Insecam

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Insecam is a directory website that has lists of unsecured different live IP surveillance CCTV cameras without a changed default password. It still has around 100,000 listed cameras.

Contents

Insecam's operation has raised significant legal and ethical concerns. Privacy advocates and legal experts have criticized the platform for violating privacy rights and potentially breaching laws related to cybersecurity and surveillance. [1] Various countries have different regulations concerning unauthorized access to computer systems and personal data, which complicates the legality of the website's activities.

Impact and Response

The exposure from Insecam has prompted many individuals and businesses to improve their security practices, such as changing default passwords and updating firmware on their cameras. [1] Additionally, the website has faced periodic takedowns and blocks in several countries as part of efforts to combat the invasion of privacy. [2]

Despite these measures, the issue of unsecured webcams remains prevalent, underscoring the ongoing challenge of securing internet-connected devices against unauthorized access. Insecam's continued existence highlights the broader issues of digital privacy and security in an increasingly interconnected world.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Privacy</span> Seclusion from unwanted attention

Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively.

Spyware is any malware that aims to gather information about a person or organization and send it to another entity in a way that harms the user by violating their privacy, endangering their device's security, or other means. This behavior may be present in other malware and in legitimate software. Websites may engage in spyware behaviors like web tracking. Hardware devices may also be affected.

Keystroke logging, often referred to as keylogging or keyboard capturing, is the action of recording (logging) the keys struck on a keyboard, typically covertly, so that a person using the keyboard is unaware that their actions are being monitored. Data can then be retrieved by the person operating the logging program. A keystroke recorder or keylogger can be either software or hardware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closed-circuit television</span> Use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place on a limited set of monitors

Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of closed-circuit television cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television because signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point-to-point, point-to-multipoint (P2MP), or mesh wired or wireless links. Even though almost all video cameras fit this definition, the term is most often applied to those used for surveillance in areas that require additional security or ongoing monitoring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surveillance</span> Monitoring something for the purposes of influencing, protecting, or suppressing it

Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing, or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as closed-circuit television (CCTV), or interception of electronically transmitted information like Internet traffic. It can also include simple technical methods, such as human intelligence gathering and postal interception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hidden camera</span> Type of surveillance camera

A hidden camera or spy camera is a camera used to photograph or record subjects, often people, without their knowledge. The camera may be considered "hidden" because it is not visible to the subject being filmed, or is disguised as another object. Hidden cameras are often considered a surveillance tool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass surveillance</span> Intricate surveillance of an entire or a substantial fraction of a population

Mass surveillance is the intricate surveillance of an entire or a substantial fraction of a population in order to monitor that group of citizens. The surveillance is often carried out by local and federal governments or governmental organizations, but it may also be carried out by corporations. Depending on each nation's laws and judicial systems, the legality of and the permission required to engage in mass surveillance varies. It is the single most indicative distinguishing trait of totalitarian regimes. It is often distinguished from targeted surveillance.

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Surveillance abuse is the use of surveillance methods or technology to monitor the activity of an individual or group of individuals in a way which violates the social norms or laws of a society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IP camera</span> Network-connected digital video camera

An Internet Protocol camera, or IP camera, is a type of digital video camera that receives control data and sends image data via an IP network. They are commonly used for surveillance, but, unlike analog closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, they require no local recording device, only a local area network. Most IP cameras are webcams, but the term IP camera or netcam usually applies only to those that can be directly accessed over a network connection.

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Computer surveillance in the workplace is the use of computers to monitor activity in a workplace. Computer monitoring is a method of collecting performance data which employers obtain through digitalised employee monitoring. Computer surveillance may nowadays be used alongside traditional security applications, such as closed-circuit television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass surveillance in the United Kingdom</span>

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In the Matter of TRENDnet, Inc., F.T.C. File No. 122-3090, is the first legal action taken by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against "the marketer of an everyday product with interconnectivity to the Internet and other mobile devices – commonly referred to as the Internet of things." The FTC found that TRENDnet had violated Section 5(a) of the Federal Trade Commission Act by falsely advertising that IP cameras it sold could transmit video on the internet securely. On January 16, 2014 the FTC issued a Decision and Order obliging TRENDnet, among other things, to cease misrepresenting the extent to which its products protect the security of live feeds captured and the personal information that is accessible through those devices.

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In cybersecurity, cyber self-defense refers to self-defense against cyberattack. While it generally emphasizes active cybersecurity measures by computer users themselves, cyber self-defense is sometimes used to refer to the self-defense of organizations as a whole, such as corporate entities or entire nations. Surveillance self-defense is a variant of cyber self-defense and largely overlaps with it. Active and passive cybersecurity measures provide defenders with higher levels of cybersecurity, intrusion detection, incident handling and remediation capabilities. Various sectors and organizations are legally obligated to adhere to cyber security standards.

maia arson crimew Swiss hacker (born 1999)

Maia arson crimew, formerly known as Tillie Kottmann, is a Swiss developer and computer hacker. Crimew is known for leaking source code and other data from companies such as Intel and Nissan, and for discovering a 2019 copy of the United States government's No Fly List on an unsecured cloud server owned by CommuteAir. Crimew was also part of a group that hacked into Verkada in March 2021 and accessed more than 150,000 cameras. She is also the founding developer of the Lawnchair application launcher for Android.

References

  1. 1 2 "Insecam exposes security weakness by broadcasting thousands of webcams - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. November 11, 2014. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  2. Jones, Daisy (May 22, 2018). "What I Discovered After Watching 24-Hour Surveillance Footage for a Week". Archived from the original on May 15, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.