Surveillance equipment ships with anti-brute-force protection, so repeated wrong entries lock the account for a period. Go through the official reset route instead.

1. Registered contact details: most recorders and cameras let you register a phone number or email during setup, then reset the password from the login screen with a verification code.
2. Security questions: the questions set during initialisation support self-service recovery through the 'forgot password' entry.
3. Vendor tool or support: if self-service is impossible, provide the device serial number and proof of purchase so the manufacturer can issue a temporary password or a dedicated reset utility.
4. Factory reset: some units reset by holding the reset button, but this wipes all configuration — IP addresses, channels and analytics rules — and requires full re-commissioning.

Operationally, log IP addresses, accounts and passwords at handover and keep them with a named custodian. Use different passwords per project so a single leak cannot compromise every site.