Home webcams' security vulnerability leads to public viewing

HOME SECURITY webcam firm Trendnet is struggling to fix an error that allowed anyone on the internet to view live footage without a password.

According to the BBC, internet addresses linking to the video streams have been posted to message board web sites, making users concerned that they could view children's bedrooms among other locations.

Trendnet said it has emailed affected customers and is in the process of releasing updates to correct a coding error introduced in 2010. The firm had originally become aware of the issue on 12 January and this week identified 26 vulnerable models.

The company said it will have the revised firmware available this week, and estimated that "fewer than one thousand units" could be open to the threat in the UK. Globally Trendnet said the number was "most likely less than 50,000".

However, apparently only five per cent of Trendnet's customers have registered their devices, which might make emailing the others difficult.

The vulnerability was first publicised on 10 January when a blog author discovered that after setting up one of the cameras with a password its video stream became accessible to anyone who typed in the correct internet address. µ