.:Computer Defense:.

An interesting link came across one of the mailing lists I'm on earlier tonight. It seems that a man in Nova Scotia inadvertently became a peeping tom. You might ask how you inadvertently do this... well follow these simple steps.

1. Purchase a WiFi-enabled security camera, that emails pictures every time motion is detected.
2. Set it up at home, configuring your email address as the address that it uses.
3. Decide the camera isn't for you, repackage it and return it to the store.
4. Wait for another person to purchase the camera.

That's it... The article mentions that Staples warns stores to ensure that the device is fully erased before reselling it, however in this case the store owner insists that it is the original purchasers responsibility to ensure that data is wiped from the device. It raises an interesting question, however I don't think that you could, in any way, find the original purchaser responsible. I would highly suggest that they wipe the data (unless they want their email address available to someone else), but I don't think they could be forced to... Take a scenario where an elderly couple buys the camera and their grandchild deploys it for them... The grandchild goes home, the couple finds they don't like the camera, so they unplug it and box it up to return it... It may never cross their mind to reset the configuration... That should be the first step taken in the store.

Either way, let this serve as a lesson for anyone who has purchased an "Open Box" special and just plugged it in... Someone, somewhere may be watching you.