a *useful* ssh on Hikvision

[justFred]

I have an LTS LTN8708-P8 NVR (which seems to just be a rebranded Hikvision DS-7608NI-I2/8P).

I can ssh to the nvr ... but the shell I get is a useless wrapper with a few commands. I would like to actually get to the OS.

I have several things I'd like to do on the shell level, but the most important is that I would like to be able to extract files from the NVR from a linux command line. (I.e., I would like to scp or sftp video clips without booting a windows system or walking a thumb drive to the nvr).

Is there any way to get an actual shell on this box?

 

[alastairstevenson]

Is there any way to get an actual shell on this box?

Hikvision's 'psh' protected shell is specifically in place to prevent access to commands that could do something 'useful' or destructive.

Assuming it's behaving like a stock Hikvision model :
I haven't had a 'hands on' (or in) with that specific model, but if it's running a r/w file system as opposed to the cramfs that the older 7600NI-Ex models use, it's probably possible to inhibit psh without having to apply hacked firmware, if you're prepared for a short session with the serial console.
Certainly I was able to do that with my 7616NI-K2 which is using yaffs2
There are 2 or 3 tricks needed, which I should not post publicly here as Hikvision have a tendency to block them on the next firmware release.

And by the way - this might stop you wanting to pursue any tweaks to your NVR - the HDD isn't mounted with any standard Linux file system (at least on the older models, I don't know about yours) - it's a Hikvision proprietary arrangement.

Let me know if you want to play and we can use 'conversations'.