Recently, private video footage from a plastic surgery hospital in Seoul was leaked online, exposing patients, including celebrities, in dressing rooms and hospital rooms. The hospital’s video surveillance cameras, provided by Chinese state-owned manufacturer Hikvision, were suspected as the source of the leak. South Korean police are investigating the incident, and the country’s Broadcasting and Communications Commission has removed the videos from South Korean websites. However, the footage is still circulating on Chinese pornographic websites and elsewhere. IP cameras, especially those made in China, are relatively vulnerable to cyberattacks, warned South Korean security provider SK Shieldus. Around 80% of IP cameras used in South Korea are Chinese-made, primarily for personal use. Many countries, including Australia and the UK, have dropped Chinese-made surveillance cameras, citing security concerns. Hikvision, among other Chinese companies producing telecommunications equipment and services, has been excluded from the U.S. telecommunications network due to national security threats.
Leaked video from Korean hospital raises worries about Chinese cameras.
