The camera never lies — until the supply chain does

Intelligent, connected cameras have become essential infrastructure across a wide range of businesses, from retailers and landlords to manufacturers and energy producers, as well as private transportation and public transit systems. 

And while they significantly enhance safety and operational efficiency, this widespread reliance makes supply chain attacks targeting cameras, surveillance systems, recorders, firmware, or cloud back-ends a particularly high-impact risk.

That’s why smart cameras are high-value targets in the supply chain. Besides the potential for industrial espionage in all kinds of businesses, these cameras are also widely deployed to support public safety: airports, government buildings, critical infrastructures, and schools. In many cases, they are network-connected and remotely managed. Such assets have a very long lifecycle — and weak update discipline. 

With Eagle Eye Networks, intelligent video surveillance becomes effortless, in part because it’s not constant patching that keeps your cameras safe, but full isolation through data encryption. Our approach is built for resilience, featuring cameras that never go off, recordings you can always rely on, and easy access from anywhere — no complicated setups required. Just strong security that runs in the background while you focus on growing your business. Leave the cameras to us, we’ve got you covered.

Why supply-chain attacks matter for smart surveillance

Supply chain attacks don’t just mean “someone tampered with the camera in the factory.” They include compromised firmware, components, poisoned build servers, backdoored vendor cloud services, compromised update servers, third-party libraries with known CVEs, and even insider access at integrators. For cameras, the supply chain is really a complex web of firmware, software, integration, fabrication, transport, sale, and installation.  

A breach at a single supplier can compromise live-video feeds, stored archives, access credentials, and physical security controls. Threat actors recognize the high value of surveillance footage, which can be exploited for investigations, extortion, or intelligence gathering.

In one well-known incident, attackers accessed large numbers of customer camera feeds by exploiting inadequately secured vendor account access. This illustrates how breaches at the vendor/platform layer cascade to customers. 

Impact by industry: Where it hurts

Retail: Loss prevention, POS tie-ins, and staff monitoring create both privacy and financial risk. Tampered firmware or cloud credentials can enable theft, insider surveillance, or public leak of sensitive footage. Cybercriminals may use footage to map store layouts for follow-on theft.

Housing/multi-dwelling: Resident privacy and safety are paramount. A supplier breach can expose common-area footage and door-entry integrations, allowing stalking, doxxing, or physical access exploitation.

Manufacturing: Cameras monitor production lines and safety; compromised feeds can be used for industrial espionage or to mask sabotage. Cameras integrated with OT (Operational Technology) networks can be entry points into critical environments.

Transportation and public transport: Cameras protect passengers and assets. Supply-chain compromise can threaten safety, enable surveillance of sensitive patterns (such as schedules and routing), or be weaponized for misinformation. Public-sector deployments also attract state-level interest.

Cybercriminals target the weakest link — third-party integrators, remote-support tools, cloud admin credentials, or update servers — not always the camera itself.

The hidden cost of “business as usual”

Many cameras are basically running on borrowed time. They use old software that never gets updated, leaving doors wide open for cybercriminals. Inside the firmware, there is often leftover code from third parties that no one remembers to maintain. Those forgotten bits can carry serious security holes. Some devices even come with secret, built-in passwords or vendor services that bypass your network defenses directly. And when it comes to updates, the very thing meant to fix problems many cameras don’t bother checking whether the update is signed, or has been tampered with. That means attackers can slip in fake updates and take complete control. 

Because every one of these gaps comes with a hidden price tag, a breach can result in downtime, emergency fixes, reputational damage, regulatory penalties, or even the need to replace entire systems. Buying cheap devices and not updating them may seem fine at first, but it usually ends up costing you more in the long run.

The real danger? These weaknesses don’t just put one camera at risk; they can compromise your entire network.

Efficiency starts with continuity and resilience by design

For camera owners, security is more than a technical detail; it’s a business safeguard. Outdated or compromised firmware can open the door to cyberattacks that disrupt operations, leak sensitive footage, or even expose entire networks. And the fallout isn’t just technical; it can result in downtime, lost revenue, emergency response costs, regulatory fines, and reputational damage that can take years to repair.

Integrating AI and analytics into smart surveillance systems offers benefits but also poses risks. Concerns include model bias, poisoning attacks, and GDPR compliance, especially with sensitive data. Deepfakes and video manipulation require verification methods. Legal and financial implications, like insurance coverage, depend on strong security and supply chain integrity. The unpatchable nature of legacy cameras also necessitates careful lifecycle management. A holistic security strategy is essential to address these challenges across AI, supply chain, cybersecurity, system maintenance, and regulatory compliance.

In a world where the camera never lies, until the supply chain does, resilience is the only genuine guarantee.

Antoinette Hodes

Technical Account Manager, EMEA – Antoinette Hodes has spent nearly three decades at the forefront of IT, IoT, OT, and cybersecurity. As a trusted advisor and international speaker, she helps organizations navigate emerging threats, providing actionable insights on Smart Surveillance, IoT and cyber defense strategies within an ever-evolving global threat landscape.