Moscow-linked hackers are systematically hacking civilian IP cameras in NATO countries, as well as in Ukraine, trying to track arms deliveries to Kiev and military transport routes, the Dutch intelligence services claim. In a statement, they say that the "large-scale Russian operation" is aimed at video surveillance cameras located along military equipment transportation routes.
Through the access they have gained, Russian intelligence services are investigating what weapons are being sent from Europe to Ukraine and in what quantities, Dutch intelligence officials explain.
Hackers exploit camera vulnerabilities
To access the content of IP cameras, hackers exploit vulnerabilities in widely distributed devices that are connected to the Internet and are used in businesses and private homes. Specifically, the users often use standard passwords, and the cameras have outdated software and standard security settings, the Dutch intelligence services note.
Among the cameras that Russian hackers managed to penetrate, there are also devices located along military-logistics routes in the Netherlands itself - one of the important transport hubs for the delivery of military aid to Ukraine. As Dutch experts emphasize, the country's geographical location and its role in supplying Kiev make it one of the priority targets of Russian intelligence operations.
As early as the spring of 2025, the British intelligence services reported that Russian intelligence services were engaged in hacking surveillance cameras along the borders and near military facilities in order to spy on Western aid to Ukraine.
Author: Evgeny Zhukov