Privacy Over Convenience?
“Smart Home” products are becoming commonplace, especially doorbell cams and other types of home surveillance products, but a recent event in South Korea points to the level of security in many ‘smart home’ systems and how it can lead to some embarrassing situations. A hacking website recently posted a large number of photos that showed the inside of homes, apartments, and offices in South Korea. Many views were presented, both inside and outside of these abodes, including photos of the occupants, delivery drivers, parking lots, and pretty much anything near what is called a ‘wall pad’ or mounted device that includes a camera.
Millions of such devices are installed in residential and business settings, many of which use public networks, and while business related webcams are usually password protected and on private networks, wall pads and the like tend to be far less protected and in some cases can open a door to gateways that would allow hackers to control a variety of building resources including both information and building hardware. In South Korea, a country with a decidedly technological viewpoint, the government has been trying for years to create a standard that would isolate security networks from more simplistic processes, but has faced opposition from both network operators and hardware manufacturers.
When a hacker enters such a system, the first move would be to change the administrator’s password, which would lock out anyone trying to regain control over the system. Once this is accomplished, the hacker has control over all aspects of the wall pads and can open the cameras and view anything within range of the ID camera. The Korean Internet & Security Agency provides a “My PC Care” kit free of charge that can check system vulnerability and camera security, but you have to get one before hackers find their way in, which does not seem to be the case here. Perhaps a new product might be called for, a sort of ‘privacy curtain’ for wall mounted cameras. Checking GoFundMe…
Millions of such devices are installed in residential and business settings, many of which use public networks, and while business related webcams are usually password protected and on private networks, wall pads and the like tend to be far less protected and in some cases can open a door to gateways that would allow hackers to control a variety of building resources including both information and building hardware. In South Korea, a country with a decidedly technological viewpoint, the government has been trying for years to create a standard that would isolate security networks from more simplistic processes, but has faced opposition from both network operators and hardware manufacturers.
When a hacker enters such a system, the first move would be to change the administrator’s password, which would lock out anyone trying to regain control over the system. Once this is accomplished, the hacker has control over all aspects of the wall pads and can open the cameras and view anything within range of the ID camera. The Korean Internet & Security Agency provides a “My PC Care” kit free of charge that can check system vulnerability and camera security, but you have to get one before hackers find their way in, which does not seem to be the case here. Perhaps a new product might be called for, a sort of ‘privacy curtain’ for wall mounted cameras. Checking GoFundMe…
Wall Mounted ID 'Pad' - Source: AMG
Interior and exterior photos of a Korean apartment via hacking website. - Source: etnews
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