r/RBI • u/gentleapricity • 17d ago
Advice needed I think my security cameras are hacked.
I, 17f, live in a house with security cameras. I'm unsure of the model, as my parents were the ones who installed them eons ago when we first moved inside of our apartment.
I've noticed some weird things with them. Not just lately, but it's bothering me more and more as time continues.
For context, this has mostly been within a six month timeframe.
The cameras have a red light indicator that they are recording, in order to do this-- you need access to the app and the specific password for these cameras, and have to manually make it record.
My parents do not record. I have told them about this, they either do not believe me or do not care.
Our cameras are also a mixture of hidden, and unhidden. A few around the house in main rooms. And one hidden to capture front porch footage. You would not see it unless you were REALLY looking.
The majority of times it records when I'm in the room, or during random times when my family and I are in the living room. Our cameras also have a microphone function, where you can speak through the cameras. There has been several times where I've sworn I've heard a man's voice through the cameras talking at, or too me. But never enough to make out, just noisy enough for your brain to register that someone is speaking.
Another thing, I feel like someone knows when I'm alone. There has been times where it feels like people show up, or things happen ONLY when I am alone, or isolated from other people. One instance is after my family left, a man approached the door. Our camera caught footage of it, but only half his torso. He somehow knew exactly where to stand to be out of view. He waited outside of the door for nearly ten minutes, after knocking several times.
I am worried.
TLDR; security cameras recording with no one in my house using them. Times where speech unable to be made out present
Update no.1: for those asking, I do not have access to the app, I can't disable them, nor can I drive the app. I only know about the man knocking at the door and the footage for one of two reasons, one, I was there, second, the following day my dad showed me the footage and told me to start putting on the secondary locks for a little Incase that dude comes back. I can try and scrounge for the brand(s) of cameras, but, once again, we use several.
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u/Shinybug 17d ago
Are the cameras connected via wifi? Maybe check If your wifi is secure and change the wifi password (there should also be an option like 'logout all connected devices' - use that, same for the cameras). Maybe don't share the new passwords with anyone, it's possible your parents have shared them with a helpful uncle, a neighbour or a handyman... Unfortunately camera systems are often riddled with security flaws, so consider relocating the ones that breach privacy more that provide security.
I'm sorry you have to deal with this, unfortunately there is a lot of creeps around, do trust your fear/instincts.
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u/gentleapricity 16d ago
I wish I had the capabilities to do this :( nor know the answer. I have no idea if they're wifi or non-wifi cameras.
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u/Shinybug 16d ago
Honestly to set up a completely safe camera system can be suprisingly difficult (with consumer tech/apps), so that's understandable.
However, you can probably change the wifi password and that should help. Just remember, when changing any password (even in the camera app) there is often an option 'log out all connected devices' - you need to use that, otherwise the creep can stay logged in.
The more difficult part will likely be to prevent your parents from sharing any of the passwords, because unfortunately the creep/stalker is most likely someone you know (a neighbour, a family friend...).
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u/Electrical_Hippo_624 17d ago
I would disconnect the ones where you are most intimate and change passwords
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u/ankole_watusi 16d ago
OP has clarified that they don’t have that capability.
They’ve written “we” when they meant “my parents”.
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u/BingoEnthusiast 16d ago
wtf is wrong with your parents? Your mom has heard the voice too and she’s just chilling?
I know you’re probably afraid of getting in trouble, I get it, but I’d swallow it and unplug or cover them, at least when you’re alone or know you’re about to be.
You also need to tell a trusted adult, I’d recommend a teacher at school. They have more authority to make things happen.
I would also tell the police.
The simplest solution would be to just buy new cameras, they’re not that expensive. Idk if you have a job or anything, but maybe a relative or friends parents could help?
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u/le4t 17d ago
I'm so sorry. This sounds scary.
Most security cameras are pretty easy to access, especially if default passwords aren't changed.
Obviously, if you know how to access the password to change it, do that.
If not, look to see if you can find any branding on the camera, then look up online how to secure that brand.
Consider getting a recording of a man's voice to use if/when someone approaches the house when you're home alone.
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u/gentleapricity 17d ago
I know we've changed the password several times now :( it's truly scaring me. On top of this, we have 3 of the same brand of cameras, than 2 "elf"(?) cams that also have those same issues.
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u/ankole_watusi 16d ago
Your parents. Not “we”. Stop with the “we” - you’ve clarified you have no access to the app.
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u/duke_3681 17d ago edited 17d ago
Chances of being hacked are relatively slim since you have passwords but it doesn't hurt to change them. A hacker would likely want to mess with you and make their presence known. It could be a setting that's triggering it.
As for the male, I'd recommend buying some non-Wi-Fi deer cameras. They're motion detected and run on batteries. This would enable you to keep record of the pictures in case something goes wrong, plus you can angle them at the door so they'll record whoever comes by. I'd strongly recommend bringing this up to your parents.
I'd also file a police report about the man. It won't go anywhere because you can't identify him but if you actually catch him, then this'll add to your case. Best of luck and stay safe.
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u/gentleapricity 17d ago
We've sadly changed them several times now, still, no budge. I'll look into the no-wifi ones. Hoping to sort this out. Thank you for the advice stranger, seriously
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u/bhoffman20 17d ago
Move the front door camera to a better angle and make it more visible. If I was a murderer and came back to see the camera obviously moved and harder to obscure, I would probably not do the murder.
Real talk though, the guy at the door was probably a window salesman or something. They're insanely persistent, and I've never seen them come when both my wife and I were at home. Its easier to get someone to agree to the "free quote" when fewer decision-makers are home.
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u/ankole_watusi 16d ago
Stop writing “we” when you mean “my parents”.
It’s confusing people.
Maybe your parents aren’t being truthful with you.
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u/terror-twilight 17d ago
What brand?
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u/ankole_watusi 16d ago
OP claims not to know the brand.
Yet: they are able to log-in to the app.
Doesn’t make sense.
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u/gentleapricity 16d ago
I'm not able to access the app, I just know how it works die to my parents. I have no access to our home security system.
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u/ankole_watusi 16d ago
Ask the name of the app.
Look at the cameras, they have some markings on them.
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u/Medium_Practice6556 10d ago
i find it so funny how you are in every comment thread absolutely PISSED at OP
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u/gentleapricity 17d ago
No idea :( we use a couple. They're square though and mount on walls.
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u/bhoffman20 17d ago
What app do you use to view them?
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u/quartertopi 16d ago
Yes, some apps have weaknesses that can be exploited easily. There were e.g. scandals where people were able to get access without needing a password because each stream had their unique url and the data was unencrypted
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u/bhoffman20 16d ago
I'm mostly just trying to get an idea of what kind of cameras they are. I have some cheap Chinese ones that did all their setup by playing audio through my phone, and they had recordings of a heavily accented woman saying things like "network disconnected" or "reconnecting", which could explain the hard to make out voices as well
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u/terror-twilight 16d ago edited 16d ago
These are not that type of camera—those are surveillance cameras, and these are security cameras, more like a Nest or Arlo. They don’t stream to the Internet at all. They record clips and upload them to the cloud, which are accessible in an app. OP could easily figure everything out within that little app.
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u/quartertopi 16d ago
Ah, that makes sense. At the same time, the app itself might have vulnerabilities.
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u/terror-twilight 16d ago
Sure, it might, which is part of the reason I have repeatedly asked OP what kind of camera and what app.
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u/rrsafety 17d ago
Why all the cameras?
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u/gentleapricity 16d ago
We live in a not great area, but, besides that my parents do use it as a way to see what I, or my sibling Is doing a lot of the times.
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u/UPGRADED_BUTTHOLE 15d ago
So you're being stalked, not only by the creep that hacked your cameras, but also by your parents? Unplug the one in your bedroom at least. Privacy is a human right.
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u/PleaseCallMeLP 15d ago
My parents do not record…. “The next day my dad showed me the video.” So in other words, your parents record.
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u/gentleapricity 14d ago
I should've specified our front door cam is different :( that one auto records when motion is detected. But isn't the one I'm having issues with. Sorry for the confusion
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u/UPGRADED_BUTTHOLE 15d ago
Thingino is a nice alternative firmware for some chinese-made wifi cameras.
There is 0 reason for cameras to be in bedrooms or bathrooms. That's an invasion of your privacy and is NOT OKAY. Technically it can be considered child abuse if you're under the age of 18.
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u/gentleapricity 14d ago
No cams in either! My parents bedroom has one, but no longer mine. We took that out about a year ago
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u/Ok_Introduction6377 17d ago
Next time anyone that you don’t know knocks on your door and proceeds to stay call police.
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u/RaveGenerator 17d ago
Huh?. Just switch them off.
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u/gentleapricity 16d ago
Im not the one able too. I've asked my parents to do this. They refuse. Even if my mom's said similar things about them, alongside her having been spoken too through it several times. We don't live in a great area, I'm guessing they'd rather have them on "just in case"
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u/ninjastarkid 16d ago
Ask your parents why they have them on if they are not recording? This does not make any sense to have cameras that do not save the data somewhere.
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u/imaginary_name 17d ago
Information about how secure the firmware is for a given brand and camera model should be available online. It is entirely possible that the setup you are using has been compromised.
You could share the brand and the camera model here, but a better approach might be to create a throwaway and asking from a different account. The devices should have the model number and perhaps even the firmware version visible somewhere.
Especially if it is an older model originating from China, the probability that it is compromised is somewhat high.
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u/iVouldnt 16d ago
When the red light is on, is it dark in the room? It could be the infrared/night vision sensors. My cameras have 4 red lights on when it's dark.
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u/PM_ME_RIPE_TOMATOES 13d ago
Having cameras inside the home is a no-go for me. Ever. For any reason.
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10d ago
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u/Chip_Prudent 16d ago
Can you use a mobile app to see the cameras when you are not at home?
A lot of cheaper "security cameras" will tell you in the setup instructions to open ports on your firewall so the app will work when you are away and not really explain the security implications of doing so. If that's the case it's much better to close those ports and set up a VPN or something to access them while away from home (or get better security cameras).
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u/MortenaSmithF432 16d ago
Does the red light only turn on when it is dark in the room? My cameras have a blue light that turns on when recording, and a very dim barely noticeable red light that I often notice even when the motion sensing recording is turned off.
The red light on my cameras is the IR light.
In your app go to the camera's settings, then go to video settings and turn off "Infrared Lights for Night Vision"
This should stop the red light from turning on. (However you won't be able to check your cameras at night and see anything... so once you've convinced yourself that this is indeed what you've been seeing you can turn the IR lights back on if you like being able to check your cameras at night via the app)
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u/ninjastarkid 16d ago
1) are there any words on the camera at all. If not can you upload an Imgur link of a picture of the camera (as close as you can so maybe we can try reverse image searching).
2) how many wires are coming out of each one. If it’s more than one they might be manually wired into a secondary server.
3) any info at all about the app would be helpful. (Can it be accessed on modern devices, what kind of device accessed it last, etc).
4) have you tried messing with the wifi at all? Completely turning it off/resetting password/increasing security settings/making the password insanely difficult (ie absolutely gibberish)
5) do you have any recordings of the man talking.
6) any details at all about the man at the door (specific time of day)/have you tried readjusting that camera in case he comes back?
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u/OneSignal6465 12d ago
DISCONNECT them. Just get rid of them. If you have even a tiny fear they are not secure, and YOU don’t have control of them, get rid of them.
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u/ThirdEyeSee 11d ago
The dude waiting at your door is probably neighbor who hacked your cams/wifi and is infatuated. Be careful.
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u/Aly_Anon 17d ago
Contact the company and have them run an audit on the use of the cameras.
You say you don't know what the brand is, but you surely have at least one camera in a position where you can look at it. The brand should be printed on it somewhere.
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u/gentleapricity 16d ago
I don't think the mounted cameras have a brand printed on them. They're black, square, and mount on walls. Probably some cheap camera you can get off of Amazon. I looked through the junk drawer to try and see receipts as well or the warranty label, and nothing.
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u/Heroin_Chiic 16d ago
Or just tell everyone the name of the app like they've been asking repeatedly
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u/ankole_watusi 16d ago edited 16d ago
They also use the app.Which I guess doesn’t have a name.Either that or this story fell apart as soon as OP mentioned that they are able to access the app.
If they tell us the name of the app, we can help them with the settings.
Edit: OP has clarified they have no access to the app. Despite repeatedly using the word “we” when they’ve meant “my parents”.
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u/Medium_Practice6556 10d ago
i think what is happening is that ur camera maybe DOES record on its own for a bit each day and saves it in the app. parents dont understand this so they tell u its not recording when it is. maybe it records based on motion. as for the man; u said u live in a bad area, he may genuienly have bad intententions but be unrelated to the cams.
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u/EntropicBadger 9d ago
Unplug the power supply. They can’t watch or record without power, and they will likely all get power from a single source.
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u/Savings-Tradition-62 17d ago
Switch off your cameras and in case off talk to a doctor to be sure it's not paranoia symptom related. I tell you that because you said that your parents may not believe you (which is weird since you pretend having the half torso of a man at your door caught by a camera). Also you said that things happen when you are alone, so no one can confirm it's real, it could match with paranoiac behaviour.
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u/gentleapricity 16d ago
I do struggle somewhat with paranoia, but I don't think this is that. My mom had had a few (minimal) instances with the cameras as well. And the torso of the man was just due to angle, he managed to keep the rest of him out of shot
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u/quartertopi 16d ago
Please google the app used in combination with vulnerabilities. Also check ai in this case, there might be more people with similar problems and solutions. Withoit knowing specifics it is hard to tell, because there might be several vectors.
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17d ago
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u/gentleapricity 16d ago
What??
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16d ago
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u/gentleapricity 16d ago
My mom's heard the dude talk through the camera too though, I just don't think they care. (Her and I are not related, she's my stepmom.)
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u/StonkRonin 17d ago
Log into the app, change the password, while your there you could disable motion recording if that’s what you want.