Video of hacker talking to little girl through her bedroom security camera

Dec 19, 2019

Ring security cameras are installed in and outside homes across the country, gaining popularity because of their ease of use, affordability, and the ability to monitor any area they are placed in. Many users decide to use them inside their homes, but as one family in Mississippi recently found out, when someone is able to hack into the security system you don't feel safe at all. In fact, many find it even more violating than being robbed or having their home broken into.

The LeMay family in Mississippi decided to purchase a standard Ring video monitoring system for their home so that mother, Ashley LeMay could keep a watchful eye on and connect with her daughters even when she had to work long overnight shifts at a hospital. After viewing another parent using the Ring system to watch and speak with her children at home while away, LeMay decided to purchase the product and install a camera in her daughter's room so that she could wish her a good night and then check in throughout the evening, as reported here at the New York Times.

Soon after setting up the camera security system and using it, the LeMay family was in for a shock because hackers took over their system and not only began watching the family, but tried interacting with the young daughters. The first indication that there was an issue was when hackers began playing music and speaking to the children via the bedroom camera. Understanding that it was not normal and that someone was controlling the camera outside of their parents, one of the LeMay children immediately ran to notify her parents.

After immediately recognizing that their Ring system was compromised, the LeMay's disconnected the cameras in order to prevent hackers from watching the family any longer. Then, they contacted Ring in order to determine what happened and how their home security was compromised. It turns out that there was no breach of security on the company's side, but rather, the family had not used all available security precautions and recommendations to make situations like this possible, and made vulnerable to hackers.

Ring is working with the family and all users to ensure that the products is used in a way that protects your privacy. Given the possibility for a breach in the system though, there are sure to be some potential customers that will think twice before adding these security cameras inside the privacy of their homes.