Can Arlo Cameras Be Hacked? Arlo Camera Security Issues

Arlo cameras are predominantly protected. However, hackers can exploit the susceptibilities security cameras come with if proper security measures are not taken from your end. 

When it comes to the manufacturers of Arlo security cameras, they do claim that their products are immune from hacking or snooping. Still, there is something significant that you must be aware of.

Arlo security camera’s central communication is done with the camera devices through WiFi. This sort of communication is always considered a potential threat from hackers. 

As an Arlo security camera owner, you must be aware that even if the camera device is protected independently, this does not mean that the transfer of information between the device and WiFi/wired access points is secure.

How Secure Are Arlo Cameras?

Keeping your videos private and secure is a top priority with the Arlo system. 

To protect your information, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is used. 

Governments are implementing this standard in their software and hardware worldwide to protect classified information from cyberattacks. 

You can be assured that your Arlo camera videos will remain secure in transit due to AES-128-bit encryption and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols. 

Financial institutions use this encryption method to protect user information. 

How To Know If Your Arlo Camera Has been Hacked?

Detecting when someone enters your camera is essential so you can intervene before it is too late. 

There are several signs you can look out for to tell if someone is in your camera. Some signs may be visible on your camera, while others may be on your home network.

Slow Internet Speed

If your network speed is lower than usual, and you’re the only one using it, it could indicate that an attacker penetrated your Wi-Fi. This change is hard to notice when many people use the internet simultaneously.

Change In Settings

The availability to alter the video settings, including video quality, brightness, image rotation, low light settings, power management, and more, is present in Arlo Cam. 

So, if you are the only one with access to those settings and your already set settings get changed somehow (without you touching it), then your Arlo system got hacked by a third party.

The Presence Of Foreign Devices On Your Network

The presence of unknown and new devices in your network map is a sign of a hacker there to attack your camera.

New Software On Your Computer

Without your permission, if you see a new and weird software installed, the installed program will collect all the information about the user.

Strange Sounds Or Voices

The Arlo cam offers a two-way communication feature to allow you to speak with people inside your home. If you hear a strange and unknown voice from your device, it could be the hacker accessing your camera and trying to talk to you. 

Change In The Password Or Username

Username and password are used when you want to access your cam remotely. When you notice a change in both these elements, your camera has been hacked. 

Is It Easy To Hack Arlo Security Cameras?

It’s difficult to hack an Arlo camera system, even for highly experienced hackers. Even if it’s connected to a wireless system, it is tough for hackers to hijack your security system remotely. 

There are a few other reasons why Arlo systems are generally considered safe from hackers:

Aes Encryption

AES encryption is used by Arlo to safeguard your data. It is the same encryption financial institutions and banks use to pass sensitive data over wireless networks.

Strict Password Encryption

Arlo has password encryption like other camera systems. The user creates a password containing six characters, one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number. The users are locked out after five incorrect attempts to prevent hacking.

Account Authorization Over Secure Networks

HTTPS is used to verify Arlo’s security authorization. This helps prevent eavesdropping on the network connection.

How Do Hackers Access Arlo Cameras?

The hackers can choose between various methods to hack your camera and remotely spy on you. 

Home Router

All your gadgets, including security cameras attached to the router from which the camera is getting internet, may get hacked. A complex and strong password is essential to prevent your network from getting hacked. 

The presence of bugs and your router not being updated can give hackers easy access. 

Methods like Denial of Service, hit-and-run attacks, and Router table poisoning are some methods hackers use to hack your router.

Physical Access

Compared to other attacks, this one will be rare as the hacker needs to be physically present and connect UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter).

Arlo Account

Arlo cams can be controlled from their account like all other smart cameras. Using this account, you can change the settings or the user information. 

By getting access to your device, they can change the username and password and block you from getting into your cameras. 

The hacking process can be more straightforward if you use a simple password.

Best Ways to Protect an Arlo Camera From Hacking

To make the Arlo system relatively secure and safe from hacking, there are different ways you can do to prevent hackers from hacking your camera. 

Use Two-Factor Authentication

The Arlo cams offer a two-step verification that will add an extra layer of protection. It requires an additional login credential on top of a password to safeguard from unauthorized logins to the system. 

Use The Most Updated Version Of The Arlo System

It’s better to have an updated version of the Arlo system. One way of getting your security system hacked is using the older version, which may contain backdoor loopholes or other weaknesses. 

Create A Strong Password

The best way to prevent hacking is to have a strong and unique password. Weak passwords are one of the easiest ways hackers can break into your digital system.

What to Do If Someone Hacks Your Arlo Camera

If you suspect that someone has hacked into your Arlo security camera, the first thing to do is report it to Arlo at alerts@arlo.com and, secondly, sign in to your Arlo account at my.arlo.com and change both your password and email address.

How Does Arlo Keep My Videos Private And Secure?

Arlo Cam uses a cloud service to store your videos and events, and this company is excellently securing these files. 

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)

The AES standard is used in software and hardware worldwide to encrypt sensitive data; governments use it to safeguard confidential material from cyber threats, and financial institutions use it to secure their clients’ data. 

Certified Safe Harbor

Arlo received the Safe Harbor accreditation, which signifies that a firm has adhered to all data privacy rules to ensure that the personal data of EU citizens, including consumers in other areas, is protected with the utmost security. This is another example of the strong protection of these cameras.

Strict Password Requirements

Arlo cameras use password encryption, so you’ll create your password, which must meet specific criteria, such as having at least one capital, lowercase, and number. The symbols allowed are!@#$%&*(), which must be at least six characters long.

What A Hacker Can Do If He Accesses Your Cam?

It will be disastrous for you if someone manages to access your camera because he can view everything your family does inside your home, among other things. He can turn off the alarm and reroute notifications if he can hear your conversations and even talk to you or your kids. 

And it won’t end here; hackers can switch your device’s ON and OFF whenever they want and alter your account’s username and password to prevent you from using it again.

Aside from accessing other connected devices inside your home, they can also utilize the camera to steal your personal information and data.

Can Arlo Pro 2 Be Hacked?

Yes, it can be compromised. 

One of Arlo’s wire-free cameras, the Arlo Pro 2, must be utilized with a base station that is joined to the Wi-Fi network at home. The cameras are vulnerable if the Wi-Fi network is breached. 

However, hacking into the Arlo Pro 2 is more complex than expected. This is because of the most recent software security patches.

Let’s investigate what makes this smart camera susceptible to cyber incursion. 

The provided Ethernet cable must connect the Arlo Pro base station to the router once installed inside the home. During pairing, you don’t need to enter your home Wi-Fi password between the cameras and the base station. 

So, Arlo is the one that offers the cordless Wi-Fi connection. Although this Wi-Fi may seem very secure, the hackers can still access the 1080-HD cameras’ communication with the base station. 

Therefore, the problem may only sometimes be with the security of your home wireless network.

After getting your Arlo cameras, you must create an account before utilizing them, especially if your camera has Smart capabilities that allow it to link to your phone. 

The hacker will start by hacking your Arlo account because they want your camera, and sometimes, it’s even simpler than breaking into your home’s Wi-Fi. 

The hacker only needs to repeatedly utilize your login information until they discover your username and password for your account and can log in. This is simpler than wired alternatives due to the Arlo cameras’ availability on an open-source forum. 

How to Protect Your Arlo Pro 2 Camera from Hacking

Arlo gives owners of security cameras a significant advantage with its security capabilities, but many cameras are compromised because the average person might have stopped them. 

Use these basic strategies to ensure that hackers don’t exploit your vulnerabilities.  

• Create Complex and Unique Passwords
• Set Two-Factor Authentication for Everything
• Keep your devices consistently updated

Are Newer Arlo Systems Safe Against Hacking?

Selecting an Arlo Pro or an Arlo Go is a significant preventative move if you’re concerned about your Arlo security and camera system being hacked.

Since it doesn’t use a wireless network to function, the Arlo Go is a cellular security system that is less susceptible to hackers. Since the Arlo Pro is a more recent iteration of the Arlo system, many of the weaknesses of prior Arlo models have been engineered out of it.

What Issues Made Arlo Vulnerable to Hacking?

Hackers could get physical access to the Arlo device or control specific Arlo cameras by altering the network’s configuration. 

Fortunately, suppliers were aware of these security flaws, and the Arlo system was patched. It’s important to note that only Arlo cameras linked to wireless networks were subject to these security vulnerabilities. 

The technique is significantly more secure for more recent Arlo camera devices with a dedicated cellular network.

Where Are Arlo Servers Located?

Arlo keeps client data in AWS data centres in one of three locations, Australia, Ireland, or now Canada. Most training businesses need to prioritize where their data is saved. Typically, they pick the one that is nearest to the consumer. 

Final Say,

Even though there is still a chance that your Arlo camera could be hacked, the likelihood is low, especially if you take the necessary security precautions, as discussed in this article. 

However, you’ll have much greater security if you choose one of Arlo’s more recent models and keep it off a wireless system than if your camera is connected to a Wi-Fi network.