This Home Security Camera Brand could be hacked

Swann, the popular maker of Home security and CCTV cameras have reported a major flaw in their system where their home security cameras were vulnerable to hacks. This meant that it was possible to hijack video and audio streamed from other people’s properties by making a minor tweak to Swann Security’s app. Researchers found the problem after the BBC reported a case where one customer had received another’s recordings. As per an article in the BBC news, Swann said that the vulnerability had been limited to one model – the SWWHD-Intcam, also known as the Swann Smart Security Camera – which first went on sale in October 2017. Retailers including Maplin, Currys, Debenhams, Walmart and Amazon have sold them. The hacker can remotely gain control of your video security equipment to watch, copy, delete or alter video streams.

However, Australia-based Swann and OzVision – the Israeli provider of its cloud tech – said the issue had now been fixed.

Five Europe-based security consultants teamed up to investigate Swann’s cameras after the June report: Ken Munro, Andrew Tierney, Vangelis Stykas, Alan Woodward and Scott Helme.

They discovered a new vulnerability – that free software tools commonly used within the cyber-security industry could be used to intercept messages sent from OzVision’s computer servers to the Safe by Swann app.