Security Breach of Surveillance Start-Up Exposes Private Residences, Schools, Companies

Around 150,000 networked and facial recognition-capable security cameras located in hospitals, schools, homes, and prisons were accessed in a security breach of Verkada, a surveillance company. The breach exposed vulnerable populations surveilled by Verkada’s cameras and highlights the degree to which unregulated surveillance and data collection are ubiquitous within the United States. Verkada’s software offerings include facial recognition tools, exacerbating the risks created by its surveillance systems. EPIC, along with a coalition of advocates, warned about similar risks for Amazon’s Ring Doorbell and called for a ban on facial recognition as well as regulation of surveillance and data governance.