Loving and caring parents often turn to the use of in-room cameras to monitor their children from afar. To be sure, mom and dad may utilize this type of device to watch their newborn baby as they go down for a nap, or keep tabs on them during playtime hours throughout the day.
But while these dedicated parents may think they are only acting with the best interests and safety of their child in mind, in reality they may be putting both themselves and their entire family at risk. In fact, a recent article shows that lagging security within the “Internet of Things” can have serious consequences for those families with baby cameras in their homes.
Internet of Things and Security – Dangers of Web Cameras Inside of the House
According to a January 2016 article published by Ars Technica, a new search engine for the Internet of Things, named Shodan, allows users to browse vulnerable webcams without any password authentication in place. Specifically, by searching on Shodan, a user has the ability to peer into the homes and lives of those families or other individuals with cameras in place.
But how exactly does this work? Ultimately, according to the article, these cameras use the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP, Port 554); and if no password authentication is in place while in use, anyone who searches using the filter “port:554 has_screenshot:true” can peruse a wide list of open webcam views showing the lives of unsuspecting victims.
In some cases, this can be harmless, albeit uncomfortable; a viewer may simply be curious in this type of safety defect and explore it for him or herself. Of course, on the other hand, it can put families at risk if the insides of their homes are examined and studied by unscrupulous would-be burglars… or worse.
Protect Yourself by Speaking to a Professional
You should never put your children at risk by broadcasting a view of your home without a password authentication in place. Before setting up a web cam to watch your kids, make sure that a password exists to ensure that only you have access to the feed. If this concept seems foreign to you or if you would like to have our home security experts provide a consultation, please contact A-1 Security Group today.
