How can I tell if someone is watching?

The indicator light isn't reliable, since it can be disabled through software. The useful evidence is the connection history of the associated account, in the manufacturer's app: it lists access attempts with their date.

Does a connected baby monitor carry the same risk?

Yes, and it's often less well protected: factory password, rare updates, and pointed at a bedroom. The same steps apply, with particular attention to changing the credentials.

Hacked security camera

In plain terms

A camera installed to watch your home becomes a way of watching you instead. The intrusion leaves no visible trace: the feed keeps arriving normally.

Definition

A hacked security camera is a home surveillance device that a third party has gained access to, generally through a factory credential, a reused password, or the device being directly exposed to the internet.

How it works

Three paths lead to the same result. The first is the factory credential never changed, often shared across an entire product line and published in the manual. The second is the account linked to the manufacturer's service, protected by a password reused elsewhere and therefore already present in lists sourced from data breaches. The third is configuration: a camera made accessible from the internet for remote viewing becomes reachable by anyone, and specialized search engines index equipment exposed this way. What sets this compromise apart from others is its subject — the inside of the home, habits, schedules, children — and the fact that it produces no symptoms.

Warning signs

Camera that pans, makes a sound, or lights its indicator without a command from you
Unfamiliar connections in the associated app's history
App password changed without your action
Factory credentials never changed since installation
Remote access enabled that you didn't configure

How to verify

Check the connection history in the manufacturer's app: that's where a foreign access would show up. Verify that the factory password has been replaced, that two-factor authentication is enabled if offered, and that remote access is the one you actually chose.

What to do

Change the factory password as soon as you install the device, using a unique password, enable two-factor authentication, keep the firmware up to date, and don't expose the camera directly to the internet. Think about placement: a camera that doesn't film living spaces limits the consequences of a compromise.

If it already happened

Unplug the camera, change the password of the associated account from another device, revoke sessions and shared access, then update the firmware before plugging it back in. If footage may have been captured in a private space, filing a police report is possible: invasion of privacy is a criminal offense.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if someone is watching?: The indicator light isn't reliable, since it can be disabled through software. The useful evidence is the connection history of the associated account, in the manufacturer's app: it lists access attempts with their date.
Does a connected baby monitor carry the same risk?: Yes, and it's often less well protected: factory password, rare updates, and pointed at a bedroom. The same steps apply, with particular attention to changing the credentials.

Official sources

Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr — Assistance and reporting (French government cybersecurity assistance service)

This article is part of the Phones and connected devices family. Last updated: 2026-09-03.