Flock Cameras Exposed
At least 60 Flock Condor PTZ people‑tracking cameras streamed without authentication, allowing anyone to view, download 30 days of footage, and access admin controls.
We watched ourselves live on a surveillance camera — no login required. A vendor left people-tracking cameras streaming to the open internet.
At least 60 Flock Condor PTZ people‑tracking cameras streamed without authentication, allowing anyone to view, download 30 days of footage, and access admin controls.
Source: 404 Media — Source link
Highlights
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Number exposed | At least 60 Condor PTZ cameras | |
| Open access | Feeds and admin panels were accessible without username or password | |
| Archive available | Anyone could download 30 days of video archive | |
| Camera capability | Condor cameras are pan‑tilt‑zoom devices designed to record and track people and can auto‑zoom on faces | |
| Observed locations | Playgrounds, parking lots, bike paths, traffic intersections and retail parking | |
| Discovery and verification | Discovered by Benn Jordan and Jon “GainSec” Gaines (using Shodan); reporter verified by visiting Bakersfield and watching livestreams |
Key points
- Flock Condor PTZ cameras exposed live streams and admin interfaces to the open internet.
- Exposed access allowed viewing, downloading 30 days of footage, changing settings, viewing logs, and running diagnostics.
- Condor units are designed to track people and can automatically zoom in on faces or be controlled manually.
- Researchers used Shodan to find exposed devices; discovery credited to Benn Jordan and Jon “GainSec” Gaines.
- Reporters geolocated cameras and verified exposure by visiting sites in Bakersfield and watching themselves on livestreams.
- Exposed footage showed children at playgrounds and people in everyday public spaces, enabling identification via open‑source tools.
- The reporter obtained Flock contracts with cities for Condor deployments as part of the investigation.
Timeline
- Dec 22, 2025 — Article published documenting exposed Flock Condor camera feeds and verification steps
Why this matters
Open people‑tracking cameras create direct safety and privacy risks: anyone could watch, archive, and identify people — including children — without consent. The exposure highlights systemic security gaps in deployed municipal surveillance, raises legal and policy questions about oversight and vendor accountability, and demonstrates how trivial internet misconfigurations can enable widespread abuse.
