European intelligence services have warned organizations located along the routes used to transport Western military equipment to Ukraine about the possible hacking of household surveillance systems. According to NATO intelligence agencies, Russian hackers allegedly gained access to IP cameras and smart doorbells in private homes to track weapons shipments moving through European transport corridors.

The joint warning was issued by the Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service, AIVD, and the Military Intelligence and Security Service, MIVD. The document states that vulnerable devices installed in European NATO member states were at risk. Organizations using cameras along the relevant routes were advised to take protective measures.

According to The Telegraph, citing investigative findings, access to the devices was often made easier by the negligence of owners and organizations. Many cameras still used default factory passwords, while their software had not been updated for years. This allowed hackers to locate internet-connected devices, remotely penetrate their systems and conduct surveillance without relying on complex and expensive satellite technology.

The article emphasizes that hacking municipal and private surveillance cameras for intelligence purposes has long become a common practice in modern armed conflicts. Similar methods have previously been used by American and Israeli intelligence agencies.

As an example, the report cites operations by the CIA and Mossad, which allegedly managed to gain access to traffic cameras in Tehran. The footage was used to track Iran’s former supreme leader before targeted airstrikes were carried out on the first day of the American-Iranian war.