Bloomberg: Iran exploits Israeli home security cameras for intelligence gathering

Iran has been hijacking private security cameras in Israel to gather real-time intelligence, a tactic highlighting a growing cybersecurity vulnerability seen in other global conflicts.

Following Iranian ballistic missile strikes on Tel Aviv high-rises earlier this week, former Israeli cybersecurity official Refael Franco warned citizens on public radio to either turn off their surveillance cameras or change their passwords, Caliber.Az reports via Bloomberg.

“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,” said Franco, former deputy director general of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate and head of cybersecurity firm Code Blue.

The conflict has also seen a spike in cyberattacks. Pro-Israel hacking group Predatory Sparrow has claimed responsibility for disrupting a major Iranian bank and breaching an Iranian crypto exchange. Iran’s state-run IRIB News, meanwhile, accused Israel of launching a full-scale cyberattack on its critical infrastructure.

An Israel National Cyber Directorate spokesperson confirmed that internet-connected cameras have increasingly been targeted by Iranian operatives for war planning. Attempts to access these cameras have been ongoing and continue to escalate.

This is not the first time such devices have been exploited. Hamas hacked into private security cameras in Gaza’s periphery prior to its October 7, 2023, assault on Israel. “Thousands of cameras were hacked over the years, both public and private, and were used to collect intelligence,” said Gaby Portnoy, former director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate.

Similar strategies have been documented elsewhere. During Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces accessed private and municipal cameras near border crossings and military sites to monitor movements, according to a May advisory from the US National Security Agency and allied agencies. Ukraine subsequently banned surveillance cameras in 2022 to prevent their use in missile targeting.

Globally, the private security camera market is expanding rapidly, projected to grow from $54 billion in 2024 to $89 billion by 2030. However, many devices remain vulnerable due to weak security settings, default passwords, and streaming capabilities.

Experts warn that many consumers prioritise affordability over security. Peleg Wasserman, security architect at a global energy firm, noted, “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 the security of such systems.”

Additionally, many cameras come with default passwords — often as simple as "1234" — which users rarely change, leaving them open to hacking. Some systems even stream footage directly online. A recent BitSight Technologies study found that live feeds from 40,000 security cameras worldwide, including 14,000 in the US, are accessible on the internet.

In Israel, the problem is acute. In 2022, the cyber agency warned that 66,000 personal cameras were vulnerable due to default passwords — a warning largely ignored, including in southern towns later attacked by Hamas, which killed over 1,200 people and abducted 250.

Following those attacks, the Israeli government issued nonbinding directives urging citizens to enhance camera security by enabling two-factor authentication and changing default passwords. It also gained legal authority to remotely disable traffic and personal cameras overlooking sensitive areas like borders and critical infrastructure.

Portnoy explained that Hamas had long exploited private cameras to gather intelligence on civilian and military movements in preparation for attacks. While military-grade border cameras remained secure, private cameras in kibbutzim that were invaded were compromised, with footage discovered by Israeli forces in Gaza.

Franco highlighted that agricultural cameras along the Gaza border, meant to prevent theft, inadvertently exposed soldier positions. “You try to protect yourself, and meanwhile you are exposing yourself,” he warned.

Since Israel’s recent strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities began on June 13, Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation. The Iranian government reports over 200 fatalities from Israeli strikes, while Israeli authorities confirm 24 deaths and more than 800 injuries in their territory.

By Tamilla Hasanova