Verkada surveillance cameras hacked at Tesla factory
Verkada, a security startup that provides cloud-based security camera services, has suffered a major security breach, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
Verkada says on its website: It has more than 5,200 customers, including cities, colleges and hotels.
Its cameras have proven popular because they are paired with software to search for specific people or items, and users can access feeds remotely via the cloud.
Hackers gained access to more than 150,000 of the company's cameras, including cameras in Tesla factories and warehouses, Cloudflare offices, Equinox gyms, hospitals, prisons, schools and police stations.
According to Tillie Kottmann, a Swiss software developer and a member of the hacking group that violated the system, the intent of the hack was to show how common the company's security cameras are and how easily they can be hacked.
In addition to the live feeds, the group also claimed to have access to the full video archive of all Verkada customers.
In a statement to Bloomberg, a Verkada representative commented: We have disabled all internal admin accounts to prevent any unauthorized access.
He added: Our internal security team and the outside security company are investigating the scale and scope of this potential problem.
And the hack was apparently relatively simple, as the group was able to gain Super Admin-level access to the Verkada system using a username and password generally found online.
The group gained access to the entire corporate network, including root access for the cameras themselves, which in turn allowed the group to access the internal networks of some Verkada clients.
Verkada is proud to offer internet-connected security cameras, and promises to take a software-first approach to make security seamless and up-to-date.
And the cloud-connected cameras include a simplified web-based interface for companies to monitor their feed and offer - optional - facial recognition software as well.
The list of clients who use Verkada is extensive, as in addition to companies like Tesla and Cloudflare, the group has access to Verkada cameras inside Halifax Health Hospital in Florida, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Madison County Jail, and Wadley Regional Medical Center.
In addition to the camera shots, the group also says it has gained access to the entire list of thousands of Verkada customers and its private financial information.