Body worn cameras are common nowadays. Police officers, security employees, and repo men wear body cams on a day-to-day basis.
These minuscule cameras can capture footage that can be used as evidence. When carrying out an investigation, the footage stored on the camera’s memory can be used to connect the dots. However, not everyone supports the idea. Of course, there are privacy concerns but authorities feel that these devices are used to protect the public. A recent study carried out in America showed that ninety percent of people like the idea of police officers wearing body cams. If the public wish to report a police officer for misconduct, the footage will show their every move.
Unfortunately, privacy concerns aren’t the only issues surrounding these recording devices. Like almost all devices that connect to a WiFi network or Bluetooth, body cams can be hacked.
Hacking
In recent years, hackers have had plenty of success. Hackers often target businesses and people for financial gain, but money isn’t the only thing that motivates these people.
When a company manufactures police body cams, the devices are given a specific identifier. Once the device is connected to a network, a hacker will be able to spot the unique hardware identifier. Once the hacker identifies the body cam and gains access to the device, they can delete, copy and save the storage. However, compromised data isn’t the only thing that concerns people wearing body cams.
Tracking the camera
When hackers tamper with data stored on a body cam, they could interfere with an ongoing investigation. However, some hackers are able to track these body cams, so they can follow the person wearing them, and keep track of their every move.
This is a major concern, especially for police officers. If criminals know where police officers are at all times, they will have no problems carrying out illegal activity without any police officers present.
Types of body cams
There are a variety of body cams readily available. The best private investigators when doing deep cover work use all sorts of different types of body cams such as:
- Spy glasses: They might look like ordinary glasses, but spy cams have a tiny camera installed in the frame that captures footage. These modern spectacles are great for those wanting to record without others noticing.
- Hidden button camera: Most of the time, its obvious when a person wears a body cam. You can easily see the device connected to the person’s clothing. But now, you can find tiny buttons that you can attach to your shirt just like a regular button. There is a tiny camera fitted inside the button, making it almost impossible to tell that there is a small camera hidden inside.
- Spy watch: In the past, it seemed like James Bond was the only person out there that had access to a spy watch. Today you can buy a spy watch for yourself, that allows you to record footage and sound, plus, it tells the time!
- Key fob: Spy key fobs look like regular fobs, which is why a lot of people use them. The buttons on the device allow you to start and stop recording whenever you please.
Although there are physical stores that stock body cams, if you want to buy any of the above spy gadgets, you should consider searching for them online. There are tons of websites dedicated to modern spy equpment, so you are bound to find something that will help you record without anyone noticing.
How to prevent body cams from being hacked?
Unfortunately, there is no sign of hackers giving up on what they do best. If you wear a body cam, you should do whatever it takes to keep the data on the device protected. Here are the steps you should carry out to avoid your recorded data from falling into the wrong hands.
1. Research the device before investing: Keep in mind that no all body cams are the same. Try to find a body camera that is manufactured by a reputable company. Visit the manufacturer’s official website, and if you have any questions, send them an email. Visit online forums and check out customer reviews for more details about the different body cams currently available.
2. Don’t connect your camera to a public network: Under no circumstances should you connect your body cam to a public network. Unsecured networks are used by hackers on a regular basis.
3. Use a VPN: Invest in a quality VPN to improve your security, especially when connecting your body cam to a network. There are some fantastic VPN providers out there that will help keep your device and your data secure.
Unfortunately, even with the best body cam on the market, there is no guarantee your body cam won’t get hacked.
