Over 40,000 Security Cameras Exposed Online

Bitsight has identified more than 40,000 internet-exposed security cameras worldwide, posing serious privacy and security risks, writes Security Week. These cameras, accessible via HTTP or RTSP protocols, can stream live footage to anyone who knows their IP address.

• HTTP-based cameras are common in homes and small offices. Some are fully exposed, while others leak screenshots via APIs even with authentication.

• RTSP cameras, used in professional surveillance, are harder to detect but still vulnerable.

Key Findings:

• 14,000+ cameras are in the U.S., followed by Japan (7,000). Other affected countries include Austria, Czechia, South Korea, Germany, Italy, and Russia.

• In the U.S., California and Texas lead in exposure.

Telecommunications sector accounts for 79% of exposed devices, largely due to residential IPs.

“If security cameras are accessible online without even the basics of protection, both the public and businesses should take immediate action to check and secure their devices where possible.

Many devices are designed, built and shipped without standard privacy and security so if it can be viewed from a browser without proper security measures, it’s likely to be vulnerable.

It is vital that users replace default usernames and passwords with strong, unique credentials and disable remote access unless absolutely necessary. Although not always available in future years, it’s important to regularly update the camera’s firmware to patch known vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, some cameras do not offer such security patches after a certain amount of time. Businesses should go even further by only using cameras that support high end encryption, use VPN access for remote viewing and monitor for unusual login activity.”

by Jake Moore,

*ESET does not bear any responsibility for the accuracy of this information.