South Korean authorities have arrested four people accused of hacking more than 120,000 IP cameras installed in homes and businesses across the country.
The stolen footage was allegedly sold to a foreign adult website, prompting an international investigation that now targets not only the hackers but also the website operators and their viewers.
According to the National Office of Investigation, the suspects hacked into private and commercial cameras, collected large volumes of video feeds, and turned them into illegal sexual content for profit. Police say they are working with international partners to track down the operators of the website and identify buyers and viewers of the videos. At the same time, protection measures are being taken to prevent further harm to victims.
The four suspects were responsible for large-scale breaches, each compromising thousands of devices. Investigators outlined their actions, noting that one suspect hacked 63,000 cameras and made 545 illegal videos, earning the equivalent of $23,800 in virtual assets. Another suspect hacked 70,000 cameras and produced 648 illegal videos. One of the suspects created content involving minors, while another hacked 136 cameras.
Police noted that just two of the suspects were responsible for 62% of the content uploaded to the foreign website last year. So far, three buyers of the videos have been arrested and could face up to three years in prison. Authorities are also working to identify the operators of the illegal site and shut it down.
Investigators have contacted 58 affected locations, urging victims to reset their passwords and providing guidance on removing the stolen content. Officials stressed that anyone who views or possesses such material could also face criminal charges.
To stay safe, users of IP cameras are advised to change default passwords, use strong and unique credentials, disable remote access when not needed, and keep their devices updated with the latest firmware.
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