NEW YORK, Feb 20: A device intended to provide parents peace of mind is instead causing them to worry. A mother recently shared her unsettling experience on Reddit, revealing that an unauthorized user gained access to her baby monitor and began speaking to her newborn.

The mother, who chose to remain anonymous, explained that she had purchased a “cheap” YiHome WiFi-enabled camera from Amazon. This camera, designed to detect movement, allow parents to hear and speak through it, and feature time-stamped recordings, was intended to monitor her baby. However, the device lacked Bluetooth capability, meaning it needed to connect to WiFi and be controlled via a smartphone app.

One evening, after placing her baby down for a nap, the mother went to the restroom. Her son was crying, so she opened the app and turned on the audio to check on him. To her surprise, she heard a woman’s voice say, “hello?” through the monitor. Alarmed, she asked her husband if the camera or anything in the child’s room could make noise, to which he replied no.

As she returned upstairs, she heard the same woman’s voice again, speaking to her son through the camera, saying, “Hi baby! It’s okay!” The terrified mother immediately disconnected the camera, swearing not to use it again.

It wasn’t the first time the mysterious voice had spoken to her son. She later realized the woman had gained access to the monitor for “at least four days.” Her sister, who lives with the family, had also heard the strange voice but attributed it to the television, which had not yet been installed.

The mother warned others about the vulnerability of WiFi-enabled baby monitors, suggesting they opt for Bluetooth cameras instead. She suspected the stranger likely accessed the device through the corresponding app, easily exploiting its weaknesses.

Many readers on Reddit labeled the incident as “creepy,” “scary,” and “nefarious,” wondering why anyone would want to talk to someone else’s baby. Sadly, the mother’s experience is not unique. Over the years, other parents have reported similar incidents, with hackers accessing baby monitors and speaking to their children.

According to Allen St. John, content manager for Consumer Reports' baby monitor section, many WiFi-enabled baby monitors have poor security and privacy features. While these monitors are more convenient for parents, Titania Jordan, CMO of Bark Technologies, emphasized their vulnerabilities.

“Many WiFi baby monitors ship with default or easy-to-guess login credentials that were never changed,” Jordan explained. “Uninstalled manufacturer updates or insecure app settings also increase the risk of exploitation.”

Experts also warn that a home router with poor encryption or a weak WiFi password can expose the entire network—and the baby monitor—to hackers.

For added security, experts advise parents to read customer reviews before purchasing baby monitors and choose those with a local video feed. Additionally, they recommend changing the default login credentials immediately upon setup, selecting a unique password with letters, numbers, and symbols, and using WPA2 or WPA3 encryption for WiFi.

By taking these precautions, parents can better protect their devices and ensure their children's safety.