Businesses and homeowners increasingly rely on internet protocol (IP) cameras for surveillance. All too often, this gives them a false sense of security: when in fact, threat actors can not only access and watch your camera feed but exploit the unsecured device to hack into your network.
New research by Cybernews shows an exponential rise in the uptake of internet-facing cameras. After looking at 28 of the most popular manufacturers, their research team found 3.5 million IP cameras exposed to the internet, signifying an eightfold increase since April 2021.
While the default security settings have improved over the review period, some popular brands either offer default passwords or no authentication, meaning anyone can spy on the spies.
What is more, the overwhelming majority of internet-facing cameras are manufactured by Chinese companies. And while cosmetic security measures are in place, security leaders have long warned that technologies produced by Chinese companies can be exploited by China’s government.
