Can Baby Monitors Be Hacked? Understanding the Risks and How to Protect Your Baby
- Baby
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- UPDATED September 09, 2025
by Kristine Bowman
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Baby monitors have been around for about 95 years. These devices were first invented during the 1930s, and today, they have come a long way, evolving with technology to provide even more advanced features.
Most parents use a baby monitor to keep track of their babies, and one of the concerns today is, “Can baby monitors be hacked?”. While these devices provide peace of mind, they still can expose families to potential risks. Some parents also use a baby heart rate monitor for added safety for their babies.
But as baby monitors become more advanced, like any other technology, they also become vulnerable to breaches. Anything that is connected to the internet is an opportunity for hackers and cybercriminals to access your data, and unfortunately, that includes your baby monitor.
Are Baby Monitors Vulnerable to Hacking? Common Risks and Concerns
While baby monitor hacks are rare, the potential for hackers still exists, especially if you use a WiFi-enabled monitor. Any device connected to the internet is vulnerable to hacking. Some baby monitors have weak security protocols in place, making them susceptible to hacking.
Hackers can get to the baby monitors quickly, and once they have access to one device, they can access all other devices connected to the Wi-Fi network. The threat to your family includes violations of privacy, potential theft, and unnecessary stress.
Here are some types of baby monitors and their risks:
Digital Baby Monitors: Digital baby monitors use encrypted data to transmit audio and video to connected devices. They are safer and more secure than analog baby monitors because their encrypted data prevents accidental signal interference. If someone wants to hack a digital baby monitor, they need to exert extra effort to make it happen.
Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS): Some baby monitors use FHSS to prevent accidental eavesdropping. This changes the signal’s channel quickly, making it hard for the intruder to hack the signal and access video or audio. While this feature makes it harder to hack the baby monitor, they can still bypass the monitor with the right equipment to follow signals as they go around.
Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT): Some baby monitors are equipped with DECT. This feature makes it harder for hackers to access any video or audio transmission. Wireless devices with DECT are less sensitive to signal interference. This feature protects baby monitors from accidental access to audio and video.
Although DECT provides enough protection, baby monitors with this feature can still be hacked. With the right tools and equipment, hackers can intercept the signal.
WiFi-Enabled Baby Monitors: WiFi-powered baby monitors are the most common devices in the market, as they give you an unlimited range. You can leave your baby in their room while you’re doing some chores and just check on them through an app on your phone. Unfortunately, these baby monitors are the primary target for hackers. Hackers who bypass WiFi-enabled baby monitors take advantage of old firmware and security breaches that unaware users create.
How Hackers Access Baby Monitors: Methods and Techniques
Can baby monitors be hacked? The answer is yes. Here’s how hackers access baby monitors:
Remote Administrator Access to Router
Hackers can gain access to your baby monitor, whether you have a password or not. They can access your camera, even if you put up a password protection for it. If a hacker has administrative access to your router, they can access anything connected to that router.
To avoid this, you want to avoid accessing your router remotely through the router’s admin page, through the wide-area network settings, or the internet. This type of access leaves you vulnerable. You need to disable the feature “Allow Setup over WAN” on your router.
Normal Internet Access to Router
Your baby monitor is still vulnerable even if you have firewall protection. With or without a password, hackers can access the video recorded by the baby monitor. Hacking through normal internet access to the router also gives the hacker remote access to the baby monitors.
User/ Administrator Local Access to Router
Another situation when a password is irrelevant is when a user or administrator has local access to the router. Hackers can gain access to your baby monitor, whether you’re connected wired or wireless. They go for the baby monitor video access, and having a password on the camera won’t prevent this.
This is the same as accessing the router remotely. The only difference is that the hacker has to be within the Wi-Fi range or plug into the router directly to hack in.
Red Flags: How to Spot If Your Baby Monitor Has Been Compromised
The risk of your baby monitor being hacked increases when your Wi-Fi network is connected to the internet. While it allows you to remotely view your baby, it also becomes available for hackers to target. Hackers can access your WiFi network from anywhere by accessing or gaining your passwords.
A baby monitor that has been hacked allows the hacker to use the same features you have. They can also pan across the room, zoom in and out, and use the talk-back feature. Knowing that your monitor has been hacked might not always be so obvious. Here’s how to spot if your baby monitor has been compromised:
- Unusual change in color or flashing of the LED lights on the camera monitor
Knowing how your baby monitor works makes it easier to identify when something is wrong. Some baby monitors use different LED lights that change depending on use. For example, a monitor may have a solid color LED light when it is being viewed and flashes when it is in standby mode. If the monitor has a solid LED light even when you’re not viewing the monitor could indicate that something is wrong.
- Unrecognizable noises coming from the monitor
This is the most common sign that your baby monitor has been hacked. The hacker might scare you or your child.
- The baby monitor is moving on its own
A camera that is obviously changing direction or changing direction on the app without you doing anything is a sign that your baby monitor has been bypassed.
How to Protect Your Baby Monitor: Tips for Enhancing Security
A baby monitor is a great device for you to keep an eye on your child. However, baby monitors, especially those connected to the internet, are prone to hacking and can pose a danger to your family. Here are a few simple steps to ensure your network and baby monitor are protected from hackers:
- Secure your wireless router
This is an important security measure to secure your baby monitor. Make sure your router’s firmware is always updated. Disable remote router access if you changed the default setting, and create a strong WiFi password. Never leave your WiFi network open, and having a password-protected WiFi reduces the possibility of a hacker gaining access to your network.
- Create a strong password for your baby monitor
When you install your baby monitor, make sure you change the default login details and create a strong password.
- Update the firmware for your monitor’s camera
Keeping updated with the latest firmware for your baby monitor is also a way to keep it from hackers. Steps for updating your camera’s firmware depend on the manufacturer of the monitor you purchased.
- Disable Dynamic Domain Name System (DDNS) and Port Forwarding or UPnP
If applicable, you may also want to disable DDNS on your monitor’s camera and disable port forwarding. This will depend on the specific product you purchased and can be adjusted in its settings.
- Disable remote access to your monitor’s camera
Most baby monitors allow you to remotely access them through the internet. While this feature is convenient, it is not recommended from a security standpoint.
When you enable internet access to your baby monitor, it removes the barriers a hacker would have to penetrate to compromise it. Unless you disable remote access, all that stands between the hacker to the monitor is the remote access password you created. To be as secure as possible, disabling it is the best option.
Baby monitors today come with various technological advancements. They provide you with peace of mind and huge help in taking care of your baby. However, these benefits also come with the concern that many parents now ask: Can baby monitors be hacked? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Baby monitors can be hacked. Being aware of the risks and understanding how hackers might gain access helps you secure your device.
Securing your Wi-Fi, updating your router settings, and using strong passwords can help reduce the chance of your baby monitor being hacked. Baby monitors can still offer assistance for modern parenting, as long as you stay proactive about cybersecurity. With the right precautions, you can still maximize the use of your baby monitor without compromising your baby’s safety and privacy.