* ** ***** ********* ** ***** *** their *****."

Service/Maintenance ****

******** ****** ****** ** **** *********** *** ******** ******* ******* for ********* *** **** * ****** ******:

  • "**% *** *** ********* **** ** *** *** ** ** remote ****** *** *******/**********."
  • "***** **% **** ****** ******. ****** *** ******** ***** ** monitor *** ****, ****** ** ** *** ****** ******* *** management."
  • "**% ** **** **** *** ****** ************** ****** **** **** all *** ********* *** ***** **** * ***** **** *** remote *******."
  • "**% **** ****** **** *** ********* ********** ***. ** / 50 ********* ****** ****** *** ** ** ******* / ****** the *******."
  • "***% ******** ** *** ** *** ****** ****** / *******. If *** *** ***** *** ******* ********, *** *** ****** management, ********** *** *************. *** *** *** ******* *** ** service/maintenance ********** *** ** ********* *** *** ********* *********."

Uncommon ****** ****** - *******, **********, **********

*********** ******* **** ****** ****** *** ******** *** ***** ********* primarily ********** ************* **** *******, ********** *******, *** ********** ********** that *** ******** ********** *** *** ** ****** ******:

  • "**** **** * ******* ** *** *********. **** ** **** are ********** ********* *** ** *** **** ** **** ** the ******* **********."
  • "**%. **** ** *** ********* *** **********, ** ****** ****** allowed. ** *** ********** ********, ***** * ** * ****** remote ****** ** *****. *** ** **** **** ** - to ***** ******** *** ********** ********* *** ******* ** ****/****** issues ***** *** ** ****."
  • "*% *** *** ******* ** ****** ******* ** *** *** utilized ******* ********* ******* *** **-**% ******* *** ****** ********* for *************** ********."
  • "*%. **** ** *** ********* *** *********** ************ *** **** have ****** ********** *** ******** ************ ******* *** ****."
  • "%** ** **** *******. **** ** ********* *** ** ********** level *** **** *** ***** ** ****** ******** ******. ***** customers **** ****** **** **********."
  • "** ******* ** ****** *******, ** ******* *** ********** ******** due ** ******** ******* ** ******* *** ****** ******** *** internet."
  • "** **** **** **%. *** **** *** ********* ******* *****, they ***'* **** ****** ******."
  • "**** **** *%. *** ***** ******** ** *** ********* *** large ******** ************** ********** *** ** *** ****** ****** ******** access."
  • "**% **** ** *** ********* **** **** ******* ******** ********* and ** *** ***** ******** ****** ** ***** *******. ***** are ****** ********** *** ********** *******. **** ** *** ********** clients ** ******* ****** ****** *** ****** *********."
  • "*** ** *** ********* ****** ********* ********** *******/******* ****** ******* of ****."
  • "**%. *** ************ **** ** *** ********* *** ********* *** do ** ***** ****** ******."
  • "***** **% *** ******** ******, **** ** *** ********* *** government *** **** *****'* **** **** ** ***** ********** *****"
  • "*** ** *** ********* ****** ********* ********** *******/******* ****** ******* of ****."
  • "**** **** *%. *** ***** ******** ** *** ********* *** large ******** ************** ********** *** ** *** ****** ****** ******** access."
  • "** ******* ** ****** *******, ** ******* *** ********** ******** due ** ******** ******* ** ******* *** ****** ******** *** internet."
  • "** **** **** **%. *** **** *** ********** ******* *****, they ***'* **** ****** ******."

Numbers *******

*** *********** **** ********* ******** ** ******, *** ********* *** that ****** ****** *** ******** **** ******:

  • "**% *** *******. *** ********* ******* ****** ********** ********"
  • "**% *** *******. ******** **** ********* ** *** ********* ** view ********."
  • "*** **** ** *** ****** *** ** **** *** **** grow ** *** ********* ******* *** **** ******* ****** ******* video ********** ********."

Manufacturers **** ***** *** ****** ******

***** ********** **** **** ************* **** ***** *** ****** ****** and **** ******* ************** *** ******** ***** ******** ******** ** as ****** ****** ** ********. ****** ****** ** ******* *** a ***** ** ******** *********** **** ************* *** ******* ** an **** ****.

Need *** ****** *************

*** **** ****** *********** ******* ******,******* ******** ****** *******, ***"**** ** ************"**** **** ************ ****** ************* ****** ****** ***** ******** **** be ******** ********** **** *********. **** **** ** ****, ************* have * ************** ** ****** **** *********** ********** ****** ****** access ********** (*.*.: *** ********, *****-***** **************,* ****** **************, ***.), ** ** ******* ******** ******** **** *** ******* are *** ****** ** ***** ******** ********** **** *** ********.

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

Comments (1)

Dennis Ruban

10/16/17 04:10pm

*** ** *** **** ******, *** **** ** *** ********** (especially ** * *********** ******) ***'* ****** ********** *** ******* part ** ***** ***. * **** **** ***** ********* **** become ********* ****, **** **** ******, ***.

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