Exposed Webcam Leaks Live U.K. Patient Data from Decoded Pager Signals
An unsecured webcam in London inadvertently broadcasts real-time medical emergencies and patient details decoded from NHS pager transmissions. A security researcher discovers the feed and alerts the internet provider to shut it down.
A security researcher discovers an exposed webcam in a North London home that continuously broadcasts live medical data from across the United Kingdom. The webcam points at a computer display connected to an amateur radio rig, which intercepts and decodes pager messages sent by regional National Health Service trusts. Because the webcam lacks a password, anyone who finds the stream views highly sensitive information in real time.
The decoded messages flooding the screen contain explicit details about medical emergencies, including patient names, home addresses, and specific injuries. TechCrunch verifies the findings, noting that the text includes dispatch directions for ambulances responding to 999 emergency calls. The feed shows a constant stream of incidents, such as an elderly man falling at his home and another person suffering chest pains, exposing vulnerable individuals during their most critical moments.
Security researcher Daley Borda reports the exposure to the hobbyist's internet provider since the owner of the radio rig remains unknown. The internet provider promptly contacts the customer, who is unaware of the sensitive nature of the information displayed on the camera feed. The customer agrees to immediately terminate the webcam stream, temporarily stopping this unusual privacy breach while highlighting the ongoing vulnerabilities of outdated pager technology in the healthcare sector.