Four individuals have been arrested in South Korea for allegedly hacking into over 120,000 video cameras in residential and commercial properties. According to police, the suspects misused the vulnerabilities of Internet Protocol (IP) cameras, which are commonly used as a more affordable alternative to traditional CCTV systems, to create sexually exploitative materials for an overseas website.
The locations targeted by these hacks reportedly included private residences, karaoke establishments, a Pilates studio, and a gynecologist’s clinic. The suspects operated independently, without any known conspiracy among them, as stated by the National Police Agency.
One individual is accused of compromising 63,000 cameras and producing 545 sexually exploitative videos, which were sold for approximately 35 million won (around $12,235 or £9,250) in virtual assets. Another suspect allegedly hacked 70,000 cameras and sold 648 videos for about 18 million won in assets. Together, these two offenders contributed to around 62% of the videos uploaded in the past year on a website that illegally distributed such footage.
In response to these incidents, police are working to shut down the website and are collaborating with international agencies to investigate its operator. They have also arrested three individuals suspected of purchasing and viewing content from the site.
Authorities have reached out to victims across 58 locations to inform them of the breaches and have provided recommendations for securing their cameras, including changing passwords. Additionally, they are assisting victims in removing and blocking the illicit material. The National Police Agency has emphasized the importance of vigilance among users who have IP cameras, advising them to frequently update their access passwords to mitigate potential risks.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj01q6p7ndlo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss