One of the newer features that camera manufacturers have started to introduce to many of their cameras is built-in WiFi. What this means is that it allows photographers to transfer photos from the camera to another device, like a tablet, smartphone or computer, wirelessly, eliminating the need for additional cables. While it sounds like a convenient feature, it has been discovered at the hacker confere, Shmoocon 2013, that this WiFi feature might not be as safe as you think.
This flaw was discovered by German security researchers Daniel Mende and Pascal Tubing, who found that cameras with internet connectivity can actually be exploited and ultimately turned into spy cams! The researchers used the Canon EOS 1D X camera as an example and managed to take complete control over the camera. It has also been pointed out that unlike computers which keep logs, cameras do not meaning that you will not be able to tell when someone has accessed your camera illegally. The researchers have also discovered that it’s not just cameras with internet connectivity that are affected, but memory cards with WiFi connectivity as well.
If you have an hour to spare, you can watch the presentation in the video below where the researchers talk about their findings, as well as talk about ways to protect yourself and your device.