Are smart home cameras and baby monitors safe?
Reviewed answer
They can be, if the account is locked down. Most break-ins use reused passwords, not clever hacks.
- Give the camera account its own strong password and turn on two-step sign-in.
- Turn on automatic updates in the camera's app, and remove shared users you no longer need.
- Point indoor cameras away from bedrooms and bathrooms, or turn them off when you're home.
- For a nursery, a local monitor that doesn't connect to the internet avoids the risk entirely.
Get help if
If you hear a voice from a camera or it moves on its own, unplug it, change the account password, and check the app's list of signed-in devices.