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A report has claimed that a group of hackers have breached a massive trove of security-camera data collected by Silicon Valley startup Verkada, gaining access to live feeds of 150,000 surveillance cameras inside hospitals, companies, police departments, prisons and schools.

SBRC’s Cyber Incident Response Manager, Mark Cunningham-Dickie commented:

“Aside from the privacy issues, these devices can now be modified by an attacker to try to access other devices and data on a network.  If any organisation is using Verkada cameras and systems, they should disable them until further updates have been provided by the vendor.

“When stories like this come out hackers often look for the same or similar devices in order to try to replicate the compromise.  It’s therefore likely that over the coming days other vendors will be targeted.”

A very brief look across the Scottish central belt reveals the prevalence of internet connected cameras, both commercial and domestic.

Mark added: “Owners of internet connected cameras are advised to ensure that the devices are segregated from other devices and data on their network, and to ensure that strong/complex passwords are in use to protect and prevent unauthorised access. 

“Default accounts should be disabled or secured to avoid compromise, and the device’s firmware should be checked to ensure that it is kept up to date.”

If you are worried your organisation has become the target of a cyber attack, you can call our free Cyber Incident Response Helpline for advice on: 01786 437 472.