Family has nanny cam hacked and images posted for the world to see

A YOUNG family is in shock after discovering the creepy things a hacker did by gaining access to their nanny cam.

03/08/2004. Teddy Bear Nanny Cam. Spy bear.

MANY parents purchase nanny cams in the hope of keeping their children safe, however the devices might be having an adverse effect.

In something that sounds like a scene from a horror movie, a Minnesota family discovered a hacker had gained access to their nanny cam and leaked private footage of the family online.

Family members, who want to remain anonymous, said they first grew suspicious when their Foscam surveillance camera began playing strange songs at night.

“We were sleeping in bed, and basically heard some music coming from the nursery, but then when we went into the room the music turned off,” the mother told NBC affiliate KTTC.

Troubled with the mysterious music, the family decided to launch an investigation.

“We were able to track down the IP address through the Foscam software, and found out that it was coming from Amsterdam,” she said.

The family was then able to discover the IP address had a website link attached, which redirected them to a site containing thousands of pictures from cameras similar to their own.

“This isn’t just you know Rochester, Minnesota. You can literally just sort by whatever country suits your fancy, and whatever room suits your fancy. It’s pretty sick,” she said.

“Every place that people think is sacred and private in their home is being accessed.”

The brand of camera the family were using.

Already concerned with the privacy issues, the family were shocked when they realised the hackers could also move the camera remotely.

“We faced it toward the wall, and then a few hours later we accessed the Foscam, and it wasn’t facing the wall it was facing the closet,” she said.

According to Robert Siciliano, an online safety expert for Intel Security, the hack is just the latest in a string of attacks and could have been prevented.

“I recommend registering your devices with the company that provides it to you. That means if they discover vulnerability, they will usually ping everybody’s email and let them know they need to update their device,” he told ABC News.

“Another thing you can do too is set up a Google alert for the brand and if a researcher publishes a report that says, ‘Hey I discovered this is vulnerable,’ you may find out before the manufacturer does.”

A spokesman from Forscam added users should frequently check their camera’s log to check for unauthorised access.

“Foscam cameras have embedded logs which allow you to see exactly which IP addresses are accessing the camera,” the company said in a statement on its website.

“You will be able to tell if an outsider has gained access to your camera.”