Which security camera should I choose?

[lenovomen]

I read that governments, law enforcement agencies and intelligence services have access to security cameras. How can I get around this?  Should I buy a regular webcam and use it with a NAS server that sends notifications to my phone? Or which camera should I use? HikVision, Tp-link, Wyze, etc. these all use their own servers, release data, provide access on government request.

[manikyath]

anything that connects to anything outside your own network, can be considered a potential security risk.

 

while this;

25 minutes ago, lenovomen said:

t governments, law enforcement agencies and intelligence services have access to security cameras.

is pretty close to "vaccines cause 5G" level crazy, some cloud based security solutions play real fast and loose between privacy and police requests, and a lot of the cheaper camera's usually have gaping security holes waiting to be exploited. (you know, the default password garbage.)

 

i've got some recent experience with hikvision camera systems, and to my understanding it's something you at least "can" wall off entirely into a secured network, with no access to the outside world aside from accessing the controller's interface to check on camera's. in my opinion this is how camera systems should *always* be done: walled off physically, with only the minimal access needed to consult the recordings.

[Needfuldoer]

Regular IP video cameras (not "cloud" home security cameras) can be confined to a LAN if you don't set a default gateway when you configure their network settings. Then you can locally record their streams on an external DVR like BlueIris or Synology Surveillance Station.

[lenovomen]

56 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

Regular IP video cameras (not "cloud" home security cameras) can be confined to a LAN if you don't set a default gateway when you configure their network settings. Then you can locally record their streams on an external DVR like BlueIris or Synology Surveillance Station.

I have thought about this solution. But what if the camera is physically replaced or the system is hacked?

 

I need a solution that I can see via my smartphone. 

[lenovomen]

Should I buy a simple simple ip camera paired with a universal program? I am afraid that buying an unknown universal brand is not a good idea. What brand is EzViz? Can I set it up so that the police don't know I'm using it? Should I use a VPN and connect to the network?

[Ralphred]

2 hours ago, lenovomen said:

How can I get around this?

Professional quality CCTV cameras are fully configurable, and can be (obviously) set-up so nothing leaves the network they are installed on. If you are installing on a firewalled LAN, you can obviously circumvent the cheaper cameras talking to outside except when you want them too.

To be fair HikVision falls into the "bottom of the barrel budget" professional realm, where poor optics and cheap hardware are offset by cleaver digital enhancement, and are fine for domestic use (I have a couple myself).

But outside of a LAN environment (single camera install on it's own 4g/5g connection or similar) you need to be looking at manufacturers like vicon, pelco, axis, indigo etc.

[Ralphred]

1 minute ago, lenovomen said:

Should I buy a simple simple ip camera paired with a universal program?

Tell us your "use case" mate, this is part of what I do professionally.

[Needfuldoer]

42 minutes ago, lenovomen said:

But what if the camera is physically replaced

Then you configure it the same as the old camera.

 

42 minutes ago, lenovomen said:

or the system is hacked?

Then that means someone is inside your local network and you have bigger problems. 

 

43 minutes ago, lenovomen said:

I need a solution that I can see via my smartphone. 

Keep the server behind a firewall and access it via VPN. Don't just expose it directly to the Internet via port forwarding. If it's not accessible outside your home network, it's not accessible outside your home network.

 

39 minutes ago, lenovomen said:

Can I set it up so that the police don't know I'm using it?

Why is this of concern? They have more important things to do than check if lenovomen set up a security camera.

[lenovomen]

I need a solution that is difficult to crack. I want to make sure that if my home is secure, government agencies have no one to get in but me.