Account and password security management of monitoring system

Why monitoring equipment is vulnerable to attacks

• The devices are numerous and scattered, making them easy to be physically contacted.
• If the firmware is not updated for a long time, there are known vulnerabilities.
• Weak passwords or factory default passwords are commonly used.
• Unnecessary remote service and management ports are opened.
• Lack of regular security audits.

Account planning

It is prohibited for multiple people to share the same account, otherwise retroactive operations will not be possible.

Password policy

• After installation and debugging are completed, change the default password immediately. This is the most important step.
• Length ≥ 8 characters (more than 12 characters recommended), including uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
• Use different passwords for different systems and devices to avoid one leak and the entire network being compromised.
• Regular replacement (e.g. every 90 days), more frequent for critical systems.
• Enable login failure lockout and login IP restrictions.
• Do not use easy-to-guess passwords related to device models, manufacturers, and project names.

Device side reinforcement

• Turn off non-essential services such as Telnet, SSH (when not in use), UPnP, etc.
• Modify the default Web management port (such as 80 → non-standard port).
• Turn off automatic networking of cloud services (if remote access is not required).
• Enable HTTPS access.
• Update firmware regularly (verify in test environment first).
• Protect the physical interface of the device to avoid random access.

Management and Audit

• Establish an account ledger and log out promptly when personnel changes.
• Enable operation logs and conduct regular audits (especially video deletions and configuration changes).
• Video access must be approved and recorded.
• Regularly check whether there are abnormal login records.
• Develop an emergency plan: how to change passwords and isolate in batches after a leak.