UK bans Chinese CCTV cameras on 'sensitive' government sites
(2022/11/25)
- Reference: 1669336207
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/11/25/uk_government_china_cctv_ban_/
- Source link:
The United Kingdom has decided Chinese video cameras have no place in government facilities.
"A review of the current and future possible security risks associated with the installation of visual surveillance systems on the government estate has concluded that, in light of the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity of these systems, additional controls are required," reads a [1]statement from Oliver Dowden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (the [2]second-most senior minister in cabinet behind the PM).
"Departments have therefore been instructed to cease deployment of such equipment onto sensitive sites, where it is produced by companies subject to the National Intelligence Law of the People's Republic of China," the statement adds.
[3]
Government departments have also been "advised that no such equipment should be connected to departmental core networks" and told to consider whether they should remove and replace Chinese video cameras "deployed on sensitive sites" – and do so before planned upgrades.
[4]
[5]
Departments have also been advised to consider whether there are sites outside the definition of "sensitive" at which they might wish extend the same policy.
The advice does not name companies it feels represent a risk, but politicians have [6]campaigned to ban cameras from partly Chinese state-owned CCTV manufacturers Hikvision and Dahua, on grounds that they have been used as instruments of repression of the Muslim Uighur people in China's Xinjiang province. The US has already barred both vendors from selling their products for the same reason.
[7]80,000 internet-connected cameras still vulnerable after critical patch offered
[8]Calls for bans on Chinese CCTV makers Hikvision, Dahua expand
[9]Kaspersky, China Telecom, China Mobile named 'threats to US national security'
[10]UK.gov finds billions in cash for big data contracts
China denies it's abused human rights in Xinjiang, and Chinese tech firms consistently assert that while Chinese law technically requires them to do anything Beijing asks – including surveillance – they have no ambitions beyond delivering excellent products to customers.
But worries persist around the world that the mere presence of Chinese products creates the chance to map networks, which is very useful intelligence, or that workers at Chinese vendors could be members of the Communist Party. The potential for Chinese equipment to be crippled by faulty software updates or even bricked at Beijing's command is also a concern.
[11]
The UK announcement does not mention funding to replace Chinese cameras, nor a timeframe for their disconnection and/or replacement. ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-11-24/hcws386?module=inline&pgtype=article
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/chancellor-of-the-duchy-of-lancaster
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Y4BL7WOi4ULOgwxZS8tJKwAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Y4BL7WOi4ULOgwxZS8tJKwAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Y4BL7WOi4ULOgwxZS8tJKwAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/05/uk_ban_hikvision_dahua/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/24/hikvision_camera_patch/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/05/uk_ban_hikvision_dahua/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/28/fcc_kaspersky_china_telecom_china_mobile_national_security/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/26/uk_big_data_deals/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Y4BL7WOi4ULOgwxZS8tJKwAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
"A review of the current and future possible security risks associated with the installation of visual surveillance systems on the government estate has concluded that, in light of the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity of these systems, additional controls are required," reads a [1]statement from Oliver Dowden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (the [2]second-most senior minister in cabinet behind the PM).
"Departments have therefore been instructed to cease deployment of such equipment onto sensitive sites, where it is produced by companies subject to the National Intelligence Law of the People's Republic of China," the statement adds.
[3]
Government departments have also been "advised that no such equipment should be connected to departmental core networks" and told to consider whether they should remove and replace Chinese video cameras "deployed on sensitive sites" – and do so before planned upgrades.
[4]
[5]
Departments have also been advised to consider whether there are sites outside the definition of "sensitive" at which they might wish extend the same policy.
The advice does not name companies it feels represent a risk, but politicians have [6]campaigned to ban cameras from partly Chinese state-owned CCTV manufacturers Hikvision and Dahua, on grounds that they have been used as instruments of repression of the Muslim Uighur people in China's Xinjiang province. The US has already barred both vendors from selling their products for the same reason.
[7]80,000 internet-connected cameras still vulnerable after critical patch offered
[8]Calls for bans on Chinese CCTV makers Hikvision, Dahua expand
[9]Kaspersky, China Telecom, China Mobile named 'threats to US national security'
[10]UK.gov finds billions in cash for big data contracts
China denies it's abused human rights in Xinjiang, and Chinese tech firms consistently assert that while Chinese law technically requires them to do anything Beijing asks – including surveillance – they have no ambitions beyond delivering excellent products to customers.
But worries persist around the world that the mere presence of Chinese products creates the chance to map networks, which is very useful intelligence, or that workers at Chinese vendors could be members of the Communist Party. The potential for Chinese equipment to be crippled by faulty software updates or even bricked at Beijing's command is also a concern.
[11]
The UK announcement does not mention funding to replace Chinese cameras, nor a timeframe for their disconnection and/or replacement. ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-11-24/hcws386?module=inline&pgtype=article
[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/chancellor-of-the-duchy-of-lancaster
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Y4BL7WOi4ULOgwxZS8tJKwAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Y4BL7WOi4ULOgwxZS8tJKwAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Y4BL7WOi4ULOgwxZS8tJKwAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/05/uk_ban_hikvision_dahua/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/24/hikvision_camera_patch/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/05/uk_ban_hikvision_dahua/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2022/03/28/fcc_kaspersky_china_telecom_china_mobile_national_security/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/26/uk_big_data_deals/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Y4BL7WOi4ULOgwxZS8tJKwAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Good idea anyways
steviebuk
Yep. Problem is the footage quality is good and they are cheap. We are a charity so they, unfortunately, went with Hikvision cameras for a few of the sites. We have been looking and thinking about their server setup. But I've now been putting it off due to the CCP links.
Re: Good idea anyways
Anonymous Coward
If you can telnet in it already a guaranteed disaster.
What is really needed is a quality whitelist - but don't be too surprised to find CCTV Medpro on the list.
At what cost?
steamnut
I am sure that you will hard to find a video camera that does not contain Chinese logic in it.
Even if you make a camera from scratch using, say, a Raspberry Pi, the processor and network chips are of Chinese origin.
We sleep walked into this situation and it will be costly to get out of it.
Re: At what cost?
Yet Another Anonymous coward
>the processor and network chips are of Chinese origin.
Probably also want to stay away from Sony imaging chips. Remember Pearl Harbour !
Meanwhile…
Anonymous Coward
…everyone will be carrying an android or apple device into those same "sensitive" areas. :o)
PS: coaxial cameras are still a thing.
Good idea anyways
The software quality on those cameras is a disaster. They have trivial exploits, tons of bugs, and they phone home. I know they're cheap, but what's the use of a security camera with no security?
They're also very hard to avoid. Even many reputable looking brands of cameras are a Hikvision with a customized housing and UX. Just log into the exposed telnet port and "strings" the executable.