Certain Chinese security camera brands have been banned from government facilities, and this has caused many people to seek alternatives. This article explores how the ban affects consumers.
by Bryce Whitty
Bryce has a background in the security industry and founded ProtectFind as an independent information site.
1
The Short Version
Some security camera brands have been banned for use in government facilities in the US as they have been deemed to be a national security threat due to their alleged connections to the Chinese Communist Party.
Unfortunately, many Western brands may contain parts from these banned companies. If you wish to avoid hardware containing parts made by these allegedly CCP-connected brands, ask your security installer for their "NDAA Compliant" offering.
If a product is not marked as NDAA Compliant, assume it contains parts from one of these banned companies. It may identifed with text, or even a logo. There is no official version of the logo, but the most commonly accepted one looks like this.
Many other variants feature American flags, Eagles, stars, and stripes. As long as it says it's NDAA-compliant, it's fine.
2
The Long Version
The American "National Defense Authorization Act" (or NDAA) bans the selling and installation of surveillance products in government facilities made by specific Chinese companies that are deemed to pose a national security risk.
Namely:
- Huawei Technologies
- ZTE Corporation
- Hytera Communications Corporation
- Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology
- Dahua Technology
Over the past few years, the US, UK, Australia, and other countries have begun removing security cameras installed in government facilities that contain parts from these companies. These include places like Parliament House, military bases, research centres, and even local councils.
While Australia doesn't officially have a law similar to the American NDAA, it has adopted its framework somewhat as a United States ally.
Some people believe the ban on these brands in government facilities was for cybersecurity purposes, while others believe it was related to a trade war with China. It could be both.
We at ProtectFind do not officially take a political position on the security tensions with China. We aim to inform you about what may affect you and let you make the best choice for your circumstances.
3
How Does This Affect Me?
For the average residential home or business, not much. We believe that Dahua and Hikvision devices are still very safe to use and are some of the best cameras available.
That said, if your business works with government contracts, you may not be considered for further government contracts if you don't comply with the NDAA.
There is no known backdoor in Dahua and Hikvision cameras. Still, the US Department of Defense wants to separate itself from parts made by the "other team" if tensions ever escalate into war, which is entirely understandable.
For some people, that is enough to want to avoid these brands altogether. Others can see why it applies to the military but don't believe it applies to them.
All manufacturers have had cybersecurity issues at one point, and any time there has been a security vulnerability, the manufacturers have always been quick to patch it.
If you still have security concerns, buy security hardware labelled "NDAA Compliant".
4
What is NDAA Compliance?
I have said to buy hardware marked as "NDAA Compliant" if you want to avoid these banned brands, but what actually is NDAA compliance?
It helps buyers identify security hardware that does not contain components manufactured by one of the banned companies.
An NDAA-compliant device means none of the components or sub-components of the cameras or NVRs can be manufactured by one of the companies listed above.
This applies to the finished product (e.g., an NVR motherboard) and the individual electronic chips that make up that motherboard.
Many security camera brands have altered their supply chain and either don't sell hardware with parts manufactured by the banned companies or have NDAA-compliant specific product lines.
Some brands may include a mix of compliant and non-compliant cameras in their security offerings. For example, Uniview has become much more popular due to the Dahua and Hikvision ban in government facilities. However, only part of their product line is NDAA-compliant; the rest is not.
So, switching to Uniview to avoid banned parts is not enough; your choice must be only from their NDAA-Compliant lineup.
Most security installers in Australia choose Dahua or Hikvision as their primary offering, which are among the best in terms of capabilities, reliability, and price. However, most installers offer an NDAA-compliant alternative if you have security concerns.
5
Going Deeper... The Longer Version
Most people wanting to avoid the banned hardware can stop reading here, buy hardware marked as NDAA-compliant, and you should be safe.
However, this rabbit hole goes deeper if you are a nerd like me and want to know more. It seems like you could avoid Dahua and Hikvision and be okay, right? Not quite.
The problem is that there are only a few security hardware manufacturers worldwide, yet there are thousands of different security brands. How is this possible?
It's a process called private labelling or white labelling. The thousands of other security brands will ask the manufacturer to make minor changes to the appearance (white labelling) and make it look unique to their brand.
Or they will keep it looking the same and slap their logo on it (private labelling). Here is an example of a Hikvision Doorbell that has been private labelled by numerous other brands:
The two largest manufacturers in the world are... you guessed it.. Hikvision and Dahua.
Hikvision and Dahua are the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for thousands of other brands. Here are some brands you have probably heard of that either currently contain hardware made by Hikvision or Dahua or did at some point:
Hikvision OEMs:
- Panasonic
- Annke
- EZVIZ (EZVIZ IS Hikvision)
- Hitachi
- Honeywell
- Hyundai
- LTS
- Onix
- TRENDNet
- Toshiba
Dahua OEM's:
- Lorex (Lorex IS Dahua)
- Honeywell
- Anyday Security
- Panasonic
- VIP Vision
There are thousands of other brands, and I chose just these few because you have probably heard of them.
The part in question in these cameras is usually the HiSilicon chip made by Huawei, which powers about 60 percent of surveillance cameras.
5
Final Thoughts
With growing tensions with China, it makes sense that the US Department of Defense does not want cameras made by specific manufacturers in its sensitive installations. It's up to you to determine whether that applies to you.
Global tensions with specific countries are not a fun topic; unfortunately, they have also entered the security camera world. Our goal here at ProtectFind is to provide you with all the information so you can make the right choice for you.
Feel free to contact us with any questions about this complex topic. I'd be happy to clarify to the best of my knowledge.
