Hacking Wifi Cameras Dangers & Precautions
People hacking WiFi cameras are prevalent and such thing is pretty dangerous. Research shows thousands of WiFi cameras have been hacked. A site once revealed 73,011 unsecured cameras in 256 countries. As the rise and demand for security and surveillance increases , more and more people start to install their own cameras in their homes and offices . The convenience of IP(internet protocol) cameras that allows you to view footage anytime anywhere .
However, many people don’t set up these cameras securely. They leave them configured with the default username and password, and then connect them to the internet. This means anyone can watch the feed just by visiting the camera’s IP address online. There even are search engines like SHODAN designed to help people find these exposed camera feeds and other vulnerable Internet of Things devices.
How does hacking Wifi Cameras happen?
Searching Google, you will find certain hacked cameras list.
Maybe yours is in the hacked cameras list! But how does someone hack into your IP cameras?
Most of those hacking WiFi cameras in the unsecured IP camera list got peered into due to default password or lack of password protection.
What’s worse, some WiFi cameras lack elementary security features. They fail to support SSL/TLS encryption, which makes IP cameras video surveillance footage vulnerable to hackers. And users’ lack of awareness to security between cameras and the router also lead to WiFi cam hack issues.
How do i make sure my camera won't get hacked ?
1) Make sure your home/work network is secure
Firstly, securing your WiFi network is the first and also the most basic thing you can do to protect your WiFi IP cameras from being violated by hackers. This may include using WPA2-AES encryption method, changing a stronger password for home router, changing the default SSID name, turning off guest networking and more things you can think of.
2) Create a strong password for cameras
You may forget to create a password or even misunderstand that it is impossible to set a password. The fact is, this leaves an open door for hackers to easily gain access to the device and, through the device, to the wireless network to which it’s connected.
Some of you may not change the default password of WiFi monitoring systems after purchase. This is extremely dangerous. Thus, change the default password and choose a strong one. It is better to combine letters, both upper and lower cases, numbers and symbols. The more complicated a passwords is, the more difficult it is to be guessed. Website tips about how to hack IP camera passwords can also give you clues for creating a stronger password, which is hard to be hacked.
3) Update the firmware regularly
Usually manufacturers of WiFi cameras would update their firmware to enhance performance especially when some flaws come out. So keep updating firmware for the latest one. You can check camera manufacturer’s official website and see if you can update.
4)Purchase the Wi-fi camera from a trusted source
When you are choosing a new wireless camera system, there are quite a few sources for you to choose. You can find various wireless security cameras buying sites, like Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, and some trusted company websites, where you can see versatile CCTV camera brand. Always remember to choose a reliable one with good customer service. Make sure your WiFi security camera enables SSL or TLS, and also supports SSL encryption, which will protect your camera from prying eyes, just like Reolink cameras do.
5) Cover the lens of the camera
It may seem absurd, but since hackers developed malware able to see us and hear through the webcams and microphones you have to take some drastic measures.
Luckily, tapes are still a way to protect you from cyber threats and they are extremely easy to use and accessible to everybody. When there is a need to use your webcam, you can simply remove the piece of tape and put it back after you use it. A good tip to leave no adhesive residue on the lens is to use the adhesive in conjunction with a piece of paper.
6) Install anti-malware programs
The safety tip that Windows users usually listen to is ”to install and update the antivirus on your computer”. This is a good tip, but an anti-virus is unable to detect all kinds of virtual threat.
Therefore, you should opt for one protection tool against malware and to do periodic scans using anti-malware tools. Having those programs installed, you will not only protect yourself from malicious files and sites, but also be able to identify and remove the viruses that are endangering the proper functioning of your computer.
7) Disconnect your webcam when you’re not using it
The application Webcam On-Off is developed especially for those who have laptops or computers with a built-in webcam. You can turn off your webcam whenever you want. This application avoids any kind of problems derived from the possible invasion of your webcam.
You can also disconnect the USB webcams desktops, or disable it in the BIOS or operating system. The latter methods may also be useful to disable the microphone on desktops and laptops as well.