The truly secure home is not the one with the most cameras; it is the one with intentional cameras. It uses wired, local-storage systems that are segmented from the internet. It records video only, motion only, and only on the perimeter. It turns off audio. It respects property lines.
This is the headline risk. In 2023, a security researcher discovered that a popular off-brand camera system had hard-coded admin passwords—meaning anyone with the camera’s IP address could log in as "admin" with no password. Once inside, hackers can: The truly secure home is not the one
: Your cameras should not intentionally peer into a neighbor's home or private spaces, like a fully fenced backyard. While capturing a neighbor's front lawn (visible from the street) is usually legal, aiming a camera directly at their windows can lead to civil or criminal charges. It turns off audio