Encrypting footage
- Thread starter luder888
- Start date
nayr
IPCT Contributor
with full disk encryption a passphrase will be required at boot; so such a configuration wont recover from a power outage on its own.
Mine are plugged into a UPS, so power outage shouldn't really be a problem. I wonder if I encrypt the external drives with BitLocker, whether BI service can still access them to transfer files.
nayr
IPCT Contributor
bitlocker is not trusthworthy IMHO; I'd check out VeraCrypt - Home
you might be able to store the encryption key on a usb drive hidden in a wall on a long usb extension.. then if they yank all the cables and take it the'll leave the key behind and it'll still recover automatically..
Power outages can last longer than your batteries; and with Murphy's law in full effect combined with Ocams Razor it seems more likely of an event to occur than data being utilized; I suspect if someone walks out with your NVR the'll just destroy the disks if they are this technically savvy.. as they want to destroy evidence; not retrieve it and put it on the internet to incriminate them selves.
If you go the full disk encryption route I would have a backup solution in place; so if/when your NVR is sitting there asking for a password you can still have something recording somewhere.
I admire your drive (pun intended) to encrypt all this stuff; but you likely have bigger fish to fry than plug this minor attack surface.. you think a few hour long power outage wont be a problem but potentially your own video surveillance recordings being physically stolen and used against you is likely? Not sure I want to ask what your doing to be this paranoid.. but I can see the desire to keep the courts from using em against you if something crazy happened one day; in that case you can only store the decryption keys in your head.. as thats the only place they are safe from legal reach (5th Ammendment)
you might be able to store the encryption key on a usb drive hidden in a wall on a long usb extension.. then if they yank all the cables and take it the'll leave the key behind and it'll still recover automatically..
Power outages can last longer than your batteries; and with Murphy's law in full effect combined with Ocams Razor it seems more likely of an event to occur than data being utilized; I suspect if someone walks out with your NVR the'll just destroy the disks if they are this technically savvy.. as they want to destroy evidence; not retrieve it and put it on the internet to incriminate them selves.
If you go the full disk encryption route I would have a backup solution in place; so if/when your NVR is sitting there asking for a password you can still have something recording somewhere.
I admire your drive (pun intended) to encrypt all this stuff; but you likely have bigger fish to fry than plug this minor attack surface.. you think a few hour long power outage wont be a problem but potentially your own video surveillance recordings being physically stolen and used against you is likely? Not sure I want to ask what your doing to be this paranoid.. but I can see the desire to keep the courts from using em against you if something crazy happened one day; in that case you can only store the decryption keys in your head.. as thats the only place they are safe from legal reach (5th Ammendment)
Last edited:
Yes I just read an article on how Dropcam was forced by the court to use this guy's video evidence against him in a domestic case. Either way, I'm not going to jump through hoops to get this working, but if there's an easy and free way to do this with no drawbacks, then why not? Just because one worries about the security of the weeks of indoor camera footage getting into the wrong hands doesn't mean he's up to no good. And one can argue having indoor cameras in the first place is paranoid enough
nayr
IPCT Contributor
I dont record indoors unless the security system is armed, and I have very few indoor cameras.. got lucky and for some reason all my pets like sleeping in the kids room when were gone so its easy enough to check in on em while away.. would rather there be nothing to have; outside I dont consider I have much privacy at all.
My entire storage disk is encrypted with Bitlocker.
No problems with BI writing to it.Has been working well for a couple of years.
No problems with BI writing to it.Has been working well for a couple of years.
fenderman
Staff member
- Mar 9, 2014
- 36,891
- 21,407
The issue becomes when the system reboots after a power outage...
In general this is a very minor concern...desktops are rarely ever stolen and if you tie it down with a lock it lower the chance of theft to nearly zero...even if stolen, the thief would then have to want to look through the footage....very unlikely scenario...
If you can add a TPM module for bitlocker it will reboot fine after a power outage without any input from the user.
nayr
IPCT Contributor
and bitlocker already has a poor track record; Holding Shift + F10 During Windows 10 Updates Opens Root CLI, Bypasses BitLocker
If your using bitlocker for the expressed purpose of denying evidence against your self; then dont count on it.. If the FBI can bypass Apple's crypto w/out there help then MS will be a walk in the park for even your local LEO.
Dont bother doing it if you cant do it right.. use VeraCrypt or something else.
If your using bitlocker for the expressed purpose of denying evidence against your self; then dont count on it.. If the FBI can bypass Apple's crypto w/out there help then MS will be a walk in the park for even your local LEO.
Dont bother doing it if you cant do it right.. use VeraCrypt or something else.
fenderman
Staff member
- Mar 9, 2014
- 36,891
- 21,407
lol, then its not secure as all the theif has to do is turn on the machine...