An actual problem that is almost as bad as using "password" is not changing the original/default password on what seem to be 'harmless' devices.
There have been periodic TV news stories about "baby monitors" being hacked that way. Some instances include hearing a 'stranger's' voice in their baby's room! Some baby monitors provide the capability to not only remotely monitor a baby's room with both audio and video, but also allow the ability to "speak/sing" to the baby.
Naturally, the parents in the TV report were SHOCKED to hear a stranger's voice coming from the baby's room during the night!
Password? What password?
A very recent TV report showed a B/W video feed from the bedroom of two young girls. The mother of the girls had a video (and more?) security system in her daughters' room, and was alerted by another mother from a different state, (in the USA). When the second mother found the video feed on the internet, she started placing messages and warnings on all the mom-related websites, groups, chat rooms, etc. that she could find, and one eventually reached the mother of the two girls.
SURPRISE!
EDITED TO ADD A URL TO internet STORY ABOUT THE VIDEO FEED BEDROOM CAMERA:
http://www.newsy.com/videos/mom-finds-security-camera-footage-of-daughters-room-online/
Of course new parents have PLENTY of time to read through the techno-babble of the instructions... (**smirk**).
What you don't know can definitely cause harm.
All *you* need is some vigilante prosecutor to notice a video feed of "child pornography", and track down *your* device, and home! That could at least get your kids removed from your home during an investigation! Would that be worse than a pedophile tracking *you* down?
READ THE DIRECTIONS!
Follow the directions to change passwords.
Just for fun,
think about some of the most recent appliance ads for refrigerators with the ability to use your 'smartphone' to look inside your refrigerator through the internet!
Consider the possibilities and consequences.
No, I will not suggest ways for the refrigerator-cam to be abused by never-do-wells with nothing better to do...
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NikiSarah
8 years ago
Wow, almost 4 years since this show! Totally forgot about it...
And now in the age of Snowden, we should all be more conscious of security protocols.... *should*
I totally agree about the "smart" refrigerators. While I can't think of any reason a hacker would want to know what's inside your refrigerator, I'm sure evil minds will put that technology to good (or is it "bad"?) use. Are people so lazy now they can't even make a grocery list?!
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mikeflw1
8 years ago
As one might imagine, it could be very handy for parents with multiple kids, or roommates with a "community refrigerator" and borrower roommates. Would it be possible to notice something spoiled? Leftovers "out-of-date"?
I will give up one never-do-well use, because it is too easy to get names other ways... think younger kids with names on their lunch bags. Security minded parents should teach their kids a "password" they might give to a person unfamiliar to the kids, used to identify them as a family friend.
(Example: a friend picking up a kid from school. No password means NOT a friend! Would **your kid** (brother/sister) get into a car with someone who knows their name? )
Even with a little thought, I still cannot think of a way to overcome another "bad" use, and so I will not publish that one.
Many others range between the two.
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