Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

South Korea boosts laws after hacker leaks nude videos from smart home devices

South Korea boosts laws after hacker leaks nude videos from smart home devices

Hundreds of apartment buildings across the country were targeted, with compromising footage of residents’ private lives sold on the dark web for bitcoin.

South Korea is reviewing online security regulations after a hacker targeted hundreds of smart home devices and sold intimate video footage of residents on the dark web in exchange for bitcoin.

Alerted by the Korea Internet Security Agency to the case, police last week launched an investigation and confirmed hacked video footage from apartments across the country were leaked online.

Thumbnail images of the video clips on the dark web showed scenes of private home life, naked bodies and sex scenes, said IT Chosun, a tech news website that exposed the hacking this month.

A reporter posing as a buyer contacted the hacker, who said in an encrypted email that it cost 0.1 bitcoin (about US$5,736) to gain video access to an apartment for 24 hours. The hacker reportedly supplied the writer a long list of flats to choose from.

Smart home features installed in Korean apartments first began as intercom systems, but grew to have expanded functions. Many new flats today have smart home devices, including wall pad door locks, lights, heaters, refrigerators, laundry machines and air conditioners that can be controlled by smartphones remotely.

Some systems include surveillance cameras, which the incident shows is vulnerable to invasion of privacy. If a hacker succeeds in breaching the security of one home, they can also access footage of neighbouring apartments connected through the building’s network, IT Chosun said.

In South Korea, 63 per cent of households live in flats.

Many new homes in South Korea come with smart home systems installed.


The incident has prompted the officials to strengthen firewall guidelines for the Internet of Things, in a shift from the government’s aversion from investing in cybersecurity despite South Korea being a technological powerhouse, with one of the world’s fastest internet networks.

In a statement, the ministry of science and technology said residents faced a real risk of cyber threats “including the exposure of private life, ransomware attacks and shutdowns of home devices”.

Kim Nam-seung, a deputy director in charge of cybersecurity at the ministry, said the incident showed people who lived in flats needed to be vigilant about their online security.

“This incident is drawing public attention as wall pad devices, rather than home computers or mobiles, were hacked, and home privacy was widely breached,” Kim said.

“It also highlights the importance of users avoiding easy-to-guess passwords, regularly downloading security patch updates and using government-endorsed products with solid security walls.”

The government has moved to force construction companies to unlink smart home systems for each flat to prevent hackers from accessing the devices of a whole residential building through a single breach.

“The best way to fight fires is to prevent fires. The best way to fight hacking is to prevent it through solid firewalls and users’ precautions,” Kim said.

Concerns over home system networks have been raised in the past.

In 2018, the local Busan Ilbo newspaper based in Busan and South Gyeongsang province reported it had hired two computer science graduate students to hack into the smart network of a newly-built residential building to test its security level.

In just one day, the student hackers succeeded in opening the door of one home, and peeked into another through the camera installed for video calls between residents. The newspaper reported that the students could even turn on and off gas valves and lights, as well as change the heating temperatures of homes.

Following the report, the ministry of science and technology advised residents to set up unique passwords and regularly update their home systems. Experts also advised residents physically to cover cameras when they were not in use.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
×