Hikvision Problems - Hack?

[Montel]

I have a Hikvision DVR and cameras that are not ip cameras but coaxial.
I do not and never have had them on the internet, only plugged into elec outlet.
I think either the DVR or the cameras or both have been hacked here are the symptoms:
video playback shows pic upside down
privacy box on one camera that I did not put there
When I did a factory reset and downloaded software for upgrade from Hikvision a weird thing happened: When I turned the DVR computer box upside down, one of the cameras went black. When I turned it right side up again, the camera video feed for it came back again.
One of the cameras looks like it was smashed (lens cracked). I had the DVR located in a vacant (locked) property for a period of time and can't be sure that no one has had physical access to DVR cameras or both.
I am considering anything including hardware hack to the motherboard and change out of cameras to ip somehow.
Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[fenderman]

something in the air the past few days....

 

[alastairstevenson]

When I turned the DVR computer box upside down, one of the cameras went black. When I turned it right side up again, the camera video feed for it came back again.

A dodgy cable, being disturbed? Manipulate it and see what happens.

video playback shows pic upside down

One of the cameras looks like it was smashed (lens cracked)

The same camera? Maybe been poked with a stick. Has it been rotated?

I am considering anything including hardware hack to the motherboard

To do what exactly? That's a bit left field.

I do not and never have had them on the internet, only plugged into elec outlet.

I think either the DVR or the cameras or both have been hacked

You've no basis for thinking that.

 

[Montel]

The video that went black does not go black because of the cables and it only happened after I did a factory reset and update to new version.
The cameras were not physically rotated or upside down - I checked them.
The video feed going upside down was only for a short period of time (as I was viewing it). Minutes later back to right side up again.

 

[pete_c]

Years ago here started with siamese cable for my analog cameras. Over time had issues with the video (maybe deterioration of the cables and or cameras??).

I was using Axis servers and DIY'd software (with propietary CCTV video cards) which worked well.

I did push on the outdoor cameras leaving them exposed to the weather (and sun). Some would get buried in the snow for weeks (on purpose).

Before going IP POE did change over to using cat5e baluns for the cameras and that did help a bit over using coaxial cable.

That said and relating to the OP I doubt very much that a closed analog system can be hacked and attribute your issues to hardware starting to fail over time.

 

[Montel]

DVR and cameras installed by authorized dealer in 2018. All was new.

 

[pete_c]

Can you access your DVR from your mobile phone? I know you mentioned that the DVR and or cameras are not connected to the internet.

I had a neighbor a couple of years ago that hired a company to put security cams at his home and multiple business offices.

The vendor did connect the NVR(s) to the internet but never mentioned it to the neighbor. About 6-7 months after installation the neighbor asked the vendor if he could get to his business IP cams with his new cell phone. Vendor said yes. Neighbor asked me to look at the configuration in one office (main office) and I noticed that the DVR was locked in a metal cabinet with an analog monitor in it. There was one ethernet cable leaving the cabinet and it was plugged in to the office network. Checking the DVR it did have a web client on it. Checking the firewall there was ports open for the web client. Only thing I noticed was that there was no passwords to get to the client such that you could get to it from anywhere at anytime. My neighbor told me that it was a rush job.....personally I am thinking that the neighbor pressed on the vendor to complete the job(s) fast.

That said do you have a network enabled NVR with your new set up?

Other than that maybe the vendor did not do a good job with your wired connections and or software configurations for your stuff and or you are having hardware issues (from the MFG).