From homes to EPE factories! The current state of surveillance cameras and cloud utilization in Vietnam

When I was stationed in Vietnam, I was surprised to see a colleague scolding his child at home via his smartphone. In fact, the conversation was taking place via a surveillance camera and microphone installed in the home. From "monitoring" at home and kindergarten to dealing with customs at EPE factories -- surveillance cameras and the cloud have become firmly ingrained in Vietnamese society.

Surveillance camera culture takes root in homes and educational settings

In Vietnam, the use of surveillance cameras is quite widespread in everyday life.

When I was working with local staff as an expatriate in Vietnam, I discovered that, for example, the homes of my Vietnamese colleagues have installed cameras and microphones in their homes to keep an eye on their children's upbringing and any dangerous behavior.

What's interesting is that there is a scene where the father (a colleague) sees his children fighting through the camera and remotely scolds them, saying, "Stop it!" (laughs) This is something you don't see very often in Japan, so I was surprised at first, but I realized that for Vietnamese families where both parents work, this kind of system provides peace of mind.

Furthermore, I learned that kindergartens are also equipped with cameras so that parents can view footage remotely. It is becoming commonplace for parents to watch over their children through cameras during kindergarten recreational activities.

Some kindergartens use NVRs to post footage on the internet, and I feel that this "culture of watching over children" is deeply rooted in homes and educational settings, something unique to Vietnam.

Mandatory surveillance camera requirements for EPE factories

The use of cameras in everyday life is widespread in Vietnam, and opportunities for using cameras are also increasing in offices and factories.

In particular, export processing enterprises (EPEs) are required by customs to install 24-hour surveillance cameras, store data for at least 12 months, and connect online with the customs office.

In the past, management was often done using NVRs (network video recorders), but in recent years, the use of cloud cameras has made it possible to check real-time footage from a web UI or app, and efforts are being considered to reduce the number of NVRs installed and thereby reduce the physical targets for attack.

However, there are clear points to be aware of. If a username or password is stolen, not only will the video footage be leaked, but it could also be used as a foothold to infiltrate the internal network. In particular, if the source on a border device is set to "All" or left open broadly, it will easily create a route from the outside to the inside. This problem is not limited to cameras, but also applies to network devices and servers.

Key points for safe use

Effective countermeasures include identifying and narrowing down the source IP address and introducing two-factor authentication. When installing cameras, it is important not to prioritize convenience and end up creating a situation where anyone can enter.

Surveillance cameras have already become a part of everyday life at home and at school. While keeping in mind the balance between convenience and safety, cameras are also being used for EPE requirements, factory security management, and in educational settings. This trend is likely to become even more widespread in the future.

The key to using cameras safely in Vietnam is to establish operational rules that are conscious of both convenience and safety.

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