Post by : Badri Ariffin

A shocking cybercrime incident has rocked South Korea, where over 120,000 surveillance cameras—both residential and commercial—were discovered to have been compromised. This breach resulted in private footage being exploited for creating and distributing sexually explicit videos online.

Authorities have apprehended four individuals suspected of orchestrating this extensive operation. Investigators report that the culprits specifically targeted budget-friendly IP cameras often employed by households and small enterprises as inexpensive alternatives to traditional CCTV systems. These devices proved vulnerable due to owners frequently neglecting to change default passwords.

The police findings indicate that the hacked cameras were positioned in locations where individuals reasonably anticipated privacy, including private rooms, karaoke establishments, Pilates studios, and even a gynecologist's office. The operation's scale has prompted alarm, with one suspect allegedly breaching 63,000 cameras and generating 545 exploitative videos, amassing around 35 million won (approximately ₹21 lakh). Another individual hacked 70,000 cameras, selling 648 videos for 18 million won (around ₹10.8 lakh).

Combined, these perpetrators represented nearly 62% of all unlawful videos uploaded to a specific platform over the previous year.

Police have identified victims across at least 58 different locations. Support teams are helping these individuals update their passwords, secure devices, and eliminate stolen content online. Authorities are advising anyone utilizing IP cameras to promptly change their passwords and remain vigilant against unusual activity.

This alarming event follows a recent massive cyber breach in which personal information of over 33 million individuals was leaked from Coupang, one of South Korea’s leading e-commerce services, marking one of the country's most significant data security failures in a decade.

These incidents have intensified concerns regarding online safety, especially as connected devices proliferate, presenting escalating vulnerabilities without adequate protective measures.

#Global News