A baby monitor was hacked by a man yelling profanity. Marc and Lauren Gilbert were horrified when they heard a man’s voice coming from their daughter’s room — in the middle of the night. The voice was saying her name.
The Houston, Texas, couple ran into 2-year-old Allyson’s room to find her sound asleep. They finally realized that the voice was coming out of the baby monitor.
As reported by ABC News, the man kept talking, making vile comments like, “wake up you little slut.” He eventually addressed the parents, calling them names as well.
Marc and Lauren noticed that the camera following them as they moved around the room. The voice continued, calling Mark a moron and Lauren a b****.
The Gilberts realized the baby monitor had been hacked. A stranger was in control of the camera and the speakers. Marc immediately unplugged the monitor.
Unfortunately, the Gilberts have no idea how long the man was controlling the equipment. Their daughter Allyson is deaf , so she would not have heard the man’s voice.
The incident was reported to police. However, the Gilberts will not be using a baby monitor in the future. For them, it is not worth the risk.
As reported by Fox News, Marc and Lauren are still frightened. However, they want other parents to hear their story.
The Gilberts had no idea that a stranger could hack into the monitor. They are concerned that other children are being watched without their parents’ knowledge.
Digital baby monitors are more difficult to hack than older analog versions. Monitors that use a Wi-Fi connection are recommended.
However, network security measures are a must. As reported by ABC, experts suggest setting Wi-Fi to WPA2 for the most secure connection.
Experts warn that baby monitor packaging can be misleading. They are not secure unless all the steps are followed. This includes securing the home’s wireless network.
Strangers can gain a great deal of information just watching a family through a monitor. The man watching little Allyson learned her name. He most likely saw it printed on her wall.
Baby monitor hacking is a scary reality. As more products are operated through wireless networks, security is a must.
[Image via Wikimedia ]