Here is an analysis of what this query does, why it works, and the security implications behind it.
: Instructs Google to find pages where the title includes this specific phrase, which is a common header for camera viewing software. intext:"setting client setting top"
Camera interfaces can vary, but they generally share a few common elements. Typically, you'll find a central live video feed, a menu for accessing different settings, and sometimes a PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) control panel.
Because of his specific search query—the intext modifier—he had bypassed the login screen entirely. The camera’s web server was archaic, configured with a "guest" mode that actually allowed full administrative access if you knew the right URL string. He was looking at the raw feed, and on the right side of the screen, he could see the panel open.