In 2025, a cybersecurity flaw in Flock Safety’s Condor camera line was publicly documented, allowing anyone with knowledge of the vulnerability to access live video feeds from deployed cameras. Separately, independent security researchers demonstrated that a Flock camera could be physically compromised in under 30 seconds, exposing stored images and metadata. Here is what HOA boards need to understand about these findings.
The Two Documented Security Vulnerabilities
Vulnerability 1: The Live Feed Flaw
In 2025, a cybersecurity flaw in Flock Safety’s Condor camera product line was documented that allowed unauthorized parties to access live video streams from deployed cameras. This meant that individuals with knowledge of the exploit — not just Flock employees, not just law enforcement, not just your HOA board — could potentially view real-time footage from cameras installed in your neighborhood.
For an HOA whose stated purpose in installing cameras is security, a flaw that allows unauthorized live monitoring is a fundamental product failure. The cameras designed to watch intruders could themselves be watched by intruders.
Vulnerability 2: Physical Compromise in Under 30 Seconds
Independent security researchers published findings demonstrating that physical access to a Flock Safety camera is sufficient to fully compromise it in under 30 seconds. Once compromised:
- Root-level access to the device is obtained
- Unencrypted stored images and metadata can be extracted
- The camera’s operational status can be manipulated
- Historical plate reads stored on the device can be accessed
Flock cameras are typically mounted on poles at community entrances — locations accessible to anyone walking or driving by. The 30-second compromise window means no guard, no witness, and no alarm is required to access the device.
Flock Safety’s Response
Flock Safety acknowledged the vulnerabilities and stated that patches were or would be deployed. However, HOA boards should verify independently:
- Whether your specific camera model(s) were affected
- Whether the patch was automatically applied or requires manual update
- Whether any data was accessed during the vulnerability window
- Whether Flock has conducted any forensic review to determine if exploitation occurred at deployed cameras
Ask Flock Safety for written confirmation of patch status and forensic review findings before renewing your contract.
What This Means for Your HOA’s Liability
If your HOA deployed Flock Safety cameras and resident vehicle movement data was exposed through either vulnerability, your board could potentially face questions about:
- Failure to adequately vet the security of a surveillance system collecting resident data
- Failure to notify residents of a data breach if one occurred
- State data breach notification laws that may apply to collected surveillance data
How PLACA.AI Approaches Hardware Security
PLACA.AI cameras have no published security vulnerabilities. More importantly, the architecture differs in a key way: even if a PLACA.AI camera were physically accessed, there is no law enforcement network to pivot into, no national database to query, and no cross-community data to expose. The blast radius of any potential hardware compromise is limited to your community’s own data.
| Security Factor | Flock Safety | PLACA.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Published vulnerabilities (2025) | Live feed flaw + 30-sec physical compromise | None published |
| Physical access risk | Root access in under 30 seconds | No published exploit |
| Data encrypted in transit | Yes (when working correctly) | Yes — TLS |
| Network blast radius if compromised | Access to national law enforcement database | Limited to your community data only |
| Law enforcement pivot risk | Yes — connected to 3,000+ agencies | No — no network to pivot into |
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Flock Safety patched the camera vulnerabilities?
Flock Safety stated that patches were deployed for the documented vulnerabilities. However, as of publication, independent verification of the patches has not been completed by the security researchers who originally discovered them. HOA boards should request written patch confirmation and ask whether forensic review was conducted on deployed cameras to determine if exploitation occurred.
Should my HOA be worried about the Flock Safety security flaws?
If your HOA uses Flock Safety cameras, you should: (1) request written confirmation that your camera models were patched, (2) ask whether any data was accessed during the vulnerability window, and (3) review your state’s data breach notification requirements. The decision whether to renew should factor in both the security vulnerabilities and the documented ICE data-sharing issues.
Are PLACA.AI cameras secure?
PLACA.AI cameras have no published cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Access requires authenticated login. The architecture also limits exposure: since PLACA.AI has no law enforcement network, a physical camera compromise cannot be used to pivot into a national database of plate reads from thousands of other communities.
Security Technology Should Be Secure
PLACA.AI gives your HOA professional LPR without known vulnerabilities, without a law enforcement network, and without the ICE exposure. Solar-powered. Wire-free. Private.
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