The Institute for Information Industry on Friday issued a warning regarding the susceptibility of Internet protocol (IP) cameras to hacking.
People should avoid using unbranded IP cameras at home, Information Security Research division chief Kao Fu-kai (高傅凱) said.
Hackers can trace the cameras via IP addresses using software and hijack them, Kao said.
Photo: Cheng Wei-chi, Taipei Times
The institute cited incidents where IP cameras in the US were hacked, saying that the hackers used nude images of the users that they stole to extort money.
An IP camera was hacked in Taiwan in 2015, it added.
Distributors of unbranded IP cameras are usually not adequately acquainted with the technology to understand that surveillance equipment usually has two layers of information distribution, so they only set up security parameters for one layer, leaving the other layer unprotected, Kao said, adding that this is a back door waiting to be exploited by hackers.
The Internet of Things has further enhanced connectivity between devices, Kao said, adding that products such as smartwatches, smart TVs and autonomous vehicles use the Internet to send and receive information.
There are 23.1 billion smart products worldwide, more than three times the human population, Kao said, adding that the number is estimated to reach 50 billion next year.
The Consumer Protection Committee said that the Taiwan Association of Information and Communication Standards has a list of products that are “up to standard” in terms of information security, adding that people could refer to the list on the association’s Web site prior to purchasing such products.
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