Guides
Stopping your own cameras being hacked
Change the default password, keep firmware current, put cameras on a separate network from your till and guest WiFi, and avoid exposing the recorder directly to the internet. Those four steps prevent almost every real-world CCTV compromise, and cost nothing but a few minutes at install.
Default passwords are published
Every major manufacturer's defaults are searchable. An unchanged password is not a small risk — it is the reason strangers watch other people's shops.
Separate the camera network
Cameras on their own network cannot be used as a route to your point of sale or your office machines. It is a configuration decision, not extra hardware.
Firmware matters
Recorder and camera firmware get security fixes. Systems installed years ago and never updated are the ones that get found. We review firmware at every maintenance visit.
Do not port-forward blindly
Opening the recorder straight to the internet is the old way and the risky way. Manufacturer cloud services or a VPN are both safer, and neither costs more to set up properly.
How do I secure my CCTV system?
Can someone watch my cameras without me knowing?
On an unhardened system with default credentials, yes — and it happens. On a system with changed passwords, current firmware and no blind port forwarding, it is very unlikely.
Should I let my installer keep the admin password?
No. You should hold the admin credentials. A maintenance provider can have their own account. If an installer refuses to hand over admin access, that is a reason to change installer.
Need this doing?
CCTV maintenance means scheduled visits to clean lenses, check focus, verify the recorder is still writing, confirm storage health and test remote access. Dust, heat and load-shedding are what actually kill systems here. Annual plans start at PKR 12,000 for a single shop.
CCTV maintenance — what it costsRelated pages
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