Can wired surveillance cameras be hacked? How to prevent your surveillance cameras from being hacked

Today, when you have a security system and CCTV surveillance cameras inside your home or workplace, you want to keep it away from hacking, penetration, hacker, and any other spying method because protecting your privacy is essential. Unfortunately, these hackers don't have to be close to your security cameras to cause problems. Security surveillance cameras, even wired ones, can be hacked by discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities or by hacking the Internet. This is a cause for concern, but there are a group of things that can be done and checked your surveillance cameras and the rest of the security system to protect them from hacking.

Are you looking for a way to protect your security system and surveillance cameras in your home and workplace? In this article, we will address the answer to this question. We will also learn how to detect hacking of surveillance cameras and important tips to be able to protect surveillance systems in the best ways.

Yes, wired surveillance cameras are less vulnerable to hackers than wireless cameras, so using wired cameras is better than wireless cameras, but hacking is still possible. With wired cameras, hackers must physically access the  surveillance cameras to hack them. They will also be able to access your wifi through your router or recorder to control the footage. Any unsecured Wi-Fi devices or gadgets can expose wired security cameras to hackers.

However, today it is common to believe that wired security cameras cannot be hacked. The truth is that the use of wireless surveillance cameras is more at risk of being hacked due to the ease of access over the network and vulnerabilities, but the same configurations of a wired camera can be hacked. If you can access your security system and security camera kit from a smartphone, laptop, or other device, the wired camera is connected directly to the Internet, making it vulnerable to unauthorized access.

How do hackers get into security cameras? If you have an authentication page whose job is to protect your security camera's privacy, you might think that your security camera is at a high level. But it is very easy to exploit these pages, especially when a hacker uses an automated tool to guess the username and password.

There are a host of other ways to access security cameras that cannot be accessed by the Internet. A router or DVR connected to the Internet can provide access to your camera. While it is more difficult than guessing a password, a flaw in the firmware in the  security cameras  or DVR  must be exploited to gain access to these devices.

It is not easy to know if security camera systems have been hacked. You may notice unusual settings change activity. If this happens, you may have been hacked by an unauthorized user.

 Here are some signs that someone has hacked  surveillance cameras.

 It makes you unable to access surveillance cameras, evidence that surveillance cameras have been hacked

When you can't access your security camera, this is one of the most common indicators that you've been hacked. In many cases, the hacker disables the  surveillance camera. Before you panic, check your camera and make sure there is no physical problem with the camera that is disrupting the signal or video as well.

If you notice an unusual lens shift, credentials change, or settings change that you didn't make yourself, it could mean someone else has managed to hack your camera. You must make sure that other people in the building or home have not made the change. You also need to exclude any automatic firmware or system updates.

In most cases, hacked security cameras will have abnormal seizures or spontaneous movements on the screen. Damaged hardware can cause some problems, but any strange modifications should be checked by a professional company.

A compromised system can give away vital information about your business or home. If you think your security cameras have been hacked, you need to contact an experienced security company to resolve the situation. This professional will go into your settings and check for those telltale signs of a compromised system. After solving the issue, they can help you create a safer and better environment for your security monitoring system to protect privacy.

Keep wired security cameras safe

As you can tell, wired security cameras are frequently vulnerable to hacking and hacking, but there are ways to keep them safe and secure. Below is a set of important instructions and tips to protect it from the risk of hacking

Keep your camera firmware up to date

When you run a firmware update, your security camera devices will be more secure. Many camera manufacturers release updates for their devices. When a vulnerability or flaw is reported, the company will release software or hardware updates, making the system more secure.

Set up strong passwords

Set up an authentication page if you want to keep your wired security cameras secure. However, these password-protected areas are not secure if you repeat the same password for every site. Hackers can easily crack these passwords and gain access to your camera. You'll want to use a strong password with a mix of lower and upper case letters, numbers, and symbols to secure your cameras

 Two-factor authentication

While two-factor authentication is rare for wired cameras, use it if you have the option. These authentication settings are a great way to secure your devices. However, you will use a password and secret code to access the camera. Make sure you continue to use strong passwords for security cameras who do not have two-factor authentication.

Securing the router

Individuals can easily hack any router or device that can be accessed over the Internet. These devices are your gateway to the Internet. But without proper security safeguards, you can easily grant access to all your cameras, even wired cameras.

Seek professional help

If you are concerned about the security of your cameras or think you have been hacked, contact a dedicated company. A team of trained technicians will come to your business or residence and check the cameras. And provide you with tips to keep your system safe from any potential hackers. 

How to prevent your security cameras from being hacked

In fact, there are several things you can and should do initially to prevent your security cameras from being hacked or hacked again in the future.

The following tips are the ones most suggested by experts in dealing with surveillance camera hacking problems:

1. Buy security cameras with advanced encryption

In order to keep yourself, your loved ones, and your valuables away from the eyes of hackers and prying eyes, it is essential to choose a security camera from a reliable source.

If a security camera is produced without the necessary security encryption features, it can be easily hacked even if you secure your passwords, router or anything else mentioned to prevent your security cameras from being hacked.

The best case scenario is to get an IP camera from a top CCTV camera brand that allows all the advanced security features, including SSL/TLS encryption, and WPA2-AES encryption, which will keep most CCTV camera hackers away.

2. Secure your security camera passwords

Security cameras with default passwords and username have a much higher chance of being hacked. Did you know that most security camera hacked websites just deploy each device on the network and try if one of the common default passwords works?

So don't let your security cameras fall into this simple trap.

Make sure you use a strong password that is difficult for someone to discover. For example, use a password that is 6 or more characters long with a mix of lower case and upper case characters, as well as numbers and special characters. Also, make sure to change your password frequently.

The video below shows you how to change your security camera login password  quickly. Hope it helps you.

3. Secure your home network router

Sometimes, your security cameras  get hacked by accident. For example, your neighbor might access your router to get free internet, and hack your  CCTV  camera by accident. So if you are using a WiFi network for your security system, remember to keep it protected with a strong password as well.

Another pro tip for securing your security cameras from hacking is to subnet your home security camera system with an NVR.

Once the cameras are connected to the NVR (Network Video Recorder), the  surveillance cameras  will record and save to the NVR  without accessing your home router network. No one can hack your camera's subnet.

4. Limit the devices that can access your home network

Limit the number of devices that can be used to access your security system, and ensure that your personal laptop, smartphone, and desktop are the only devices that can log into the system. You can use a virtual private network (VPN) to regulate which of your devices will be able to access the network to prevent potential hackers.

5. Upgrade CCTV Camera Firmware

Check for fixes and improvements on security camera firmware upgrade. Download and install the latest firmware to be able to fix some bugs and keep the latest features.

There is usually a page that provides firmware download links, so you can always find the latest versions available and get your camera protected. Don't buy those cheap cameras without technical support to update the firmware regularly.

6. Installing firewalls and anti-virus software

Firewalls help protect your security camera from hacking, and antivirus software helps protect it from viruses and malware, such as online security camera hacking software.

What to do if your security camera is hacked

So what should you do if your security cameras have been hacked, unfortunately?

Check the 5 basics above to see if there's anything you missed, which gives a hacker opportunities to access and hack security cameras:

Is your hacked surveillance camera marked with the necessary encryption?

Have you changed the default password for the security camera?

Have you made sure your home router is secured with a stronger password and/or VPN ?

Did you make sure to install the latest firmware before hacking your security cameras?

If your answer is yes to all the above questions, report your problems to the security camera manufacturer immediately so they can correct the problem and secure the vulnerabilities.

How are surveillance cameras hacked?

 In general, your security cameras can be hacked either locally or remotely.

 Type #1. Local hackers

The hacker gains access to the wireless network and hacks  the surveillance cameras  attached to it. They may simply try some common default passwords, or mock the wireless network and jam the actual network with some network trick.

Many wireless security cameras are hacked this way.

Note: You don't need to worry too much about this form of piracy. WPA2-AES encryption, adopted by Reolink and some other quality producers, exists to solve this problem. It is by far the safest WiFi security mode.

Type #2. Remote hacking

This happens when surveillance cameras transmit video clips over the Internet. Security camera hackers  may take advantage of data breaches or unsecured passwords to hack into security cameras.

That's why many live surveillance cameras are hacked. This is why wired security cameras can also be hacked.

Note: There is also technology to significantly reduce the risk of remote hacking of a security camera. For example, Reolink uses SSL (HTTPS) encryption to secure remote browsing and SSL/TLS to secure data transmission over the Internet.