Researcher Turns Insecure License Plate Cameras In Open Source Surveillance Tool

Security researcher Matt Brown found that some Motorola automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras stream live video and car data to the open internet, where anyone can watch or scrape them without logging in. Brown found the exposed cameras using the Censys search engine, and he tested a Motorola Reaper HD ALPR he bought on eBay. Will Freeman, creator of the DeFlock map, built a proof-of-concept script that decodes the unencrypted streams and logs car makes, models, colors, and plates with timestamps, and roughly 170 unencrypted ALPR streams have been found so far. Motorola Solutions said the ReaperHD is a legacy device discontinued in June 2022 and that a firmware update will add security hardening.