Someone else looking at my cameras??

[lovelife 0]

I have a stand alone DVR system. I can access it from the internet to watch my business. Is there a program or some type of an alert that will let me know if someone else is also on my system.I do have it password protect but a few weired things have happened lately. I am very nervous of this because the person who installed this has turned out not to be a very honest person. He can very recommened and also installed a few other businesses. Any help would be great.

[si_kungs 0]

check the account setting and change the password for all users.

[scorpion 0]

There are some DVRs that allow you to check to see who uses the remote viewing.

 

It may be called view log, or remote view log.

What you do is give each authorized employee, friend or what have you different numbers, or passwords.

 

When you check the remote log in it will tell you the date time, and user!

 

AVTech DVRs have this feature.

 

As said before take your defaults off, and put in a password.

 

_____________________________________________________________

 

I tell this to all of my customers. Do not trust anyone, and that is to include me!

 

I show everyone how to change the password. I want them to change it one week after the install (so that I can still get in for tech support) so that it locks everyone out!

 

Do you know how many DVRs I have come acrossed on this forum where they are still at default of admin, and admin??!!

 

Do you know how many company demos I have come across with supervisor rights to the demo user password?? Yikes!!

 

I could go it and change the password, and ask for $100 to allow them back in (unless they know how to do a hardware reset).

 

I could also change the IP address and take them off line.

 

And really, really bad is to turn the DVRs recording settings to off, and then break in.

 

I would not worry about some "hacker" / "script kiddie" trying to hack in.

I would worry if you owned a jewelry store, or a bank, or other places with large amounts of cash. I would not worry to much about it in a residential environment. First they would have to figure out your IP address (lock down with at least a WEP on your wireless connection), and then they would have to guess your user password. For what? To watch your dog roam around your pool patio??

 

If you have a million dollars under your mattress then send me your user password!! LOL!

[cctv_down_under 0]

Buy a managed router and set the router to only allow access from certain IP ranges...chances are anyone else will have a different IP range becasue of their choice of service providor so you can pretty much block any one out...or simpler get a static Ip from where you want to watch remotely...or lastly set up a remote desktop to the DVR or a pc on the same network and lag in and turjn on the web viewing only when you need it...then disable after you are finished

[sw 0]

True, a simple router that limits connecting IP's is cheap and easy to set up. But most likely your home internet connection changes IP every month or two. So you will have to update your IP at the location again before you can access your camera's.

 

If you want to just know when/if someone else is watching your cams, and not necessarily block them, you could set up something to sniff your network packets and see who connects to the DVR recorder.

 

On a PC based system this is just a simple piece of software. With a standalone DVR recorder you would have to install a device in-line between your internet connection and the DVR unit.

 

It depends on how paranoid you want to be. I have some clients that pay big money to act paranoid. And I'm happy to assist them.

[flw 0]

Are there any risks with DVR programs when they are set to allow remote viewing? My concern is whether anyone can hack into other parts of my computer.

[sw 0]

Short Answer: Yes you can be, but you won't be

 

===

 

Yes, you can be hacked. Anything is possible on a computer with an open port.

 

The right question to ask is, what is the likelihood of being hacked.

 

The likelihoods of you being hacked through your dvr software is so remote, you've got a better chance of a plane dropping from the sky onto your house.

 

Consider these things:

 

1. For someone to have a decent chance of finding a vulnerability in your DVR software, would need to have an exact copy of your version to reverse engineer how it handles ports ect. How long might this take? Perhaps hundreds or even thousands of hours?

 

2. For someone to hack your system they would need some motivation. They have to know that you have the system in the first place, they have to find your IP address, they have to find the port numbers that your system uses. All this takes alot of detective work. It costs time.

 

 

With all the credit cards flying about the Internet, malicious hackers are not wasting their time with dvr systems. There's too much loot to be had planting spyware and cashing in in your banking information.

 

If you do get hacked, it will be through a web browser hack from surfing bad sites, an email worm or installing otherwise questionable software.

 

On the other hand, if your name is Osama Binladen and it becomes known that you run a DVR system, expect to be hacked within 2 weeks.

 

Hacking happens when one of two things is increased: Motivation (Binladen example) or Opportunity (email worms that can infect millions of systems overnight).

[scorpion 0]

I would have to agree with SW.

 

I would be more concerned if you were young, and an extremely attractive female. I would be concerned about some male friend getting your IP address, and your password, and then watching you on interior cameras if you walk around nude.

 

 

 

What is your security threat level?

How much are you worth in cash, or quick sell?

Do you hold a position such as an extreme high level executive for a bank, or related "cash" situation, (it could be research, and development, or pre patent issues as well).

 

I would say that you are safe, but yes with the right motivation (and not just cash such as revenge) anything is possible.

 

Years ago when growing up who would have thought that I would flip open my communicator, and speak to a distant person, give them my GPS location, and then take a picture where I am, and then send that photo to someone else, and then map/google some other place, and see a photo of that location?

 

Speaking of that where is my Dick Tracy watch, and my Get Smart shoe phone?