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SINGAPORE – How safe are home surveillance cameras from hackers? Do households also let in unwanted prying eyes with so many people having virtual meetings and leaving their laptop cameras on while at home?
These questions have arisen after images from Singapore home surveillance cameras surfaced on porn sites, showing people in various stages of nudity or compromising positions.
The Straits Times technical editor, Irene Tham, answers the top five concerns related to webcams.
1. How safe are home surveillance cameras from hackers?
These so-called Internet of Things (IoT) or connected devices have contributed to the growing IoT nightmare simply because the rules surrounding how they are protected in cyberspace are lax.
Searches on online e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and Qoo10 show that most of these cameras are unknown brands from Chinese manufacturers.
Most devices have these troublesome settings:
- Default password or no password
- Images stored on a cloud platform on the Internet that may not be properly protected
- There is no option for users to store their images on their own Google Drive or removable storage hardware.
Home users who don’t know any better buy these cameras because they are cheap and easy to install.
Some companies are also known to have installed these cameras because they are cheap, but there may be a price to pay when data is leaked.
2. What should people keep in mind when buying surveillance cameras?
Users should be careful when selecting what to buy. Choose a chamber of reputable sellers and select a product that allows the user to set their own password. Do not use the default password that comes with the product.
Users can also look forward to new cybersecurity labels, similar to energy labels, that rate the security of IoT devices, such as surveillance cameras, to help them decide what to buy.
The voluntary scheme, started by the Singapore Cyber Security Agency, has just been launched for Wi-Fi routers and smart home hubs.
The tagging scheme will soon cover more IoT devices, with more details in the coming months.
There are four levels in the schematic, each represented by an asterisk. An asterisk means that the product allows users to set their own password and comes with security software updates.
Two asterisks mean that the product also has the appropriate safety tests performed by the manufacturer.
Three or more asterisks means that there are more stringent requirements, including certification by an external cybersecurity lab.
3. Are households letting in prying eyes with so many people having virtual meetings and leaving their laptop cameras on while at home?
Users must be careful. The simple solution is to stick a sticker over the laptop’s webcam when the camera is not in use.
Most laptops have operating systems with basic security features, including user access and password management, already enabled. Most work computers also have additional security software, including virtual private networks and antivirus scanners.
Hence, laptops are not easy to hack unless users freely click on links embedded in emails that lead them to untrustworthy websites where malware can be found.
If malware has already infected a computer, the camera images will not be the only compromised data. One’s files and online transactions, including bank passwords, will also be at risk of being stolen.
4. Are smartphone or tablet cameras as vulnerable to hacking as surveillance cameras?
Like laptops, the operating systems of most smartphones and tablets come with basic security features and privacy settings.
Chinese manufacturers of smartphones and laptops have also developed “hardened” or secure operating systems.
But many news reports have cited US officials and experts who claim that Chinese device makers insert secret backdoor programs to allow text messages, emails and pictures to be sent to China.
It is not known whether the data is for advertising or foreign surveillance purposes.
5. How should smartphone and tablet users protect themselves?
If users are afraid of being spied on, they should watch what they download.
Many mobile applications seek access to a large amount of sensitive information, such as the identities and location of users online and on social media. Some apps even seek access to microphone and camera functions.
Smartphone leaks, if they occur, are likely due to unreliable or unsafe mobile apps.
Users should also ensure that they do not freely click on embedded links in emails and instant and text messages that lead them to websites where malware can be found.
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