The baby monitor is the new babysitter! It’s like having another member of the house looking after the baby. As a parent, you can finally rest your mind while still keeping an eye on the sleeping baby.
The audio & video surveillance keeps you updated whether the baby is awake, asleep, or having any trouble sleeping. However, has it ever crossed your mind whether a baby monitor can be hacked?
After all, it is a digital and electrical device that connects to the internet as well. Even if a baby monitor is prone to hack, should you be worried? How to prevent this from happening so?
Let’s find out.
Can baby monitors be hacked?
The simple answer is yes; baby monitors are very well prone to hacks and there are numerous such examples that you can search up on the internet. In similar incidents, hackers hacked into baby monitors and passed voice commands over them.
Some hackers have also stolen the video recording from the baby monitor and uploaded it onto the internet. There are many such horrifying stories on the internet though some of them might be a bit exaggerated.
However, that doesn’t change the fact that intruders can hack into your precious baby monitor and steal audio or video recordings. We’ll find out how hacking into baby monitors is possible.
How Can Hackers Access the Baby Monitor?
Primarily, there are two kinds of baby monitors; audio monitors and video or smart monitors. The audio baby monitor works the same as a walkie-talkie where you communicate by matching the radio frequencies at both ends.
Hacking into an audio monitor is relatively simple and all it requires is to tune the frequency and settings of your device to that of the baby monitor. Thus, one can now listen to the voices and verbally communicate at the baby’s end.
However, to hack into an audio monitor, the intruder has to be pretty close to it since such devices cannot propagate commands over a long distance. So, if your monitor is hacked, know that the intruder is close-by.
As for the smart monitors, the intruder can sit in any place around the globe and still perform the hack. Although such baby monitors are protected with few layers of security, hacking into them is still easier than exploiting a smartphone or a computer.
Smart baby monitors do not have a reliable operating system such as a smartphone and thus their security can be compromised more easily. The hacker can bypass the firewall, crack the admin password, or have access to the WiFi of the house.
Check out this article as well: Can baby monitors interfere with wifi?
How to protect your baby monitor from getting hacked?
You can try the following:
- Set strong passwords
- Set up two-factor authentication
- Keep the device updated
- Purchase monitors only from a recognized brand
- Be wary of who you share your info with
Final Word
Baby monitors are prone to hacks just as much as other digital devices. However, you shouldn’t panic over it as the threat can be countered with suitable measures.
