From TechRadar · · 1m 10s
Boston ditches Flock cameras over secret data sharing
A security breach exposed how license plate readers track far more than vehicles, and officials discovered the company shared data despite promises not to.
In brief
A security breach exposed how license plate readers track far more than vehicles, and officials discovered the company shared data despite promises not to. Flock cameras collect sensitive location data beyond license plates, and companies may share this data with third parties without transparency or consent…
Hackers breached Flock camera network
Security researchers discovered that attackers extracted a significant amount of data from compromised Flock license plate reader cameras, exposing vulnerabilities in the system.
Cameras track way more than cars
Flock's license plate readers can monitor pedestrians, cyclists, and other details beyond vehicle identification, creating a broader surveillance tool than publicly understood.
Boston was promised no data sharing
City officials were told Flock would not share camera data with third parties, but investigation revealed the company was sharing information anyway.
City ends Flock contract immediately
Boston officials announced they will no longer use Flock cameras due to the data sharing violations and security concerns revealed by the breach.
Privacy questions loom for other cities
The Boston case raises concerns about how other police departments using Flock cameras handle sensitive location data and whether they've been informed about the company's actual data practices.
The main idea
Flock cameras collect sensitive location data beyond license plates, and companies may share this data with third parties without transparency or consent.
