5 tips to make sure your video baby monitor or security camera is safe from hackers.

The UK National Cyber Security Council’s (NCSC) technical director, Dr Ian Levy warned recently about security risks in wi-fi (Internet) enabled video baby monitors.

At Edith & George this is something that we have been aware of since we first developed our Lullaby Bay baby monitors - so, to help you make sure that your monitor and camera are as safe as possible we thought we’d share a few simple tips to help you choose the right type for you and to keep them secure.

Concerned about hacking? Here's what to look for in a baby monitor:

There are three main types of video baby monitor and security camera:

1. Digital radio frequency (RF) with a direct connection between the camera and a screen and NO internet access. These are the most secure 'out of the box' and the technology that we have chosen for our Lullaby Bay monitors.

2. Internet enabled - the ones that need the Internet to work and you can connect to from anywhere in the world with a smart phone or laptop for example – (this is the type mentioned in the news this week).

3. Analogue monitors (these tend to be older technology) with no encryption and very few channels so can be easy to pick up on a scanner.

TIP 1 – Does your monitor REALLY need to connect to the Internet?

• Generally what makes any device vulnerable to hacking is that it is connected to the Internet (as is the case in the recent news stories about hacked baby monitors). Lullaby Bay monitors avoid this as they use a system in which the baby unit 'talks' directly to the parents' unit using radio frequencies (RF), without any Internet involvement at all.

• Think about how you will use your monitor: If you are going to be within the same building as your baby (using the monitor in and around your home) do you really need to access it via the Internet?

• Do you really want to have to use your phone as a baby monitor? Using a dedicated parent unit means that your phone is free to use for calls, texts, and browsing etc. AND your baby monitor never connects to the Internet.

TIP 2 – Check that data is encrypted and that your monitor uses 'frequency hopping'.

Ask your manufacturer what technology your monitor uses, Lullaby Bay monitors use encryption and frequency hopping (FHSS or GFSK) technology which, means that they rapidly switch between channels. In theory it’s technically possible that someone could attempt to eavesdrop, even on a system using a direct radio connection BUT, unlike the Internet monitors which can potentially be accessed from anywhere in the world, with RF monitors, the hacker would have to be within range (within about 250m of your monitor) AND they wouldn’t be able to intercept and decode the radio 'traffic' and listen in without having a compatible device whilst at the same time trying to find the frequency the monitor had ‘hopped’ to.

TIP 3 – Check that your monitor uses a physical ‘pair’ button to connect to the camera.

With ‘offline' RF monitors like our Lullaby Bay series, each camera has to be 'paired' with the monitor screen by pressing a button on the back of the video camera itself, providing an extra level of security. This 'physical' pairing and the use of a dedicated monitor screen means that the units NEVER need to go online.

TIP 4 – Check that your monitor uses digital technology, not analogue.

The older analogue baby monitors usually had only a small number of channels and no encryption -you could pick them up on a scanner. The digital ones like Lullaby Bay are very different and designed specifically not to be intercepted. Ask your manufacturer which technology your monitor uses. All Lullaby Bay monitors use the newer digital technology.

TIP 5 – If you must have an Internet enabled monitor then please take these precautions.

• Ensure that you protect the camera with a secure password that you have not used elsewhere.

• Never leave the password on its default settings.

• Check that your camera is running the latest software (firmware) manufacturers should be updating this regularly with security enhancements and patches.

• Disable settings that allow you to check the camera when you are away from your home wi-fi network.

We hope that helps, whether you are looking to choose the right baby monitor for you or just want to make sure your existing one is as secure as it can be. Most importantly – always be sure to ask your manufacturer if you have any questions at all – they should have all the answers and be happy to help. If you'd like to know more please get in touch on help@edithandgeorge.co.uk there's always someone here to help. :-)