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 ***** **************.

Avatar

John Scanlan

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

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

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

12/10/19 07:56pm

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

Undisclosed #3

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

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

Undisclosed #3

12/11/19 10:21pm

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

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

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 **********.

Riley Flaherty

12/12/19 04:06pm

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

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!

Riley Flaherty

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

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

Avatar

Christopher Uiterwyk

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

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

-*****

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

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 ******.

Riley Flaherty

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

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

Wagner Cunha

12/12/19 05:19pm

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

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

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