Airbnbs have have turn the way we vacation, offering accommodations that span all levels. We just booked a house in Hawaii for the whole family, in a hotel, we would have to rent two suites plus a few rooms.
But lately, the scene has proven to be not that rosy, creepy crawlies have invaded the serene space. According to CNN, a family from New Zealand discovered a hidden camera livestreaming from a property they were renting in Cork, Ireland. That follows claims of several other secret camera discoveries, which were reported last month by The Atlantic magazine .
Airbnb says it has taken action, investigated and apologized where appropriate and Airbnb insists that thesr types of negative experiences are rare. They actually said extremely rare but I don't buy that.
"The safety and privacy of our community -- both online and offline -- is our priority," Airbnb said in a statement following the Ireland incident. "Airbnb policies strictly prohibit hidden cameras in listings and we take reports of any violations extremely seriously."
Andrew Barker from New Zealand who discovered the Ireland video cameras thanks to his IT knowledge, is helping other travelers to learn how to scan networks for covert devices.
For those who want to follow the Barkers' advice, security experts point to varying levels of checks, from the cursory to the in-depth that could help identify hidden lenses.
First of all, checks should be made around each room for strange devices, the shine of camera lenses and tiny holes, according to tech websites such as lifehacker and Digital Trends .
They say this should include the back ends of books, mirrors, light bulbs, house plants, areas that would give the best field of view.
"Assuming the camera has some form of lens, you use a device that has a very bright light source and a viewfinder that allows you to scan for the reflections from the lens," Professor Alan Woodward from the Center for Cyber Security at the UK's Surrey University, told CNN.
Some cameras can operate in the dark and to do that they need an infrared source, he added.
"If that were the case you could (assuming it's dark) turn off all the lights and use your forward-facing phone camera which tends not to have an IR filter fitted and so may see any IR illumination, assuming it's there."
It's also possible to install apps on your phone that can scan for hidden cameras or buy a radio frequency scanner.
"If it does transmit RF, then you can again buy a standard bug detector that you sweep the room with to search for hidden sources of radio transmission," says Woodward. "There are some products out there that combine the optical and RF detection methods."
Internet cameras need a data connection to store or stream their footage, says tech company Fing , so cameras may be connected to your Airbnb host's network, the same Wi-Fi that you have been allowed to connect to -- as was the case for the Barker family in Cork.
Companies like Fing have devices that scan Wi-Fi networks and see all the other devices, both wired and wireless, connected.
If a webcam camera has no connection to the Internet it can't send its footage, so disconnecting the Internet would stop the streaming.
You can get more in depth info at this CNN Article.
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