West Suffolk leaders look into security concerns around Chinese-made CCTV cameras
It's after an investigation looked into the vulnerabilities of cameras manufactured by two Chinese brands
Last updated 25th Sep 2023
Concerns surrounding the security flaws of Chinese-made cameras are being addressed by West Suffolk councillors.
The concerns stem from an investigation into the vulnerabilities of cameras manufactured by Hikvision and Dahua.
These cameras are found in lots of places across Suffolk and the country, including in government buildings.
The investigation found as many as 100,000 of them worldwide could have the potential to be used to wreak havoc.
In West Suffolk, the CCTV network was introduced in 1995 and now supports over 700 cameras in nine different towns — 99 per cent of which are manufactured by Hikvision.
During a meeting last week, councillors addressed the issues raised in the program.
Cllr Sarah Broughton, the committee’s chair, said: “We shouldn’t be replacing broken cameras with Chinese-made ones — we should be looking to future-proof ourselves.
“We have to take this seriously rather than put our heads in the sand.”
As it stands, Hikvision cameras are largely considered to be the best in the market in terms of both price and quality and have helped in over 650 arrests since last year.
To replace all cameras in West Suffolk, councillors believe it would take upwards of £1.5m.
Cllr David Taylor, cabinet member of operations, said: “Like the majority of local councils, we have Chinese-branded CCTV cameras due to their value and quality of image, vital in detecting and solving crime.”
Cllr Birgitte Mager, of Moreton Hall ward, said: “We should take these risks very seriously.
“We should definitely be looking to countries where we feel safer even if it costs a bit more.”
Although the Government has since announced the removal of any Chinese-made surveillance equipment from “sensitive government sites”, no guidance has been given to the current use of CCTV by local authorities.
Cllr Taylor has also reassured that none of the cameras are connected to the internet and are all part of an American-made firewall system.
Whenever an update is needed, the council employs third-party ‘ethical hackers’ who check for any vulnerabilities.
He continued: “We take the security of all our IT systems seriously — West Suffolk CCTV security protocols are continually monitored, security software updates applied, and considered safe.
“We will continue to monitor the current situation and any changes to legislative policies will be acted upon.”