Advice Needed Cctv again - alarm notification via email, testing.

[Channel Hopper]

A customer has asked me to set up a CCTV which is in the main to act as a deterrent by virtue of the three cameras on the front and sides of their property, since they are away for long weekends.

I've put two simple systems up recently from the same manufacturer , both have been installed with the third party SSD inside and are using this only for recording of the near vicinity, with one going further with the motion detection of 'sensitive' areas within the path and driveway). They are both able to see the camera views using the mobile phone but appear never to bother, but it confirms the box is wired up correctly to the home hub and manufacturers cloud access.

This one is asking about the notification by email of events, which is a feature I have not enabled before, there is instruction within the user guide on enabling and sending out a test email, but the specific figures include entering a their email address (gmail) and their email password within the OSD, which I would have thought is superfluous to having registered already onto the cloud access.

Whilst another page in the manual does mention enabling less secure apps to deal with, this relates to the failure of getting the alarm notication to be sent as opposed to the setting up of a test.

So, why would the DVR software require the users email password in order to initiate an alarm test and is it all above board ?

Thanks in advance

 

[Channel Hopper]

Google answer does not - specifically - include cctv devices

Let less secure apps access your account
If an app or device doesn’t meet our security standards, Google will block anyone who tries to sign in from that app or device. Because these apps and devices are easier to break into, blocking them helps keep your account safe.
Some examples of apps that do not support the latest security standards include:

• The Mail app on your iPhone or iPad with version 6 or below
• The Mail app on your Windows phone preceding the 8.1 release
• Some Desktop mail clients like Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird

Change account access for less secure apps
To help keep Google Accounts through work, school, or other groups more secure, we block some less secure apps from using them. If you have this kind of account, you’ll see a "Password incorrect" error when trying to sign in. If so, you have two options:

• Option 1: Install a more secure app that uses stronger security measures. All Google products, like Gmail, use the latest security measures.
• Option 2: Change your settings to allow less secure apps into your account. We don't recommend this option because it can make it easier for someone to break into your account. If you want to allow access anyway, follow these steps:
  1. Go to your Google Account.
  2. On the left navigation panel, click Security.
  3. On the bottom of the page, in the Less secure app access panel, click Turn on access.
     1. If you don't see this setting, your administrator might have turned off less secure app account access.

If you still can't sign in to your account, learn more about the "password incorrect" error.





Let less secure apps access your account - Google Account Help

 

[Dave5118]

So, why would the DVR software require the users email password in order to initiate an alarm test and is it all above board ?

Yes, the box can't send emails on it's own, it has to 'sign in' to an email service to send it from there. It won't go to the cloud as most people won't subscribe.

Also, I though SSDs weren't suitable for CCTV systems because of the amount of rewrites it will do, SSDs have a relatively short lifespan to HDDs in that respect.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Thanks and yes, I understand that part, though the box had to be registered to the client (using the gmail account detail to receive the activation code on the cloud server before they could become one of the 'users/admin).
What other step would be required once motion detection enabling and areas of the camera images that should be ignored, that requires the gmail password ?

As for SSDs, I did not know that, but I think most of the security systems offered on Amazon and eBay offer one as an optional extra. I know that defragmenting of SSDs can cause premature demise, but rewriting to a drive is part and parcel of any data storage system.

 

[Tururu]

Apart from the configuration of the camera to make the alarm and send the mail with the notice, the configuration of the email account that uses according to parameters (in the network you have the options you need).
A joke, It depends on the email account, then notices do not reach the email account, a few years ago with a friend I went crazy for this problem.
I do not remember if the camera has a hotmail account and the phone has gmail for alarms/warnings, I will consult and comment.
Around or 2 gmail accounts did not work.

Apart from what the manufacturer can give, it is always good to leave a local copy, in this case, use the disk served to a dreambox800S-HD receiver and save the photos from the use that the cameras have to send to an FTP.
4 - Cameras.
--------
Aparte de la configuracion de la camara para hacer saltar la alarma y que envie el correo con el aviso, la configuracion de la cuenta de correo que utiliza segun parametros (en la red tienes las opciones que necesitas).
Un chiste, Depende de la cuenta de correo, luego los avisos no llegan a la cuenta de correo, hace unos años con un amigo me volvi loco por este problema.
No recuerdo si la camara tiene cuenta en hotmail y en el movil tiene gmail para las alarmas/avisos, le consultare y comento.
Alreves o 2 cuentas de gmail no funciono.

Aparte de lo que pueda dar el fabricante, siempre es bueno dejar copia local, en este caso, usa el disco servido a la red de un receptor dreambox800S-HD y guarda las fotos desde la utilidad que tienen las camaras de mandar a un ftp.
4 - Camaras.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Thanks (I think).

So is it absolutely necessary to set it up with the password of a private account ?

 

[Dave5118]

You would think in this day and age that emails would be sent from the cloud, but that tends not to happen, if it comes from the cloud it's usually a 'push' notification to the 'app'.
The idea is to create a new account solely for that use, and not use a personal one really.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Within the manual and on screen settings, there is 'push' notification, somewhere. I will have to read up a bit more on the manual, but yes setting up a new/separate email account could be the way forward.

Thanks

 

[Terryl]

Setting up e-mails and passwords in a CCTV system is one way to get things hacked into.

Recently a lady had her WIFI baby monitoring system hacked into, one night she heard a mans voice saying "send me $10K or I will kidnap your nice looking baby girl when your not looking"...Never the less she quickly got rid of the WIFI enabled baby monitoring system.

If it can be monitored from the web it can be hacked into, it has happened around here.

 

[Terryl]

Also what are you going to do?? You get back from a long day at the beach, take a look at your e-mails and see that your house is now empty..

A monitored system by a reputable company is the best way.

 

[Channel Hopper]

They have an alarm system with magnetic contacts on most doors and windows, plus a panic alarm.

As mentioned at the beginning, the cameras, even if they are not being monitored are the initial deterrent, and might provide something from the recordings should anything happen to occur.

I have never supplied security products, padlocks, better gates and fencing with the view they are more than additional peace of mind.

(Except the crocodiles in the moat, and the boiling oil on the ramparts)

 

[Tururu]

Except the crocodiles in the moat, and the boiling oil on the ramparts

 

[Sleepingwiththefish]

Setting up e-mails and passwords in a CCTV system is one way to get things hacked into.

Recently a lady had her WIFI baby monitoring system hacked into, one night she heard a mans voice saying "send me $10K or I will kidnap your nice looking baby girl when your not looking"...Never the less she quickly got rid of the WIFI enabled baby monitoring system.

If it can be monitored from the web it can be hacked into, it has happened around here.

I have seen many ipcams getting easily hacked. Even many basic models come with motion detection and e-mail notification. People find them very easy to use. The problem is that those cameras have very little protection when they are connected to internet... After someone hacks the system, email login credentials will be open to use, also feeds from the camera, and eventually it will compromise the whole LAN.

I personally have one IPcam that I can access from everywhere but through a OpenVPN tunnel (encrypted), the camera can't even communicate with internet, it's blocked by firewall. Not a easy system to setup, but it's worth it.

@Channel Hopper
Might be better just having there without email alarms than expose the house even more, like you say they can act as deterrent, people will never now how they are actually set up. ((but maybe then better install fake cams ??))

 

[Channel Hopper]

'Might be better just having there without email alarms than expose the house even more, like you say they can act as deterrent, people will never now how they are actually set up. ((but maybe then better install fake cams ??)'


The original advice given had nothing to do with alarm notification , only recordings. It is the plethora of additional features of the packages available that has aroused interest beyond basics.
I will advise accordingly, thanks again