In 2020, an ADT home security user observed a strange email address associated with her home safety account, which included cameras and other equipment inside her house. This simple discovery, along with her complaint to the corporation, triggered a chain reaction that led back to a technician who had been spying on dozens of customers over four and a half years, invading their private lives, watching them undress, and even engaging in intimate activities.
ADT claims to have rectified the flaws that the technicians exploited by installing "new safeguards, training, and procedures to increase account security and client privacy." However, privacy intrusions are not limited to ADT, and certain vulnerabilities are more challenging to address than others. Whether you have a well-monitored safety system like ADT, Comcast Xfinity, or Vivint, or simply a few off-the-shelf cameras from companies like Ring, Nest, or Arlo, there are several principles you can follow to help safeguard your device security and data.
Enhancing Home Security
Regardless of the home security system you choose, it's crucial to bolster your protection by implementing some key strategies. By doing so, you can reduce the risk of unauthorized access and potential privacy breaches.
By implementing these measures, you can significantly enhance the security of your home surveillance electronics and safeguard your privacy.
Surveillance cameras have become increasingly affordable over the years, offering users enhanced security and peace of mind. However, the accessibility of these cameras should not come at the expense of personal privacy. Companies like Wyze are making strides in striking a balance between affordability and privacy protection.
Some professionally monitored systems, including Comcast and ADT, address this issue by implementing stringent restrictions on the activities that personnel can perform while assisting clients with their accounts. For instance, they may prohibit staff from adding email addresses or accessing any video recordings.
Comcast, in particular, takes camera security seriously. A Comcast spokeswoman stated, "Our dedicated staff ensures camera security. Our technicians and contractors do not have visibility into our consumers' video feeds or recorded footage. Such access is strictly limited to supervised settings and is granted only to a select number of engineers for specific purposes, such as tech debugging."
By employing such measures, these companies demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding their customers' privacy and protecting sensitive information. Users can have greater confidence in the security of their surveillance systems and the data they generate.
According to a spokeswoman for the home security provider Vivint, consumers have complete control over who can access their Vivint system, including video feeds. Users can manage user settings, create, delete, or update admin users, allowing them to customize access as they see fit. Additionally, Vivint conducts regular manual and automatic systems audits to ensure the security of their customers' data.
Vivint's DIY setup allows customers to install their own devices, eliminating the need for technician access. However, if clients opt for additional monitoring services, which are often offered with specific products, the access situation may become more complex.
The market offers a wide array of cameras, whether users choose a professionally monitored security system or a do-it-yourself option. Frontpoint, for instance, takes strict measures to limit employee access to customer information. Agents are prohibited from watching customer camera feeds unless they receive authorization from the customer for troubleshooting or other forms of assistance during specific instances.
The ADT incident did not involve any technical coding from the technician's side, but it does raise concerns about potential hacking. Remote hacking has been a recurring issue, and even sophisticated devices with high-level encryption can be vulnerable under certain circumstances. FortiGuard security specialist Aamia Lakhieni explains that hackers can gain control of a video feed using two basic methods: locally and remotely.
For local access, the hacker needs to be within the range of the Wi-Fi network to which the camera is connected. Intruders may attempt various tactics to gain access to the wireless network, such as physical force, guessing the security password, or impersonating the Wi-Fi connection and jamming the legitimate one.
Some older security cameras lack encryption or password protection within a local network, relying solely on the security of the wireless network to deter unwanted access. However, once a hacker gains access to the internet, they only need to perform a few actions to gain total control over the cameras and potentially other Internet of Things (IoT) devices in your home.
To ensure the security of your home surveillance electronics, it is essential to follow the best practices mentioned earlier, such as setting strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly updating your devices' firmware. These measures help protect your devices from potential hacking attempts and safeguard your privacy and data.
Regardless of whether you employ a professionally monitored security company, using the same passwords for multiple accounts across the internet can make you vulnerable. If any of those credentials are compromised in a data breach, your privacy becomes jeopardized. Additionally, outdated software, old devices, or security equipment from manufacturers with insufficient emphasis on security can increase your privacy risks.
Hackers with even basic knowledge can easily find unprotected video streams using a simple Google search. Shockingly, many consumers and businesses set up security camera systems without changing the default login and password, leaving them susceptible to unauthorized access. Platforms like Shodan.io demonstrate how unprotected video streams can be accessed and displayed publicly, further highlighting the need for users to prioritize security by setting unique, strong passwords and keeping their devices and software up-to-date.
How to know if your cameras have been hacked
One potential red flag for malicious activity on a security camera is if its performance becomes slower or poorer than usual. When attackers gain access to cameras, the CPU cycles may have to work extra hard, causing ordinary camera activities to become practically or entirely worthless at times. FortiGuard security specialist Aamia Lakhani points out that many webcams have limited memory, making them susceptible to performance issues during unauthorized access.
To enhance your security and minimize the risk of unauthorized access to your cameras, consider the following measures:
Regularly update firmware and software: Keeping your camera's firmware and software up-to-date can close potential security loopholes and improve overall performance.
Use strong, unique passwords: Set strong passwords for your camera and ensure they are different from passwords used for other accounts.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Adding an extra layer of security with 2FA can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Monitor network activity: Keep an eye on your network activity and look for any suspicious or unfamiliar connections.
Consider camera placement: Position your cameras in secure locations, away from easily accessible areas.
By taking these precautions, you can make it harder for hackers to compromise your security cameras and baby monitors, thereby increasing the protection of your privacy and personal data.
How to protect your privacy at home
Absolutely, while no system can guarantee complete immunity to attacks, implementing essential safeguards can significantly reduce the risk of being hacked and help protect your privacy in case of a compromise. Here are some key steps to enhance the security of your surveillance cameras:
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Printers have always been an important element of any business. Most printers on the market now run for a long time without any problems, but they come with the expense of updating ink cartridges on a regular basis. If you're concerned about the expense of ink cartridges, consider ink tank printers.
The ink tank printer stores ink in a refillable tank, which may hold significantly more ink than ink cartridges. Check out this list of the best ink tank printers. This sort of printer provides a low-cost printing alternative. They are substantially more cost effective than other types of printers since they have a large ink tank capacity and a low cost per page of printing. Not everything about ink tank printers is positive; there are some disadvantages to owning one. Let's look at the benefits and drawbacks of having an ink tank printer in this post so you can determine if it's perfect for your house or company.
Low cost of operating
Printers are reasonably priced, but the expense of ink cartridges is what drives up printer running costs. If you use printers in the workplace or at home, the expense of purchasing ink cartridges will soon exceed the cost of the printer itself. In the case of ink tank printers, you may save money on ink cartridges since it has a large ink tank that will provide you with an average of two years of ink dependent on your consumption.
With ink tank printers, you may print pages continuously for an extended period of time without worry, which is vital in business. Because the ink tank in ink tank printers is integrated, it does not need to be replaced like cartridges. It also saves you a lot of money. You won't see any immediate savings, but choosing ink tank printers instead of ink cartridge printers will save you money in the long run.. Easy to use
All current printers are simple to use, however ink tank printers never cause an ink leak while refilling. Because the ink tank is built within the printer, you can quickly replenish it without making a mess. The procedure is simple and error-free. You also don't have to estimate when the ink will run out with ink tank printers because the ink level in the ink tank is visible. The ink tank is transparent, allowing you can see how much ink is left in it and replenish it when it runs out. All of these characteristics make ink tank printers far easier to use and refill than other types of printers.
Highly Portable
Ink tank printers are often smaller and more compact than inkjet or other types of printers. Some individuals care about printer size, and ink tank printers are ideal for those looking for a small printer. You don't want a gadget that takes up a lot of space on your workplace desk and is tough to travel. With an ink tank printer, you may easily keep it on your office table and carry it to various locations as needed. This functionality makes the ink tank printer ideal for use at home or in a small workplace.
Modern features
All current printers have different convenience features, but when it comes to modern features, you can never go wrong with an ink tank printer. They have WiFi, Bluetooth, and other networking options to make your printing experience as easy as possible. If you have wireless access in your home or workplace, you may simply print documents or photographs from your phone, computer, or laptop. Wireless connection also enables you to print documents from anywhere utilizing the internet and the printer's unique software. Other features of ink tank printers include touch screen displays, online printing, app compatibility, LAN, and USB connectivity. All of these current features make printing considerably more convenient.
Quality Printing
Ink tank printers provide high-quality printing because they use high-quality printing ingredients. When printing ink-intensive work, ink tank printers will undoubtedly produce good results. They also offer excellent ink placement precision and few flaws.
Though the ink tank printer saves you money over time, the initial cost of the printer is more than that of other types of printers on the market. All of the current features make the ink tank printer pricey to purchase. If you print frequently, you may quickly save money on ink cartridges and obtain good value within a year or two. If you don't print frequently, the value of an ink tank printer may not be as excellent as you believe.
Clog may happen
If you do not use the printer regularly, blockages may occur owing to air becoming trapped inside the tank, causing damage to your printer when replenishing the ink. Though it is not common, you should be cautious if you do not use the printer on a regular basis.
Dry ink
If you do not use the ink tank printer on a regular basis, you may have dry ink. If the ink in the tank is not used for an extended period of time, it may dry out. If this occurs, you should thoroughly clean the tank. During the cleaning procedure, the ink will also be squandered.
Software problems
Because ink tank printers have a touch screen display with many programs active, you may encounter error codes and software issues. Though uncommon, software difficulties necessitate the services of a specialist.
Conclusion
Ink tank printers unquestionably provide excellent value for money. Its contemporary features, large ink capacity, and outstanding printing quality make it appropriate for both home and office use. Though you want to use your printer frequently, the ink tank printer is the way to choose, even if it is more expensive. The ink tank printer will undoubtedly save you money and prove to be useful in the long term. We hope you found this information about ink tank printers useful and that it assisted you in purchasing one.
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It seems to happen every time you get a new computer it starts off super fast and slowly but surely over the years it crawls to a near stand still and you might think that’s just what happens when a computer gets old, it slows down and that’s just the way the universe is. But that is not really the case and that’s what we’re going to discuss today. Why computers actually get slower and what you can do to completely reverse it.
Having a good battery is importan ,When it comes time to replace the battery inside your laptop computer, you may be tempted to save a few bucks and hold off purchasing a new battery. EJoy-Wholesale offers batteries up to 70% for a limited time.
One of the major issues is to remove startup programs or at least stop them from starting up. Programs running in the background obviously take up resources such as RAM, 1,Using Windows 10- open the task manager by pressing Ctrl + shift + Escape and then go to the startup tab which will show you all the programs that are starting up with Windows. Go through each program and right click and hit disable: they will not start up with Windows anymore. CRTL + SHIFT + ESC.
A virus can limit resources that will interrupt or slow down your computer usage. Windows computers these days have a built-in anti-virus in the form of Windows Defender. If you can find a paid antivirus program it will come with additional features such as Internet Security which is highly recommended to stop random virus attacks, and preemptive virus measures.
Another reason why your computer may be slowing down is because there may files that are taking up a ton of space on your hard drive and you are running out of free space. It’s important to delete files over time while your computer optimizes the drive to improve in space Over time you will notice the Improvement. These files include temporary files. You can use a program called C-Cleaner which will search through temporary files and clear them out.
Go to the start menu, type cmnd then hit enter. You should see Administrator Command Prompt s window and type in CHKDSK /F and hit enter. This procedure will check for any errors and improve your hard drive. It’s also important to make sure that your computer is completely backed up on a separate hard drive.
Right click on to the start menu and search for “power options”. Click on it… then you will get a control panel power options window. Here you can see the default power plan is set to balanced. Change it to “high performance”.
Go to the start menu ( Windows icon)using your mouse- right click then type: %temp% % temp %, and then click on okay, now you will see a folder containing all temporary files. Highlight everything in this folder and hit delete. These are all temporary files slowing down your computer.
Go to the start button located on the lower left hand corner . Right click choose the Run option and hit enter. Choose run and type prefetch” then hit okay- delete all file. Select them all by using CTRL 8. Or ( drag the mouse key over the left hand corner of all files) , while holding down with one finger and dragging the other And then delete. Go to your desktop and right click on to the recycle bin, choose empty recycle bin
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"Children today spend an average of six hours each day in front of the computer and television but less than four minutes a day doing outdoor play. Sixty nine percent of children ages 2 to 5 can operate a computer mouse and open a web browser"
]]>Children today spend an average of six hours each day in front of the computer and television but less than four minutes a day doing outdoor play. Sixty nine percent of children ages 2 to 5 can operate a computer mouse and open a web browser. But only15% can swim at the local pool unaided. A report by the Children and Nature Network warns that the mental health of 21th century children is at risk because they are missing out on exposure to the natural world enjoyed by past generations. Why not simply replace these behaviors with educational reinforcements
Many parents of young children have the same complaint and concerns: they cannot remove tablets and other computer devices out of their child’s hands. Forty eight percent of children ages 6 to 12 say that the iPad is the toy of choice bringing it above the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and other game consoles.
But the difference with tablets is that the educational opportunities are almost Limitless. Make sure you monitor their behavior by replacing the games.2# Amazon Fire 7 kids edition tablet. Amazon has designed this tablet to be able to handle four different child profiles semicolon all of which have their time curfews, and screen time and content limits set for ages 3 to 12.
A SOCIETY OF ANTI-SOCIAL
A typical day at the restaurant with family will consist of taking out the iPad for the child but what kind of impact does that have on child development? Well it has a lot of impact and most times not for the good. If children are playing a game and watching TV chances are they are not interacting with other children and learning social skills.
One of the most productive methods would be for the parent to place limits and time constraints on gaming. Explain to your child the game system is a reward as a result of their efforts in using other educational methods. The VTech touch and swipe phone . This pretend phone encourages discovery, exploration, hand eye coordination, imaginative play, and language development.
Everything that your child learns is through experience from doing things with their peers and observing their parent. So if they are watching their parents talk on the phone, then the child may think talking on the phone is the way to conduct yourself socially.
There are two items to note here. First, if your child is watching TV and not outside at the playground they are not engaging with their friends and learning social skills. Secondly, the impact these toys have on your child can be significant you will find that children are not able to attend to people attentively.
REPLACEMENT FOR REINFORCEMENTS
They are so used to looking at a screen rather than a person. Providing an opportunity for your child to use an iPad may not be detrimental if you can you can limit their play time to 10 to 20 minutes a day and replace these behaviors with #4 The LeapFrog Explorer allows parents to track progress towards achieving learning goals by connecting the Explorer to the Leap-Frog learning path online. Track your childs location with the Gizmopal II GPS for $59.00 this wristband helps track your childs movement and location.
Parents are worried when their children get hooked on games. Divide time and provide strict rules for setting in environments. The parents should monitor where and when the child uses these games. Tablet should not be allowed at the dinner table, and doing family social time. The family needs a designated places such as the bedroom. 5# Alienware AW15 R3 voted best gaming laptop.
HEALTH RISKS?
So how bad is it for young children to be tethered to tablets? Game systems have been around for a long time and experts who have observed children glued to tablets to an unprecedented extent are concerned about what happens when these children grow older. Over usage of tablets could cause poor school performance, obesity and media addiction. #6 CODIA- Helps game-obsessed kids become genuine game designers.
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