AIVD

Russian Intelligence Hijacks Exposed Security Cameras in Europe and Ukraine for Military Surveillance

Dutch intelligence agencies AIVD and MIVD have revealed that Russian military intelligence is systematically compromising internet-connected security cameras across Europe and Ukraine. The attackers scan for exposed devices using brand fingerprints, then log in with default passwords and outdated firmware without needing zero-day exploits. In Ukraine, live camera feeds are used not only for reconnaissance of military transport routes and weapon deliveries but also to directly support targeting of Ukrainian forces and equipment. Censys identified over 87,000 vulnerable cameras in the EU, NATO countries, and Ukraine, with more than 4,000 located in Ukraine alone. While the actual number of confirmed compromises is smaller, the cameras are strategically positioned along key military logistics routes. The agencies issued basic but critical recommendations including disabling public exposure, changing default credentials, and applying patches for known vulnerabilities such as CVE-2016-7407 and CVE-2021-39275.