Good work! This test is Info+ like last week's Covert Screw Cameras Tested as we balance some shorter simpler Info+ tests with our bigger longer Research ones, e.g. last week Axis D4100-E Network Strobe Siren Tested and i-PRO Mini AI Camera Tested plus coming up this week Verkada intercom, Access Control cybersecurity shootout, etc.
Vandalizing Cameras Using Silly String Tested
JW
Recently, a tweet went viral about vandalizing cameras using silly string, but how well does it actually work?
IPVM bought and tested multiple brands of silly string, in attempts to vandalize/obscure dome and PTZ cameras, and inside this report, we examine:
- How easy or difficult is vandalizing a dome using silly string?
- How easy or difficult is vandalizing a PTZ using silly string?
- How easy or difficult is it to clean the silly string off of a camera?
- How does time impact the removal of the silly string from a camera?
- What prevention methods can be used to deter camera vandalism?
Related, see the impact of using lasers to attempt to disable surveillance cameras.
Executive *******
***** *********** * ****** ***** ***** string *********** ******* ******* ****** ~**' on **** ****, ***** **** **** that **** **** ********* ** **** failed ** ********* * ******, *** the ***** ****** *** ** ****** removed ** ******* ****** ~*-* *****, by ******** *** ****** *** * dome *** ****** *** *****-** *******.
*******, ** *** ******* *******, *** silly ****** ******* "***** **" ******* a **** ********* *******, ***** *** result ** ***** *******/********* *****, ***** may ******* * **** *********** ** the ****.
********, *********** ******* ***** ***** ****** becomes ************ *********** ** *** ******** from *** ****** ********* **** ~**' or ************* ************** **** ** ***** wind **** ** ********* ** ***.
Silly ****** ** ****/******* ******* *****
** *** *****, *********** ***** *** simple ****** ~**' ** *** ****** in *** ******* ***** ** **** mount **************, *** *** ****** *** easy ** *** *** ***** ****** to ********* **** ** ****** *********.
*******, ** * ****** ** ****** ~5-8' ** *** *******, *** ***** string ***** ***** ** ******* *** can ***** * **** ****** *******.
** *******, ****** *** ******* ******** a **** **** ***** ****** **** ~1/2 ** *** ***, *** ** the *** *** *******, *** ********, distance, *** ************* ** *** ***** string ********* ** ****.
Silly ****** ** ****
** *** *******, ** ***** ***** silly ****** ** ********* **** *** similar ** ***** *** ** *** ease ** ****** *** ****** ** cover *** ****** *** *** ***** of *** ***** ******** **** * full ***. ** *** ******* *****, the ****** *** *******/******* ****** ~* seconds ** ******** *** ******.
Silly ****** ******* ****** **** **** ** **** *******
** *** *******, ** ***** **** the ***** ****** *** ****** ******* by **** ******** ** ** ****** it *** *** ****** ** ** clumps ******** **** ******* ** *** dome. ************, * ****** ****** ** water ***** **** *** ***** ****** off ** *** **** ** ** is ****** ***** ***** ** ** not "*****" **.
*******, *** **** ******** *** ***** string *** ** * ****** *** vary ********* ** ******** ****** *** location *** ** *** ********* ******, e.g., * ******, ****** *****, ****, etc, ** *** **** **** *** silly ****** *** **** ** *** camera.
Removal ********** ********* ********
***** ******* *** ****** ** **** within ~*-* ***** ***** ***** *******/******* after * *** *** ******* *** silly ****** ** **** ********* ** remove *** ** **** ***** ******** scrubbing **** ** ******* **** ** scraping, ***** *** ****** *** ******.
**** ***** ** ******** ** ******* the ******* ********** ** *** ***** string **** ******* ****, *** *** impact ** *** *******/***** ****** **** left *** ** *** ***.
Not *** ***** ****** ***** ** *****
****** *******, ** **** ***** ****** from ******** ************* *** ** ***** that **** ******* **** *********** ******* a ****, ***** **** ****** (***** below) **** ** ***** *********.
Potential ********** ********
***** *** * *** ********* ******** that ****** ** ***** ** ******* vandalism, ** ********:
- **** ******* ******* **** *** *** ground ** **** **** **** ********* to *********. *******, *** ******** ** typically ******** ****** ** *** **** of ******'* *****, ********** ****** ****** ** ***** *******
- ****/********** *** ********** ****, *** ********* risk *** ********* (** **** ********* are **** ********* ***** **** ******).
- *************, ** ********* **** ** ************ (*** ****'* ****)***** ** ******* **** *** ** has * ********** **** **** *** such * ********** ******** ****.
Comments (28)
JH
John Honovich
Apr 18, 2023UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Apr 18, 2023IPVM's accountant looking over the books, trying to figure out why the boys expensed two dozen cans of silly string, and deciding, yet again, not to ask questions.
JW
Jermaine Wilson
Apr 18, 2023(This is a joke) The only thing we didn't purchase, was the Spidey web-slinger, which could have helped us aim a bit better:
JH
John Honovich
Apr 18, 2023They could add it to Armstart: Would You Wear This Security / Stun Gun Device?
JW
Jermaine Wilson
Apr 18, 2023JH
John Honovich
Apr 18, 2023Hey! If Verkada can expense a gong and fake money confetti canons, I think we can expense silly string :)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Apr 18, 2023It’s time to bring out the paint ball experiment. Better range and aim, and the outdoor weather in PA is gettin better every day.
JH
John Honovich
Apr 18, 2023Not sure if this is a crazy or brilliant idea. On the one hand, it is a real risk for security cameras...
Ryan King
Apr 18, 2023If IPVM is going to be thorough on all vandalism tactics then all methods should be tested. For science. And Journalism. Here we have an alleged member of antifa in all black testing a camera melting gun.
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Apr 18, 2023Crazy, but with 80 to 100’ of listed accuracy in this article…maybe not certifiable.
Most Accurate Paintball Gun: The Truth About Paintball Accuracy
JH
John Honovich
Apr 18, 2023Ryan King
Apr 18, 2023As a former baller, the sniper ethos of 'one shot one kill' is meaningless with paintball guns. You could probably land several on target within a few seconds in rapid fire. Which is also a lot more satisfying.
Brian Rhodes
Apr 18, 2023Permanent / destructive damage might not be the goal of silly string attacks - think in terms of being arrested and paying damages for this - with silly string. Basically, a wash and no camera replacement is required for silly string (jail time for no damage?), while a more permanent attack can lead to more punitive punishments.
Paintballs, spraypainting cameras, or using triple-expanding spray foam would certainly be harder to clean off (if even possible).
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Apr 18, 2023Forget Silly String...several year's ago I was asked to advise a mid-sized city on the effective use and locations of cameras to monitor the city center and parking garages. The police chief intervened, saying he was at national law enforcement show and was buying bullet proof cameras, at $25k each, from a company I and other security people never heard of. He purchased a dozen cameras, and bragged about how they were bullet proof.
In a very challenged section of the city, vandals bough paint guns and blinded the cameras within a week. It was very difficult to get those cameras back in operation, and there was no solution to prevent it happening again. Because the vandals "shot" from a great distance, there was little chance of identifying them before the cameras were blinded.
JW
Jermaine Wilson
Apr 18, 2023Just a note for all, we plan to leave silly string on some cameras, to see how it impacts the removal factor of the silly string. We will update this report with those findings once this is fully complete.
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Apr 18, 2023That’s a very valid test. I would think a few days the un on a sideways mounted vandal dome would certainly leave artifacts that even after removal would make the camera relatively useless.
Brian Karas
Apr 18, 2023I was going to recommend that. Usually if you let that stuff dry it turns into a hard plasticy mess and I'm pretty sure it would stick to and damage most acrylic domes or lenses.
JM
Jerome Miller
Apr 19, 2023Did you ever test a high powered laser on cameras. By high powered I am still talking consumer grade,
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #4
Apr 19, 2023If it's left on for an extended period - does it become more difficult to remove? (Have never used silly string)
JW
Jermaine Wilson
Apr 19, 2023We are currently doing a test to provide analysis on this, but the short answer is yes - even after a day, the silly string has hardened significantly, and had to be essentially scraped off of a (non-control) camera.
FYI, we have 3 domes, with silly string applied, and we will remove the silly string from the first camera Friday, 4/21 - the second on 4/24, and the final camera on 4/28 we will update these findings, and comment here for visibility.
Please let me know if you have any other comments or questions, we are happy to help.
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #5
Apr 20, 2023It might be useful to have one in an outdoor environment exposed to the sun for a few weeks to see if it hardens and damages the dome. Also, some manufacturers use a coated dome, which could repel the silly string, but it could also damage the coating. I remember Panasonic used to give white gloves for handling their domes with instructions not to touch them with your bare hands as it could damage the coating.
JH
John Honovich
Apr 20, 2023have one in an outdoor environment exposed to the sun for a few weeks to see if it hardens and damages the dome
I think leaving them outdoors is a good idea. I would only partially push back on them being left out for weeks. If someone is leaving their cameras like that for weeks, they've probably got bigger problems!
Ivan Prygov
Apr 20, 2023Anyway Peter Parker told that his web disappears in 45 minutes
JH
John Honovich
Apr 20, 2023Peter Parker told that his web
I just googled that and evidently there's a very long thread on Quora discussing this: Why does Spider-Man web dissolve in a hour? How? - Quora
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #6
Apr 20, 2023A little surprised you didn't mention tamper analytics. Most cameras can detect when the image is obscured or blocked and send an alarm signal accordingly. We've tied these into sirens, strobe lights, and alarm panels in "problem" buildings along with very prominent signage, and after a couple of incidents where the perpetrators were arrested the incidents dropped to zero.
Rob Kilpatrick
Apr 21, 2023We have added an additional section in the report on our findings regarding the effects of leaving silly string on the dome for more than 24 hours. We found that as the silly string solidifies, it becomes progressively more challenging to remove from the dome's surface. Even with aggressive picking, we were unable to completely remove the residue, necessitating an alcohol wipe to fully remove the silly string.
Furthermore, we applied silly string to a dome and left it exposed to prolonged heat outdoors. We will provide an update with the results. Below is an example of trying to remove the silly string after leaving it on the dome for a day.
CN
Craig Nordman
Jan 25, 2024Looks like a fun test to conduct. Do cameras with hydrophobic coating prevent the foam from sticking?