FAYETTEVILLE, Ark — From smartphones to doorbell cameras to baby monitors, we have smart devices everywhere which may have you wondering if you are being hacked and tracked. How easy it is for hackers to get into your smart devices like cell phones and doorbells? The FBI says it all depends on the user and the level of security they have on their devices.
“We recommend things like long passphrases, multi-factor authentication on your devices and on your home network and if you use those techniques, it’s actually pretty difficult for someone to get on you on your devices,” said Assistant Special Agent Jason Van Goor.
Jason Van Goor, Assistant Special Agent in charge of National Security for the FBI Little Rock, says he personally uses a lot of smart devices and people shouldn’t be wary of using them if they are properly secured. He says instead of a password use a passphrase that’s 18 to 20 characters and he says turning on the multi-factor or two-factor authentication is very important.
“Because even if someone does get your password, they still can’t get into your device, your camera into your phone because there is that second factor, that text message you are going to get with a 4-digit code, that’s what is going to keep someone from getting into your device,” he said.
Also, beware of phishing scams that will either send you an email or text message with a link to click. Clicking that link could give hackers access to everything on your phone. Van Goor says when downloading apps make sure it’s a trustworthy app by looking at the number of downloads and the number of reviews.
Some smart devices come with default passwords that hackers can look up online and connect to devices. There have been instances of hackers getting into baby monitors like this one and watching babies sleep or see if anyone is home.
Dale Robert Thompson is an associate professor of computer science and science engineering at the University of Arkansas. He says some devices have had vulnerabilities allowing hackers to connect to them and either retrieve the password or reset the password.
“Although the smart device vendors are getting a lot better at not having a default password for everything. You notice on the back of some of them, they actually have a password that is individualized to that actual device, or they have the apps that actually control these things that force you to change the default password,” he said.
He says not only are pass phases a good idea but having different ones for each device. And don’t use your name, any part of your address or phone number. He says to also look out for updates you can make to your devices that can make them more secure. He thinks security on smart devices will get better to a degree.
“Some people who like to have these gadgets around, the price point is real important to the people who make these devices, so there is always this trade-off of how much security do you want to pay for and how much are people willing to pay for. And some people who sell it maybe are less likely or worried about your security," he said.
The FBI says if you think any of your smart devices or computers have been hacked, please call your local FBI field office immediately.
DOWNLOAD THE 5NEWS APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE 5NEWS APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KFSM in the Channel Store.
For Fire TV, search for "KFSM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com.