ONVIF signals intent to end support for Profile Q in 2022

Profile Q was developed to provide easy set-up of a conformant device on an IP network. It requires a Profile Q-conformant device to allow anonymous access to all ONVIF commands during the set-up process in the factory default state. This does not follow current cyber security Best Practice, which recommends – among other things – that a network device require users to set passwords and other access rights before the device can be used.

Since the specifications of a Profile cannot be changed as it would impact interoperability between products that conform to a specific Profile, Profile Q will be deprecated on 31 March 2022.

“ONVIF-conformant products are used in a wide variety of industries and geographies, with different requirements when it comes to cyber security policies or Best Practice,” explained Leo Levit, chairman of the ONVIF Steering Committee. “As these cyber threats evolve quickly, it’s important that users are aware of these Best Practices to ensure that they are implementing cyber security measures appropriate for their organisation.”

ONVIF recommends following industry Best Practice and local regulations and staying informed about technology changes from the market. The ONVIF Network Interface Specifications have defined network protocols that include security elements such as TLS (Transport Layer Security), which allows ONVIF devices with that feature to communicate with clients across a network in a way that protects against eavesdropping and tampering.

ONVIF specifications also cover the ONVIF Default Access Policy, which specifies that there should be different access classes to services based on different user roles. Manufacturers can implement these ONVIF specifications regardless of whether the specifications are included in a given Profile or not.

Founded back in 2008, ONVIF now boasts a global member base of established camera, video management system and access control companies and more than 20,000 Profile-conformant products.

ONVIF offers Profile S for streaming video, Profile G for video recording and storage, Profile C for physical access control, Profile A for broader access control configuration, Profile T for advanced video streaming, Profile M for metadata and events for analytics applications and Profile D for access control peripherals.

ONVIF continues to work with its members to expand the number of IP interoperability solutions that conformant products can provide.

*Further information is available online at www.onvif.org