Home security cameras: Wireless or hard-wired?

[LateForLunch]

Not for me, but a female friend from another conservative forum. Her son just "did her a favor" without asking and installed some wireless cameras around the house. Should she be concerned enough about wireless camera weaknesses to swap them out for hard wired cams?

I have heard bad things about the security flaws in wireless security cameras. She lives in Arizona BTW, not that this matters in regard to the topic. She doesn't like McCain at all, which puts her on my Christmas list automatically.

[Frank Cannon]

I run only hard wired cameras for their reliability. I have 4 cameras per bathroom. I don't like missing anything.

[LateForLunch]

I run only hard wired cameras for their reliability. I have 4 cameras per bathroom. I don't like missing anything.

Oh, the humanity... Seriously, thanks for the response, Man of Large Munitions, I don't suppose you know whether there are security issues inherent in wireless cameras (hijacking or misusing the data stream). I have heard nightmare stories of bad people using people's wireless security cameras against them - to hack in and observe when people leave for work in order to then burglarize the place.

[GtHawk]

I run only hard wired cameras for their reliability. I have 4 cameras per bathroom. I don't like missing anything.

Um, does that include the waterproof bowl cam?


Your alma mater?

[Restored]

Oh, the humanity... Seriously, thanks for the response, Man of Large Munitions, I don't suppose you know whether there are security issues inherent in wireless cameras (hijacking or misusing the data stream). I have heard nightmare stories of bad people using people's wireless security cameras against them - to hack in and observe when people leave for work in order to then burglarize the place.

Not really. They would have to be close enough to pick up the camera signal which isn't that easy to hack. If they can hack the router or your computer(the normal way of getting in), wired and wireless would both be compromised since everything goes through the router/computer
Many of the wireless cameras have an Ethernet port anyway. There are far greater security concerns than a wireless camera.
The normal way of hacking your security cameras is to run a phish on the computer that access the cameras. As the cartoon says, all the computer security plans in the world still can't beat Stan in Accounts Payable.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Not really. They would have to be close enough to pick up the camera signal which isn't that easy to hack. If they can hack the router or your computer(the normal way of getting in), wired and wireless would both be compromised since everything goes through the router/computer
Many of the wireless cameras have an Ethernet port anyway. There are far greater security concerns than a wireless camera.
The normal way of hacking your security cameras is to run a phish on the computer that access the cameras. As the cartoon says, all the computer security plans in the world still can't beat Stan in Accounts Payable.

Not to discount your assessment in any way, but the last big Internet "outage" a few months ago was supposedly a DDoS launched from security (or traffic?) cameras. 

I think the biggest real threat with devices like this will be when the code slipped in by some guys at the company in China that made these things goes active in a couple years.  I have no knowledge of this, I just made it up, but sooner or later I'm going to be right.

[roamer_1]

Not really. They would have to be close enough to pick up the camera signal which isn't that easy to hack. If they can hack the router or your computer(the normal way of getting in), wired and wireless would both be compromised since everything goes through the router/computer
Many of the wireless cameras have an Ethernet port anyway. There are far greater security concerns than a wireless camera.
The normal way of hacking your security cameras is to run a phish on the computer that access the cameras. As the cartoon says, all the computer security plans in the world still can't beat Stan in Accounts Payable.

That's pretty right. Wireless is probably more susceptible to hacking, but that is incidental to the normative value in security.

More problematic is how easily they can be disabled. I don't want to get too technical, but a properly configured 5 watt transmitter can overwhelmingly interrupt signal, rendering wireless security useless.

Real security is wired, hardened, and pics shipped offsite. Less than that is better than nothing, but is really not a problem to a professional with a reason to do it.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

I have wireless camera.  The blink system. Pretty good.

You guys are bleep ridiculous. No ghetto trash or redneck meth junkie who wants to break in and steal your valuables is going to hack a goddamned camera.

[Smokin Joe]

Um, does that include the waterproof bowl cam?


Your alma mater?

Never trust the bidet....

[Suppressed]

It used to be creepy fun to surf the wireless cameras that were accessible online when people didn't set up security on them.  Some people intentionally left their cameras on themselves, as exhibitionists.  But most didn't realize their IP cameras were streaming everything to the world.

Most are more secure now, but if you want to browse, check out http://www.insecam.org/  As you can see, most are pretty boring these days.

I hope your friend's cameras are set up properly.  Crimes are known to have been committed against people who haven't secured their IP cameras.  Note, both wired and wireless cameras are vulnerable to this, if they have an IP address.

@LateForLunch

[Snarknado]

Everyone has old routers and maybe even an old PC or tablet lying around - if you don't need remote access you could easily set up a separate network for cameras and DVR?

[roamer_1]

Everyone has old routers and maybe even an old PC or tablet lying around - if you don't need remote access you could easily set up a separate network for cameras and DVR?

Yes and that's advisable (you'd be amazed what you can do with Raspberry Pi in this field). I like to put them in hardwired to a computer in a mechanical room or attic...

The problem remains the same. If the intruder is aware that there is a security system, and does not see a locally recognized security sticker on the door, he'll just take the computer, because it is likely that is where the data is stored, and you wind up with no proof.

Security requires off-site storage, or spoofing in hopes he won't discover the real system.

There are exceptions. One guy I know has his security system inside of his hardened storm shelter, which is a buried shipping container - Hard to find, and even harder to access... but that is a seriously unlikely circumstance for most folks.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Yes and that's advisable (you'd be amazed what you can do with Raspberry Pi in this field). I like to put them in hardwired to a computer in a mechanical room or attic...

The problem remains the same. If the intruder is aware that there is a security system, and does not see a locally recognized security sticker on the door, he'll just take the computer, because it is likely that is where the data is stored, and you wind up with no proof.

Security requires off-site storage, or spoofing in hopes he won't discover the real system.

There are exceptions. One guy I know has his security system inside of his hardened storm shelter, which is a buried shipping container - Hard to find, and even harder to access... but that is a seriously unlikely circumstance for most folks.

Blink is stored in the cloud.

[Restored]

Not to discount your assessment in any way, but the last big Internet "outage" a few months ago was supposedly a DDoS launched from security (or traffic?) cameras. 

I think the biggest real threat with devices like this will be when the code slipped in by some guys at the company in China that made these things goes active in a couple years.  I have no knowledge of this, I just made it up, but sooner or later I'm going to be right.

That's because the cameras had an IP address that could be accessed globally. A wireless camera on an internal home router has an address just like a wired camera. There is no difference.

[DB]

Wireless encryption can be broken with some effort. There are hacking tools available for download. After that, generally all it takes is some time listening. If you are far from neighbors the chances of people trying to hack in are low. If you are in a densely populated area the chances of interception are very high.

I wire everything that matters security wise. Wireless encryption only keeps the honest people out.