Hikvision

Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.

Company type	Public
Industry	Video surveillance products
Founded	2001
Founder	Zhejiang HIK Information Technology Co., Ltd., Gong Hongjia
Headquarters	Hangzhou , China
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Gong Hongjia (Vice-chairman)
Products	CCTV and network surveillance solutions (brands include Hiksemi, Ezviz, Hilook, Hiwatch)
Owner	China Electronics Technology HIK Group Co., Ltd. (39.59%)
Parent	China Electronics Technology Group (via HIK Group)

Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd., widely recognized as Hikvision, is a Chinese manufacturer and supplier of video surveillance products, partially owned by the state, with its headquarters located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

The company offers a diverse range of CCTV and network surveillance solutions distributed internationally under several brand names including Hiksemi (HikStorage), Ezviz, Hilook, and Hiwatch. Hikvision operates on a global scale, capitalizing on its advanced production facilities and technological advancements.

Hikvision has been subject to sanctions imposed by the United States and European authorities due to accusations related to extensive monitoring of Uyghur populations and involvement with the Xinjiang internment camps, which have raised significant concerns regarding national security and human rights.

History

Established in 2001 by Zhejiang HIK Information Technology Co., Ltd., which initially held a majority 51% ownership, with Gong Hongjia retaining the remaining 49%, Hikvision has been publicly traded on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange since 2010.

In October 2016, Hikvision collaborated with Movidius to incorporate sophisticated computer vision capabilities into its surveillance cameras. By May 2017, it introduced Hikstorage, a dedicated subsidiary focused on manufacturing storage devices.

In January 2021, Hikvision secured a smart city contract valued at US$33 million in Shanghe County, Shandong province, deploying approximately 1,900 cameras equipped with facial recognition and license plate identification features. Later that year, major retailers such as Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe's withdrew Hikvision’s Ezviz products from their shelves amid concerns over surveillance practices and human rights issues linked to Xinjiang.

In 2022, the company obtained a Chinese government contract aimed at developing software designed to monitor "key individuals" to restrict their access to Beijing. Reports highlighted that this software includes alert systems notifying authorities about activities connected to religion, Falun Gong, and protest movements. Additionally, Hikvision secured a "smart campus" contract intended to inform university officials when students observe fasting during Ramadan. Cloud services supporting Hikvision’s operations are provided by Amazon Web Services.

In 2023, Hikvision launched software capable of identifying ethnic minority groups. By January 2024, the firm had joined the United Nations Global Compact, signaling its participation in international corporate responsibility efforts.

Sanctions and bans

In early 2019, the U.S. government contemplated imposing sanctions on Hikvision for supplying cameras used in monitoring mosques, schools, and internment camps within Xinjiang. By August that year, Hikvision was prohibited from participating in U.S. federal contracts due to security concerns. In October 2019, it was placed on the U.S. Entity List owing to its role in surveillance targeting Uyghurs and other minority groups in China. The company contested these actions, challenging their factual accuracy.

To mitigate these issues, Hikvision enlisted former U.S. ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper for guidance on human rights compliance and engaged lobbyists including former senators David Vitter and Barbara Boxer, ex-Congressman Toby Moffett, as well as a former official from OFAC.

In August 2020, India barred Hikvision from government procurement processes and mandated removal of its cameras from military installations and sensitive security areas. The European Parliament removed thermal cameras supplied by Hikvision in April 2021 due to human rights concerns associated with activities in Xinjiang. A July 2021 report by the UK Foreign Affairs Select Committee revealed widespread use of Hikvision technology within Xinjiang internment camps.

Documents released in June 2022 from the Xinjiang Police Files confirmed Hikvision’s involvement in monitoring residents of Xinjiang. South Korea imposed a one-year ban on 224 Hikvision products starting June 2021 after discovering falsified test reports. The Indian Navy ceased acquisition of Hikvision equipment and ordered removal of existing systems by September 2021.

In April 2022, the UK Department of Health and Social Care prohibited the use of Hikvision cameras; by November of that year their deployment was banned across UK government premises. New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment stopped purchasing Hikvision devices in August 2022. Australia’s Department of Defence announced plans to remove all Hikvision cameras in February 2023.

Ukraine designated Hikvision as an international sponsor of war in June 2023 due to its supply of dual-use technology with military applications to Russia. In October 2023, after clarifying that its ban excludes public authorities and police stations from sensitive site restrictions, Hikvision reaffirmed its commitment to operations within the UK; subsequently, the UK Parliament updated its ban accordingly.

By December 2023, Quebec implemented a prohibition on using Hikvision technology within government operations. In January 2024, Taiwanese officials charged a Hikvision employee with unlawful recruitment practices and establishing an office through a shell company.

United States

In November 2020, then-President Donald Trump signed an executive order prohibiting U.S. businesses and individuals from holding shares in companies associated with the People's Liberation Army, including Hikvision. Subsequently, in December 2020, Hikvision was excluded from the FTSE Russell indexes.

In January 2021, the Joe Biden inaugural committee refunded a $500 contribution to former Senator Barbara Boxer after she registered as a foreign agent representing Hikvision.

By March 2021, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) identified Hikvision equipment as posing a national security threat. Following the passage of the Secure Equipment Act of 2021, the FCC implemented a ban on the sale and importation of Hikvision products in November 2022.

In March 2023, four subsidiaries of Hikvision were placed on the United States Department of Commerce's Entity List. The following month, April 2023, reports emerged indicating that Hikvision devices were being rebranded and resold to U.S. government agencies, which raised concerns regarding security.

In March 2025, the FCC initiated an inquiry into Hikvision and other Chinese companies for potential breaches of U.S. operational restrictions within the country.

Lobbying

Hikvision enlisted the services of Sidley Austin and The Glover Park Group to lobby the federal government of the United States in 2018. Initially filed under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, Sidley Austin was compelled by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2022 to amend its registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Between 2018 and 2022, Sidley Austin reported receiving approximately $7.4 million in fees from Hikvision.

Canada

In June 2025, citing national security risks, Canada’s federal government mandated that Hikvision halt its operations within Canadian territory.

Ownership

As of December 2017, China Electronics Technology HIK Group Co., Ltd. (HIK Group), a fully owned subsidiary of China Electronics Technology Group, held a majority stake in Hikvision amounting to 39.59%. This state-owned enterprise is managed by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. Additionally, China Electronics Technology Group maintained a further 1.96% stake through its 52nd research institute. The chairman of Hikvision simultaneously serves as chairman and Party Committee Secretary of HIK Group as well as head of this research institute.

By November 2019, Gong Hongjia, serving as vice-chairman, was recognized as the largest individual shareholder with a 13% ownership interest. As of December 2019, Fidelity International was also among major investors.

In 2017, private equity vehicles linked to then-general manager Hu Yangzhong possessed significant holdings: a 7% stake through Xinjiang Weixun Investment Management and an additional 2% via another fund partly owned by Gong’s spouse Chen Chunmei and Hu Yangzhong himself. Hu also personally held about 1.33%. Together, these shareholders controlled roughly 65.71% of shares. Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company owned 9.77%, representing nominees connected to both the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect programs.

In 2021, IPVM claimed that Hikvision was established and remains under control of the Chinese government.

Allegations of Concealing State Ownership

In 2015, IPVM accused Hikvision of deliberately hiding its ties to the Chinese government. Jeffrey He, president of Hikvision North America, responded by claiming the website was motivated by financial interests. In a 2016 interview, Alan West expressed concerns about the ethical and security implications of Hikvision's ownership, particularly in relation to its deployment by the UK government.

Cybersecurity Issues

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) identified an authentication flaw in seven Hikvision camera product lines in May 2017, which could enable attackers to gain elevated privileges or access confidential information.

In May 2021, Italian broadcaster RAI revealed that Hikvision cameras established automatic communication links with IP addresses located in China once connected online. Hikvision chose not to provide a statement regarding this report.

Hikvision announced a command injection vulnerability (CVE-2021-36260) in September 2021. Forbes highlighted that this security gap had a critical CVSS base score of 9.8 out of 10, exposing numerous camera models to remote takeover without needing login credentials.

In 2022, Axios disclosed that Hikvision hired FTI Consulting to perform cybersecurity evaluations on its product lineup.

See also

• InfiRay