The Work of Electronics
Our generation today, is highly dependent on technology. We use any kind of electronics like phones, computers, smart devices, or any gadgets. Nowadays, technology has been very useful in our day-to-day life.
Physik Instrumente
However, what could we do if the technology that we use turns against us? Is it even safe to continue using these gadgets? How about the security of the users, our family, friends, and our youngsters?
Parents and Children
For any normal couple, their children would be the topmost priority. Just like this couple in Cincinnati, Ohio, their toddler’s safety is also their top priority. To keep the baby safe, they decided to buy a baby monitor.
Mums Lounge
The baby monitor’s purpose is for the parents to listen, hear, and see their baby from a distance. But, in their case, something unexpected happened that totally stirred up their trust in technology.
Baby Monitor
It was in the evening when the mother or the baby heard an unfamiliar voice through the baby monitor. Of course, the couple immediately thought that there was another person with their child at the moment.
Gearbest
For new parents like them and to anyone else who always depends on electronics, what happened would be so terrifying. Hearing unfamiliar voices in your baby’s room is not normal at all.
Being Parents
Heather and Adam Shreck wanted to have a baby of their own and then came their daughter. Them, being “new parents” brought their lives so much joy and they have a wonderful experience.
MadeForMums
Normally, for parents, it is their job and responsibility to be protective of their children. Heather and Adam of course were overprotective of their daughter which made them buy some stuff just to monitor their child.
The Luxury of a Baby Monitor
Heather bought an expensive baby monitor, it was fully equipped with a digital camera. The camera allows the parents to see and hear their children. So, their 10-month-old daughter can be seen and heard even if Heather and Adam were not in the room.
IEEE Technology and Society
The couple really appreciated the works of the baby monitor. The features of the baby monitor also offer a lot. It could be accessed through phones, and the camera could operate in a way that shifts the angle of its view.
Felt Secure
They could also change the levels of its sound, see, this baby monitor is amazing. Heather and any other parents felt secure when they leave their children in the room to do other chores.
CTV News
“It can be tough not being in the same room as her, but I didn’t want to become one of those parents who can’t leave their baby alone for five minutes. The baby monitor made me feel good about spending time with my husband because I could always check on her,” Heather said.
Saturday Night
On a normal Saturday evening, the couple was about to go to bed right after they put their daughter to sleep in her crib. The couple made sure that the baby monitor was working properly.
Independent.ie
Midnight, Heather woke up to a bizarre sound coming from the baby monitor. Half-awake, she thought that Adam went to check on their daughter but then she realized that her husband was still with her in their bed.
Distinctive Voice
Heather stay stilled as she was holding her breath and tries to listen more in the darkness of their room. She also thought that the voice she heard was just her imagination. However, once again she heard a crackling sound and a distinct voice.
Totally The Bomv.com
“Wake up, baby!” She heard the monitor yell and it sent her goosebumps and felt a shiver down her spine. Terrified, she immediately woke her husband up. She was afraid that there was an intruder in their home.
Utilizes the Baby Monitor
Heather and Adam then quickly check their daughter on their phones and maneuver the camera to see every angle of the child’s room. They feared that they could find someone intruding on their home, especially near the baby.
Baby Center
Fortunately, there was no one in the baby’s room. However, where is the voice coming from? Adam assumed that the signal might get crossed or something. But, nothing could prove what they were thinking.
Camera Glitch
Heather suddenly noticed the camera jerk. Again they thought it was just glitching of the camera. However, the camera starts to rotate itself around and erratically moves. Heather screamed at her husband to get their daughter from the room.
Global News
Someone is definitely controlling the baby monitor’s camera. But who? And how could this be possible? Adam rushed himself to their daughter’s room with fear and a pounding heart. His daughter’s safety is what mattered to him right now.
The Camera is the Villain
Adam carefully watched the camera that slowly moved in his direction. He was terrified when the monitor’s speaker sounded. It was not just a normal sound. The camera screamed at Adam. Screams of cursing and threats filled the room as he quickly went for her daughter.
Father craft
Before leaving the room with his daughter, he pulled the baby monitor’s plug and threw it. “It was like I was in a movie. It had to have been the scariest moment of my life. When does something like this happen? It’s insane!”
Reporting the Incident
The couple reported the incident to the police, having a fear that someone might be watching their family from close by. Heather began to overthink about the family’s safety, thankfully, both the couple was awake during the incident.
Manchester Evening News
The police immediately check their home and the surrounding area. There is no one suspicious around their area. The police collected the baby monitor as a piece of evidence and for investigation later.
It was Hacked
It was known that the baby monitor is connected to their WiFi, which is hackable. Seems like have accessed their router and hacked the baby monitor so easily. After they reported the incident, their story went throughout the media and went viral.
Cybercrime Magazine
Parents’ thoughts about baby monitors were to secure the safety of their children. However, when the news went viral, parents had to reconsider whether these innocent children could be the target of some unidentified creepers.
How is it possible?
The tech experts say that firmware from the inside of the camera had a glitch. Through that, the hacker had access to the passwords of the router and the monitor. Turns out that he could hear, watch the baby, and could even interact through the speaker as well.
Ocean Point Insurance
The couple then ask for the baby monitor’s manufacturer to report what happened. They found something very shocking. The manufacturer honestly said that this is not the first time that they received the same complaint as theirs.
This is Definitely Disturbing
Nancy Grace revealed in an evening report about the concern and how long the hacker has accessed the monitor and watched their daily lives. Being watched in your own home by an anonymous person is just so disturbing!
NPR
Nancy questioned for how long does this hacker watched the baby sleep, changed, and get breastfed. She also stated that this hacker is a complete creep that had gained access to their home. How is something like this possible?
Technologies
We all know that technology gives a lot of benefits. However, people are growing more and more dependent on technology, especially when it comes to dealing with basic chores. But we must also consider that these technologies might not be too safe.
GeekDad
The experts suggested never using the default password given on your devices. You might as well change the password for security. Do not use the same passwords as your other platform accounts and you must change them regularly.
Eye Opener
What they experienced was an eye-opener. The family felt exposed and violated, they have learned that even in their home, there could be a danger. With these technologies that offer a lot, their family’s privacy could still be violated.
CNET
The couple just hope that what happened to them could do good and help other parents be aware of this kind of situation. You should be more aware of the electronics you have purchased and brought home.
Ensuring Safety
The technology in this generation is highly developed highly advanced and more integrated. These technologies help us, humans to perform the works more easily and efficiently. Either in our homes or workplace, there are different technologies present that perform varying tasks.
Daydream Education
However, we should bear in mind that even if these technologies offer a lot, these technologies might do us harm. To ensure our family’s safety, it is better to really learn and know about how these electronics work.
To The Users
Knowing that all age ranges were using different kinds of devices, no matter what interesting offers they have, it is better to assure the safety of the users. Most especially most of us just use but are not well aware of the technologies’ capabilities.
T-Mobile
In this way, we must have ways to be aware and protect our children from cyber crimes and harm. We do not want something similar with Adam and Heather’s family to happen to us.
Learning Experience
We don’t want to harm our families with the technology. Just like for Adam and Heather Shreck, the incident of the baby monitor, they have learned that these technologies might do us harm.
Forbes
Let us encourage each other to learn more about these technologies before purchasing because securing our home internet connection can do us good, too. This is only prevention from something terrible that could happen if we lack awareness.