Warning: Your Private Moments May Be Live Streamed On A Russian Hacker’s Website

A new website in Russia has obtained access to thousands of private webcams and are not only spying on their victim’s most private moments, but they are uploading live video streams from each of those webcams for public viewing on their site. This is not a harmless episode of Candid Camera — this is serious business!

According to CNN, the Russian website has obtained live streams from approximately 4,600 cameras within the United States, “including a video of a baby sleeping in a cot in New Jersey.” Also, CNN reports that more than 2,000 cameras “have been hacked in France, and about 1,500 in the Netherlands, and thousands more in over 100 countries worldwide.”

There are also videos showing such personal things as a couple having breakfast in France, a man in his hospital bed in Minnesota, patrons at a beauty salon in Japan, and even a playground and pool in the Netherlands.

What makes this even worse than privacy being stolen, as CNN continues, is the fact that each video on this public website reveals “the camera’s GPS coordinates, postcode, time zone, and a map showing its precise location.”

This brings up a serious security question regarding if a sex offender could be watching an innocent child in his home, or on a playground from this Russian website, and then get the exact location of where this child lives. This is not a matter of someone just having fun posting videos of unknowing victims. Could it possibly turn into a safety threat?

CNBC reports that the Russian website was able to access the webcams simply because the webcams are still set with the factory default passwords. This information is easily accessible online.

David Emm, a principal security researcher at Kaspersky Lab in the U.K. tells CNBC that “any device that was connected to the internet could be compromised by sites like the Russian one.”

“This includes devices that connect via a home router, such as baby monitors or webcams. It also includes mobile devices too. The fact that a website is able to stream footage from thousands of cameras, illustrates the risks that consumers are taking by not changing the default passwords on camera enabled devices. It only takes a minute to change a password, and the longer it is left unchanged, the greater the chance that the device will be compromised.”

The Russian website claims they have not “hacked” into anyone’s webcams. According to ABC News, the website claims to be trying to educate those who they deem ignorant enough not to change their default password.

“This site has been designed in order to show the importance of the security settings. To remove your public camera from this site and make it private the only thing you need to do is to change your camera default password.”

This is the message that is posted on their website. However, there are thousands of innocent people whose privacy is being horrifically violated and have no idea this Russian website even exists. Is it the responsibility of this website to post people’s most private and even intimate moments in the bedroom in order to prove a point about security?

Media all over the world are refusing to publicize the Russian website address as to prevent this activity from developing into an astronomical problem. However, at least making the public aware that this Russian website exists, they give the public the opportunity to know how to protect themselves from such a violation that they may not have otherwise been aware.

Emma Carr, director of the Big Brother Watch privacy pressure group, reveals to CNN the severity of protecting ourselves from such atrocities.

“Few people would leave their front doors unlocked, yet failing to password protect your devices carries the same risks to both their privacy and security.”

At this point, nothing has been reported as to this Russian website being shut down. Media, however, has made it known that the United Kingdom said they are joining agencies with the U.S., Australia, Canada, and others to warn consumers.

[Photo Credit: Weeble.net]