What Brands Are Banned Under NDAA Section 889?

If your business handles federal contracts, receives government grants, or operates in a highly regulated industry like banking or healthcare, NDAA Section 889 is a regulation you cannot afford to ignore.  

Part of the National Defense Authorization Act, Section 889 prohibits federal agencies—and any private business contracting with or receiving funding from them—from using "covered" telecommunications or video surveillance equipment from specific manufacturers. The penalty for non-compliance isn't just a minor fine; it means immediate disqualification from federal contracts and a potential clawback of grant funding.  

At Cleveland Security Cameras, we perform comprehensive compliance audits for businesses and local municipalities across Northeast Ohio. The biggest pitfall we see isn't the primary banned brands, but rather the hundreds of hidden, white-labeled brands running their hardware underneath the plastic shell.

Here is the exact list of primary banned brands, the secondary rebrands to watch out for, and how to verify compliance on your local network.

1. The "Big Five" Primary Banned Manufacturers

Section 889 explicitly names five core Chinese parent companies. Any device manufactured by these entities—or any of their worldwide subsidiaries and affiliates—is strictly banned from federal or federally contracted networks.  

The prohibited list is divided into two distinct technology categories:

Video Surveillance & Public Safety Equipment

• Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company: The world’s largest manufacturer of surveillance cameras and recorders.

• Zhejiang Dahua Technology Company: A massive global supplier of IP cameras, NVRs, and security systems.

• Hytera Communications Corporation: A primary provider of two-way radios, digital mobile radios (DMR), and mass-notification wireless systems.  

Telecommunications & Networking Hardware

• Huawei Technologies Company: A global giant in cellular infrastructure, routers, and enterprise networking gear.

• ZTE Corporation: A major manufacturer of telecommunications equipment, cell phones, and wireless networking hardware.  

2. The Danger Zone: Hidden OEM Rebrands

This is where most American business owners get burned during an audit. Hikvision and Dahua operate massive Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) businesses. They manufacture the cameras, circuit boards, and internal firmware, but paste a different company's logo on the housing.  

If your camera fleet consists of any of the following popular white-label or subsidiary brands, it may violate NDAA Section 889:

Parent Company	Known Subsidiaries & Common OEM Rebrands
Hikvision	EZVIZ (Direct consumer subsidiary) LTS / LT Security (Major US distributor) Annke (Common online retail brand) Legacy models from Honeywell (HRG/HEN lines pre-2020) Older lines from Swann, LaView, and Alibi
Dahua	Lorex (Consumer subsidiary brand) Amcrest (Widely distributed online retail brand) IC Realtime (Commercial distributor) Q-See (Legacy consumer hardware)

The 2026 Chipset / Component Update: Section 889 restrictions apply down to the component level. If an American or Taiwanese security camera brand uses an internal HiSilicon system-on-chip (SoC) processor (which is owned by Huawei), that specific camera model is also classified as non-compliant.  

3. How to Conduct an NDAA Compliance Audit

Under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) guidelines, it is the contractor’s responsibility to conduct a "reasonable inquiry" into their technology footprint. Isolating banned cameras on a separate network or a secure VLAN does not satisfy the statute—the hardware must be removed entirely.  

Follow this sequential audit process to protect your organization:

1.Inventory All MAC Addresses and Model Numbers:First Step.

Log into your core network switches or NVR configuration page. Export a complete spreadsheet listing every connected network device, its model number, and its MAC address.

2.Cross-Reference FCC ID Labels:Second Step.

If a camera brand is ambiguous or private-labeled, locate the physical sticker on the camera housing. Look up the printed FCC ID number on the official FCC equipment authorization database. This reveals the actual factory of origin, regardless of the logo on the plastic casing.

3.Request formal Vendor NDAA Declarations:Third Step.

Contact your security integration partner or the camera manufacturer directly. Request an official, signed Section 889 Self-Certification Declaration. Compliant manufacturers maintain these documents to prove their supply chains are free of covered Chinese components.

The Best NDAA-Compliant Alternatives

If your audit reveals non-compliant hardware, the good news is you do not need to replace your entire network infrastructure. Your existing Cat5e/Cat6 copper cabling, conduit runs, and network switches can be completely reused to host compliant Western and South Korean brands:

• Hanwha Vision (South Korea): Exceptional edge-AI processing, manufactured entirely in non-banned nations, and very competitively priced for commercial rollouts.

• Axis Communications (Sweden): The golden standard for corporate cybersecurity, offering robust firmware hardening and deep software integration.

• Avigilon / Motorola Solutions (USA): Ideal for high-end enterprise networks and municipal monitoring requiring powerful server-side analytics.

Secure Your Federal Compliance Status

Don't let an outdated, white-labeled camera fleet put your business contracts or government funding at risk.

At Cleveland Security Cameras, we specialize in professional corporate network auditing and seamless hardware migration. We can systematically replace legacy, non-compliant equipment with cutting-edge, NDAA-approved systems tailored to your exact operational and budgetary requirements.

Need Expert Help with Your Security Cameras in Cleveland?

Whether you’re locked out of your system, need a professional installation, want to upgrade to NDAA-compliant cameras, or require remote troubleshooting support — the team at Cleveland Security Cameras is here to help.

Our local experts can:

• Install new security camera systems

• Reset and recover access to existing cameras and NVRs

• Upgrade or replace restricted/outdated equipment

• Provide remote support and ongoing maintenance

Call us today at 2163338245

We proudly serve homeowners and businesses across Cleveland and Northeast Ohio with reliable, professional security solutions.