Cybersecurity expert jailed for selling private videos to 400,000 homes

A South Korean cyber security expert has been jailed for illegally accessing and distributing private videos from vulnerable “wallpad” cameras in 400,000 private homes.

The unnamed 41-year-old man successfully visited 638 apartment buildings in South Korea remotely. He leverages more than 400,000 smart home devices used by residents to operate their video security systems and other home features.

In November 2021, the man posted on a hacker forum that he had hacked “most apartments in South Korea” and uploaded 45 photos and two videos stolen from apartment owners to prove his claim.

Hackers demand 0.1 Bitcoin to obtain video footage of a particular day in someone’s home.

As news of the data breach spread, a list of apartments claimed to have been hacked spread widely online. The hack’s content included videos of everyday activities and intimate sex scenes, prompting people to cover wall-mounted cameras even if their apartment complexes were unaware they were affected.

To hide their identity, the hackers attempted to cover their digital footprints by using overseas servers to communicate with potential buyers of private pornographic material.

The hacker was arrested by the South Korean National Police in late 2022. .

During the court hearing, it was revealed that the same man had actually given an interview in February 2019 in which he demonstrated how easy it was to hack into the wallboard – describing it as “easily hackable by a middle school student with basic computer knowledge” ”.

During the trial, the man’s defense lawyers argued that the data leak was an attempt to publicize security flaws in the wall panels, but the Uijeongbu District Court ruled that argument was not acceptable because the man was trying to gain access to stolen sex tapes. profit.

The man has been ordered to complete a sexual offenses prevention program and banned from working in institutions with children, young people and disabled people for four years, in addition to being sentenced to four years in prison.