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Passwords an Absolute Must for IP Communications

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Passwords an Absolute Must for IP Communications

 
November 20, 2014

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  By Maurice Nagle, TMCnet Web Editor

Webcams are not new, but with their proliferation in use IP-enabled cameras like those a mom would use to monitor her newborn or one used to monitor the security of a home or office may actually make the monitored environments and the contents therein unsafe. It is not the technology’s fault, users are not protecting themselves by ensuring security settings and passwords are, well, secure.


It could be as simple as a tech savvy teenager being bored one afternoon, while cruising the Web looking for entertainment and stumble upon the feed of some unsecured  Internet cameras: game on.  Theft is likely the first scenario to pop in the minds of many, but what if the “hacker” is a pedophile or peeping Tom?

Christopher Graham (News - Alert), the new Director of The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a U.K. security and intelligence organization, is calling for greater cooperation from companies like Facebook and Twitter (News - Alert). Graham told the Financial Times, "we need a new deal between democratic governments and the technology companies in the area of protecting our citizens". 

In purchasing and broadcasting an IP-enabled camera the user is choosing to put themselves in harm’s way by not updating necessary security information. Generally, with the purchase of any IP communications solution, software or application enclosed in the vendor’s instructions is to change the password upon deployment—unfortunately, many do not and leave the door open to anyone who is curious and tech savvy to watch your home while you’re away. So, in fact, the measures a homeowner has taken to protect their home actually make it much more vulnerable.

Graham illustrated this point discussing a Russian website offering a directory of unsecured IP-cameras for the viewing.  One administrator who wished to remain anonymous stated, “All these cameras were viewed by a lot of users and (the) camera's owners have no chance to know about it for many years... Only mass media can help users to understand the importance to set a password.” If the website was hosted in the U.K. Graham could shut it down, unfortunately that is not an option but on the positive side, due to Graham and the GCHQ’s efforts more than two-thirds of the British webcams what were viewable are no longer on the Russian site.

Security is imperative in today’s world, whether we are talking about locking the front door, video conferencing with a client or making a personal call, privacy is of high value. IP is used more so today than ever for communication, collaboration security it is vital to ensure your webcam is protected. 




Edited by Alisen Downey
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