IN May 2026, a report revealed that over 21,786 home cameras were streaming live video without any authentication or protection, exposing them to anyone online. Mysterium VPN conducted an analysis and identified that, of over three million accessible devices, a large portion belonged to cheaper brands, which lacked mandatory security measures.
The study showed that Hikvision and Dahua cameras were much more secure due to enforced password requirements, while several low-cost devices frequently remained open to public access. The primary insecure streaming protocol identified was RTSP, leading to privacy concerns as these feeds could reveal personal information, raising alarms about user security practices. The report highlighted the importance of maintaining good security, such as setting strong passwords and disabling unnecessary streaming.