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Add encryption after shooting
  • Hello, do you think it would be possible to hack a GH-x firmware so that all the data the camera save on the SD card will be somehow encrypted? Since I don't know how deep the panasonic firmware could be customized, before start digging, it would be good to receive a feedback.

    thanks!

  • 7 Replies sorted by
  • Any reason to do it? All this can be done using simple command line tool on import if you want.

  • It could be extremely useful in certain situation where you are managing sensitive information before you can import the data. This can happen very frequently in photojournalism.

  • OK. In this case it is best idea to ask Panasonic. As adding encryption AND decryption so all will work fast and sound is very hard. Processors in cameras are good for images but otherwise are quite weak.

  • using an AES encryption shouldn't require so much computational power. Of course the entire process would need to add a lot of code to the current firmware. Theoretically, do you think it would be possible?

  • It is hard but possible, I think, but will be slow. And you won't be able to view images after shooting. :-)

  • Yes. It should not be possible to view the images on the camera itself. I also find this "canon system" www.canon.co.jp/imaging/osk/osk-e3/encryption/usage/index.html. Anyway they do not mention the encryption process used.

  • Instead of hacking the camera, I would recommend to hack the SD card with a firmware that encrypts the files (preferably using a public key whose associated private key is not stored anywhere on the card or in the firmware) as the files are written.

    This could even be done completely independent of the camera model.

    See this article for more on SD card hacks.

    BTW: "SD" stands for "Secure Digital" because those cards were meant to support encryption mechanisms for the data stored. But of course the industry intended those features not to be used for the better of the user - they were meant to implement Digital Restriction Mechanisms to annoy the card owners and withhold data from them.