Verkada fined $29m for security lapses in camera system

TLDR:

• Verkada fined $2.9 million for cyber security failures
• Multiple breaches led to exposure of sensitive security camera footage

Summary:

The US-based security camera company Verkada has been fined $2.9 million by the FTC for cyber security failures that resulted in security breaches in 2020 and 2021. The breaches led to the exposure of sensitive security camera footage from hospitals and prisons. The FTC alleged that Verkada failed to provide reasonable security for personal information collected from customers and consumers. The breaches included an incident where a threat actor installed the Mirai botnet malware on Verkada’s network in 2020, and another incident where a hacker gained Super Admin-level access to the company’s network and cloud-based Command video management platform in 2021, accessing over 150,000 live security camera feeds. The hacker had access to live footage of vulnerable individuals in various settings. Verkada has agreed to pay the settlement and overhaul its information security systems, although it denies the allegations. The FTC emphasized the importance of robust data security measures to protect consumers.