Security cameras are becoming more in demand today. Many homeowners and business owners are apparently incorporating different variations of CCTV and surveillance cameras into their respective security systems. Due to its efficiency and effectiveness to provide security and monitor activities, users largely depend their security needs on security cameras.
Another factor why many consumers patronize security cameras is because they are also pretty much convenient to use and install. But while they are quite easy to set up, they are also susceptible to hacking. In fact, you could learn it on your own by utilizing the world of the internet. And it only shows how it’s easy for someone to hack a security camera.
As ironic as it may seem, security cameras are easy for hackers to access.
Using the right programs, tools, and knowledge, a hacker may tap, watch, and even broadcast the footage you are monitoring or recording, especially today that the technology provides countless of avenues for someone to pick up the right ways and tools.
The most apparent type of security cameras that are seen to be the attraction of hackers are the ones that are configured online for remote access. They are considered to be the most vulnerable of all.
Now, when a security camera has been compromised, it can be very subtle. Owners and users wouldn’t even know that they are being watched or hacked already.
So, how would you know if your security camera has been compromised?
Unfortunately, it’s quite difficult to know when a camera has been hacked. But there are actually signs that show hacking activities in a certain camera. And if you want to remove the threats and risks, you should be aware of these signs.
- The Strange Noises
Have you ever encountered strange noises from your camera? If that is a yes, then you may want to check your security camera because this is one of the most common telltales of a hacked security camera.
If you hear strange noises, especially a voice being overheard from the background, it only means that the camera is already hacked and accessed by someone. The hacker has already gained control and you may want to change your security camera by this time.
- The Abnormal Camera Rotations
PTZ cameras are highly favored by homeowners, especially business owners due to its pan-tilt-zoom functions. When you have this kind of security camera, you would notice that you can largely control these functions. Accordingly, you can direct the camera to adjust its vision ranges. However, when you observe that your camera is rotating on its own without your adjustments and authorities, it could only mean one thing – your camera is being hacked.
Normally, when your PTZ camera has been compromised by hackers, you would notice that the camera is rotating on its own. More often than not, the camera would follow your movements and activities. If this happens on your end, quickly check the settings and revert everything to its initial settings.
- The Random Blinking LED Light
A random blinking LED light is also an indication that your security camera has been already compromised. As a security camera user and owner, you initially know what’s the normal blinking activities. If you notice that the LED light would blink in a very random way, you could then restart your computer and the camera.
Once rebooted, observe the LED light if it will still blink randomly. And if it does, that’s the only time that you may need to pull up your Task Manager on the computer and check for the winlogon.exe program on the processes tab. If you see more than one copies of the said program, disconnect quickly your computer from the internet and run an anti-virus scan.
- The Turned-On LED Light
A security camera is on and well-functioning when you see a stable LED light. Conversely, the LED light won’t emit light if the camera is turned off. So, if you see this light even when you turned your camera off, it only means that the camera is already compromised and someone is already in your network watching or recording through your security camera.
To resolve this kind of concern, run again your Task Manager on the computer. Check for the winlogon.exe program and see if it runs on several copies. If it does, disconnect everything from the internet, then scan and clean the computer.
- The Increase in Network Traffic
If you are a tech-savvy who knows things around the network traffic and data flow on your connections, you may want to check the flow for sudden spikes and invalid logins. The increase in your network traffic can significantly mean that someone is accessing your network, specifically your security camera feed and footages.
Through the data flow in your network, you could also know the login details whether they are valid or invalid types.