Hikvison Permanent Region Code Hack

[acvb]

CBX could of helped unbrick your camera???

 

[networkcameracritic]

CBX could of helped unbrick your camera???

It's his hack as published in cctvforum about a year ago. I just showed how to do it in greater detail in hopes someone can figure out how to do it with 5.2.5. I'm working on it, but may take time. But under no circumstance do this with a camera that says 5.2.5 or 5.2.8 on the box regardless of the firmware version. If unsure, just use my IEfile.tar.gz hack on 5.2.5, it's easy and very low risk. I don't have a 5.2.8 camera yet, so have not tried it there.

 

[gpower07]

I have camera with 5.2.8 on the box and the camera itself with patched firmware 5.2.0 in camera. if you need anything, let me know.

It's his hack as published in cctvforum about a year ago. I just showed how to do it in greater detail in hopes someone can figure out how to do it with 5.2.5. I'm working on it, but may take time. But under no circumstance do this with a camera that says 5.2.5 or 5.2.8 on the box regardless of the firmware version. If unsure, just use my IEfile.tar.gz hack on 5.2.5, it's easy and very low risk. I don't have a 5.2.8 camera yet, so have not tried it there.

 

[networkcameracritic]

I don't have a 5.2.8 camera to experiment on, but yes, this is huge problem. They forced 5.2.0 somehow on a 5.2.8 camera and just loading new firmware on there messes it up, I know, I have one here that's messed up from trying to TFTP 5.2.5 back on there. Have not figured it out yet.

 

[gpower07]

I don't have a 5.2.8 camera to experiment on, but yes, this is huge problem. They forced 5.2.0 somehow on a 5.2.8 camera and just loading new firmware on there messes it up, I know, I have one here that's messed up from trying to TFTP 5.2.5 back on there. Have not figured it out yet.

all my camera with patched 5.2.0 on 5.2.8 label cameras. I don't might to pay some money to do the region change. because I have a lot of 2332. there is no reset on the body. so each time I changed the tcp port. the camera after a while, the camera will not let me login or said network abnormal. then I use tftp to restore it to default setting. in order to remain in English....I must do region change for the camera. otherwire...CHINESE!!!

 

[scottd9000]

If you access with the Chrome browser - it will translate the web pages to English for you, if you ask it.

Thank you. Worked great. Couldn't get the Chrome plug in to display the camera preview but I could change the settings - then see them in Blue Iris window. So why the rush to change to a english firmware if you just change a couple setting in the Chinese one and forget it?

 

[copex]

@networkcameracritic

thank you, just follow the steps in the first post worked a treat

 

[bp2008]

I dumped the mtd5/mtd6 files from one English region 2032, a Chinese region 2032, and Chinese region 2432. I did some comparisons on mtd6. The first 4 bytes are the same across all three cams, evidently some kind of magic number. The region code is as expected at offset 16. The first few hundred bytes clearly contain the camera model numbers and a large portion of the serial numbers, and also a lot of other unidentifiable stuff. Nowhere do I see a block of bytes that looks like a checksum.

I might need to dump this data from more cameras before I can spot some of the patterns.

 

[bouncy]

thanks networkcameracritic, however I have not been as successfully. I have followed your very easy to follow instructions to the letter, and the language is unfortunately still chinese. Ive dumped the files again to check that my changes persisted which they did, yet no change. can anybody help?

 

[bouncy]

ok now im completely confused, we are back to english. i thought id cleared the cache on all 3 of the browsers i use for testing. lets hope it stays english will this persist to an update to 5.2.5 like the cbx region changer, or is it just a fix for each version of the firmware?

 

[klasipca]

Yeah, that's what I am curious, can you upgrade to 5.2.5 after you have this fix via web ui?

 

[bp2008]

It should persist. However whether it is safe to upgrade to 5.2.5 or not I am not sure. It is unclear from the 1st post exactly what the issues surrounding 5.2.5 are. I imagine networkcameracritic has not gone to great lengths to find out just what behavior bricks his cameras. LOL

 

[klasipca]

I thought cameras that come with 5.2.5 and downgraded to hacked 5.2.0 are not safe, but the pre 5.2.5 cams are safe.

 

[catseyenu]

Is this true?

http://www.cam-it.org/index.php?topic=9381.msg56100#msg56100

This all started when NetworkCameraCritter sent an email to CBX asking for a copy of his code and CBX refused. NCC want to release his code on the forums to force Hikvision to rewrite the code and close the loophole and end cheap china sales. NCC wanted to help his daughter who has a company that sells Hikvision cameras is America. Closing down CBX would increase the sales and prices, thus his daughter would make more money. Pay a little to CBX or a bunch to NetworkCameraCritter's daughter? Who's the real RobinHood and who is the evil King? Everybody is willing to pay higher pricing for Hiks to save NCC's daughter's business??? I think this conversation should be further discussed with Carl (below) on another forum as he was banned here about 1.5 yrs ago.

a little quote from NCC's email...
"I would really help my daughters business if Hikvision locked down the Chinese cameras to point nobody can hack them as the lower priced Chinese only cameras would go away and less competition for her. So a decision she has to make, make it easy for her or make it harder for everyone else by driving up prices. She’s flying in here Saturday, will have to discuss it with her.

Carl"

 

[klasipca]

I saw that too, but I doubt that leaking the hack would make any impact. Even if they attempt to close the loophole another one will be found.

 

[fenderman]

They could have done this long ago, shut cbx down pretty easily, or get aliexpress to stop the sale of the cameras...they dont want to or dont care to...doesnt really matter...if hikvision became a problem..everyone would just move over to dahua or something comparable...

 

[klasipca]

everyone would just move over to dahua or something comparable...

exactly, I am actually considering to get new cams with better IQ and it isn't Hikvision (I have 6). They haven't introduced anything better IQ wise then cams they released two years ago. They seem to care more about protecting firmware with all recent updates instead of improving hardware.

 

[fenderman]

exactly, I am actually considering to get new cams with better IQ and it isn't Hikvision (I have 6). They haven't introduced anything better IQ wise then cams they released two years ago. They seem to care more about protecting firmware with all recent updates instead of improving hardware.

I dont know that there is anything out there that is better...at this price point. i dont particularly like the dahua IQ...daytime images are pretty good on most cams..I think the biggest issues is nightvision and low light vision, and hikvision has introduced some new cams with high power ir 50m and 80m rated..like these http://www.hikvision.com/UploadFile/image/2014101311390770075.pdf DS-2CD2T32-I3/-I5/-I8 (3.0MP)
There are also some new cams coming with darkfighter like these...the samples of darkfighter on youtube look promising,
http://www.hikvision.com/UploadFile/image/2015012015050761044.pdf DS-2CD4626FWD-IZ(H)(S)
http://www.hikvision.com/UploadFile/image/2015012014045764486.pdf DS-2CD4A26FWD-IZ(H)(S)

 

[catseyenu]

I question NetworkCameraCritic's character and motives not Hikvisions resolve.

 

[klasipca]

I question NetworkCameraCritic's character and motives not Hikvisions resolve.

Why does it matter? It's business and competition. Everyone tries anything in hopes to make extra buck. Btw Hikvision already been attempting to lock this down for a year now (since firmware 5.1.2) and we kept getting new ways to hack this.