An exposed webcam is rarely an isolated device; it sits on a local network. If a hacker gains access to the camera's operating system, they can use it as a launchpad (pivot point) to scan and attack more valuable targets on the same network, such as network-attached storage (NAS) devices, laptops, and servers. 5. How to Protect Your IP Cameras From Being Dorked

When an IP camera or webcam software interface displays "webcam patched" in its title, it usually means one of two things:

The turning point was the 2016 Mirai botnet attack, which weaponized insecure IoT devices to launch massive DDoS attacks against internet infrastructure giants like Dyn, crippling sites like Twitter and Netflix.