How to save security cameras from hackers

Keeping your home security cameras safe from hackers is an essential step if you're going to bring these recording devices into your home. If you can access your camera over the internet, someone else theoretically can access or “hack" it as well. Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to protect your security cameras from hacking so you don’t need to sacrifice the benefits of having a surveillance camera protecting your home over fears that your personal moments will be shared on the internet in high definition video. Best CCTV Services in Lahore. 

Installing an internet-connected security camera in your house won't necessarily bring a wave of hackers to your Wi-Fi network -- but losing privacy resulting from a device's security shortcomings is surprisingly common. Last year, an ADT home security customer noticed an unfamiliar email address connected to her home security account, a professionally monitored system that included cameras and other devices inside her home. That simple discovery, and her report of it to the company, began to topple a long line of dominoes leading back to a technician who had spied, over the course of four and a half years, on hundreds of customers -- watching them live their private lives. ADT says it has closed the loopholes that technician exploited, implementing "new safeguards, training and policies to strengthen  account security and customer privacy." But invasions of privacy are not unique to ADT, and some vulnerabilities are harder to safeguard than other Best CCTV Services.

Whether you're using professionally monitored security systems such as ADT, Comcast Xfinity or Vivint, or you just have a few stand-alone cameras from off-the-shelf companies like Ring, Nest or Arlo, here are a few practices that can help protect your device security and data privacy.

Security Cameras be Hacked:

Any device connected to the internet can be hacked, and that includes home security cameras. Wired cameras are less vulnerable than Wi-Fi cameras, and those with local storage are less vulnerable than cameras that store video on a cloud-based server. However, all cameras can be hacked. This could allow someone to watch you, listen to you, and record your activities without your knowledge. They also potentially could access any other devices on your home network, such as your computer or smartphone. All security cameras are vulnerable,” says Arup Mukherjee, a software engineer for 25 years and founder of Camect, a smart network video recorder designed to make security cameras more secure. “The brand of camera and how it is set up on the network are the most important risk factors. Some manufacturers are more security-conscious than others, and most of the risk of having a home security camera can be mitigated if you take appropriate precautions on your network.

The majority of home security camera hacks aren't the camera's fault. They usually happen because homeowners used the same password on another site and that database was hacked, or because they didn't change the camera's default password when they bought it. This is what Ring claims happened in the well-publicized example of the Ring camera being hacked in a little girl's room. It is, however, sometimes the fault of the manufacturer. Cloud-based security cameras save their footage on a server, and hackers can try to get into those systems to gain direct access to that data. If the camera company does not employ proper security practices, they are more likely to succeed. We provide the Best CCTV Services in Lahore According to Mukherjee, some cameras work with a cloud service and transfer all of your video data to the cloud. Even if the hackers cannot directly connect to the cameras on your home network, this type of camera is subject to cloud service hacking or theft of your video data from your cloud service. This is why you should only get security cameras from reputable manufacturers. According to Jordan Frankel, vice president of security consulting firm Global Security Experts Inc., "look for a brand that's been there for years, that you recognize, and that has as many positive ratings as possible." You don't want to put your camera footage's security in the hands of a corporation you don't know. It makes no difference how strong your Wi-Fi router's password is in this scenario. Because your footage is stored on their systems, they have access to it.

How to know you've been hacked:

It's nearly impossible to tell if your security camera  or, more frighteningly, your baby monitor — has been hacked. Attacks might go completely unreported by the untrained eye, and most people would have no idea where to start looking for signs of trouble. Slow or worse-than-normal performance on a security camera is a warning flag for nefarious activities. "Many cameras have little memory, and when attackers take advantage of them, CPU cycles have to work extra hard, rendering routine camera operations nearly or fully ineffective at times," Lakhani stated. However, poor performance isn't always symptomatic of a malicious attack; it could be due to something as simple as a bad internet connection or a weak wireless signal.

Tips for Protecting Your Security Cameras:

Indoor cameras should never be installed in bedrooms, bathrooms, or other explicitly private areas. When you're at home, unplug or physically cover the camera if you're genuinely worried about being seen. Consider getting a camera that has a physical indicator when it's recording or in live view mode, so you can know if someone is watching at a look. If you're worried that someone might use your wireless security cameras to break into your home network and obtain access to other devices like PCs, try setting up a separate network for your cameras with a different router. Set up restrictions where the camera network joins to your main network (for example, at your router) to guarantee that no unexpected communication occurs between your cameras and other devices on your home network, or between your cameras and unknown destinations on the internet.

Courtesy: Best CCTV Services in Lahore.