Dubai: Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Director of the Cybersecurity Planning and Performance Monitoring Department at the Dubai Electronic Security Centre, warned of the dangers of neglecting to secure home surveillance cameras and Wi-Fi networks.
He stressed the importance of adhering to three basic procedures to enhance protection against cyber intrusions, including using strong passwords for systems, not sharing them with others, and ensuring the installation of security updates issued by manufacturers, which contributes to protecting the privacy of families and securing devices connected to the Internet.
Al Suwaidi explained that one of the best ways to protect surveillance cameras inside homes and wireless internet networks from hacking, is setting a strong password for the system, in addition to maintaining the confidentiality of login data and not sharing it with anyone else. He also stressed the need to follow updates that the system manufacturers release and install them regularly.
These measures are gaining increasing importance with the spread of smart surveillance cameras inside homes, and families’ reliance on wireless internet networks to connect electronic devices, making securing these systems a necessity to protect home privacy and personal data, especially since any security vulnerability may allow hackers unauthorised access to devices connected to the network.
Security vulnerabilities
Al Suwaidi said: “The danger of neglecting security measures lies in the possibility of exploiting weak passwords or technical vulnerabilities to access home surveillance cameras and view images and videos without the knowledge of their owners, while periodic security updates contribute to addressing discovered vulnerabilities and reducing the likelihood of their exploitation.”
He added: “The importance of these measures is highlighted in light of the rapid expansion in the use of smart devices inside homes, especially internet-connected surveillance cameras, which require families to raise awareness of electronic risks, and not to be satisfied with installing surveillance systems, but to ensure their protection from hacking attempts, by securing login data and constantly updating systems, in a way that preserves the privacy of family members and prevents the exploitation of devices for unauthorised access to what is happening inside homes.”
These data points confirm that home protection is no longer limited to securing its doors and entrances, but extends to protecting its networks and smart devices, so that surveillance cameras designed to enhance security do not turn into a loophole that threatens the privacy of the family.