How To Keep Your Home Security Cameras Safe?
By: John Garcia | Date Posted: April 19, 2022
Table of Contents
Failing to actively monitor home security cameras undermines their purpose of protecting homeowners and their property. Ignoring security risks increases the likelihood of hackers accessing surveillance feeds and invading privacy. Users often expose their cameras to hacking by using weak, reused passwords, connecting them to unsecured networks, neglecting updates, and using outdated antivirus software.
Tips To Keep Your Home Security Cameras Safe
Security cameras effectively protect homes and offices, yet their adoption in residential settings remains low. Many users hesitate due to concerns about privacy invasion and the perceived high cost of installation. Despite these deterrents, these factors should not dissuade individuals from considering the valuable security benefits of home surveillance systems.
Following this guide can ensure that your home security cameras are safe and you are not watched by anyone with an ulterior motive. On the other hand, you can easily buy the best home security camera system for under 200.
Make Your Home Wireless Network Secure
To safeguard your cameras from hacking, start by securing your WiFi network. This involves setting a strong password for your home router, using WPA2-AES encryption, disabling guest networking, and changing the default SSID name.
Turn Off Remote Online Monitoring
Some WiFi-enabled cameras allow remote viewing, enabling homeowners to monitor their homes from a distance. However, these cameras pose a hidden risk: hackers can potentially access the camera’s app or website. It’s advisable to disable this feature on your camera if possible.
Keep Your Camera’s Firmware Up To Date
Regularly updating your camera’s software prevents hackers from accessing it. Some cameras update automatically or notify you through the app. Others require manual checking for firmware updates in the “Settings” section of the camera app.
Create A Strong Password
A strong and unique password is a great hurdle to the way of hacking your home security cameras. Even though it is difficult to set strong different passwords for different sites, it is a great way to protect oneself from being hacked.
Hence, you will be making your security cameras vulnerable to getting hacked by using the same password for your other app as well as your home security cameras.
Set your password using numbers, symbols, and both capital and small letters. Do not use any meaningful word or name, rather something meaningless invited by yourself.
Make your password long and difficult. When you have decided to set your password, you should note it in your diary or a notepad so that you do not forget it later. Do not note that password in your mobile or any other electronic device as these devices are vulnerable to getting hacked also.
Change Password Frequently
Some people stop by only creating a strong password. No matter how strong your password is, you should change it after some time. Some people use their old password only because they think that the password is strong. They modify the old password with lowercase and uppercase letters or change the positions of some numbers.
You should not do so but rather create a new and complex password. Changing passwords frequently and creating a complex one every time makes it difficult for hackers to hack your device.
Set Up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security measure that confirms your identity by utilizing an extra layer of security along with your password.
Even if someone gets your password, he/she can not access your account. Once you set up two-factor authentication on your account, you will see options for text messages, email, and phone calls to deliver one-time codes.
Beware Password Recovery Emails
Now almost every online service has the option to recover a password that is forgotten. This option is the main target for cybercriminals.
Everybody uses a Gmail account to change a forgotten password. Now imagine what will happen if a hacker gets access to your Gmail account. Well, you can not and should not remove the forgot password option.
What you should do is beware of password recovery emails and make your email addresses as complex as you can, mainly for this purpose.
If In Doubt, Turn It Off
No matter how many effective ways you adopt, if you still think that there is someone stalking you using your own home security cameras, you should deactivate them.
Delete Your Data
If you want to buy new, improved wireless cameras and sell your old cameras, you should delete all the data from the history. Check the manual, where you will find instructions on how you can restore your cameras to factory settings.
Conclusion
It is not enough to install security cameras at home. Just as security cameras keep a vigil watch on your home, you need to keep a vigil watch on your security cameras.
Maintain all the suggestions given in this guide to keep your home security cameras safe. Even after this, we recommend you be cautious lest you should be hacked by some hackers. In spite of adopting the necessary measures, if you think you are being watched, take help from an expert.
Thank you for reading!
