Securing home networks

[Rickoo]

I know the consensus is to secure your network cameras. I'm a little curious if IP cams are more susceptible in some way than every other connected device we have in our homes. My house (as I'm sure many of you) is full of wifi connected, as well as hard wired devices. Everything from washer/dryers, refrigerators, lights, outlets, etc.. Even my security system can be armed/disarmed from a connected smartphone.

Are IP cams somehow more susceptible to hacking than everything else in the network?

 

[bp2008]

Under default settings, many IP cams will open ports to themselves using UPnP which gives hackers a way to connect to them. Add to this the fact they do not update automatically and are very rarely updated manually, and it makes them really easy to hack using published methods that have been around for years.

Home appliances and lights and whatnot typically do not operate this way, instead connecting to their manufacturer's servers to facilitate remote access. While these manufacturers do get hacked fairly often, it is a lot less often than IP cameras get hacked, because there are fewer of them and every one of them has system administrators paying at least some level of attention to cybersecurity.

 

[mat200]

I know the consensus is to secure your network cameras. I'm a little curious if IP cams are more susceptible in some way than every other connected device we have in our homes. My house (as I'm sure many of you) is full of wifi connected, as well as hard wired devices. Everything from washer/dryers, refrigerators, lights, outlets, etc.. Even my security system can be armed/disarmed from a connected smartphone.

Are IP cams somehow more susceptible to hacking than everything else in the network?

Hi @Rickoo

Q: "Are IP cams somehow more susceptible to hacking than everything else in the network?"

Many OEMs of IP cameras have not kept their firmware updated with regards to cyber security, including issues with default admin and password sets as well as leaving known security holes unpatched.

Thus, with this recent history of neglect of cyber security issues on these cameras you should expect any non-managed IP camera to have known security holes.

I would also expect numerous other IoT products to also have numerous security issues as they will not be actively managed.

This also applies to older PCs / servers / routers / printers... ( when was the last time you updated your printer / copier software / firmware? )

 

[SouthernYankee]

All network devices are hack-able. It is what happens after they are hack that is the big issue. It is not stealing your video that is the problem, it is monitoring your network and collecting your data, using your CPUs for crypto currency mining , Using your CPUs for BOTs.....

My cameras do not have physical access to the internet. I do not use any IOT devices.

Blocking and shutting down WIFI is child's play.

 

[Deleted member 11523]

Make your own IOIT wifi network (Internet of Insecure Things). I have my a number of WiFi networks, one I use just for work so I can access my VPN tunnels to my office. Everything on vlans and firewalled.

If you disable uPNP and don't have to wide open of ports, your attack vector is low.