According to the ICO, baby monitors are still open to hackers across the UK; as a result, the ICO has issued a list of recommendations to avoid privacy breaches
Earlier this year, the Shodan search engine launched a feature that lets users easily access vulnerable webcams.
In September 2015, researchers from the Rapid7 security firm discovered a number of security vulnerabilities affecting several video baby monitors.
Rapid7 analyzed baby monitors from six vendors, ranging in price from $55 to $260 in order to assess their security. The list of baby monitors analyzed includes the Philips In.Sight B120/37, the iBaby M3S and M6 models, the Summer Infant Baby Zoom,TrendNet Wi-Fi Baby Cam, the Lens Peek-a-View and a Gynoii device.
Flaws affecting baby monitors represent a serious threat to the privacy of the families. Baby monitors are smart devices always online equipped with a camera and a microphone, all that is necessary to spy on the surrounding environment.
A couple of years ago, another case was in the headlines: a Russian website was allowing users to spy from more than 73,000 live streams from unprotected baby monitors.
What has changed during the last couple of years on the privacy perspective? Apparently nothing in this particular product, as online, it is quite easy to find vulnerable baby monitors. The UK’s data watchdog has warned that baby monitors are still open to cyber attacks, and it is inviting manufacturers to improve the cybersecurity of their products.
Hackers still violate users’ privacy by spying on their kids through hacker baby monitors and unfortunately these images are publicly available online.
The Information Commissioner’s Office took action to avoid this kind of incidents, issuing guidlines to help users to secure their devices.
“Internet of Things products such as baby monitors, music systems, and photo or document storage, which can be accessed online, are at risk of revealing your personal details to other people,” said the Information Commissioner’s Office technology manager Simon Rice.
“A lack of security when it comes to IoT devices could mean that a search engine is used by criminals to locate vulnerable devices and then gain access to them or others on your home network. An attacker could then use your equipment to mount attacks on others or take your personal data to commit identity fraud.”
The guidance provides a list of simple and effective measures to prevent the hack of baby monitors.
Six basic steps parents can take to help prevent casual hackers:
- Make sure to use the most secure products available on the market
- Secure your router with a proper configuration, for example, use a strong password
- Do not use default credentials for your devices
- Apply for security updates available on the manufacturer’s websites
- Familiarize yourself with the device, read the manual to see if there are extra measures to adopt
- Use two-step authentication
The ICO did not disclose the name of websites where it is possible to access the streams belonging to vulnerable baby monitors.
“We wouldn’t recommend any specific models but would advise consumers to follow our tips when purchasing and setting up an IoT device. Even the most secure device can be subject to unauthorized access if the username and password was set to, or left as, admin,” reported Ars.
Unfortunately, security of IoT devices is already an emergency, with billions of devices potentially hackable exposed online.
The ICO confirmed that its experts are continuing to work with manufacturers on improving the security of such devices and to prevent security and privacy breaches.
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