School CCTV Hacked

CCTV systems in at least four UK schools were hacked and footage streamed online.

11:46 01 March 2018

Hackers were able to gain access to CCTV systems used in at least four UK schools and stream footage on a US website that boasts “watch live surveillance cameras in the UK.” Users of the website are allowed to spy on pupils, watching their every movement while inside the school premises.

 

One of the affected UK schools was St Mary’s Catholic Academy in Blackpool. The school, which is attended by 1,188 pupils, have eight CCTV cameras in entrances, playground and inside the school corridors.

 

Parents and teachers were horrified upon learning the news. One parent said: ‘It’s really bad, they’ve got cameras everywhere around the school,’

 

The website broadcasting the footage claims they did not hack the cameras and that they were able to access them because they were not password protected.

 

Jeremy Hartley, of the Eric Wright Group, which runs CCTV systems at two of the affected schools, said: ‘As soon as our systems were alerted, the camera feed was immediately taken offline and our technology experts were on site to investigate the breach and to determine the cause.’