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Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

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Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#131

Post by yieldcrv »

LoganDark wrote: post #11
ranger_danger wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The best time to have security cameras is yesterday. Same for a dash cam. Please protect yourself and your loved ones.

I got hit by a truck a few months ago and a dash cam (well, really, scooter cam) could have shown beyond a doubt whose fault it was. I wish I didn't have to be hit by a truck in order to realize this. If something ever happens you're going to want to have had a recording of it.

Instead of video, what if our bodies and property emitted points clouds all the time

where visual representation can be recreated, similar to how LiDar does it

I’m not sure if thats more or less data to store, but it can show the depth and direction of intrusions into your space

Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#132

Post by arrdalan »

scottlamb wrote: post #124

What is the purpose of introducing the untrusted "server" component? Is it intended to run in a different place than the trusted "camera hub" component, such as on a cloud server? This is key to the claim that Privastead offers superior privacy to other solutions, but it's not explained. My NVR [1] only uses a trusted server that is intended to be in the same building as the cameras. I similarly recommend not allowin…

That is correct. The goal is to be able to use the cloud to host the server without having to trust it. I personally use a cheap DigitalOcean VM.

Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#133

Post by arrdalan »

sneak wrote: post #125
scottlamb wrote: post #124

What is the purpose of introducing the untrusted "server" component? Is it intended to run in a different place than the trusted "camera hub" component, such as on a cloud server? This is key to the claim that Privastead offers superior privacy to other solutions, but it's not explained. My NVR [1] only uses a trusted server that is intended to be in the same building as the cameras. I similarly recommend not allowin…

I assume it’s to leverage a) cheap/scalable cloud storage and b) offsite storage for security/ease of access.

The server only stores encrypted videos until they're fetched by the app. It can't decrypt the videos and hence is not meant as a storage space for decrypted videos.

Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#134

Post by arrdalan »

scottlamb wrote: post #129
sneak wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assume it’s to leverage a) cheap/scalable cloud storage and b) offsite storage for security/ease of access.

Probably, but I'd like to hear the author's take on a key design decision rather than guess. This is also not the only option to achieve some fraction of that goal—another approach would be for the camera hub to encrypt and upload directly to a cloud object storage API (AWS S3 and competitors) and give the client presigned URLs to access it. My NVR's based on the assumption that you want to record continuously (as ca…

I haven't designed Privastead for continuous recording/streaming. It's mainly to receive motion/event-triggered videos and occasional live streaming. The usage model is more like Ring cameras.

Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#135

Post by arrdalan »

SahAssar wrote: post #96
arrdalan wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The traffic is encrypted between the hub and the app. The camera is connected to the hub.

Right, but the "ends" in end-to-end encryption are typically the device producing the content and the device consuming the content. In this case that is the camera and the app.

Correct, that would be even better, but I didn't have control over the camera firmware. Someone mentioned OpenMiko, which I plan to investigate and see if it can allow me to effectively run the hub inside the camera itself and achieve what you are referring to.

Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#136

Post by arrdalan »

ww520 wrote: post #57

I don't want to come off as negative, but here's an off-the-shelf alternative. My home network has VPN set up that let me access the home video feed securely and privately. The NVR software doing the video recording can process the videos to detect abnormal activities. It will send a push notification to my phone. I then connect to the VPN and view the videos as if I'm on my home's local network, totally private and…

This is a reasonable setup. We discussed it in other comments as well

Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#137

Post by squarefoot »

prymitive wrote: post #123

I have bought 3 Eufy cameras that were well reviewed and heavily advertised “no subscription fees, everything is local” as the main features. The hardware itself is fine but the software is rubbish, pure and total waste of every byte used to run it. Not only does it not work half of the time when I try to view the footage or connect to the live feed, but it also often misses motion that it should not - I would often…

Cameras could be built using a single board computer (like the Raspberry Pi Zero, but there are better and cheaper options) plus a USB camera module, and the necessary firmware that could well be just a simple script invoking ffmpeg or similar streaming software; all Open Source.

For example:

https://www.friendlyelec.com/index.php?route=product/product...

https://www.friendlyelec.com/index.php?route=product/product...

https://www.armbian.com/nanopi-duo-2/

Then all video can be collected by applications like Shinobi, Zoneminder, Frigate, etc.

https://zoneminder.com/

https://moeiscool.github.io/Shinobi/

https://frigate.video/

The hardest part would probably be making an enclosure that is solid enough to withstand being exposed to sun, rain, temperature deltas etc. and remain sealed to protect the electronics.

Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#138

Post by SahAssar »

arrdalan wrote: post #135
SahAssar wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, but the "ends" in end-to-end encryption are typically the device producing the content and the device consuming the content. In this case that is the camera and the app.

Correct, that would be even better, but I didn't have control over the camera firmware. Someone mentioned OpenMiko, which I plan to investigate and see if it can allow me to effectively run the hub inside the camera itself and achieve what you are referring to.

I'd probably change that in your readme then, this is usually called something like encrypted in-flight or transport encryption.

End-to-end encryption is a pretty specific term and clearly not what is done here. Even if you use protocols designed for end-to-end encryption that does not matter if the protocols talk with an intermediary (the hub) that decrypts the traffic.

For example, if signal still used the signal protocol but decrypted the messages on their server that would not be acceptable to be called end-to-end encryption.

Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#139

Post by krisoft »

yieldcrv wrote: post #131
LoganDark wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I got hit by a truck a few months ago and a dash cam (well, really, scooter cam) could have shown beyond a doubt whose fault it was. I wish I didn't have to be hit by a truck in order to realize this. If something ever happens you're going to want to have had a recording of it.

Instead of video, what if our bodies and property emitted points clouds all the time where visual representation can be recreated, similar to how LiDar does it I’m not sure if thats more or less data to store, but it can show the depth and direction of intrusions into your space

> Instead of video, what if our bodies and property emitted points clouds all the time

If instead of practical and widely available technologies we are discussing scifi concepts which have no realistic prospect of materialising then why not wish for a force field impervious to trucks? Or even better, lets skip the whole middleman and wish for point to point teleportation for all cargo eliminating all dangers and externalities of trucks.

Re: Show HN: Open-source private home security camera system (end-to-end encryption)

#140

Post by scottlamb »

arrdalan wrote: post #134
scottlamb wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably, but I'd like to hear the author's take on a key design decision rather than guess. This is also not the only option to achieve some fraction of that goal—another approach would be for the camera hub to encrypt and upload directly to a cloud object storage API (AWS S3 and competitors) and give the client presigned URLs to access it. My NVR's based on the assumption that you want to record continuously (as ca…

I haven't designed Privastead for continuous recording/streaming. It's mainly to receive motion/event-triggered videos and occasional live streaming. The usage model is more like Ring cameras.

That didn't answer my question.
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