🚨 Creep Hacks Baby Monitor & Zoom Makes You Hate Your Face
But did a seal looking for pizza really get stopped by police?
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👀 Stranger Watches Baby Over Internet Camera
A mother recently shared her chilling experience on Reddit — a stranger was speaking to her child through their baby monitor. The monitor was an “Internet of Things” (IoT) camera that allowed for remote viewing and two-way audio, which is marketed as a great way for parents to keep an eye on their baby. However, after hearing a voice saying “Hello?” and “Hi baby! It’s OK!” through the device, the baby’s mother realized a stranger had been speaking to her child for *days*. She physically removed the camera and hasn’t used it since, advising other parents to be cautious of Internet-connected cameras.
Experts explain that this scenario happens because of security flaws in IoT baby monitors. Weak or default passwords, outdated firmware, and poor app security can leave these devices vulnerable to hackers. In some cases, the network itself might be unsecured, making it easier for strangers to access not just the camera but the entire home network. Even well-known models are not immune to these issues, and there are entire search engines dedicated to scanning IoT devices for vulnerabilities.
To prevent incidents like this, experts recommend choosing baby monitors that rely on local video feeds, rather than those that connect over WiFi. Generally speaking, you should try to buy devices that do not require an app for setup and configuration. Although it’s possible for “smart home” devices to be accessed securely when you’re not at home, the level of knowledge required to properly lock them down is not for the casual user and is best left to cybersecurity geeks.
Local-only IoT devices can remove the risk of remote hacking, but still require care and maintenance to keep you safe. It's essential to change default passwords immediately upon setting up IoT gadgets, use secure WiFi encryption, and always check for device updates to ensure security flaws are patched. Educating yourself can help you to protect your family, so try to spend some time reading product reviews and opt for brands with strong security practices.
If an IoT camera is hacked, you should immediately unplug the device and contact customer support and the police. You may or may not want to perform a factory reset depending on the severity of the issue and the legal steps you wish to take: factory reset will likely remove any digital forensics that might be important for your case.
Sharing your story with others can also have a positive impact. The mom who shared her experience on Reddit took a critical step by warning other parents. 💯
🛡️ Ivy Cyber: Understand the ABC’s of Tech
Cybercriminals aren’t just watching parents and babies — they’re going after small businesses and large industry players too. To thrive, you need to know the ABC’s: the risks and rewards of AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity.
At Ivy Cyber, we help individuals and businesses take control of their digital footprint. That might mean training your team, testing your systems, crafting an AI strategy, or safeguarding your crypto assets.
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😳 Your Face Is Not The Problem, Virtual Meetings Are
Virtual meeting fatigue, or “Zoom fatigue,” doesn’t just make you tired of staring at a screen all day: it could also make you feel crappy about your appearance. A new study found that workers who aren’t happy with how they look tend to feel more drained by virtual meetings. As a result, many turn to filters, touch-up tools, and avatars to tweak their on-screen appearance and feel more comfortable.
The study surveyed nearly 2,500 remote workers in the US and found a clear pattern: the more dissatisfied people were with their looks, the more exhausted they felt after video meetings. That exhaustion made them less likely to embrace virtual meetings as a useful tool, highlighting an often-overlooked part of remote work — how self-perception affects engagement with technology.
As organizations continue relying on remote communication, it’s worth considering how these tools impact not just productivity but also confidence and well-being. While this study focused on US workers, the issue is likely much more widespread. Future research could explore how different cultures experience virtual meeting fatigue and what we all can do to make virtual meetings feel more comfortable for everyone.
As remote work keeps evolving, finding ways to reduce digital fatigue could make a big difference in keeping teams engaged and happy. For example, you can start meetings with no cameras on and rely on screen sharing and rotating presenters to keep your team engaged. And, please, try not to substitute long meetings for dedicated work.
These strategies work well for PrivacySafe, and we’re building our own video platform with those lessons in mind. 💻
🦭 Seal Wanders the Streets, Looking for “Ah-Beetz”?
A young gray seal made waves this week when he was stranded in our home base of New Haven, Connecticut, going viral with millions of views. The pup was first found near a seafood restaurant and, after being led back to a beach, was spotted again the next day — only a few blocks from the Elm City’s famous Pepe’s and Sally’s pizzerias.
Police, who first thought the 911 call might be a prank, blocked off the area until marine rescuers arrived. While gray seals are common along the North Atlantic coast, this particular adolescent seemed to be only a few weeks old and malnourished.
New Haven has a long history with seals, and European sailors called a spot in the neighborhood of Fair Haven “Dragon Point” after the sunbathing seals who dwelt there. The newly-arrived baby seal swam upriver from Long Island Sound and may have been looking for shelter from winter storms, just like his ancestors.
It’s likely that the pup was also avoiding predators or even other seals, preferring an icy parking lot to the water. Or, as many locals joked, he was searching for New Haven’s famous “ah-beetz.” That’s the pronunciation of apizza in the local dialect.
Now in the care of Mystic Aquarium, the little wanderer is on a steady diet of fish and fluids. The goal is to help him regain his strength so that he can learn how to hunt on his own. Once he’s ready, he’ll be released back into the wild.
In the meantime, Mystic Aquarium staff plan to give him a proper name, following their 2025 theme of naming animals after bugs. Given his adventure near Yale University’s campus, some have suggested “Boola.” But we’d like to propose something more fitting — and more contentious — start a poll to name him either “Pepe” or “Sally” and let the fans of wood-fired apizza compete for their favorite restaurant! 🍕
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Bits On Tape™ is a twice-weekly replay of science & technology stories by cyber experts. These bits are put to screen by Sean O’Brien, leading voice behind privacy and cybersecurity at Yale Law School and founder of Yale Privacy Lab, and edited by Cherise Labonte, science researcher and licensed Registered Nurse.
© Ivy Cyber Consulting LLC. This project is dedicated to ethical Free and Open Source Software and Open Source Hardware. Ivy Cyber™ and Bits On Tape™ are pending trademarks and PrivacySafe® is a registered trademark. All content, unless otherwise noted, is licensed Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 International. Header photo is derived from CC-BY art by ajay_suresh and Hivint Stock Photos.