Hackers target home security cameras, spying on families; learn how to protect your family

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- New warnings for those of you with home security systems after hackers were able to control cameras to spy on and even talk to families.

All across the country, hackers are stealing passwords and taking control of cameras.

In some cases, they talk directly to the people their watching.

As these home security systems become more popular, it opens the door for hackers to literally be in your home without physically being there.

"Facts are, most of the burglaries occur when the people are at work and there's nobody home during the daylight hours," Detective Bryan Brauer told KY3.

West Plains Police Detective Bryan Brauer wanted an extra set of eyes to watch his property, when he installed cameras at his home.

"Basically to watch my doors. The front and back door at my residence," Brauer explained.

Anytime his cameras pick up motion, he receives a text.

He can talk to someone on his front porch from his phone and the cameras have great night vision.

"It's incredible the technology they have for these cheap home systems now," Brauer exclaimed.

But that incredible technology is now the target of hackers.

Ron Grennan, owner of Grennan Communications, says there are ways to keep hackers out.

"The better video doorbell systems have a feature on them called a two-factor authentication, Grennan said. So when you set your account up on the video doorbell to allow you to watch it on your cell phone, you will put a username in and a password. Number one, don't use one, two, three as your password. Don't use your pet's name or your kid's birthday, anything like that. Put in an actual 8 or more character in to make it harder for the bad guys."

As soon as you put your password in, you will get a notification on your phone.

You'll put in a series of numbers, as an authentication code, to prove it's you.

"So down the road if somebody is able to hack your account and tries to change your password, you will get an immediate notification on your cell phone. If you do not enter that authentication code, it will not change your password and they will not get in," Grennan added.

Grennan says you get what you pay for when it comes to home security.

He suggests shopping around and looking for products with two-factor authentication.

"I do kind of recommend that you have, for your security systems, your intrusion and that, you have a professional come out, design it and install it," Grennan stated.

Cybersecurity analysts believe that companies like Ring and Nest will find it hard to combat hackers because so many people reuse passwords and manufacturers are reluctant to require two-factor authentication because some people find that too difficult.