Make your security system as safe as houses

Domestic security products and connected home services are becoming more mainstream with constant camera monitoring now being used by a range of customers to keep an eye on pets while they are out of the house, to watch kids if they are home alone for a short period and to check on the property while on holiday. There are fridges that have their own camera feed and heating and lighting systems that can be set from a smartphone app – with these products you are never really away from home anymore.

Thanks to the technology becoming more affordable and available this is open to anybody, not just the super-rich. There is a stumbling block, however, with the cheaper systems as they are often vulnerable to hackers wanting to see inside your home. If the recording camera and app you are using doesn’t have a password, or you don’t have one which can be changed to a bespoke, un-guessable password then you are potentially exposing your private moments to the entire world. Unethical hackers may upload private footage or sell it for a profit, and they may even use it to blackmail you. Some may be looking to gain an insight into your possessions and lifestyle, looking for the perfect opportunity to relieve you of the lovely big HD 3D TV your camera is pointing at.

If you can’t set the password or you can’t change it, steer clear of this system unless you are happy for anyone to be able to see into your home at any time of the day or night. DIY CCTV systems that you can add to your home network are the ones favoured by criminals, as it opens up a hole in your network security, allowing criminals to not only watch you whenever they want, but to let them access any and every connected device in your home. What might have started out as people halfway across the world watching you get undressed, may end with your bank and personal details being stolen from a laptop or other device and fraud being committed in your name.

The systems we use are top of the range and NSI Gold Standard approved, so they are virtually hack-proof and incredibly secure. If you are considering installing CCTV in your home, or in the form of an entry system so you can see who is at the door from anywhere in the world we cannot recommend using the experts highly enough. Of course, this is our industry so we want to protect its integrity and the best way of doing that is providing high quality, effective security products and top class service as well.

Domestic CCTV cameras and GDPR regulations is a slightly grey area, as technically you are recording every person that comes into the home and appears near the camera. It is advisable to let guests and visitors know that you are recording so they can leave, or ask you to stop recording while they are there for their own privacy – remember if a criminal can hack your system to watch you, then you are also compromising the safety and personal data of anyone else your system records. You should not face any legal action by recording CCTV in your own home, but if someone made a complaint that they did not know they were being recorded at a party and you post that footage online without consent being obtained then you could find yourself in trouble. It is best to be clear and open with anyone in your home, so that you can protect yourself from any possible repercussions or accusations of invading someone’s privacy.

So if you are looking at installing recording features in your home security set up always consider who may be able to get access to the footage, how it is stored as well as how you access it. If in doubt, trust the professionals and get us to make your home security system as safe as houses.