Hacked Home Security Cameras List
Advanced technology has become very common, following us wherever we go. It speeds up the pace of our lives, but it can carry a certain level of risk that should be acknowledged so that it can be overcome. This is particularly true in the world of residential and commercial security. It seems that aging and stagnant technology can develop vulnerabilities if not kept up to date, but some products are known to be less supported than others.
Vulnerabilities exist because the developers or manufacturers of a product overlook security flaws. These are the flaws that malicious hackers take advantage of.
Security cameras, like all technology, can be vulnerable to hacks. However, there are companies that continually work to patch and prevent flaws, and many cameras are now encrypted which adds an extra layer of protection from hackers.
Cameras That Are Unsecured
There is a list of IP (wireless) cameras that are unsecured. There are an astounding 73,000 cameras that are unsecured in the IP camera domain. This means criminals can hack the cameras and monitor your home without your knowledge. What you thought was a good idea could be used against you if you are using an IP camera system.
Cameras have been hacked in a total of 256 countries around the world. The following manufacturers may be supplying unsecured cameras that can be easily hacked:
Axis
Panasonic
PanasonicHD
Linksys
Mobotix
Sony
TPLink
Foscam
Netcam
Defeway
Webcam XP/7
How to Tell If a Camera Has Been Hacked
There are some ways to tell if your security cameras have been hacked, but unfortunately, you may not notice if someone has already hacked your camera until they live-stream the footage on the Internet.
You might hear unusual noises or voices coming from your IP camera or baby monitor. That’s one surefire way to tell if someone has hacked into your system.
Your camera rotates while appearing to be following your movements around the room.
There’s a change in your camera’s security settings.
An LED light randomly blinks or an LED light that’s showing illuminated, but you aren’t the one who activated that feature.
There’s a spike in the data flow on your network and your camera.
This was reportedly an incident that has already taken place in Houston, Texas. This was possible because hackers can easily hack into some kinds of security cameras and download or stream that video footage from your security cameras at home.
Protect Yourself from Hackers
One of the best ways to keep yourself safe from hackers is your password. Do not use simple passwords. This is one of the easiest ways a hacker can gain access. Below are some other ways to help protect yourself against potential hacks:
You should change your password frequently.
Never use the system’s default username or password.
Select a brand name system from a company with a good reputation. Brinks Home™ offers cameras with built-in encryption, making them harder to hack.
Never buy a used security system.
Limit the number of devices used to access your system. Only give your laptop, mobile device, and desktop the capability of logging into your system.
Never use public connections to access your home security system because they are not secure.
Periodically check your logins and look for anything you don’t recognize.
Always upgrade your firmware to check for fixes or improvements and to help keep your features up to date.
Buy an anti-jammer. Anti-jammers will detect when the signal to your system has been intercepted by a jamming device. It will alert you that your system has encountered a signal failure. This will allow you to respond immediately to correct the situation.
Select a security monitoring company that rigorously safeguards your information is important, as remote hacking usually results from your security company falling victim to a data breach that publicizes your login information. Brinks Home prioritizes customer information security.
If you have found that security or other settings have been changed, or if you notice your equipment making noise or doing things that you did not set it up to do, there is a good possibility that your security cameras have been hacked by someone.
Wi-Fi Cameras Prone to Hacking
Wireless or Wi-Fi-based cameras are the easiest to gain access to from the hacker's perspective. This is because they have access to the connection point, and then all they must do is figure out a password or find a vulnerability to get in.
In these scenarios, there are some things you can do to protect your cameras from being hacked. One option is to get more advanced security cameras that use good encryption methods, so it’s harder for hackers to gain access.
If you are using a wireless system, make sure you activate the WPA2 encryption option that most security cameras come with. The WPA2 is a higher standard of security protocol and should always be used when installing a wireless security system.
Brinks Home takes extra precautions against hackers by equipping its alarm panels with specialized technology. Unlike most alarm panels, the Brinks Home Touch Panel encrypts all sensor signals to safeguard against hackers and utilizes LTE cellular transmissions (and Wi-Fi, as part of our dual-path communication) to ensure all alarms are sent quickly and securely.
Also, Brinks Home allows you to add multiple users to your Brinks Home Touch, all with individualized passwords. This eliminates the need to share login information among users and ensures you stay well-protected.
Two-factor authentication strengthens your protection by delivering a follow-up notification after putting in your password. Sending a code via text or email minimizes the chance of someone hacking your account since two-factor authentication requires you to input your password as well as the six-digit follow-up code.
Two-factor authentication further shields you from hackers by using two separate networks to channel your data – for example, your home security system may use your internet connection, and the follow-up code sent to your smartphone utilizes your mobile network. Two-factor authentication offers you twice the protection with no hassle.
There are several other tips as well such as upgrading firmware, installing antivirus software, and installing a firewall on your wireless network.
What Company Can Help Protect Against Hacking
Don’t underestimate the value of quality when choosing a professional monitoring service. Even if one company costs a bit more than others, there’s usually a good reason for that. Consider a home security provider that offers the following:
High-tech equipment
Reliability
Dependable customer service and technical support
Your home security provider can also help monitor potential hacking and signal jamming to provide you with greater peace of mind.
If your security cameras were hacked, you will need to update your firmware and contact your security company immediately. Doing these two things will help you correct the problem and secure the vulnerability.
Would you like to know more about which security system is right for you? Contact us today and speak with a Security Consultant who can customize a new security system offering worry-free protection.
