Security cameras are useful for watching over not only our property, but also our families. Many security cameras allow users to access a live audio and video feed using a computer or mobile device. The problem is that unless the connection is secure, others may be watching, too. They may use information obtained by observing a home or business for identity theft. And it is just plain creepy to think of strangers watching your baby while she plays or sleeps.
Cyber security expert Dr. Malcolm Pattinson, from the University of Adelaide (Australia), said that thieves could use information from security cameras for identity theft. “When you come to assume the identity of somebody, it seems so much more genuine if you know their background…you can talk more convincingly when you know their lifestyle,” Dr Pattinson said. “The more you know about them the more you can emulate what they do.”
Dr. Pattinson said criminals could also be using the unrestricted camera access to monitor activity inside homes to figure out the best times to strike. Criminals may access unprotected feeds to determine when no one is home, or when children are home alone. “It can be used to trace people when they’re leaving home, when they get back and when they are out of the house, so then they can rob it,” he said.
If you are considering the purchase of an Internet camera, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suggests you look for one that offers secure wireless transmission from the camera to the router, using wireless security protocols such as WPA2. If you plan to access the feed remotely (e.g., from your phone or tablet when you are away from home) you should look for a camera that encrypts all of your information, including your username, password and the live feeds. The login page to access the feed and the page where the feed is located should have URLs that begin with https, indicating that they are secure.
Do you want more than one person to have access to view the feeds? Look for a camera that offers separate levels of access for different users. Some users may only be able to view the feeds, while an administrator can set up new accounts and change camera settings, such as zoom function or the direction the camera faces.
Of course, ultimately the security of an IP camera depends on how it is used. The FTC recommends that users employ the following precautions:
- Use a complex and hard-to-guess password.
- Keep the monitor’s software up to date.
- Use the security features to encrypt the feed, both from the camera to your router and from the router to the Internet.
- When you access the feed from your mobile device, do so securely.
Used properly, Internet cameras can make a home more secure, but without the proper precautions, they could make a home less secure.
