Hackers physically steal a Flock camera and pull its secret logs

Hackers stole a Flock surveillance camera off a roadside pole, cracked its encryption key, and exposed what the hardware actually records.

A collective named stegan0gram dismounted a Flock camera, copied its internal storage, and found an encryption key stored in an unencrypted folder. They shared the files with 404 Media and WIRED. Analysis of the data shows the camera runs custom Android software that logged 1.6 million photos across 21 days—explicitly capturing images of people, bicycles, and bumper stickers alongside vehicle license plates.

Why it matters: Flock previously claimed that physical access wouldn't yield stored footage because files delete quickly after cloud uploads. This breach proves that claim false. It also reveals how granular the surveillance is: a single passing car can trigger over 100 high-speed photos, feeding a searchable network accessible to more than 2,000 law enforcement agencies.

Know this: Public backlash against the tracking network is growing. Multiple cities have canceled contracts over privacy concerns, and camera sabotage has become common enough that one police department deployed fake, 3D-printed Flock cameras as bait for vandals.

If you put surveillance hardware on a public street, someone with a wrench will eventually take it home and read the drive.