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Time of India
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel security agencies warn people: Turn off your home security cameras or ...
Representative Image Iran is reportedly hacking into private security cameras across Israel to gather real-time intelligence on its adversary, highlighting a growing vulnerability in internet-connected devices amid escalating global conflicts, cybersecurity experts revealed this week. According to a report in Bloomberg, following a barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles that struck high-rise buildings in Tel Aviv, Refael Franco, former deputy director general of the Israel National Cyber Directorate , issued an urgent warning on public radio this week. 'Turn off your home surveillance cameras or change the password,' Franco urged, now leading cybersecurity firm Code Blue. 'In the past two or three days, the Iranians have been trying to connect to cameras to assess missile impact sites and improve their precision.' The Israel National Cyber Directorate is said to have confirmed the surge in cyberattacks targeting internet-connected cameras for Iran's war planning. 'We've seen attempts throughout the war, and those attempts are renewed now,' a spokesperson said Monday. While photos of missile impact sites circulate on social media, Israeli authorities have imposed an official blackout on such images. This tactic is not new. Gaby Portnoy, who recently stepped down as director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, noted that Hamas previously exploited private cameras ahead of its October 7, 2023, invasion. 'The intelligence gathering from private cameras in the Gaza periphery was a disaster,' Portnoy said in an interview. 'Thousands of cameras, both public and private, were hacked over the years for intelligence collection.' Security cameras banned in Ukraine, US banned Chinese cameras by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo The issue extends beyond the Israel-Iran conflict. In Ukraine, Russia is reported to have similarly exploited private cameras near border crossings, military sites, and rail stations to track material movements, according to a May joint advisory by the US National Security Agency and Western intelligence agencies. Ukraine banned surveillance cameras in 2022 after warnings that Russia was using them to plan airstrikes, and in 2023, urged owners of street webcams to halt online broadcasts to prevent real-time missile strike adjustments. In the US, the Federal Communications Commission banned Chinese-made surveillance equipment in 2022 over national security concerns. The Israel-Iran cyberwar has intensified alongside physical attacks, with pro-Israel hacking group Predatory Sparrow claiming responsibility for disrupting a major Iranian bank and a cryptocurrency exchange. Iran's state-run IRIB News reported that Israel launched a full-scale cyberattack on the country's critical infrastructure. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Camera lens behind Israel–Iran conflict: How Iran's missiles are finding their mark
Israeli footage blacked out, Iran turns to hacked cameras Live Events Farmers, homes and streets: Cameras become blind spots A global trend with local consequences Cheap cameras, expensive mistakes Experts push for better standards (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Iranian hackers are actively targeting internet-connected security cameras across Israel to track where their ballistic missiles have landed, Israeli officials have confirmed. These live breaches, now playing out in real time, are helping Iran improve the precision of its strikes as the Israel–Iran conflict Monday, Refael Franco, former deputy director general of Israel's National Cyber Directorate, issued a stark public warning: 'We know that in the past two or three days, the Iranians have been trying to connect to cameras to understand what happened and where their missiles hit to improve their precision.' Franco now leads the cyber crisis firm Code development comes after Israel's recent strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran's retaliation with over 300 drones and missiles, according to Israeli defence sources. Iran's government reports over 200 deaths from Israeli attacks. In Israel, 24 people have died, and more than 800 have been Israel enforces a media blackout on the damage caused by Iranian missile strikes, Tehran appears to be filling the information gap through hacked footage from homes, traffic cameras, and business premises. A spokesperson for Israel's cyber directorate confirmed the targeting of connected surveillance systems: 'We've seen attempts throughout the war, and those attempts are being renewed now.'Iran is not alone in this playbook. In October 2023, Hamas used similar methods to gather intelligence for its surprise invasion. Gaby Portnoy, who served as Israel's top cybersecurity official until recently, revealed: 'The intelligence gathering that Hamas did from private cameras in the Gaza periphery was a disaster. Thousands of cameras were hacked over the years, both public and private, and were used to collect intelligence.'Many of the hacked devices were never designed with war in mind. Farmers installed them to prevent theft. Families placed them outside homes and kindergartens for safety. But the same cameras ended up broadcasting military activity near the Gaza fence. 'You try to protect yourself and meanwhile you are exposing yourself,' Franco the Hamas attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and saw 250 abducted, Israel was granted legal authority to disable private and traffic-facing cameras showing sensitive areas. Yet according to Portnoy, 66,000 personal cameras still used default passwords in 2022 — a number that may have barely changed isn't just an Israeli problem. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Moscow 'likely used access to private cameras at key locations, such as near border crossings, military installations, and rail stations,' according to a joint advisory by the US National Security Agency and its allies. Ukraine responded by banning public webcams in 2022 and urging owners to stop broadcasting online. 'Russia is exploiting vulnerability of modern webcams to launch missile attack at Ukraine and adjust them in real time,' a government statement the US, the Federal Communications Commission banned Chinese-made cameras from several vendors that same year, citing security private surveillance market is expected to grow from $54 billion in 2024 to $89 billion by 2030, according to MarketsandMarkets Research. But many of these systems are weakly secured. Some cameras still stream footage live online by default. Many retain factory-set passwords like '1234'. A study by BitSight Technologies this month found that 40,000 security cameras worldwide were exposed on the internet — 14,000 of them in the US.'Most people don't look at the security features of the device they're buying. So for the vendor there is no incentive to beef up security of such systems,' said Peleg Wasserman, a cybersecurity architect at a global energy added: 'Consumers need to remember that they're not the only ones who may have access to this camera. I've seen people that put a camera outside the home without knowing that they're also filming their neighbours, or a sensitive object, or even giving a panoramic view of a city which may be useful for targeting.'Cybersecurity professionals stress that higher-end systems with regular firmware updates and strong configuration settings are crucial. 'Higher-grade security camera systems from vendors that take cybersecurity seriously will offer extensive configuration settings allowing for more device and communications customisation,' said Geoff Kohl of the Security Industry Association, as reported by the same time, he warned users to assume their cameras may be attacked: 'Presume your security video systems could be targeted.'Despite numerous red flags and official advisories, many users continue to favour cost over security. And in war, that choice has digital dimension of the Israel–Iran conflict is intensifying. Pro-Israel hacking group Predatory Sparrow has claimed responsibility for recent cyberattacks on Iranian financial institutions, including a major bank and a crypto exchange. In turn, Iran's state media reported that Israeli forces launched a broad cyberattack against Iran's the missile war makes headlines, the cyberwar runs quietly — embedded in homes, farms, shops, and streets. Unsecured cameras, once intended for peace of mind, are now part of the people living in conflict zones — or anywhere with vulnerable tech — the message is blunt but clear: update your passwords, lock your devices, or risk turning your camera into someone else's eyes.(With inputs from Bloomberg)
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Iranian hackers hijacking home security cameras to spy within Israel
Iran is tapping into private security cameras in Israel to gather real-time intelligence about its adversary, exposing a recurrent problem with the devices that has emerged in other global conflicts. Earlier this week, after Iranian ballistic missiles tore through high-rise buildings in Tel Aviv, a former Israeli cybersecurity official went on public radio to issue a stark warning: Turn off your home surveillance cameras or change the password. 'We know that in the past two or three days, the Iranians have been trying to connect to cameras to understand what happened and where their missiles hit to improve their precision,' Refael Franco, the former deputy director general of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, said on Monday. He now runs the cybersecurity crisis firm Code Blue. A spike in cyberattacks has accompanied the war between Israel and Iran, with a pro-Israel hacking group known as Predatory Sparrow claiming responsibility for disrupting a major Iranian bank and a breach that struck an Iranian crypto exchange. Iran's state-run IRIB News reported that Israel had launched a full-scale cyberattack on the country's critical infrastructure. A spokesperson for the Israel National Cyber Directorate, a government agency, confirmed that internet-connected cameras were increasingly targeted for Iran's war planning. 'We've seen attempts throughout the war, and those attempts are being renewed now,' the spokesperson said on Monday. Photos of impact sites in Israel, though circulating on social media, are under an official blackout. It isn't the first time Israel's foes have used the devices to spy. For instance, Hamas hacked into private security cameras ahead of its invasion on Oct. 7, 2023, said Gaby Portnoy, who recently completed a three-year term as director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate. 'The intelligence gathering that Hamas did from private cameras in the Gaza periphery was a disaster,' Portnoy said in an interview. 'Thousands of cameras were hacked over the years, both public and private, and were used to collect intelligence.' Similar tactics have been used by Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia 'likely used access to private cameras at key locations, such as near border crossings, military installations, and rail stations, to track the movement of materials,' according to a joint cybersecurity advisory in May by the US National Security Agency and other Western intelligence agencies. 'The actors also used legitimate municipal services, such as traffic cams.' Ukraine banned surveillance cameras in 2022 amid a warning that Russia was using them to plan airstrikes. The next year, Ukraine's government called on the owners of street webcams to stop broadcasting online. 'Russia is exploiting vulnerability of modern webcams to launch missile attack at Ukraine and adjust them in real time,' according to a government statement at the time. In the US, the Federal Communications Commission in 2022 banned Chinese-made surveillance equipment over national security concerns. The private surveillance market is fast growing around the world: it's projected to reach $89 billion in 2030, up from $54 billion in 2024, according to a study by MarketsandMarkets Research. Relatively cheap and ubiquitous, private security cameras are often easy to access and hack, and they can provide foreign intelligence services with information on where troops are located, or help adversaries figure out where to drop bombs. While researchers have been warning about the vulnerabilities in security cameras for over a decade, some in the industry say they can be contained by investing in higher-end systems that offer regular firmware and software updates and by following proper installation procedures. 'Higher-grade security camera systems from vendors that take cybersecurity seriously will offer extensive configuration settings allowing for more device and communications customization,' Geoff Kohl, the Security Industry Association's senior director of marketing, said in an email. At the same time, users should 'presume your security video systems could be targeted,' he added. Most consumers prioritize price over the security of a surveillance system, even though a weakly protected camera can be a 'stepping stone' into overtaking the broader network, said Peleg Wasserman, a security architect at a global energy firm. 'They don't look at the security features of the device they're buying. So for the vendor there is no incentive to beef up security of such systems.' 'Consumers need to remember that they're not the only ones who may have access to this camera,' Wasserman said. 'I've seen people that put a camera outside the home without knowing that they're also filming their neighbors, for example, or a sensitive object or even giving a panoramic view of a city which may be useful for targeting.' In addition, private surveillance cameras often come with a default password — sometimes as simple as 1-2-3-4 — which is rarely changed by the user, according to experts. Some systems automatically stream the footage on the internet. While Chinese-made cameras have taken over a large part of the private surveillance market, other systems have weak protections. A study by BitSight Technologies Inc. this month found live footage from 40,000 security cameras is accessible on the internet, including 14,000 in the US. For countries at war, this data leakage can be an Achilles' heel. In 2022, the Israeli cyber agency warned that 66,000 personal cameras in Israel were using a default password and could easily be overtaken by hackers. That warning was largely unheeded, including in the southern towns that were invaded by Hamas in the attack that killed over 1,200 and saw 250 abducted. After the Hamas attack, the Israeli government issued nonbinding directives urging citizens to strengthen the information security on their personal security cameras, many of them Chinese-made, including adding two-factor authentication. It also obtained legal approval to remotely shut off traffic cameras and personal devices reflecting out on sensitive areas, such as borders or critical infrastructure, according to Portnoy, the former director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate. That came after it detected increased attempts by Israel's adversaries to breach highway cameras to monitor troop movements. Portnoy said Hamas had hacked private cameras for years to collect intelligence and monitor civilian and military movements while planning the attacks. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the US and many other governments. An analysis of the military's secure border cameras after the war began found they not breached by Hamas, according to Portnoy. But private security systems from the kibbutzim nearby that were later invaded were compromised, he said, citing footage found in Gaza by the Israeli military. Franco, in an interview before the outbreak of the latest Israel-Iran conflict, said cameras that farmers installed in agricultural fields along the border to prevent theft inadvertently showed soldiers' positions along the Gaza security fence. Most people are unaware of the potential dual use of CCTV when they try to bolster their personal security without proper safeguards, whether in towns, kindergartens, offices or private homes, according to Franco. 'You try to protect yourself and meanwhile you are exposing yourself,' he said. Since Israel launched its attack on Iran's nuclear program on Friday, Iran has retaliated by firing hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones. More than 200 people have been killed in Iran by Israel's strikes, according to the Iranian government. In Israel, the government says 24 people have been killed and over 800 injured. More stories like this are available on ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
