Hikvision and Chinese spying?

[Technoir]

I've read articles about Hikvision cameras and NVRs with 'backdoors' built into them to allow certain parties to connect and send data, etc.
What's the current situation here, is this still a concern, and if so, which measures should be implemented to prevent this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Phil]

Back door access was a kind of legacy poor practice that a lot of tech companies used at one time or another - essentially a secret admin user name and password that would gain you access to any device by that manufacturer. Intended as a last resort engineer access when all else failed.
Now discredited, and as far as I know not used by any manufacturer nowadays.

Hikvision produced some recommendations last year for hardening access:

Tips for hardening Hikvision devices against cyber attacks - my tuppence on Passwords

Other brands have produced similar in the past.

 

[Phil]

For anyone that's interested I have attached Hikvision's 25-page guide that advises users on hardening their HikCentral configuration.