Watch how simple it actually is to hack a security camera
CCTV cameras are believed to be the last bastion for protecting premises, objects and people from crime. However, over the years, security cameras have themselves become serious threat actors due to the use of pre-installed passwords and other vulnerabilities.
Like the cameras used for video , security cameras are a valuable addition to a security mechanism because they provide compelling visual evidence of a break-in or break-in. However, those same security cameras, in the hands of criminals, can be a security nightmare.
Last week, news broke that hackers were using a million such vulnerable CCTV cameras to build a botnet army to attack their enemies with DDoS attacks. In fact, security cameras are more vulnerable because most of the people who use them do not change their default username and password, making them an easy target for hackers.
In the video below, Sophos researcher James Lyne shows you how to hack a security camera. It's alarmingly easy, and it should be a wake-up call for security industry manufacturers – and that goes for CCTV manufacturers, installers and operators alike.
