Surveillance which is done by Government Organizations/ Law enforcement for the security of the people. There surveillance is done in public areas which is now becoming mandatory in terms of national security. How surveillance is done from a small scale to a large scale is demonstrated in the ethical hacking courses offered by the International Institute of Cyber Security in Delhi, India. You must be aware that a former CIA contractor revealed how the CIA is keeping surveillance on people. Sometimes it becomes important but if we say “You Are Being Watched & also recorded” this also becomes a serious issue for your privacy. So why does law enforcement keep an eye on public privacy? Some say it is for the security of the nation. But do you think keeping a DIGITAL EYE all the time also breaks the protocol of privacy?
And if there are public cameras there are also hidden cameras. Recently South Korean motels have been using hidden cameras to film their guests. There are over 1600 people were filmed in motels with the footage being streamed online paying consumers to watch online. Two of the suspects have been arrested. According to the ethical hacking researcher at the International Institute of Cyber Security Cameras can be hidden in:-
- Smoke detectors
- Air filter equipment
- ATM’s
- Wall Sockets
- Electrical outlets
- DVD cases, Books
- Lava lamps
- House plants
- Desk plants
- Tissue boxes
- Stuffed teddy bears
- Couch cushions, table tops, and shelves
- Holes on the doors
- The roof of the house
- The doorbell outside your home and many other areas
Today we will show some methods that how you can detect hidden cameras using your smartphone. There are many eCommerce sites where small/ tiny cameras are available. Customers can easily buy such products. Many cameras come wireless or some are wired. We will show you how you can detect such hidden cameras on the software as well as hardware level.
HARDWARE’S TO DETECT HIDDEN OR SPY CAMERA’S:-
For detecting hidden cameras there are many hand-held devices are used to detect such cameras. There are many camera detectors available for around $100. Such detectors work while searching for the radio frequency of the hidden cameras. Such detectors throw light in the form of radio frequency. When you point out these detectors near to your eye you can easily see hidden cameras. Hidden Camera Detectors are available:
- Some other detectors help you to find hidden cameras.
- You can buy such products from the above stores or any other stores.
SOFTWARE’S OR APP’S TO DETECT HIDDEN OR SPY CAMERA’S:-
In today’s era, everyone uses a smartphone. The smartphone has much capability to detect such hidden cameras. Smartphones have built-in sensors to detect hidden cameras. There are many Android/ IOS Applications available to detect hidden cameras. Today smartphone rear cameras do have infrared filters, so for checking hidden cameras you can use the front camera of your smartphone, as demonstrated in the ethical hacking courses.
FOR ANDROID:-
- Hidden Camera Detector – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hiddencamdetector.futureapps.com.hiddencamdetector
- Spy Camera Detector – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.trackapps.hiddencameradetected
- Hidden Camera – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.softmaticsoft.hiddencameradetectorspysecret
TESTING ABOVE FOR ANDROID APPS:-
- Here we have tested one of the listed apps in Xiaomi Redmi Note 4. We have used two mobiles one is working as a detector & another is working as a target. One is working as Spy Camera Detector (Attacker) another is working as Spy Camera (Target).
Spy Camera (Target – Samsung M30) – We will run this as a spy camera
- We have installed a spy camera detector app, Hidden Camera Detector: Redmi Note 4. And for the Spy Camera, we are using a Samsung Galaxy M30. When we open the hidden camera detector application & take the app near the spy camera.
- The device with the spy camera app started to sound like a beep & red dot was showing on the screen that the camera was detected. Hence for further search we also tried after switching off the spy camera. Then we scanned with the application.
- The result was nothing. Hidden App Detector was unable to find the spy camera. This shows that these apps find hidden cameras only when the hidden camera is turned on. Below we have shown screenshots of the applications we have tested.
- A video of the same test is shown below in YouTube link.
- Above is the screenshots of the apps that we have tested. The red dot & the green odometer show that the camera is detected.
FOR IOS:-
The above applications are fairly easy to use. Install them from the given links. Open the Application & then app will start searching frequency of the camera.
FOR SEARCHING HIDDEN CAMERAS IN PUBLIC PLACES:-
- In public areas, sometimes it becomes difficult to search for hidden public cameras. Public places like ATMs is the most used places where we can see hidden cameras.
- Sometimes it becomes difficult to search for hidden cameras, especially on ATMs. In the below image red marked area where a hidden camera is installed.
- In some ATMs hidden cameras are installed in a way that no one can find it easily. So to find a hidden camera, you can use your smartphone camera.
- In the past smartphone rear camera did not have an infrared filter so now it's easy to check for a hidden camera.
- Open the camera and point your smartphone camera towards the ATM machine & you will be able to see the hidden camera.
CAMERA WITH MOTION SENSORS, USING INFRARED LIGHT:-
You can use remote control to check for the infrared light in the camera. Point your camera towards your remote control & press the button on the remote to check for infrared light. Most probably the light will blink in red color, as explained in ethical hacking courses.
Or you can use another method to search for hidden cameras. You can make a phone call while roaming around the suspected area where hidden cameras could be found. Hidden cameras throw frequency which will interfere with your phone call signal. If you notice that there is a signal disturbance has occurred. Stop there & try to search for the hidden surveillance.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU DETECT HIDDEN CAMERA?
Hidden surveillance is a serious crime. Especially in private places. If you traveling & staying in a hotel room. You should follow the above steps to secure your privacy. There are further in-depth details we will research & show how such detectors/ mobile application works to detect hidden cameras. If you find such hidden cameras you can contact law enforcement agencies for further investigation, according to ethical hacking courses.
