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User Security
Camera Spy Cyber Security Eavesdrop EM Eye User Privacy User Security

Hackers can Spy on Cameras Through Walls, New Study Reveals

 

A new threat to privacy has surfaced, as scientists in the United States have discovered a technique to eavesdrop on video feeds from cameras in a variety of devices, including smartphones and home security systems. 

The EM Eye technique has the ability to take pictures through walls as well, which raises serious concerns regarding potential misuse. 

Kevin Fu, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern University, conducted the research, which focuses on a vulnerability in the data transfer cables found in modern cameras. These connections unintentionally serve as radio antennas, emitting electromagnetic information that can be detected and decoded to provide real-time video. 

According to Tech Xplore, the threat exists because companies focus on protecting cameras' valuable digital interfaces, such as the upload channel to the cloud, while ignoring the possibility of information leaking via inadvertent channels. "They never intended for this wire to become a radio transmitter, but it is," Fu said. "If you have your lens open, even if you think you have the camera off, we're collecting." 

The EM Eye approach has been tested on 12 different kinds of cameras, including smartphones, dashcams, and home security systems. The distance required to eavesdrop varies, although it is possible to do so from as far away as 16 feet. 

The method does not require the camera to be recording, thus any device with an open lens is potentially vulnerable. Fu recommends that people use plastic lens covers as a first step in mitigating this threat, while he warns that infrared signals can still penetrate them. 

Fu believes that these discoveries serve as a wake-up call for manufacturers to fix this security hole in their designs. "If you want to have a complete cybersecurity story, yes, do the good science, but you also have to do the computer engineering and the electrical engineering if you want to protect against these kinds of eavesdropping surveillance threats," he stated. 

This research reveals a substantial and ubiquitous risk to privacy in a society where cameras are everywhere. In the words of Fu, "Basically, anywhere there's a camera, now there's a risk.”
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U.S
Camera Spy Chinese Official Actors Cyber Secuirty Cyber Security U.S

A Quick Look At The Chinese Spy Balloon Over The US

The United States military reportedly conducted a military campaign in which it shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina on 4th February 2023. 

The Officials said that the U.S. Navy is planning to collect the debris from the shot balloon, which is in shallow water. As per the data from the officials from U.S. and Canada, the balloon tracked as it crossed the Aleutian Islands, passed over Western Canada, and entered U.S. airspace over Idaho. 

On 2nd February, officials from the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that the military has been tracking the balloon as it flew over the continental U.S. at an altitude of about 60,000 feet, including over Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana which houses the 341st Missile Wing – operates nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles. 

Furthermore, Pentagon officials confirmed that a second suspected Chinese balloon has been seen over Latin America. The balloons are part of a Chinese military surveillance program. Officials also suspected that a third Chinese military surveillance balloon is operating somewhere else in the world and that the balloons are part of a Chinese military surveillance program. 

Following the news, Chinese officials were asked to comment on the matter, they acknowledged that the balloon was theirs, however, they deny accepting that it was intended for spying. 

If you are wondering what and how a spy balloon works and how it looks like it is literally a gas-filled balloon like we see other normal balloons that are flying quite high in the sky, more or less where commercial airplanes fly. 

However, since it is a spy balloon it is designed with sophisticated cameras and imaging technology which collects information on targeted locations by collecting images. 

In addition to this, there is an internationally accepted boundary which is called Kármán Line at 62 miles (100km) altitude. The Chinese balloon was well below that, so definitely, it was in US airspace.
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User Security
Camera Hack Camera Spy Cyber Security IoT devices User Privacy User Security

Boost Your Internet-Linked Cameras Security Before It’s Too Late

 

The smart security camera is a great device for keeping an eye on our homes, whether for package deliveries, critters searching our garbage cans, or intruders snooping around our homes. But an Internet-linked camera without robust security might be an easy target for hackers, potentially allowing a stranger to spy on your home. 
According to the 2021 Statista Global Consumer Survey, 28 percent of U.S. consumers are worried that hackers could spy on them via their smart home devices. 

Last year in March, a hacking group claimed they breached a massive trove of security-camera data collected by Silicon Valley startup Verkada Inc., securing access to live feeds of 150,000 surveillance cameras inside Tesla factories and warehouses, Equinox gyms, Cloudflare offices, hospitals, jails, schools, police departments, and Verkada’s own offices. 

Methodology to Hack Security Cameras 

The common way to hack security cameras is through a technique called “credential stuffing.” Malicious actors employ usernames and passwords from other data breaches to secure access to accounts. The combination of large data breaches, such as those at Equifax and Target, and individuals reemploying the same password across multiple online services make the job easy for intruders. 

Earlier this year in January, New York Attorney General Letitia James reported that the credential stuffing scheme compromised more than 1.1 million accounts in cyberattacks at 17 well-known firms. These included online retailers, restaurant chains, and food delivery services. 

This type of hack doesn’t need to infiltrate a firm’s security camera system, so every brand is at risk. “These companies aren’t technically at fault,” stated Fred Garcia, who manages CR’s privacy and security testing for home security cameras. “Most companies offer a two-factor authentication system that acts as an extra deterrent against attacks like this. But there is more that these companies could do, like encouraging people to use that added security feature by default.” 

The other sophisticated technique employed by hackers is the modification of security camera settings. Sneaky hackers won’t want you to know they’re in your network, hence, they’ll quietly change your password. Some overconfident hackers might even alter your camera name to “Change your password” or “Upgrade your firmware” as a sign of mockery and disrespect. 

How to Safeguard Your Privacy 

While no system is impervious to cyber attacks, some safety measures can mitigate the risks of being hacked and safeguard your privacy in the case of a hack. 

• Employ cameras from reputable manufacturers, whether they are part of a professionally monitored security system or a DIY device. 
• Keep your camera’s firmware up to date. 
• Use security cameras with high-level, end-to-end encryption. 
• Use complex passwords that cannot easily be guessed (in particular, avoid using passwords you already use for other online accounts). 
• Employ two-factor authentication.
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