Fixing AVTECH Firmware Issues

Older AVTECH Equipments manufactured prior to 2016 can be hacked or infected with malware due to vulnerabilities in their firmware. (Read more)

As they are discontinued models, AVTECH will not release any updated firmware to fix these issues. So what can you do ?

1. Replace the Equipment.
As there’s no longer any permanent fix for the firmware issues, the only way to to fix it permanently is to replace the equipment.

We have replacement packages that you can select to replace your existing equipment.

Click Here to browser the replacement/installation packages.

Popular Packages
Replace 4 Channel DVR w/Storage
Replace 8 Channel DVR w/Storage
Replace 16 Channel DVR w/Storage

You can also purchase the equipment to replace them yourself.
Here’s the equipment only packages (No Installation, Delivery Only)

Q: Will the new equipment firmware be 100% secure and not have the same issues ?
A: There’s no equipment manufacturer that would be able to give such assurances. Even Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc are constantly discovering bugs and vulnerabilities in their firmware/software and rolling out updates and patches to fix those bugs and vulnerabilities. We are using equipment manufactured by HIKVISION for our normal installation/replacement. HIKVISION is the world larges manufacturer of CCTV equipment and as of September 16, 2016, Hikvision has a market capitalization of more than $20 billion USD, more than 18,000 employees and 40 wholly-owned subsidiaries or shareholding companies worldwide.
Singapore Police Forces also uses HIKVISION equipment in its deployment of Surveillance Cameras throughout Singapore, e.g. Polcam found in almost all HDB public area.

The manufacturer is committed to support and adhere to internationally recognized cybersecurity standards and the best practices, support research efforts to increase network defense capabilities and also continue to improve and use open and transparent methods so that users can assess Hikvision’s cybersecurity capabilities.
(https://www.hikvision.com/en/Support/Cybersecurity-Center )

This is as good as a assurance you are able to get regarding the network security of the equipment you are purchasing.

2. Reset to Factory Default and Reconfigure the settings.

You can reset the equipment to factory default and reconfigure the settings. However as there are no permanent fix to the firmware, once your configure the equipment for internet access, they will still be vulnerable to further malware infection or hacking.

There’s 2 type of commonly hacks/malware infection that we had seen.

a. The IP is not Accessiblie !

IP of the DVR/NVR/IP Cameras had been changed, and it’s no longer accessible from the network.\

Most likely it’s due to malware infection. One of the symptom is that the IP is changed and the system is no longer accessible through the network from the original IP address. Multiple users are also created in the user list to allow for unauthorised login.

How to Fix

You’ll need to reset the system back to factory default, reload the firmware and reconfigure the system. Luckily for this malware infection, the original username and password still can be use to login. Use that to login and reset, reload the firmware and reconfigure the system.

Flash the firmware with an uninfected copy of the firmware and unplugged the system from the internet.
Some of the firmware can be found here.
http://www.laksontech.com/avtech-discontinued-dvrnvr-firmware/
No support for the firmware. Use them at your own risk.
You can use it for local recording. Connecting it back to internet for remote viewing will lead to the malware infection again as there is no security fix for that from AVTECH.

b. The user is wrong or the authority is insufficient!

You can’t login using the existing user account.

Most likely it’s due to a successful malware hacked that had changed and render your existing login details useless. You’ll need to hard reset the system back to factory default.

As the current set of login is invalid, it’ll involved opening up the DVR and reset the motherboard by shorting the pins inside.

DVR Reset
ftp://211.75.84.102/Technical_Doc/AVC706H_Hardware_Reset.pdf
ftp://211.75.84.102/Technical_Doc/KPD675D_Hardware_Reset.jpg
ftp://211.75.84.102/Technical_Doc/AVC760_761_Hardware_Reset.pdf .
NVR Reset
ftp://211.75.84.102/Technical_Doc/AVH306_Hardware_Reset.pdf
ftp://211.75.84.102/Technical_Doc/AVH312_hardware_reset.pdf
ftp://211.75.84.102/Technical_Doc/AVH408P_hardware_Reset.pdf
ftp://211.75.84.102/Technical_Doc/AVH516A_hardware_reset.pdf

Do this at your own risk. There’s no support for this.

For IP Cameras, refer to your manual on how to reset. There’s normally a reset pin or reset cable.

Once it’s reset, you can reconfigure it back. However, connecting it back to internet for remote viewing may lead to the malware infection again as there is no security fix for that from AVTECH.


Note that as the firmware is vulnerable and there’s no longer any updated firmware, any fix/patches/reset is only temporary and the system is vulnerable once you expose it to the internet again.

The only way to get it permanently fix is by replacing them.

If you still wish to go ahead and engage us to attempt to fix your existing system, you can place an order here.
http://www.laksontech.com/product/avtech-temporary-fix/