Over 12,000 home cameras hacked in South Korea
- Doyoung Lim
- Jan 3
- 1 min read
Updated: Jan 8
Jan 3, 2026
Doyoung Lim
So far, four people have been arrested for allegedly hacking more than 120,000 video cameras in homes and businesses and using the footage to make sexually exploitative materials for an overseas website. National police announced the arrests on Sunday, saying the accused exploited the Internet Protocol cameras’ vulnerabilities, such as simple passwords.
Those cheaper IP cameras-otherwise known as home cameras-connect to a home network and are often installed for security purposes to monitor the safety of children or pets. According to South Korea’s National Police Agency, the four suspects operated independently to one another. One of the suspects is accused of hacking 63,000 cameras and making 545 sexually exploitative videos, which they had sold for 35 million won worth of assets.
Police are now moving to cooperate with foreign agencies to investigate its operator. And, they have also arrested three people who are suspected of having bought videos through the website. Authorities have personally notified victims at 58 locations, informing them of the incident and providing guidance on changing passwords.
They are also helping victims delete and block content, and working to identify others who may have been affected. “It is crucial for individual users who have installed IP cameras in their home or workplaces to maintain vigilance and regularly change their access passwords,” the National Police Agency through a statement.
