Stories about hacked baby monitors do the rounds every so often, and they're genuinely horrible. The good news is that most of the risk comes down to a few settings, and the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has published straightforward advice for smart cameras. Here's that advice, plus a few extra steps I'd take with anything in a nursery.
The NCSC's three essentials
- Change any default password. If the camera or its app came with a preset password, change it to a strong one. The NCSC suggests three random words you'll remember.
- Keep it updated. Install software and firmware updates, and switch on automatic updates if the app offers them.
- Turn off remote access if you don't need it. If you only ever check the camera at home, switch off viewing over the internet. (That may disable some features, such as alerts to your phone when you're out.)
The NCSC also suggests considering switching off UPnP and port forwarding on your router, which criminals can exploit to reach devices on your home network.
A few more Tech Dad steps
- Use a unique password for the app account, not one you use anywhere else, and turn on two-step verification if the app offers it.
- Check who has access. Many apps let you share the feed with family. Review that list now and then, and remove anyone who doesn't need it.
- Buying second-hand? Factory reset the camera and make sure it's removed from the previous owner's account before you use it.
- Choose brands that keep updating their kit. A cheap no-name camera that never gets a security update is a false economy.
- Point the camera at the cot, not the room. Less to see if the worst ever happened.
Or skip Wi-Fi altogether
If watching on your phone isn't important to you, a non-Wi-Fi monitor with its own parent unit works on a closed radio link, with no app, no account and no internet connection to worry about. For plenty of families that's the sensible choice. Video monitors compared, including both kinds.