Tag Archives: CCTV

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Chinese firm Delhi chose for CCTVs on US radar

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Concerns have also been raised on the firm being owned by the Chinese government, adding a twist to the controversy over a Delhi government project to install 1.5 lakh CCTV cameras across the city.

By Shaurya Karanbir GurungET Bureau|May 23, 2018,

The Chinese firm is however, not new to controversies, with a growing number of US organisations either removing or barring the use of company’s products.

A Chinese firm whose subsidiary has been shortlisted to supply security cameras for the national capital is on a US watch list, with an advisory on threats, including remote hacking and potential backdoor access.

Concerns have also been raised on the firm being owned by the Chinese government, adding a twist to the controversy over a Delhi government project to install 1.5 lakh CCTV cameras across the city.
While Defence public sector unit Bharat Electronics LimitedNSE 1.13 % (BEL) has been selected, it bid to supply cameras manufactured by Prama Hikvision India Private Limited. Chandra Shekhar, a senior official with Prama Hikvision told ETthat Prama Hikvision is a subsidiary of Hikvision.

However, Prabhat K Bhattacharya of its PR firm Consocia Advisory, claimed Hikvision owned 58% of the Indo-China venture Prama Hikvision.

The project came under controversy after Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken alleged that the AAP government had compromised national security. The Chinese firm is however, not new to controversies, with a growing number of US organisations either removing or barring the use of company’s products. The firm’s cameras were removed from the US Embassy in Afghanistan and another of its army base.

Similarly, the US Air Force last year cancelled a tender for Hikvision video surveillance. The US government’s GSA — which provides centralised procurement for it — has removed Hikvision manufactured products from sale. Security concerns of Hikvision products have been raised in the UK as well.

A US Department of Homeland Security advisory dated May 4, 2017 states that the products are “remotely exploitable” and require a low skill level to exploit. The vulnerabilities, advisory explains, are “improper authentication” and “password in configuration file”.
“Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could lead to a malicious attacker escalating his or her privileges or assuming the identity of an authenticated user and obtaining sensitive data,” the advisory reads. Prama Hikvision, however, claims that “allegations of a backdoor are false”.

“We have not, nor would we, intentionally place a “backdoor” in any of our products for any government or third party. Access and control of the video cameras and content will be restricted only to the end users and Prama Hikvision will not be able to access them at all,” the company said in response to an ET questionnaire.

In India, these security concerns may have not deterred procurement. Delhi government officials claim that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), defence ministry and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have procured cameras from Hikvision, in response to Maken’s allegations.

Individual questionnaires were sent to these organisations but received no response.

On its part, BEL said there is no compromise on security while supplying products for defence forces. “The requirement is for civilian use and not for any military application…BEL will never compromise on the security related aspects while supplying its products for defence forces. Supply of CCTV cameras for public use in various constituencies in Delhi does not violate any security norms,” BEL said in response to queries by ET.

While the contract is yet to be signed, controversy looms large with the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi creating a high-powered committee to create a standard operating procedure for installing CCTV cameras and the AAP-led government opposing the move.

Drdo

Wife of DRDO scientist murdered in quarters

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Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Mar 11, 2014, 02.00 AM IST
Rajabala was alone at home in heavily-guarded premises

The wife of a scientist with the Defence Research and Organisation Development (DRDO) was found murdered in her residence in the heavily-guarded DRDO quarters in Byappanahalli on Monday. Police say Rajani Rajabala, 49, the wife of A Packia Dhas, scientist ‘D’ with the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) of DRDO, was killed between 11 am and 11.30 am on Monday.

The incident came to light when neighbours found the victim lying in a pool of blood. Her throat has been slit and she had also suffered stab injuries to the neck, police said.

Rajabala was staying on the third floor of an apartment in ‘F’ wing in Block No. 22 of the DRDO quarters. She was alone at home. Her husband had gone for work and daughter, a first year engineering student, had left for college. The family is from Kanyakumari, but have been staying in the city for the last six years. Her son studies engineering in Chennai.

Police found no evidence of forced entry and suspect the killer fled by jumping from one of the floors to the ground. Salva Kumari, a resident of the ground floor of the same building, told police that at around the time of the crime, she heard the sound of something falling from a top floor and had rushed out. She found an unidentified man sitting on the ground near the building. The man later got up and walked away.

Along with Karthika Devi, another neighbour, Kumari climbed to the top to find out what had fallen. The door to Rajabala’s apartment was open and they entered to find their neighbour lying in a pool of blood. Byappanahalli police, who are investigating the crime, say the killer may have taken something from the house.

“Dhas and his daughter are still in shock and did not speak to us,” said K V Sharat Chandra, joint commissioner of police (East, law and order). “Once we speak to them and find out what’s missing, we will know if it was murder for gain or for personal rivalry. There is huge security for the quarters, but security staffs don’t do much checking in the morning. It is only after 8 pm when security is tight. There were no CCTV cameras installed.”

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Scientist’s wife murdered in DRDO quarters

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TNN | Mar 11, 2014, 03.53AM IST
BANGALORE: The wife of a scientist with Aeronautical Development Authority (ADE) was stabbed to death inside her house on Monday morning.

The body of Rajini Rajamala, 42, lying in a pool of blood, was spotted by her neighbour just after 11am at the Defence Research and Development Authority (DRDO) residential quarters in CV Raman Nagar, off Old Madras Road.

A man who had come to house number 22/12, on the third floor of house complex number 4, inside the residential quarters, is suspected to have killed her.
Two stab marks were found on her neck. The neighbour, whose identity was kept a secret by police, is a resident of the second floor of the same building. She told police that on hearing a noise, she peeped out of her balcony to see what was going on. She saw a man landing on the ground, and suspected that he had jumped from the third floor of the building.

Surprised, she went up to the third floor, and found Rajini dead.

By the time she returned, the man had vanished. She immediately cried for help and informed police. The murder is suspected have taken place between 10am and 11am.

Her husband Packya Das, a grade D scientist, left for work around 9.30am. One of the neighbours called Das, who was at work, informing him about the murder a few minutes after 11am, police said. The couple’s children, a son and daughter, were at school at the time.

Kamal Pant, additional commissioner of police, law and order, who visited the spot said no valuables were missing from the house. Also, there were no signs of a forced entry.

Joint commissioner of police, law and order (East), KV Sharat Chandra, who is monitoring four special teams formed to investigate the case, said police have a few clues. “All I can say at this point is that the attacker left something behind,” he said.

DID ASSAILANT JUMP FROM THIRD FLOOR?

That the alleged killed jumped from the third floor has left everyone shocked. Joint commissioner Sharat Chandra said: “We’re as surprised that a man jumped from the third floor and survived. However, in her statement, the neighbour said she only saw him land on the ground and suspected that he had jumped from the third floor.”

Sources said the attacker was injured after jumping from the building and there were some spots of blood where he landed. The investigating teams are looking at CCTV camera footage in and around the complex to look for suspicious persons.

FREE ENTRY

“The quarters have a thoroughfare running through, allowing free entry of private vehicles. So there’s no way to maintain a log of visitors. The public road has a bus stand and BMTC buses ply here. However, we keep a record of private vehicles entering the area at night,” DRDO spokesperson.