Weak Password ‘admin123’ Exposes Privacy Breach: Rajkot Hospital Footage Found On Porn Sites
Weak Password ‘admin123’ Exposes Privacy Breach: Rajkot Hospital Footage Found On Porn Sites
Negligence in basic digital security has once again shown how devastating the consequences can be. A maternity hospital in Rajkot, Gujarat, is at the center of a horrifying privacy breach after videos of women undergoing gynaecological examinations surfaced on pornographic websites. What began as an alleged case of “hacking” has now been traced back to something shockingly simple — the use of the default password admin123.
The scandal first broke out in February when explicit clips recorded inside the Payal Maternity Home appeared online and were even circulated for sale on Telegram groups. Hospital staff initially claimed their system had been hacked. “We are unaware of how the hospital videos went viral. Our CCTV server appears to have been compromised, and we will inform the police,” said Dr. Amit Akbari, who works at the hospital.
Although some individuals suspected of involvement were arrested the same month, the disturbing videos reportedly continued to circulate online and remained available for purchase at prices ranging between ₹700 and ₹4,000 until at least June.
Further investigation by cybercrime authorities revealed that the Rajkot incident was part of a much larger network breach. Around 80 CCTV dashboards across India — from hospitals and schools to offices, factories, cinema halls, and even private homes — had been compromised. Among the affected cities were Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Nashik, Surat, Ahmedabad, and Rajkot.
Investigators discovered that nearly all of these systems shared the same weak security setup — the unchanged default login credentials admin123. Hackers exploited this vulnerability using “brute force attacks,” a method where automated programs test multiple combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols until they gain access. Because the password was so simple, it barely took any effort for cybercriminals to break in.
One of the lead hackers, a BCom graduate, reportedly used three different software tools to infiltrate these systems. Over a period of nine months, the group allegedly collected around 50,000 clips from various sources nationwide, many of which were later uploaded or sold online.
Experts have warned that this incident highlights a crucial and often overlooked aspect of cybersecurity — digital responsibility. Strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication should be mandatory, especially in institutions that deal with sensitive or personal data. “Hospitals and organizations must understand that their negligence can violate the privacy and dignity of others,” said a cybercrime officer from Ahmedabad.
According to the latest report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), cybercrime in India surged by 31% in 2023, with 86,420 cases registered compared to 65,983 in 2022 — a worrying indication of how common digital breaches have become.
