IP Camera Browser Support: Who's Broken / Who Works

By Ethan Ace and John Scanlan, Published Dec 10, 2019, 01:21pm EST

For many years, IP cameras depended on ActiveX control, whose security flaws have been known for more than a decade.

The good news is that this is improving, with more manufacturers dropping the requirement for such plugins. However, many still do.

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In this report, we look at which manufacturers are supported without plugins and which still require plugins, testing over 30 models as part of our recent IP Camera Installability Shootout 2019.

Broken ** ********

*** ********* ******* ** that ************ ******** *** dropping ******* *** ***** plugins ***** ***** **** if ** ** ****** requires ****, ***** ***/** fundamental ******** **** *** be *********. *** **** on ****, ***:********** *** ******* / ActiveX ***** **********

Browser ******* ******** ** ****

*** ** ** ****** tested, **** *** ***** required ******* ** ******* live ***** ** ********. However, *** *** ******* which *** *** ******* plugins ********* *.***/*.*** ***** in *** *******, **** Avigilon, *******, *** **** Bosch ****** **** ********** MJPEG.

Chinese ************* *******, *** *****/********* ********

*** *** ******* ****** which ******** ******* **** all **** ** *** "big *****" ******* *************: Dahua, *********, *** *******, with *** ** *******'* models ********* ******* *** live *****.

** ********, ***** *** Hikvision ******* *** *********, with **** *** ****** no ****** ********* ******* using ******* ********, ***** other ****** ***** **. According ***********'* ******** *************, ****** ***** *** require *******, ***** ***** 3MP *** ***** ** not.

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*******, ** *** *******, a *** ***** ****** 4MP *** *** ******* plugins *** **** ***** and ***** ***** ******* models ***.

Plugin ******: *******

*** *** ****** ** using *** ********** **** plugins ******** ** *** potential *** ******* ** be ********* **** ********** ActiveX. ** * ******* example, ** ******** ****, Hikvision **** * ****** to ******* ********* **** a *******-******** ******* ** their ************* ****** *** available *** * ******:

********* *** ******** ********** that * ******* ****-** from * ******** ******* of ********* *** ********, was ************* ******** **** malware. **** ******** *** available ** *** ********* USA *** ********* ****** websites *** ***** ***** months.

*** ******** *** ***** been ******** **** * clean, *******-**** *******.

**** ******* *** ********* in ******** *** ******** NVR *****, *** *** Hikvision *******, *** ********** a **** *** ******* in ******-**** **********.

Plugin-Free *.***/*.*** *******

******* ************* *** ******* H.264/5 ******* *******, *********:

  • ****
  • *****
  • ******

***** *** ******* ***** manufacturers ***** ** *** require *******, ***** ***** streaming ** *** *******, including ********, *******, *********, and *****, ********* *****.

Axis *** *** *********

************ * ******-**** *** interface ** ****, **** *** ******* models *** ***** **** UI. **** *** ********* allows *.*** ******** ** the ******* ******* *******. Previously, **** ********* **** as ******** *** *** setup ******** ******* *** configuration, *** ***** ********* are *** ******-****, ** well.

Bosch: ** ****** *.***/*.***

** ******* ***** *********, H.264 ******* ******* ***** plugins ** *** ********. For *******, *** ***** below ***** ************ ********* ******* *******.

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*******, ******** ***** ***** requires ******* ** ******** Explorer *** *** *******. Plugin-free ******** *** **** configure ******* ***** (***** excluded **** *********), *** the ****-***** **** ***** found ** **.

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Hanwha: ** ****** *.***/*.***

****** ****** (******* *, Q, *** * *** Lite ******) ******* * plugin-free *** *********, ***** is **** ********** (***** below), *** ****** ** mobile ****** ** ******** to ***, ****** **** MJPEG ********* ****.

Mixed *******: *****/*********

** ******* ***** *** Hikvision ******, **** ******* plugins ***** ****** ** not. *** *******, ******* at * ***** ****** DS-2CD2143G0-I, ** ******* *** required *** *.*** ********* in *** *******:

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*******, ***** ******* ****** do *** ******* *** video, ********* ** *** ActiveX.

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********* ** *********'* ******** documentation, ****** ***** *** should ******* *******, *** in *** ***** **** 4MP ***** *** *********** models ****** ** *** browsers ******* ****.

** ***** * ******* trend ** ***** ******, with **** *** ******* such ** **************+******* ************** ** *******, ***** other ******* ****** **.

No ******* ********: ***** ****

***** ****** ******* ************* which ** *** ******* plugins, *** **** ** because **** ** *** support *.***/* ********* ** the *******, **** *****, which *** ** ******** using ****** ****.

**** ** ********** ** requiring *******, ** **** video *** ***** ** viewed ***** ******** ********. However, ** ** *** as ****** ** ****** the *.***/*.*** ****** ** order ** ******* ** for *** ******.

*** *******, ********'* *** UI **** *** ******* plugins, *** ***** ** no ****** *** *.*** video *********:

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*** **** *** **** of ******* *** **** older ***** ******, ** well ** ******* *** Pelco ****** ** **** tests.

Uniview: ******* ********

*** **** ************ ****** which ******** ******* ** all ******* ** *******. All ******, ******* *****, Pro, ** ****, ******** plugins *** *.*** *** MJPEG *********.

Manufacturer *******

** ********* ** ******* from * ************* *** provide * ********* ** which ******* ******* *.***/**.** live ****, ***** **** view, *** ***** ******* plugins. ***** *** *** results **** *** ********* cameras:

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***** *** *** ******* from *** ***** ***** length *******:

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Browser ******* ****** ******

**** ***** ********** ****** ******* ***** (or ***** ***):

******* ** ****, **** plugins *** ********, ***** are *********** ***** ***** Internet ********, ******* *** age,******** ******** *****, *** **** ** feature *******.

H.264 / *.*** ********* *******

************* **** *********** *.*** and *.*** ********* ***** two *** ******* ******* NPAPI *******:

  • ***** ***** ********. ******** ********************* * **** ***** platform ******* **************. **** *********** *** cases *** ** ******** using ********** (*** ******* ***** out ******** ** ****** **********).

  • ******.********* ******** *** **** time ************* ******* ***** and *** ********** *** also ** **** *** applications **** **** ********* media *** ****. ******’*********** ********** ****** ** ****** HD ***** ******* * browser *** **.

Comments (13)

Undisclosed End User #1

12/10/19 06:35pm

**** ******* ***** ** greatly ******** **** ** IPVM ********* ***** ******* which ****** *** ************* supported ***** **************.

Agree: 7
Disagree
Informative: 2
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed End User #1 | 12/12/19 03:36pm

****** ** - ** updated *** ****** **** the ****** / ******** that *** *********.

Agree: 2
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

12/10/19 07:56pm

**** * ***** *************. Hanwha ******* *** ****** H.264/H.265 ** ****** ****** browsers, *** **** *****. Screenshot ***** ******* ** X ****** ****** ********* H.265 ***** ** *** browser ** ** ******* phone. **** ***** ****** are ***** **** *** plugin-free

Agree: 3
Disagree
Informative: 4
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Integrator #3

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 12/15/19 05:00pm

**** ** ** ******* at? **** ***** **** a ****** ******.

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny: 1

Undisclosed Integrator #3

12/11/19 10:21pm

** ** **** ** believe **'** ***** ********** ActiveX ** ******** ******** going **** ****. * still **** ** *** IE **** ***** **** should ** ********* *** Panasonic **** *** ****** cameras. **** ********** ******* requiring ******* ** ****. Current ******* ********* ** the **** *** ***** should *** ******* *******. I ** ******* ********* Flash ** *********** *** the **** ***** ******** in ****.

******** ** ******, *****, and **** *** ***** ahead ** *** *****.

Agree: 2
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | 12/12/19 12:01am

*******: ** ***** * section ** ******* ***** in *** ******* ****** of **** ********* *** firmwares, ***** **** **** a ****** ** ******* about ***** (****** **** notice ** *** *** available ** ****************** ******):

*** *** ****** ** using *** ********** **** plugins ******** ** *** potential *** ******* ** be ********* **** ********** ActiveX. ** * ******* example, ** ******** ****, Hikvision **** * ****** to ******* ********* **** a *******-******** ******* ** their ************* ****** *** available *** * ******:

********* *** ******** ********** that * ******* ****-** from * ******** ******* of ********* *** ********, was ************* ******** **** malware. **** ******** *** available ** *** ********* USA *** ********* ****** websites *** ***** ***** months.

******** ******** *** ***** been ******** **** * clean, *******-**** *******. ******* was ********* ** ******** for ******** *** *****, not *** ********* *******, but ********** * ******** risk *** ******* ** plugin-free **********.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 3
Unhelpful
Funny

Riley Flaherty

12/12/19 04:06pm

* ***** **** **** to **** **** ******* me ***** ******* **** in ***** *** ******** is *** ****** ** useful ** ******* ** which *** ******** ***** in ***** *** *******. While * ********* **** there ***** ** * very ********* ****** ** people *** ******** ****** the ******* **********, **** is *** **** ****** so **** *** ** relevance *** ****.

Agree: 2
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Riley Flaherty | 12/12/19 04:13pm

***** ** * **** minuscule ****** ** ****** who ******** ****** *** cameras **********

***** * *** ** people ****** ******* **********, especially *** ***** *** troubleshooting.

******* ** ***** *** software ***** ** ***** web *******

**** ****, *** **** a **** *****. ** will ****** **** **** NVR *** ****** ************. Thanks!

Agree: 2
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Riley Flaherty

In reply to John Honovich | 12/12/19 04:21pm

**** ***** ** *******!

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Christopher Uiterwyk

IPConfigure
In reply to John Honovich | 12/12/19 05:16pm

* **** ** ******* based ***'* ***** **** be *******.

-*****

*********** - ******* ***** VMS

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

In reply to Riley Flaherty | 12/12/19 05:04pm

*** **** ****** *** are ********* *** ****** web ********* ** * technician **-**** **********, ***********, or *************** * ******. An ***-**** ** ** may **** ****** ** to ************ ** ******* status.

**** ***** *********** ** end ***** *** **** restrictive ***** ******** ******** that ******** ******* ** in **** *********, ***** are ******** ** ******* without **, ** ***/***** where ***** ** ** IE.

**** ** ******* *** certain ****** **** *** developed *** **** *** their ******** *** ** many ***** *** **** on ******** **** *** technologies **** *** ** vulnerable.

**, ******* * **** in *** ***** ******* their **** ******* *** wall ****** ** ****** a ***** *******, ** shows *** *** * manufacturer ** ********** ***** products, *** ******** ** current ****** *** ***** cyber ******.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 2
Unhelpful
Funny

Riley Flaherty

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 12/12/19 05:16pm

**********, ****** **** ****, I ***'* ******** *** last **** * ****** into * ****** ******** to ************ ** ************. I *** ***** ** my ****** *** ***'* even ***** ***** ***** it ******* * ****** never **** ** ***** to *** ****** ******.

Agree
Disagree
Informative
Unhelpful
Funny

Wagner Cunha

12/12/19 05:19pm

* ******* **** ****/**** plugin-free *************** **** ********* a ***** ** * seconds ** **** (******* of *** ********* ******). Was **** ********** ** the *****? * **** seen ****/*** ******** *************** introducing ** ** ** seconds *****. **** ** not ******* ********** *** surveillance.

* **** ** ***** VMSes ******* ****/**** ******-**** implementations (**** ** ******* introducing *****) ***** **** be ****.

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny
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