Hikvision password reset tool returns "device refused to process"

IC1

n3wb
Aug 26, 2025
12
7
US
A few years back I won a DS-7601NI-E1/4P (label on packaging had wrong model#) and a DS-2CD2432F-IW at Goodwill auction site for less than what I spend on cigarettes a week. Had no problems with the NVR (still @ v3.4.9) but had to hunt for firmware for the camera before I got it working. Today I pulled it out of storage for a temp setup at a remote site but couldn't recall the login pattern or password. I've been trying the reset tool using both long serial (with and w/o the model # included) and short NVR serial with no luck. Current date reported as 3/14/2024. Any help will be appreciated.

[edited to correct camera date)
 
Today I pulled it out of storage for a temp setup at a remote site but couldn't recall the login pattern or password.
That's for the NVR?
If so, it's likely that the NVR admin password will have been used to 'activate' the camera, on that version of firmware.
If the camera is connecting OK, and the firmware is newer than 5.3.0 and older than 5.4.4 then the Hikvision backdoor vulnerability should be available to pull a copy of the configuration file, which can be decrypted and decoded to reveal the camera admin password.
If the camera is not connecting OK, use the reset button on the back to set it to 'Inactive', the NVR PoE port in Plug&Play mode will then 'Activate' it with hopefully the NVR admin password and connect it.

The method is as follows :
With the camera powered up on the same LAN as the PC, or if on an NVR PoE port with the PC connected to an unused NVR PoE port, use SADP to find the camera IP address.
Set the PC IP address to an unused one in the same range as that of the camera, and use this URL in the browser :

http://<camera_IP_address>/System/configurationFile?auth=YWRtaW46MTEK

Hopefully that should download a configuration file.
Zip it up and attach here, it can be decrypted and decoded to reveal the admin password.
 
That's for the NVR?
If so, it's likely that the NVR admin password will have been used to 'activate' the camera, on that version of firmware.
If the camera is connecting OK, and the firmware is newer than 5.3.0 and older than 5.4.4 then the Hikvision backdoor vulnerability should be available to pull a copy of the configuration file, which can be decrypted and decoded to reveal the camera admin password.
If the camera is not connecting OK, use the reset button on the back to set it to 'Inactive', the NVR PoE port in Plug&Play mode will then 'Activate' it with hopefully the NVR admin password and connect it.

The method is as follows :
With the camera powered up on the same LAN as the PC, or if on an NVR PoE port with the PC connected to an unused NVR PoE port, use SADP to find the camera IP address.
Set the PC IP address to an unused one in the same range as that of the camera, and use this URL in the browser :

http://<camera_IP_address>/System/configurationFile?auth=YWRtaW46MTEK

Hopefully that should download a configuration file.
Zip it up and attach here, it can be decrypted and decoded to reveal the admin password.

Thanks for the reply. I should have made clear it was the NVR I have issue with. I had already grabbed the config file yesterday following a post here; will attached when later I return.
 
Hopefully I did it correctly.
Sadly, no.
That looks like the 'password reset request file' produced by SADP using the 'forgot password' link to send to Hikvision.

What version of firmware does SADP show for the camera?
If between 5.3.0 and 5.4.4 then this URL may pull a configuration file without requiring credentials.

http://<camera_IP_address>/System/configurationFile?auth=YWRtaW46MTEK
 
Sadly, no.
That looks like the 'password reset request file' produced by SADP using the 'forgot password' link to send to Hikvision.

What version of firmware does SADP show for the camera?
If between 5.3.0 and 5.4.4 then this URL may pull a configuration file without requiring credentials.
I grabbed the wrong file off pc. Right one forthcoming.
 
It seems the forum has got some persistent gremlins with attachments just now.
Did you zip up the file?
Tried DM as workaround with no luck. How do you resolve password reset issue with the config file? Are there open instructions and tools available to do it myself? I wanted this up and running for this weekend.
 
I doubt this is the exact tool people have been using, but it might work: GitHub - WormChickenWizard/hikvision-decrypter: A simple cross platform program written in C++ used for decrypting the configuration files created by Hikvision Security Cameras. Successor to my hikvision-xor-decrypter

Otherwise you could share the file through dropbox, google drive, onedrive, etc. The forum is currently having trouble with attachments.
I DM'ed alastairstevenson link to file. and grabbed the decrypter from github; will try it in an isolated vm tomorrow.