More than three terabytes (TB) of clips from thousands of home security cameras have been shared online, with 'lifetime access' to the vision being offered for US$150.
The videos show intimate scenes ranging from breastfeeding mothers, couples, people using the toilet and even children going about their lives, often in compromising positions and various states of undress. In one clip, a teenage girl in panties and a T-shirt, is surrounded by text books that indicate she is a Year 10 student.
It appears the footage was hacked from the Internet Protocol (IP) cameras of victims in several countries, including Canada, South Korea and Thailand, as well as a large number in Singapore. The group behind the attack, whose speciality is hacking such cameras, has close to 1,000 members around the world and was offering a free 700MB sample of 4,000 videos and images. From this, they claimed that more than 70 of its members had paid the $150 lifetime access fee. Further to this, some of the videos have been uploaded to porn sites.
While the hackers face prosecution, those viewing the clips are also committing criminal offences, including voyeurism and child pornography charges if the victim is under 16 years old. Because the clips have been shared around the world, Interpol will play a part in the investigation.
Poor password management has been blamed as an 'in' for the hackers and authorities are urging owners of IP cameras to use a strong password rather than the camera's default password. Updating the camera's software as soon as it is released is also recommended.
