Police in India have uncovered a serious cybercrime racket after hacked CCTV videos from a maternity hospital were found on Telegram. The videos, which appeared on YouTube earlier this year, showed pregnant women during medical examinations, including scenes where they received injections. Viewers were directed through links to Telegram channels where longer clips were sold.
Police in Gujarat were alerted by a common news platform about these videos. The director of the hospital said that the cameras were installed for the safety of doctors. The identity of the women is being protected, and no victim has filed a complaint so far.
Investigators say this case has exposed a much larger network. Hackers had reportedly accessed and sold sensitive video footage from at least fifty thousand CCTV cameras across the country. These cameras are widely used in India in locations such as malls, schools, hospitals, offices and even inside private homes.
Cybersecurity experts say that while CCTV systems improve safety, weak installation practices and poor management create serious privacy risks. In many places, cameras are handled by staff who have no cybersecurity training. Some locally manufactured models are also reported to be vulnerable to hacking.
There have been earlier incidents that highlight the scale of the problem. In 2018, a tech worker in Bengaluru said that his webcam had been hacked and that the hacker demanded money to stop the release of private videos. In 2023, a creator reportedly discovered that his home CCTV system was compromised after personal footage was shared online.
Last year, the central government urged states to avoid buying CCTV equipment from suppliers with a history of security failures. It also issued new rules to improve the cybersecurity standards of CCTV systems. Despite these measures, incidents of hacking continue to surface, raising concerns about how secure everyday surveillance technology really is.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News is a premier platform dedicated to delivering latest news, updates, and insights from the tech industry. With its strong foundation of intellectual property and thought leadership, the platform is well-positioned to stay ahead of the curve and lead conversations about how technology shapes our world. From its early days as CIO News to its rebranding as The Mainstream on November 28, 2024, it has been expanding its global reach, targeting key markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, the USA, and the UK. The Mainstream is a vision to put technology at the center of every conversation, inspiring professionals and organizations to embrace the future of tech.
