Smart home security cameras are great tools that many of us use daily to keep an eye on the surrounding goings-on in the world. They offer motion detection capabilities and can alert us when a package has been delivered. Their benefits are worth the effort. Many of the best security camera systems have features and a price that should fit the needs of everyone. However, hackers trying to snoop on your private video feeds can exploit those benefits. We show you everything you need to know about this situation.

How do hackers access your private home network and security cameras?

A hacker can access your smart home and security cameras in one of two ways: remotely or locally. The most common of these is through a remote hack, which allows an outside threat to invade your network from anywhere in the world. For example, a bad actor might send you a spam email or text message with a bogus link to click, and visiting the website instantly records your unique IP address. Using various open network ports, they can leverage that new information and attempt to brute force their way into your private home network.

In comparison, a local-based hacker must physically be in or near your home to hijack your network. Crafty bad actors might set up a fake hotspot outside the house with a similar name to your Wi-Fi network. This is an attempt to fool you or others into connecting to the spy device instead of your own. They can then see your IP address and try to get into your network from there. Both remote and local hacks have the same end goal: Access your private network and locate any personal information they can use.

Why are older smart home devices more at risk of being hacked?

It all starts with the wireless router — the method used by your smart home devices to connect to your local private network. The common generation of Wi-Fi routers still used in many homes today, Wi-Fi 5, uses an older Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security protocol by default. Known as WPA2, this dated form of wireless protection was introduced in 2004, making it not ideal for modern smart homes. It takes time for the overall consumer adoption rate to catch up to the new standards that the current smart home ecosystem demands.

WPA2 is also known to be vulnerable to exploitation and can be bypassed or manipulated easier than the newer WPA3 counterpart. The idea is to ensure your wireless router and future devices support WPA3 when building your smart home ecosystem. This is especially crucial regarding security cameras since they can record audio and video of your personal space. These devices should be protected from potential external threats or hacks to keep your private data safe and sound. The faster we move past the old WPA2 era, the better it'll be for everyone.

What are the signs your smart home security cameras have been hacked?

Before discussing methods to prevent your smart home and security cameras from getting hacked, we need to mention the ways to notice it before it's too late. How can you tell if your cameras have been or are currently being hacked? You'll see odd behaviors from your cameras, including the LED light randomly going off, the cameras panning or moving by themselves, camera data usage activity spiking high when you're not using it, and your security settings have changed. Another telltale sign is that you see an unknown device accessing your Wi-Fi network.

How do you prevent your smart home security cameras from being hacked?

Now that you're aware of the common signs your smart home security cameras are being hacked, it's crucial to learn how to prevent it from happening. Whether you've been hacked before or not, it's a good practice to ensure maximum safety for your personal data and privacy. Nothing is guaranteed, but you can reduce your chances of getting hacked by following the methods below.

Keep your camera firmware updated to the latest version

Just like we do with our computers, smartphones, and any device with an operating system, we should keep the firmware on our security cameras up to date. Firmware is the software on the device that controls and interacts with the hardware. It tells your device what to do and how to do it. Many hackers tap into exploits within the firmware or operating system to take control of a device, allowing them to hijack your devices remotely. As such, updating the firmware provides security fixes, squashes bugs, and offers performance optimizations.

Update your account password and add 2FA whenever possible

Many security cameras offer online storage, which requires you to have an account to store the video footage. You'll also need to log in to your account to view these files, so creating a strong password is mandatory. Only you or a trusted party should be able to access your online video storage, so ensure your password is not easily guessed. And we always recommend enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) as another layer of protection for your private data. Passwords are not enough to keep your account safe, but adding 2FA helps solidify that defense.

Choose a better password for your home Wi-Fi network

A wireless router is the heart of your home Wi-Fi network, and you must keep it secure from all outside threats. One of the many ways a hacker can access your network is if you use a weak Wi-Fi password. If you left it at the default settings or made it something easy to guess because it's convenient for you, consider upping your password game. This protects against local-based hacks since you don't want a stranger accessing your smart home security cameras. To do this, you'll have to log in to the web settings for your router.

Use the firewall feature on your wireless router

You should consider using the built-in firewall from your wireless router to enhance the security of your home Wi-Fi network. Turning it on if the firewall isn't enabled can help monitor your incoming and outgoing web traffic. This allows you to keep an eye on the devices that access your network anytime during the day or night. If you notice an activity you don't recognize, you can immediately prevent it from accessing your network. This is an excellent defense for stopping the outside threat that may be trying to control your network.

Upgrade your wireless router with Wi-Fi 6 capabilities at the minimum

We talked about Wi-Fi 5 earlier. It wasn't built with modern smart home devices in mind, such as security cameras. If you have an older Wi-Fi 5 wireless router and are looking for a new one, a Wi-Fi 6 router for your home is a leap forward. It has WPA3 security features, allowing better protection over your compatible wireless devices. It also pushes faster network speeds, which is excellent as gigabit (1000+ Mbps) home networks become popular. Wi-Fi 6 also supports more device requests simultaneously, which means better overall responsiveness from your smart home ecosystem.

Look for modern security cameras that support WPA3 wireless security

The Wi-Fi generation your wireless router uses and the type of security it supports are tied together. If you have a wireless router from the past decade, you're likely running WPA2 for wireless security. This isn't a good fit for modern smart home products that demand top-notch security features. The same goes for your old security camera system still in use today. It might be time to purchase a new one that natively supports WPA3. To get WPA3, you'll need to upgrade to a wireless router with Wi-Fi 6 support in most cases.

Increase your wireless network security game with Matter-certified devices

One of the main issues with smart homes is that the devices become unresponsive if they lose connection to the internet. This makes them useless during network outages, turning your smart home devices into fancy-looking paperweights. Matter, a new smart home standard, is designed to have all certified devices work together, allowing them to coexist with one another regardless of platform. This also allows your devices to work offline and rely less on constant internet connectivity, enhancing your smart home security.

Smart home security cameras can be beneficial if you take the proper safety precautions

We use smart home security cameras to help us feel safe during all hours of the day or night, but they also come with a few asterisks. Using the factory default settings is typically never a good idea. You'll need to do some extra legwork to ensure a safe and secure experience. At the same time, you put yourself at risk by using older wireless routers and camera systems that don't support modern features. If you follow the tips mentioned in this guide, you can put your mind at ease.

If you want to get started with your first smart home ecosystem, check out our complete guide on the Google Home smart home platform. We cover the ins and outs and why you might consider trying it.