Hackers extract 1.6 million images and 27,000 videos from one Flock camera

Hackers extracted approximately 1.6 million images and more than 27,000 video clips from one Flock surveillance camera, according to reporting by 404 Media and Wired. The media covered 21 days and included data linked to around 50,200 vehicles.

Members of the hacker collective stegan0gram reportedly made a near-complete copy of the camera’s stored data. They found two partitions in its Android operating system. A partition labeled “media” contained a decryption key that unlocked the stored images and videos. The files also showed that the cameras could detect people as well as vehicles and license plates. However, 404 Media found no evidence that facial recognition was being used.

The findings conflict with previous public statements from Flock that images and videos were stored on cameras only briefly after being sent to its servers, and that decryption keys were not kept on the devices.

Wired also reported that Flock opened a voluntary separation program for employees, with applications open until October 2 and decisions announced on October 9. People familiar with the program said a significant number of the startup’s roughly 1,500 employees may seek to leave. Flock’s CEO said on the All-In podcast in August that internal morale had suffered amid hostility toward the company’s devices.