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License Plate Readers Are Leaking Real-Time Video Feeds and Vehicle Data


Misconfigured license plate recognition systems reveal the livestreams of individual cameras and the wealth of data they collect about every vehicle that passes them by.

In just 20 minutes this morning, an automated license plate recognition (ALPR) system in Nashville, Tennessee captured photographs and detailed information from nearly 1,000 vehicles as they passed by. However, a flaw discovered by a security researcher has exposed live video feeds and detailed records of passing vehicles, revealing the staggering scale of surveillance enabled by this widespread technology. As well as broadcasting live footage accessible to anyone on the internet, the misconfigured cameras also exposed data they have collected, including photos of cars and logs of licence plates.

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