The embodiment of the invention provides an abnormality positioning method and apparatus for a video monitoring platform. The method comprises the following steps: receiving an abnormal information set transparently transmitted by a processing unit connected to a function initiating unit, wherein the abnormal information set comprises abnormal information generated by each abnormal processing unit; adding, by a most bottom layer processing unit in the abnormal processing units, the generated abnormal information to the abnormal information set, and transparently transmitting the abnormal information set to the previous layer of processing unit, until the abnormal information set is transparently transmitted to the function initiating unit; and determining an abnormal target processing unitaccording to identification information and error codes of the processing units contained in the abnormal information. By adoption of the abnormality positioning method and apparatus provided by theembodiment of the invention, the efficiency of the video monitoring platform to position abnormality can be improved.